October 2020 Wrap-Up

So, this is pretty pathetic. I read 14 books in October, which isn't a bad number, except for the fact that I read 10 of those in the first half of the month. I got into a sort of slump in the last two weeks of the month, largely owing to the fact that I played Stardew Valley nonstop for a week straight. Anywho... Somehow even with that slump, I still read a lot more than last month, with over 5,000 pages making for 170 pages/day. My average rating was 3.64, which is remarkably high. My lowest rating was 2.5 rounded up to 3, and my highest was 4.6 rounded up to 5. I'll take it! Here are the books I read in October:

1. Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.79/5)

This was a roller coaster ride... The characters were so complex. They infuriated me, then made me shake my head in solidarity, then made my heart swell... There were just a lot of emotions from this. Clara was super bratty but a) she kinda had a good excuse, and b) character development is better when you start at a low place. I feel the same way about how overbearing Morgan was. I really like the male counterparts, Miller and Jonah, and I actually felt that the romances were well-paced: fast, and whirlwind-like for the teenagers, and slow-burn for the adults. Overall I really enjoyed this and I recommend to people looking for a heavy, heartfelt contemporary about the complexities of love, betrayal, and family. 

2. True Story by Kate Reed Petty

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5/5)

I don't.. know... what I just read??? That's terrible review, but I have nothing better. The changing viewpoints and timelines made it hard to focus on this story, probably exacerbated by the fact that I was listening to the audiobook instead of reading a physical copy. I just felt like everything--the characters, plot, writing--was average.

3. Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.07/5)

WOW, this book was fantastic!! I have always been interested in Greek mythology, and I loved the writing in this book. I like how the ancient is interwoven with the modern, and how even the ancient stories are accessible and relatable to current circumstances that women face. Also, the illustrations in this book are beautiful.

4. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.71/5)

This was a really cute graphic novel!! I smiled throughout most of it, and I loved the style of art and storytelling. 

5. Half-Blood (The Covenant Series #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.14/5)

This is my second disappointment from Jennifer L. Armentrout, and in short succession (not to mention I've only read two of her books). This book was just so very average to me. I shipped the romance but it wasn't developed enough for my preference. The plot was very slow and scant--just not that captivating. I really expected to love this because of the premise (hello, Greek mythology retelling?? My PJ loving heart is throbbing) and because of the high reviews. Sadly, the first fell short of expectations and second didn't end up being the case for me. I will not be continuing with the series. However, if you have liked Armentrout's other books, you will probably like this. Most of the problems I had with her From Blood and Ash were ditto for this book. Also some people were saying this was a shameless rip-off of Vampire Academy? I haven't read that (yet), but if so, it must be a pretty mediocre one. Time will tell, as I hope to eventually get around to reading that one...

6. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rating: ★★★★☆

This book is really creepy. It gets an excellent score for atmosphere and chill. I thought the characters were bland--the protagonist was the really cliche strong independent woman trying to protect a weak dependent woman. What really worked for me in this book was the science behind the horror. It wasn't really accurate, but it sure was fun to read about as I'm currently in my microbiology rotation. The characters you're supposed to hate are so hateable, and this book hits the spooky fall vibes just right. 

7. One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.71/5)

This is both a lot of fun and anger-inducing, especially because it's so accurate regarding the shame that plus-size women receive every day. I liked how they address the double standards between how men and women are treated about their weight, and how there's a stigma about a plus-size woman being romantically involved with an average man. Where this book did not exceed my expectations was the plot--I predicted every plot twist pages before it happened. Maybe it was foreshadowing... maybe the plot is just the tiniest bit cliche.

8. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.64/5)

I expected to like this, it's a Hidden Figures-esque alternate history (1950's) wherein humanity is scrambling to find a way to live off the Earth's surface after a catastrophic meteorite strikes the capital of the United States, dooming all of Earth's inhabitants. There is a large emphasis on the role of the woman in space flight, particularly computers, which was also the main focus in Hidden Figures. Although it should be mentioned that this was written before that book was published. One thing I didn't expect from this book that I really appreciated was the mental illness representation, being that the main character and several others suffer from anxiety and are medicated for it. There's a large discussion about how medicating for mental illness is viewed and the personal struggles involved with deciding to get help. Some of the misogyny in this book just made my blood boil, even knowing that "the times were different". The bikini scene... that one in particular made me see red. I'm not kidding when I say the main reason this book is in the 4-star range and not the 5-star range is because of the space-themed dirty talk. The fact that it was consistent, like 5+ times... I just wanted to the throw the book at the wall/vomit every time I read it. Seems dramatic, but it's true.

9. The City We Became (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.14/5)

To be honest, I can't remember much about this book so it's not winning any awards for memorability. Obviously, I remember the premise because that was pretty cool. And I like how the city was split up into different people who were diverse and a perfect essence of the city. However... that ending was so underwhelming. And it just felt like there was so much filler. Filler conversations, filler plot points, filler backstories that did not contribute to the main plotline (or even side plotlines) or character development at all. If I had to describe this book in three words they would be: chaotic, creative, and tedious. It still gets 3 stars because really most of it wasn't bad, most of it was fine or even good. It did leave something to be desired though.

10. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.92/5)

This book really excelled on the plot and intrigue side of things. The characters were alright, but what made me keep reading was the mystery. I was just as enraptured by the enigma of Alicia Berenson as Theo was. I liked the plot twist; I only saw half of it coming and even that was only a few chapters before it happened. There are still some things I don't understand. Not much to this review besides spoilers (view my spoiler review on Goodreads). All in all I recommend this just because of how intriguing the plot continually is and because I actually did like the twist and the ending.

11. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Rating: ★★★★★ (4.57/5)

I loved this book with my whole entire soul. I laughed out loud--for real--several times. There's just not much to say other than that this is a really solid rom-com. There were several instances where I finished a chapter and just had to continuing reading onto the next chapter. This is a long book for a contemporary, but it still felt too short. And there were a few things that made this book less perfect in my opinion, like how insufferably whiny Luc constantly was and how his friend group was a little too idealistic, but it still didn't detract from my enjoyment of this novel. Truly amazing.

12. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.21/5)

This was an incredibly sweet story. I really grew to love the characters, I loved the messages, and I was really shipping that ship hard by the epilogue. I think this book did what I was hoping Every Heart a Doorway would do, and at least this one did not disappoint. I hope we get more content in this world from TJ Klune.

13. New Moon (Twilight, #2) by Stephenie Meyer

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.64/5)

I definitely liked the middle chunk of this book more than the beginning or the ending--I'm officially a Team Jacob kind of person. I never thought we'd be here, but we are. Edward is just so emo and Bella is so into him and I'm like...........why. But JACOB wow that is something worth thinking about. Honestly I just liked Jacob more because he's more friendly. He isn't so cold and distant. Bella is definitely obsessed with Edward, but it seems that Jacob is the one who makes her smile more. Whatever, the point is, I want more of the werewolves and less of the vamps. Since the werewolves take up like half of the book I was inclined to enjoy this much more than if it had only been about the vampires again. Also, I liked that only a small portion of the book was in the high school setting (it's just very boring to me comparatively). I must mention though that Bella's conversations with Jacob, especially in the beginning of their relationship, were a real weakness in the book. The writing and the dialogue in those chapters were both just... so bad.

14. In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.21/5)

This was really cute! However. Andrew's reason for getting mad at Mae was pretty ridiculous and I kept thinking about it through the end of the novel. Also, I think I'm getting to the point where all of Christina Lauren's books are starting to be very familiar to each other... I've read 5 of their books, 4 of which are all very similar to each other (the exception being Autoboyography). I just need to take it slow reading more of their books, and maybe lower my expectations. The first book I ever read by them blew me away so completely (Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating) that I need a way to cope with their other books never quite measuring up. Still, this one was cute and very Christmas-y.

September 2020 Wrap-Up

 It's time for monthly stats! I can't believe October is tomorrow. September was not so bad for reading: I read 10 books for a total of 3,649 pages. That's one book less than last month, but only 100 fewer pages because my average page count in September was 365 pages/book. I read 122 pages/day, which significantly beats my average last month of 121 pages/day (sarcasm is hard to convey through a screen). My average rating was 3.61 due to the fact that I had NO 1 or 2 star books this month! I don't know if that's ever happened (probably has, several times, I just feel like celebrating it this month). Anyway, here're the books:

1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.93/5)

All I knew about this book going into it was that it was about a grumpy old man whose life is changed by some people so that he becomes a less grumpy old man. This is, honestly, a pretty good representation of the plot of the book. However, I did not realize that this would have so much of the grumpy old man's past in it, nor was I aware that this was a tragic love story. And it was wonderful. Check out my full review HERE.

2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.00/5.00)

This was a moving, well-developed novel with highly memorable characters and messages. I honestly enjoyed this novel so much, and I definitely recommend the audiobook. I honestly can't give many specifics on what made this so good--just excellent writing, relatable characters, and an intriguing plot. The timeline was a little hard to follow, however, for example: nearing the end of the book Kennedy is in her thirties but then it jumps back to her being in her early twenties. Other than that and a slow start to the book, I enjoyed this completely.

3. From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.85/5)

The ending of this book was hot mess, and for that reason alone I don't recommend it. I just can't support the messages that are in the book and backwards character development and the messy worldbuilding. I still give the book some credit for being intriguing and enjoyable for the first half at least, but in general if you're looking for fantasy romance I would just skip this one and head on over to the SJM shelf. Check out my full thoughts HERE.

4. The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.00/5)

The premise of this story is pretty cool--it's based on speculation that a lot of Mozart's music was written actually by his sister. I loved that aspect of the book. However, the book is also about a magical fictional kingdom that the two children played when they were young. The fantasy elements of this made-up world are tied into their reality, and their musical careers are intertwined with the characters they meet in the Kingdom of Back. To be honest, I think I would have preferred the book if it was just a historical fiction about music from Nannerl's perspective, nixing the fantasy elements of the book altogether. It was enjoyable enough, but the fantasy of the Kingdom just didn't enrapture me the way I feel it should have. The parts that really moved me were about the familial relations and Nannerl's coming-of-age, separate from the Kingdom. 

5. The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.71/5)

I loved the Alaskan setting and the atmosphere was set perfectly. The characters were distinct and all interesting with compelling backstories, and I liked how they were all interwoven (although, debatably, they were woven together a little too perfectly to the point of having to question the plausibility of the story). I really think this book held all the right emotional moments, I just wish it had been a bit longer so the plot could have developed more, it felt kind of fast when instead it maybe should have stewed longer.

6. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.57/5)

This book was initially hard for me to get into (first 50 pages or so) due to the stream of consciousness style of writing and the small plot. After I got used to the writing style though, I was thoroughly invested and got through the pages very quickly. I do agree with the general consensus that the book's plot is basic--exactly the stuff you'd expect from a post-apocalyptic world book. However, I didn't mind that much because I was so emotionally involved with the character's well-being that I felt the suspense of just wanting them to make it out of every situation okay. The writing style did give me a bit of trouble because it flipped between really intricate prose and overly simplified narration. All in all, the writing and the plot are the weak spots of the book, but they are made up for by the characters, atmosphere, and intrigue.

7. The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.28/5)

Apollo is hilarious. I actually LOL'ed several times while reading this. Sure, sometimes his flamboyance is a little too much, but it's just so... Apollo. Apollo is basically what would happen if a Percy Jackson book was from the perspective of Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club, and it's glorious. Not to mention Percy is one of my favorite book characters of all time, so I will read anything that has even a fraction of him in it. I thought this book had a nice balance--it focused mainly on Apollo and Meg, but had some Percy and Leo fan-service thrown in. I also love the references toward previous books. In general I really like interconnected series (aka series written within the same world), but this one is particularly well done.

8. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Rating:★★★★☆ (3.92/5)

For the most part I enjoyed this story--I felt suspense at the right times, I empathized with the characters, and I really found them to be compelling people. I did think some of the "ease" of their journey was unrealistic (i.e. how easily they saved the sisters from the kidnapping). Also the way that the drug cartel situation with Javier was wrapped up was weird but also touching. This book is a really solid four-star read, and I'd recommend it to everyone.

9. Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole

Rating:★★★★☆ (4.07/5)

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I found the concept to be fresh and exciting, yet it's still based on tarot so that's really interesting. I found Evie, the main character, to show a lot of development by the end of the novel, and her previous airiness lent more realism to the book (too often, female heroines are the picture-perfect strong female lead, and it just doesn't happen like that IRL). It's been a while since a romance has made me feel the way I do about this one -- it's toxic AF, but I couldn't help rooting for them despite knowing they are better off not being romantically involved with each other. I liked the personalities of the characters, I thought Finn was particularly funny. My major complaints with the book are some of the logic issues with it. The way the characters interact/their dialogue many times was cringe-worthy because of how unnatural it sounded. I would say the same thing about Selena's character on the whole, she isn't really presented as a character herself but as an object that serves to further the romantic plot. I'm hoping this changes in the next book; I really want to see Matthew, Selena, and Finn's characters fleshed out. 

10. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.79/5)

I enjoyed this book, but I doubt I'll remember the plot or any of the characters' names by this time next year. It was wholly unmemorable on account of the fact that it does what every single other YA book out there is doing right now: the same high school setting, the same central conflict, the same lineup of characters. Maybe this book is just unlucky because I've read it after reading so many of these, but it just fell flat. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but it didn't move me. I also thought it was lacking in logic, and I have to wonder if adults who write books for teens have any idea how teens think and speak to one another. Also, some of the problems weren't addressed? Like Gabby being a totally horrible person: they address how she was wrong for not giving Liz the letter from Jordan, but NONE of the other ways she was a terrible friend/person? So yeah, I liked the book but I won't reread it and I won't be highly recommending it. I would recommend it to people who like basic YA contemporary romance/slice of life. 

Review for "From Blood and Ash" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This book is so conflicting for me to review. I really don't know exactly how to go about it, so let's start at the beginning, which is a very good place to start.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.85/5)

This book was immediately intriguing. You basically have a Rapunzel, who locked up in a castle but secretly sneaks out so that she can experience the world. From the beginning you have a Chosen One trope, but this time it's a female and not a male, so obviously that results in her being constantly locked up, protected, and chastised for her unladylike behavior. I actually was pretty interested in the world and the romance which was set up from chapter 1. Of course the beginning of a huge high fantasy book is always slow, but that wasn't what frustrated me about the beginning of the book. I actually found the pacing appropriate and while the first 40% of this 700 page tome is mainly setup, I didn't find myself bored as I learned more about the world. The frustration I had was that nothing was explained when it should have been, so by the time I got to 50%, I still didn't understand the major aspects of this fantasy world. I understand not wanting to be info-dumpy, but if I still have no idea what's going on after 300 pages there's a problem with the integration of worldbuilding in the story.

So after the beginning is the middle, which to be honest does not stick in my brain that much. I know I just complained that the beginning was confusing, but at least it was very enjoyable and intriguing. The middle 25% (50%-75%) was fine, it just didn't feel as exciting as it should have considering all the buildup from the first half of the book. I was expecting a big adventure to come into the plot with fighting and traveling, and what we got was really just a lot of sex. Yes, I realize it's a romance book, but some of those scenes seemed ill-timed and took away from the fantasy aspect of the story.

I'm not kidding when I say that the last 20% of the book absolutely ruined it for me. The plot twist at 80% was fine. I mean I saw it coming because it was predictable, but I wasn't mad about it until the next chapter. SPOILER I was expecting a situation where you find out the main love interest is working for the bad guy, but then you find out that after he met the girl he fell in love so now he regrets betraying her blah blah blah, but no. Hawke shows no remorse for leading Poppy on, and he does nothing to show he actually cares for her, and the girl still falls down at his feet. She had a lot of inner monologue about how she couldn't trust him anymore, but then all her actions show her as a weak little girl who follows the beck and call of an overbearing, manipulative man. Her character development was just so backwards. She starts the book being a strong woman who wants to fight to save her people etc., and then ends the book as a complicit, wavering young woman with no convictions about her beliefs. It was unbelievable. When you add in the fact that Hawke was so infuriatingly manipulative and abusive, I just can't. The way he would tell her she "didn't have an option" and implied he would force her to do things was so abusive, and Poppy just talked about it like it was because he cared about her, which is a really bad message to be sending to the audience. When a man forces a woman to do ANYTHING, he doesn't love her, he's an abuser and that's not love or even romance. And then there's that weird scene where she stabs him in the heart, and then HAS SEX WITH HIM. Like okay, being bitten makes you really horny, I get that, but then afterward there's no resolution and she just goes back to following his every word and talking about how she's in love with him when he still doesn't show that he loves or cares about her at all. As a feminist, I just can't support it. END SPOILER In a good fantasy romance, you shouldn't have to cut down your female protagonist and make her smaller in order to further the romantic plot. It was unbearable to read.

A few more issues I had that followed throughout the book: even before Poppy became Hawke's effectual slave, the amount of times she talked about how he was right was infuriating. I just hate male love interests that come in and have no apparent flaws and just know everything. Poppy says "He was right", no less than 10 times in the novel, and I got really tired of him being right all the time. Speaking of him, let's talk about him. It got really old in the last 10% of the book how Poppy would say "he" or "him" every single time. I was just so over it.

The ending of this book was hot mess, and for that reason alone I don't recommend it. I just can't support the messages that are in the book and backwards character development and the messy worldbuilding. I still give the book some credit for being intriguing and enjoyable for the first half at least, but in general if you're looking for fantasy romance I would just skip this one and head on over to the SJM shelf. 

June 2020 Wrap-Up

School is officially in session (early, I know right), so as expected my reading is slowing down a bit and I fully anticipate it slowing down even more as the year picks up pace. I managed to get through 12 books this month, and I imagine this is the last month of the year I will be able to read over ten books. I read 4,733 pages for an average book length of 394 pages, and my average rating was 3.92 which is not too shabby. Here are the books I read in June:

1. The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan

Rating: ★★★★☆
This book is so highly rated because of my dear precious Nico. I love him so much. For some reason, this book just didn't feel like it was a part of the same series as the previous 4, which makes no sense because it was the conclusion of everything that built up in those books. But something about the way Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, and Frank were completely sidelined, as if they weren't the main focus of the books 2, 3, and 4... the book just felt so incomplete. Regardless, even with that bit of disappointment, I still do like Piper, Jason Leo, and Reyna, and of course Nico was the shining star of the book. I also liked the plot points (like the visit with Ascelius and the demigod-Olympian team-up against the giants). I only just found out that Rick Riordan's Trials of Apollo quintet is a continuation of the Percy Jackson world, so I'll be reading that as soon as my book shipments arrive in the mail. Justice for Percy and Annabeth!!

2. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Rating: ★★★★☆
This book is downright difficult to read at times (most of the time/all of the time). It's not a book you're supposed to enjoy, but a book that is supposed to expose you to the complexities of societal expectations and allowances. Check out my full review HERE.

3. Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

Rating: ★★★★☆
This book was really cute! I've never read Emma Mills before, but it sounds like a lot of her writing talent is in creating characters and interactions that are actually real-life realistic. The amount of stammering and awkward shuffling in this novel... amazing.

4. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Rating: ★★★★★
Jason Reynolds has done it again. This book was SO GOOD, and EVERYONE needs to read it.

5. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

Rating: ★★★★★
My unofficial rereadathon continues with The Hunger Games. This is of course in preparation of reading the newly released prequel book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which I will likely have completed in July. Upon rereading, I was even more intrigued by this than I was the first time. The impossibly high stakes, the realism of Katniss's will to survive, the complicated romantics... glorious.

6. Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Rating: ★★★★★
Again, I was surprised how well this series survives the test of time (the first and only other time I read these books was in middle school). This book is high-stakes, the arena is so interesting, and the book really serves as a nice transition into the political aspect of ending the Games.

7. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

Rating: ★★☆☆☆
To be frank, I was pretty bored through most of this. This book did not engage and retain my attention the way The Devil In the White City did. If you're really into WWII history, check this out (as it gets glowing reviews from many others), but this was not for me.

8. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Rating: ★★★★☆
The finale of The Hunger Games was solid, although it does leave some items left to be desired. I fall into the category of people that finds it absurd that Katniss married Peeta, when their relationship isn't based on romantic love but a love of necessity. Maybe that was the point, but this book definitely showed me how I've changed since reading it the first time. In middle school, I read this like a romance. Now I can see that the romance is completely fabricated and flat out rejected by Katniss, and rightfully so as she's a 16 year old girl who only wants to survive her grief and trauma. I do want to mention that I appreciate the messages in here about how just because the rebels are fighting against the abusive capitol doesn't mean the rebels are automatically the "good guys", there is always a large gray area in the struggle for political power. In all, I didn't love this book as much as the first two in the series, but it was still enjoyable and by no means decreases my overall opinion of the series as a whole.

9. They Went Left by Monica Hesse

Rating: ★★★★☆
This book is engaging throughout, but by far what makes it so unique and heartrending is the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but if you pick this up, definitely stick with it through the end. It is extremely powerful, emotional, and satisfying without being predictable.

10. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Rating: ★★★☆☆
I'm generously rating this book 3 out of 5 stars even though it was such a huge whopping disappointment for me. 5% maybe is about slaying vampires, while 90% of the book is about a woman trying to convince her lousy husband and friends that said vampire exists. The book was not unenjoyable, but the title was severely misleading, hence the giant disappointment.

11. Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

Rating: ★★★★☆
I definitely felt an emotional punch with this one; the multiple perspectives really gives the book a well-rounded feel. One thing that I think was particularly well done is making the characters so morally gray. At times I completely agreed with Charlotte's perspective, while other times I thought she was a truly awful mother. It's one of the those books that makes the reader think, in this case about what it means to be a parent and a person. I also saw the moral grayness in other characters, like Sean, but Sean was such an abhorrent human for other reasons that it wasn't as striking as it was with Charlotte or Marin or Amelia. ALSO - I agree with the general consensus that the ending was trash; it doesn't add to the story or even the moral of the story and just makes the whole thing seem arbitrary.

12. Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Overall, I thought this book was fine. I did appreciate the queer themes explored here, although I don't think it brought anything new to the table. Towards the end I was really rooting for Esther, and I wish this book had developed her more so that I could connect to her even more. 

Review for "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

He'd discovered that he liked houses. Maybe mostly because they were understandable. They could be calculated and drawn on paper. They did not leak if they were made watertight; they did not collapse if they were properly supported. Houses were fair, they gave you what you deserved. Which, unfortunately, was more than one could say about people.

Rating: 7.86/10 

★★★★☆

All I knew about this book going into it was that it was about a grumpy old man whose life is changed by some people so that he becomes a less grumpy old man. This is, honestly, a pretty good representation of the plot of the book. However, I did not realize that this would have so much of the grumpy old man's past in it, nor was I aware that this was a tragic love story. And it was wonderful.

People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.

I was predisposed to like this book because 1) I loved Beartown and Us Against You and 2) grumpy old man! This book was definitely different than most of the adult contemporaries I have been reading lately. It was refreshing, heartwarming, and hilarious. I loved Ove's development throughout the story -- shown most obviously through his shifting relationship with the cat. Obviously his relationship with all the neighborhood people, especially Parvaneh's family, also showed this, but the way he goes from not killing the cat for his wife's sake to actually caring about its well-being was beautiful.

I really liked the cast of characters in this book with few exceptions. I thought the addition of Adrian and Mirsad into the story really added to it, and I liked how everyone comes together at the end. I generally enjoyed the flashback chapters more than the present chapters (for reasons I will get into later), and I really loved Sonja's character. Towards the end of the book, reading about Sonja and Ove was what really caused this book to tug at the heartstrings and the tear ducts.

I have three major complaints about the book, AKA the reason this is only 4 stars and not 5. First of all: Parvaneh. She was so pushy. I understand that part of the plot was that Ove had to get out into the world and Parvaneh was helping him do that, but for most of the book I was thinking what Ove was thinking, which was "giiiiirrrrl, mind your own dang business!". If Parvaneh had been less pushy/whiny, and more kind, as a way to get Ove to open up and be active again, I would have liked the present-day chapters much more.

Another issue with this book that made me roll my eyes on more than one occasion was the fat-shaming. Ove is a judgmental old guy, so of course you'd think he'd be judgy about people who are overweight, but that's not what I'm talking about. It was about the physical actions that Jimmy (the overweight character in question) took that were such stereotypes it was gross to read. The way that Jimmy is always asking for food (literally more than 3 times in the book), or has food on his shirt, or has to squeeze out of car doors, was so annoying. Jimmy's only point to the story was to have a fat character in the story, and I found that hard to sit with.

Some of the timeline of the story did not exactly make sense. Early in the book we're told that Ove and Rune are friends for several years before they fall out, but the two couples meet when Sonja and Anita are both pregnant, and then the fallout happens right after Sonja loses the baby, so the time between couldn't be more than 5-6 months. There were other confusing time issues in the book, the specifics of which I'm not going to get into. It just would've been nice if the times were explained more clearly and weren't contradictory.

I know I said 3 things but this one is very minor, I just want to touch on it. The last thing I would mention, which is not as big of a issue to me as the others, is the constant monologues about the meaning of life. As a book about an older gentleman, you'd expect some life-reflecting, but when every chapter opens up with Sonja saying something wise about life (which is also something that a real person in real life would never just say) it gets repetitive.

I always have so many negative comments, but that's only because the negatives are easier to get specific about. The positives are mainly how the book made me feel, how it moved me, and that is honestly a lot more important the nit-picky details about the plot/characters. Overall, I thought this was fun and sad, beautiful and tragic, and I recommend.

August 2020 Wrap Up

I read 11 books in August, with a total of 3747 pages. My average rating was 3.25 which seems low because I really did have some real gems in my 4-star books this month. However, there were also books that were 1 star... which shall not be named (unless you look at #4 on this list). Somehow August was the shortest and longest month--it seems like it was just July yesterday, but I also feel like I finished Clap When You Land forever ago! In other news, I changed my Goodreads goal from 104 books in 2020 (2 books/week) to 125. I'm currently at 102 for the year, and 125 seems like a nice round but still attainable number. Anyhow, here are the books I read in August:

1. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.00/5)

This was enjoyable and emotional. It didn't end the way I expected, but I'm not complaining about. The imagery really helped set the atmosphere, and writing in verse helped add to the emotion.

2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.29/5)

The last 25% of this book was so much better than the first 75%... So many things happened in this book that I can't even wrap my head around all of it, which is why it's surprising that the first half the book dragged so much. To be honest, it might have been a bit too busy with all the different components of the plot, but it is still a solid 3 star plot. Characters were solid except of course Camille and the triplets were infuriating most of the time. I really like how this book mixed genres: it was a fantasy standalone revolving around a murder mystery with intense horror moments sprinkled in here and there. This was definitely an interesting and refreshing fantasy story. 

3. Love, Creekwood (Simonverse #3.5) by Becky Albertalli

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (1.93/5)

I'm actually not mad at the pointlessness of this book like some people were (I mean come on, it's a novella, what were you expecting? Novellas are pretty much the author writing fanfiction of their own book). However, this was a bit cringey. At some times I was really feeling the ship, but most of the time I was just rolling my eyes at how many "I miss yous" there were. Maybe that's just realistic, but the way the characters are portrayed as not being able to be their own person, like they're only interesting and novel-worthy if they are part of a couple, was exhausting. Then with the marriage talk and how the novel ended... I'm just torn because part of me lives for the ship and the other part of me is screaming at how pathetic their codependency is. Just my honest opinion. It was kind of nice to see the kids in college, it just would have been nicer if they had also developed and matured as characters and as people as they got older. 

4. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1.00/5)

This was a hot mess. Read more HERE.

5. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.57/5)

I saw that plot twist coming from a mile away, but I still enjoyed this! I was constantly very intrigued and wanted to continue reading, and there weren't many times that I was bored. My only other complaint is that some of the things weren't explained at the end, so I still have some questions which leaves me feeling just slightly unsatisfied. 

6. Contagion by Erin Bowman

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.07/5)

The plot and the atmosphere in this book made it really pretty enjoyable for me. I can't say I loved it just because some of the characters were insufferable to the point implausibility (I'm looking at you, Dylan). I probably won't be continuing with the series, but if the sequel happens to fall into my hands I might read it. 

7. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.07/5)

I really appreciated what this book did. The premise of the story was really interesting, but the book also executed it really well. Seeing Charlie's growth as a character in both intelligence and emotion was really fascinating. There were many times Charlie stopped to think about the fact that he was a person before the surgery - that he wasn't created by the surgery; he existed before it. On one hand I thought this was a really important metaphor for the struggles that we as the majority put many disabled or other marginalized people through daily - it calls society out on its casual dehumanization of people who are "other" in an almost juvenlian satyrical way. On the other hand, it is disappointing to realize that this is a topic that even still needs to be taught. This is a new favorite classic of mine though, and I highly recommend. 

8. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.86)

This book was such a good discussion on queer identity and what it means to be deserving of love. I enjoyed it so much, and this is one of those books that gets better the closer you get to the end. By the last chapter I was so wrapped up in this story, and I loved it. It was a little difficult to get attached to the characters at first, especially when there are so many bad ones introduced (I'm looking at you, Marisol). The book needed those bad ones so that it could call out the bigotry so it made sense, but I wish there was a little bit more resolution between Felix's friend group about Marisol's actions. Then again, that wouldn't be the most realistic ending, and one thing I appreciated about this book was the how realistic it was. Not every single issue gets to be tied up with a neat little bow, and that's okay. Felix was a really compelling character by the end of the novel, and his character growth (in realizing he was deserving of love and that he can't control everything - like the situation with his mom) was amazing. 

9. Starport by George R.R. Martin

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5)

This was a fun, quick read. I have read very few graphic novels in my life, but I enjoyed this one. The plot was intriguing, if a little predictable. I liked the characters, and I shipped Bobbi and Lyhanne a lot considering how quickly I got through the novel. 

10. The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.35/5)

This was equal parts devastating and hopeful, heartbreaking and heartwarming, beautiful and tragic. I truly don't have the words to describe it. Everyone should read this book. The characters--amazing. The writing--phenomenal. The journey--incredible. I am awestruck and dumbfounded. I want a sequel so bad, I have so much hope for Adunni's future, and I am desperate to see what becomes of her. Wow. 

11. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.07/5)

I would recommend this to people who love loads of twists/connections in their thrillers, and anyone who likes the secluded-setting murder mystery. I understand why people love this book; it just personally wasn't my idea of a 5-star book. Check out my full review HERE.

Review for "The Guest List" by Lucy Foley

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.07/5)

I feel pretty indifferent about this book; my reading experience was average for most of it. I ended up giving it 3 stars because I did actually like the twists in it and how everything is connected together. Part of me doesn't really believe it (find it believable), but the bigger part of me likes secret ties and connections too much to care about the lack of logic (extreme plot conveniences) in it.

I didn't like most of the characters, I found most of them bland or stereotypes/cliches so none of them were super compelling to me. Most people like this story because of the atmosphere, which was one of the better aspects of the writing. However, I found the constant flips between now and then to be distracting and not that helpful with setting the tone or building intrigue. I also should just mention I wasn't captivated by most of the plot, I would almost say I was bored and just waiting for something substantial to happen.

I also am disappointed by the ending. It felt very incomplete, both because it ends very abruptly and it feels like none of the characters gets closure at all except maybe Aoife? Like Hannah said, many of them went through things too terrible to heal completely from no matter what happens, but still it would have been nice to know how the story played out afterward. Like what about Johnno? Aoife? It just felt like the last few chapters/plot points were missing. The whole point of an epilogue is to wrap up the book and explain the characters' ending outcomes, and this epilogue did none of that for any of the characters.

I feel like this review is very negative for it being a 3 star book so I want to go back to some of the things I liked. The twists were pretty shocking, and despite me previously saying the plot bored me at points, the twists were what made the plot more good than bad. Also, I did get a feeling of creepiness at all the right moments. When Jules narrates the scene of finding seaweed in the bed I shivered a bit in my seat. I also generally liked the setup of the book - the fact that the whole thing takes place over 24 hours was interesting. I liked the fact that there were so many perspectives, although the fact that one of the main characters doesn't have a perspective chapter until the end of novel is kind of telling about who the bad guy is. Still, there were plenty of twists within that that I didn't see coming.

I would recommend this to people who love loads of twists/connections in their thrillers, and anyone who likes the secluded-setting murder mystery. I understand why people love this book; it just personally wasn't my idea of a 5-star book.