bahareads's Reviews (1.09k)

I enjoyed this book more than the first one but I wanted to shake Anthony so so bad. Kate was a wonderful MC. The romance was a great build. I saw the tv show and I liked how close yet how much space is between the tv show and the book.

a collection of short stories that made me ponder. Jamaica Kincaid starts off with a banger. Girl had me in a grip. It was my favourite story out of the entire collection. Kincaid's writing style is straightforward but also so vague at times. I had to reread some of the stories a few times to grasp what was going on and what was being said. I enjoyed the mother-daughter theme. I love when authors explore complex and complicated family dynamics. What makes it even more enjoyable is when an author pulls from their own story as Kincaid has done. There is a lyrical quality to her writing and an "island" like undertone to it all.

"Placing her arms around me, she drew my head closer and closer to her bosom, until finally I suffocated. I lay on her bosom, breathless, for a time uncountable, until one day, for a reason she has kept to her self, she shook me out and stood me under a tree and I started to breathe again."

The Hero of Ages was so UNEXPECTED!! I really enjoyed the ending. I want to read the next part of the series now. Sanderson tied up the series so well on this end. I was blown away. It left me wondering how much work goes into plotting and planning out the whole plot line. Toward the end, I could not put the book down.

I really understand why people love love Harry Potter now. If I had read this as a child I would have been obsessed with this. It is a great read, quick and makes you think and feel like a child again. The magical world is truly enchanting.

I really understand why people love love Harry Potter now. If I had read this as a child I would have been obsessed with this. It is a great read, quick and makes you think and feel like a child again. The magical world is truly enchanting.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a way to see how Nassau has grown and evolved throughout the years. I think this was really good work considering the time in which it was published.

I enjoyed the romance. It was not spicy, the TV was better in that regard. The tension is present in both the book and the TV. Certain scenes are questionable regarding consent. The characters do have some depth to them. 

I'm going to comment on the two essays separately.
Essay One: Who We Are
McCartney covers general history, immigration, food, culture and society in this first essay. If you have not read a depth of Bahamian literature related to these subjects already, this will be good for you to access. The only gripe I had was I wish he had cited more sources; he was not wrong in anything he wrote but without references, it just feels like vibes. I actually learned a few things in this section that I had never read before. It was a quick and enjoyable read.

Essay Two: A Brief History of The Bahamas 1942 and Beyond
McCartney gives an overview of The Bahamas' political history while also giving readers his credentials for why he is qualified to comment on it. He was involved in politics from an early age, campaigning for the PLP. He has been involved in both parties (PLP and FMN). He grips on the dirtiness of those who only care about their own interests in politics and how it negatively affects the country.
" Politics, in my humble opinion, is the prudent use of power and authority for the maximum benefit of those of us who give politicians the privilege of being our servants. I say to all politicians and would-be politicians: practice spreading the politics of joy and not the politics of cannibalism and destruction."
After giving readers his political biography he launches into the history of government. He ventures all the way back to 1648 to set the stage for 1942. He shows the eras of Bahamian political history. Once McCartney gets to the 20th century he pays special attention to certain incidents and he makes sure to lay out things like
the first Progressive Liberal Party members
Members of the first Bahamian Cabinet
Members of the first Bahamian Cabinet after majority rule
Reasons why the general election of 1972 was pivotal for the Free National Movement (FNM)
Members of the first Cabinet of the FMN

Overall I really enjoyed both essays but the second one was my favourite.

The time jump threw me for a minute but I loved that we started in a different part in the timeline to see how the empire has been operating (or lack thereof) without the Lord Ruler. Worldbuilding by focusing on the world's politics is an excellent method. I enjoyed seeing Vin and Elend growth, personally and together. The addition of new characters here was well-placed. I loved all the POVs. I think Sanderson does a better job connecting his reader to characters in his StormLight series though. WHY does he feel the need to jar my emotions with every ending??! THE ENDING had me screaming!!! I was so upset (in a good way).

idk why I suffered through this book - mindless entertainment I guess?? There was no good character development and the tension was not doing it. The spicy scenes were a snooze fest.