Reviews
I cannot claim to be a writer without also being a reader. Here is a collection of reader reviews of the books I’ve binged. To stay even more up-to-date with what I’m currently reading, add me on Goodreads.
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“Red Rising” by Pierce Brown • Book Review
“So much pain. I had thought it would be over, but not all scars heal. Not all sins are forgiven.”
★★★★★ (5 / 5 stars) HO-LY CRAP. I am at a loss for words. If I were talking to you in person, it would just be a nonstop stutter because I don't even know how to form sentences at this point. You're lucky my fingers are even strong enough to be typing this right now. Can we just— I mean— I feel so— Darrow just— my heart...
“Beyond the Shadows” by Brent Weeks • Book Review
“Growing old with the woman I love would be my first choice, but dying reconciled with her isn't a bad second.”
★★★ (3 / 5 stars) This by far was the best book of the series but still had so many loose ends, unfinished stories, and confusing elements that it's only worth 3 stars. And honestly, I'm surprised more people didn't die. LOL.
Was this book enjoyable? Definitely. There was a ton of action, a quick pace, and there were plot twists every few chapters that kept me on my toes. But was this series worth the read overall (if this is the conclusion we get)? That's iffy…
“Reset” by Ellen Pao • Book Review
“We’re either silent or a buzzkill.”
★★★★★ (5 / 5 stars) Reset tells the true story of Ellen Pao’s experience as a victim of sexual harassment (of varying degrees) from law school to tech startups to the VC world.
“Shadow’s Edge” by Brent Weeks • Book Review
“In suffering, we find the true measure of our strength.”
★★ (2.4 / 5 stars) The Night Angel Trilogy starts with The Way of Shadows, which was action-packed and overall an unexpected take on fantasy, magic with mythology, and an assassin main-character with a broody backstory. Shadow's Edge picks up right where the first book left off and carries us through 23 more audiobook hours.
I didn't write a review for the opening novel because I was trying to keep an open mind and not judge too harshly (or too quickly), knowing that a series can drastically change from novel to novel. While I wouldn't sincerely recommend this series to anyone (who doesn't have loads of time to waste on less-than-4-star-reads), Weeks has a unique story here and some amazing elements worth recognizing.
“The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur • Book Review
“why is it
that when the story ends
we begin to feel all of it”
★★★★ (4 / 5) This is a beautiful collection of poetry. Part of what struck me is the raw honesty and difficult topics that are so akin to the poetry my friends and I wrote in college, I was immediately taken aback.
The poems are little love notes and scraps of memory left on the pavement for us to find and cherish and tape together, hoping the patchwork lives up to the real thing.
“The Wicked King” by Holly Black • Book Review
“Kiss me until I am sick of it...”
★★★★ (4 / 5 stars) In The Cruel Prince, Holly Black spun webs of lies and tales and strategies and paved the way for Jude to build a glass castle to rule from with her puppet king. The Wicked King tap-tap-tapped at that glass castle, splintering it page by page. All the while, Holly built me a heart of glass, etched with intricate moments and tangled words left for me to cherish like gifts on my front porch.
But in the end, it all came crumbling down.
“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern • Book Review
“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.”
★★★★★ (5 / 5 stars) There was nothing about this book I didn't like. It was immersive, and I loved the writing—the way Morgenstern captured the most beautiful ambience with her words. Plus, I love stories with time jumps that make you wonder how it all comes together—how all the stars align for that specific ending.
This book was just so full. It made me feel so many emotions—the full spectrum. From wanting to sadness, to frustration, to love, to joy, to peace. I wish I could list highlights for you for this book, but even the highlights are too much to capture in a simple bullet point.
“Girls of Paper and Fire” by Natasha Ngan • Book Review
“I don't want an easy life. I want a meaningful one.”
★★★★ (3.8 / 5 stars) I want to start off by saying this is an important novel. The levels of emotion and passion written into the pages of this story are so potent and so high, I could practically taste it while I read.
Not only does this novel tackle sensitive issues with a raw openness worthy of all our respect, but also it presents what I think we need more of: development of strong female friendships, and a variety of them!