How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I didn't enjoy this one very much, but I'm still giving it 3 stars because it's a decentHow I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I didn't enjoy this one very much, but I'm still giving it 3 stars because it's a decent book. It's just probably not for me. The narrator (which I think is the author too) was just being too jokey and familiar, ir was very cringe. Like she's expecting you to laugh and using that "sitcom character talks to camera" voice, except it's not funny and you just feel embarrassed. You know what I mean? And most of the facts just so happened to be stuff I knew. But if you're a teen or maybe not as crazy at fact retention as I am, you'll probably like this. I listened to it while falling asleep at night (I struggle to fall asleep) and for that, it was just fine.
I thank the publisher and libro.fm for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
It's interesting to read the reviews to this book. Half are raving about it, the other half are bashing it completely. For me? I don't know, I'm I'm tIt's interesting to read the reviews to this book. Half are raving about it, the other half are bashing it completely. For me? I don't know, I'm I'm the middle. It feels almost as if this book was so bad it was good? If it was released now, it would certainly deserve another review, but since it's so old, and compared to the amount of books released now, there were so few books back then, and relatively so few people who read them... That it's not easy to apply the same standards at all. To say the least, this book is very interesting for its history.
The pathos in it is hilarious though. If you've ever read Anne of Green Gables, you can be sure that all the books the girls swoon over must be this one and others like it. This book is earnestly written in the same pathos that L.M. Montgomery takes the piss at in her books! I found that unbearably, incredibly hilarious. How cool is it to share the same joke with an author who lived so long ago? I definitely rolled my eyes at the pathos, but I have to admit, I also kind of picked up the popcorn.
The story is terrible, the deus ex machina is terrible, the writing is god awful, but YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY ENGROSSED. What we have here, my people, is a telenovela a couple hundred years old. AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING.
This book was so little about Anne and so much about everyone else it almost felt like a short story collection. It took me a while to warm to the epiThis book was so little about Anne and so much about everyone else it almost felt like a short story collection. It took me a while to warm to the epistolary format that most of the book takes, as less stuff happens than is talked about. But I feel like this might have been a better book than the previous one. Anne is turning too perfect and righteous in many ways, but considering the time period, this is fine. The stories are certainly very warm and sweet. In contrast to a lot of stuff written now, this may be somewhat saccharine, but I'd rather read this than another thing that is deep, but sad, or yet another night of doomscrolling. It makes for much better sleep and a happier evening....more
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
This book was so unexpected! I thought it would be a story that centers on Cecily being a pHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
This book was so unexpected! I thought it would be a story that centers on Cecily being a performer, but it wasn't like that. Mostly, it's a book about (view spoiler)[being abandoned, adopted, losing a child and giving it away (hide spoiler)]. This theme was repeated several times, kind of a bit much even, but in the end it all comes together and makes sense, you can feel like that's what the author chose specifically for the story to have deeper meaning. And it's such a painful story in so many places, some of the things that happen are a bit shocking. I feel like a lot of this history of the early 20th century hasn't been told a lot, and that's why some of the things that happened completely floored me. I feel like this is an important story to tell for those reasons, so I'm giving it 4 stars. I would have maybe gone with 3 if not for the subject matter, because a lot of the book was setup setup setup, and some things didn't move till I was maybe 60% in. The story is told in alternating timelines, and sometimes one of the timelines is moving at a good pace, but the others seem to be lagging behind as if they're waiting for that one to be done getting to the main point. But aside from that, this was definitely a good book.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
4.5 stars, rounded to 5
TW: (not a spoiler, it's how the book begins, but I'll tag it anywayHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
4.5 stars, rounded to 5
TW: (not a spoiler, it's how the book begins, but I'll tag it anyway) (view spoiler)[this book contains descriptions of assault and rape, as well as the aftermath of such a trauma; there is also self-harm (hide spoiler)]
Do you know there are several types of good book? There's the exciting, thrilling kind, there's the happy or sad kind, there's the wrack-your-head mystery kind of good as well. Just this last month, I read an exciting and happy kind of good book, but it's actually been a while since I've read a slow-and-steady kind of good book, and this is just what this one was. It's a slow burn, but what you're getting is just the steady kind of good, you know you'll turn the page and it's just going to be good and keep giving. The author won't let you down. Such a good reading experience.
The book is about an inheritance trial, about proving who you are and belonging, but it's not just that. It's also a book about healing - and the theme resonates through many storylines. There's the main storyline - a widow raising her children, suddenly left without a partner, who was also their breadwinner. Then there's her mother, dealing with a recent trauma and having to reshape her framework due to that. Both women have to reevaluate their points of view, as well as their direction in life, and grow past what's been holding them down.
It's a wonderful book, I especially loved the (view spoiler)[semi-open ending. (hide spoiler)] It was very satisfying and showed great character growth. I think I'll be checking out this author's other books too.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
I loved this book so much and now I'm sad I'm finished with it. If you love retro gaming, IHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
I loved this book so much and now I'm sad I'm finished with it. If you love retro gaming, I'm sure you'll love it too. It's just that the guy who wrote the book seems to be one of those people you can't help falling in love with as you read. You just kind of want to actually know them and hang out with them, cause they're just so wholesome. The last such book for me was the memoir of the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins (Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey).
But of course, it's not just that the author's vibe is lovely, the story itself was lovely to read. I happen to adore pinball and while the story was not about pinball, those industries intersected a lot at the time, so it was remarkably interesting to get a glimpse into the same offices of those legendary pinball companies. I guess I should find me some pinball nonfiction next.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
Wow, I did not expect this one to hit me so hard. I thought it would be a light read, but iHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
Wow, I did not expect this one to hit me so hard. I thought it would be a light read, but it turned out to be actually so strong and so good. It's a story about a man abandoned by his quite deadbeat father, a man who's suffering from anxiety and generally being unable to thrive in life after certain traumas of the recent past.
A lot of this hit close to home for me, although I can't say my dad has a single interesting bone in his entire body, or any advice to give, as opposed to Will's dad being a misunderstood rockstar. But a lot of what Will has gone through, I've known, and what I loved about this book is being seen - a lot of the trauma and anxieties that come with growing up this way seemed to me to be accurately and sensitively portrayed.
I truly didn't expect this book to move me so much, but by the end I could say I was going to give it 5 stars. It was a great read. Definitely recommended.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Can I give this one 6 stars out of 5? Or, like, 10? It was so good. I feel like it's one of my best CRH books I've read so far. Although I kind of tenCan I give this one 6 stars out of 5? Or, like, 10? It was so good. I feel like it's one of my best CRH books I've read so far. Although I kind of tend to say that about most of them, after I finish them.
I'm such a silly head though, that I first got this book as a review copy from NetGalley, and then promptly forgot that, saw it on Amazon and bought it. Why? Because I auto-buy anything I see on sale by Catherine Ryan Hyde, because her books are so great. And then I realized I have two copies for some reason. Facepalm. But now that I'm done with it, I'm happy I bought it. This book deserved to be paid for, even if I'm giving it a review too. It's just so good. CRH is like my absolute favorite author of all time.
This book somehow manages to touch on all the sore subjects of the past few years (covid, school shootings, how unsafe the world seems, all of us sort of anticipating the end of times, at least because of the climate if not other reasons). And it just put everything together so nicely. And that's just the background of the story, it's not the main story itself. The main story is about working through trauma and growing up before your time, healing, and many other things. Oh, just read it for yourself - there is nothing I could say thay could do it justice anyway.
There's another thing I love about her books though. That her characters are always the way I'd like to see people. The good brought out in them. Although they go through terrible things, the world CRH draws is not a meaninglessly violent one. There is always good in it, and more importantly, there are always good and responsible people in it. I don't know if the world truly is like that, I hope so, but.. it's good to at least experience it in a book every now and then.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
3.5 stars, rounded down
This was a sweet story, the premise was very interesting and originaHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
3.5 stars, rounded down
This was a sweet story, the premise was very interesting and original, not sure I've heard anything like it before. But the execution could have been stronger. I do realize this is a middle grade book, but I've read many middle grades that were very strong in prose and plot. This one was fine, but felt more like a novelette - very short, things develop very fast, not much depth at all.
I also didn't love the dialogue - I don't know what it was about it, but either the author or I don't know how kids talk these days, cause it didn't feel like that's how they talk (hey, it could always be me who doesn't know, I don't spend a lot of time with kids). Either way, the dialogue didn't feel very natural, and the teenage characters and their motivations sometimes even more so.
But I did like the story, I LOVED the cover and I also liked the moral of the story as well. Actually just watched the movie Barbie a couple of days ago, and I felt like this book also had a lot of the same points to make, which was great.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
This has aged so poorly. So, so poorly. I can see she meant well, but this is so problematic in places. Ew.
Plus, it's book #5, but apparently I'm suppThis has aged so poorly. So, so poorly. I can see she meant well, but this is so problematic in places. Ew.
Plus, it's book #5, but apparently I'm supposed to have read 3 books in yet a completely different series to read this one? Geez, I just wanted to know what happens to Charles Wallace....more
How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I really loved this book. Romero himself is narrating it, which made it so much more perHow I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I really loved this book. Romero himself is narrating it, which made it so much more personal to me (plus, he just has such a nice friendly voice, I tripped time and again over my mental math trying to figure out how he can sound so young, lol).
I have never played Doom myself, but Quake III was the first FPS I ever had a chance to try (although from what I understand, he wasn't a part of that specific one anymore), and of course I played the demo levels of Wolfenstein, who hasn't? (Okay, so I guess Quake III wasn't the first!)
Anyway, I'm not much of a gamer, but I've always been very interested in gaming history, I watch way more YouTube essays about it than I should, considering I'm not a gamer myself. This hit the spot, it was so interesting to read about how Doom, the game that they'll put on anything these days, was made (I think I saw a video where A RING runs Doom??! Like a ring that you put on your finger!)
John Romero's childhood is also no joke, and was very interesting to read about. I had my own opinions about how little his family and interpersonal relationships show up in his radar in his adult life, but also, you can just tell, Romero is just so deeply concentrated on his craft that his craft IS his life (or maybe he didn't want to talk too much about his personal life in this book.) Truly a one of a kind person, and it was very interesting to hear this story told from his own perspective.
I have also never really known any history of the makers of Doom, and how apparently rocky it became right before their breakup, but I can say that Romero is very nice about it in this book. There's no blaming or bashing or anything like that. Of course, it's years in the past for him, so it's easier to put things in perspective, but you know. It's nice to read a constructive account on something like that.
All in all, there IS a lot of talk about how this or that level was built, how long the engine took to make, and all sorts of technical topics like that. It might be a bit much for some people, but I don't know, it worked for me, and like I said - it just shows how much it is part of Romero's life, so I enjoyed reading it all the same.
I thank the publisher and libro.fm for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
This book reminds me of a stand up comedy act, but one that's a little bit too unfocused. Like, the humor is good and (mostly) stands the tesDNF @ 44%
This book reminds me of a stand up comedy act, but one that's a little bit too unfocused. Like, the humor is good and (mostly) stands the test of time, but... what are all these asides? Are those random stories really necessary? I'm normally fine at reading very old books, but this one I just struggled to stay invested in. In the end, I decided I don't have the time to finish it, cause there are 600 more books in my Kindle and there's no point on dwelling on what feels like a chore reading it. Had I finished it, I would have probably given it only 2 stars anyway....more
A story becomes a lot less interesting when the main character is all too powerful, almost godlike, completely impossible to best or even approach, anA story becomes a lot less interesting when the main character is all too powerful, almost godlike, completely impossible to best or even approach, and the only moments she fails is when she makes an emotional or tactical mistake. And even those mostly work out for her. The story lost its drive for me because of this....more
Evelina | AvalinahsBooks
>
Books:
books-of-2023
(80)
Loading...
