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ellemaddy's Reviews (1.09k)
Why must women be punished for the things that men do?
Lovely writing, a believable voice of a teenage girl, heavy on mother-daughter relationship and relationship with religion, something that deeply resonate with me.
Lovely writing, a believable voice of a teenage girl, heavy on mother-daughter relationship and relationship with religion, something that deeply resonate with me.
me @ emily henry after i finished reading this book: “hey, queen! girl, you have done it again. constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. i’d say i’m surprised, but i know who you are. i’ve seen it up close and personal. girl, you make me so proud, and i love you.”
in short, this woman is a national treasure, she must be protected at all cost.
in short, this woman is a national treasure, she must be protected at all cost.
I first read this when I was in junior high school, probably, and it used to be my favourite series. Kid me Loved this. I love Rick Riordan's writing and the world he made. I remember I cried when I was in the 10th grade when my friends gave me the son of neptune (partly because no one ever gave me a book before). But rereading this now, almost 8 years later I feel different. Unlike with Harry Potter, i was never really involved with this book series / the franchise. I only read the books and that's it. I watched the movie but I didn't like it very much (even though Logan Lerman got me so whipped and I started a fan blog for him. Embarrassing, I know.) Plus I read the translated version and it was way funnier than the english version (seriously translated english to Indonesian always makes me laugh. Not that it's bad, but when books in english got translated to Indonesian, the Indonesian language becomes formal. So it's funny when it's applied to YA books especially for people who lives in Surabaya who don't even speak regular Indonesian language but the one mixed with Javanese). So maybe the reason why I don't like it very much now is because I read the English version. I know it's super weird but the Indonesian book of this was part of my childhood. Maybe I should reread the Indonesian version for the next one.
This, simply put, is an amazing read.
I’ve heard people raved about it in the past so I had high expectations. And if you see my rating (5/5 baby) then you can see that it was met.
This book feels a lot like a time machine and it transported me back into the year 2012. An absolute blast from the past for millennials.
I grew up within fandom culture OK, back in the day when I was actually on (shudder) tumblr dot com, being in several different fandoms during college days, and the pop culture ref that were mentioned here were so 2012-2013 and it makes a lot of sense, Alice Oseman is around my age too so we’re basically internet’s children before tiktok was a thing and before kids were eating soaps for a meme.
And here’s the thing, I’m turning 25 this year but I still worry about my life and the future, okay. I thought i would’ve had everything figured out by now, but apparently not. All the questions I had when I was 16 are still not answered, my anxiety about my future is still a thing that’s going on, but you know what’s different, though? When you’re 25, no one expects you to do a goddamn thing, okay? It’s like the in between period of university and “settling down”, you can do whatever the fuck you want, the pressure is just not there as much as it was when I was 16, at least that’s what I feel. And even if it’s there, I don’t give a fuck anymore! Lmao. The time for caring about societal’s pressure is done! Over with!
So reading this book reminded me a lot of how I felt when I was a teenager, the rage and the depression and the teenage angst over fucking college? Fucking homeworks??? Those were valid as fuck!!! Adults really expect teenagers in their 17/18s to know what they want to study for the next 4 years in uni? To already know what line of work of they want to pursue? To have perfect grades, have social life, be a good kid and not make too much trouble to boot? It’s crazy, it’s absolutely insane. When you’re 18 you just don’t know anything about yourself and maybe you think you do, but later on you’d realize how stupid you were for even thinking it. As a person who was a teenager once, not too long ago, I still remember the insane pressure I felt to have things figured out fast, quickly! Because time waits for no one, because you have to decide fast! Because if you even so much try to pause or take a break then you’ll be missing out, there’s always the fear of being called a failure, a slacker, etc. But i’ve been lucky enough to have my parents supporting my stupid ass decisions regarding my education when I was a teenager, some people aren’t as lucky (if you don’t know, I didn’t finish high school due to /stress/) and straight out went to college to study graphic design (which might be a mistake, IDK, it’s been a few years and I haven’t decided which one it is, yet.)
With all that oversharing being said, I feel like this book is perfect for teenagers, although I don’t know how teenagers are like nowadays, but if I read this when I was 16, I’d be able to relate so much to it, even maybe feel comforted and feeling like hey my dumbass isn’t alone! My feelings are valid? I’m actually not just a stupid, lazy, person just because I get tired from school and having to do homework everyday and just simply not being able to excel at school no matter what???
Heck, even now, I still find this relatable as hell.
Also, as an asexual??? To find out that Aled is also an asexual king???? We love it here!!! !!!! We. LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. it. here!!!
And how cliche, how unexpected (not) that he ends up being this massive youtuber, that is so on brand mid 90s kids who just hate academia life / 9 to 5 desk job!!!
I’ve heard people raved about it in the past so I had high expectations. And if you see my rating (5/5 baby) then you can see that it was met.
This book feels a lot like a time machine and it transported me back into the year 2012. An absolute blast from the past for millennials.
I grew up within fandom culture OK, back in the day when I was actually on (shudder) tumblr dot com, being in several different fandoms during college days, and the pop culture ref that were mentioned here were so 2012-2013 and it makes a lot of sense, Alice Oseman is around my age too so we’re basically internet’s children before tiktok was a thing and before kids were eating soaps for a meme.
And here’s the thing, I’m turning 25 this year but I still worry about my life and the future, okay. I thought i would’ve had everything figured out by now, but apparently not. All the questions I had when I was 16 are still not answered, my anxiety about my future is still a thing that’s going on, but you know what’s different, though? When you’re 25, no one expects you to do a goddamn thing, okay? It’s like the in between period of university and “settling down”, you can do whatever the fuck you want, the pressure is just not there as much as it was when I was 16, at least that’s what I feel. And even if it’s there, I don’t give a fuck anymore! Lmao. The time for caring about societal’s pressure is done! Over with!
So reading this book reminded me a lot of how I felt when I was a teenager, the rage and the depression and the teenage angst over fucking college? Fucking homeworks??? Those were valid as fuck!!! Adults really expect teenagers in their 17/18s to know what they want to study for the next 4 years in uni? To already know what line of work of they want to pursue? To have perfect grades, have social life, be a good kid and not make too much trouble to boot? It’s crazy, it’s absolutely insane. When you’re 18 you just don’t know anything about yourself and maybe you think you do, but later on you’d realize how stupid you were for even thinking it. As a person who was a teenager once, not too long ago, I still remember the insane pressure I felt to have things figured out fast, quickly! Because time waits for no one, because you have to decide fast! Because if you even so much try to pause or take a break then you’ll be missing out, there’s always the fear of being called a failure, a slacker, etc. But i’ve been lucky enough to have my parents supporting my stupid ass decisions regarding my education when I was a teenager, some people aren’t as lucky (if you don’t know, I didn’t finish high school due to /stress/) and straight out went to college to study graphic design (which might be a mistake, IDK, it’s been a few years and I haven’t decided which one it is, yet.)
With all that oversharing being said, I feel like this book is perfect for teenagers, although I don’t know how teenagers are like nowadays, but if I read this when I was 16, I’d be able to relate so much to it, even maybe feel comforted and feeling like hey my dumbass isn’t alone! My feelings are valid? I’m actually not just a stupid, lazy, person just because I get tired from school and having to do homework everyday and just simply not being able to excel at school no matter what???
Heck, even now, I still find this relatable as hell.
Also, as an asexual??? To find out that Aled is also an asexual king???? We love it here!!! !!!! We. LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. it. here!!!
And how cliche, how unexpected (not) that he ends up being this massive youtuber, that is so on brand mid 90s kids who just hate academia life / 9 to 5 desk job!!!
actual rating 3.5
i have finally given up and joined the throne of glass bandwagon.
So many people I know who likes to read are mostly into this series and it kind of intimidates me how high people rate this book and how much they love it. I was afraid that when I read this I'd be disappointed so I postponed reading this one until I'm ready. Now I am.
A few months ago i read a review saying that throne of glass is a cinderella retelling and i love those kind of stories. but when i read tog the only thing that reminded me of cinderella was the ball, but that's okay. i love celaena, she's the type of strong female character I've been always rooting for but i also think that she's way too perfect, is she a mary sue? I don't know, i need to read the second book to find out. But here is celaena just 18 years old but known to everyone as the most famous assassin, she's beautiful, blonde, and perfect. She loves to read (which I'm sure makes all the bookworm out there swoon like we do over hermione), she can play the piano, and evidently so much smarter and funnier than any girls Dorian has ever met. Everyone is dull compared to her. You see what I'm talking about?
The only thing that actually piss me off about this book is the love triangle, though. I just don't see the chemistry between Dorian and Celaena. I mean it's cute that Dorian is acting like a lovesick puppy but I just don't feel it and Chaol is all angsty and quiet. I hoped Chaol and Dorian are closer, I hope I'll get to see more of their friendship and the love triangle /wince/ between them and cealena won't turn into a bloody, angsty mess.
So, tog has some of that cinderella essence, the hunger game essence, and harry potter-ish essence (bad monster roaming secret passages in the old castle? very COS to me!). the writing is OK. The romance is cute sometimes. I figured out who let out the monster out to roam the castle and when celaena thought it was Nehemia I thought it was a really poor detective work on her part. And her reasoning when she went to the ball was also pretty stupid. She thought Nehemia was going to let the monster out in the ball and killed everyone and she could probably help if shit hits the fan? Where did she even draw that conclusion from? It's pretty far fetched, I think. I mean, girl please, you just wanted to go out and dance just admit it, it's no sin to want to have fun. Did i find anything original here? not really. Again and again i found that nagging feeling in my head, hm i feel like this is similar to this and that.
But anyway, I rated this 3.5 because it's not really that bad. Definitely will read the second book and hopefully it'll get better.
i have finally given up and joined the throne of glass bandwagon.
So many people I know who likes to read are mostly into this series and it kind of intimidates me how high people rate this book and how much they love it. I was afraid that when I read this I'd be disappointed so I postponed reading this one until I'm ready. Now I am.
A few months ago i read a review saying that throne of glass is a cinderella retelling and i love those kind of stories. but when i read tog the only thing that reminded me of cinderella was the ball, but that's okay. i love celaena, she's the type of strong female character I've been always rooting for but i also think that she's way too perfect, is she a mary sue? I don't know, i need to read the second book to find out. But here is celaena just 18 years old but known to everyone as the most famous assassin, she's beautiful, blonde, and perfect. She loves to read (which I'm sure makes all the bookworm out there swoon like we do over hermione), she can play the piano, and evidently so much smarter and funnier than any girls Dorian has ever met. Everyone is dull compared to her. You see what I'm talking about?
The only thing that actually piss me off about this book is the love triangle, though. I just don't see the chemistry between Dorian and Celaena. I mean it's cute that Dorian is acting like a lovesick puppy but I just don't feel it and Chaol is all angsty and quiet. I hoped Chaol and Dorian are closer, I hope I'll get to see more of their friendship and the love triangle /wince/ between them and cealena won't turn into a bloody, angsty mess.
So, tog has some of that cinderella essence, the hunger game essence, and harry potter-ish essence (bad monster roaming secret passages in the old castle? very COS to me!). the writing is OK. The romance is cute sometimes. I figured out who let out the monster out to roam the castle and when celaena thought it was Nehemia I thought it was a really poor detective work on her part. And her reasoning when she went to the ball was also pretty stupid. She thought Nehemia was going to let the monster out in the ball and killed everyone and she could probably help if shit hits the fan? Where did she even draw that conclusion from? It's pretty far fetched, I think. I mean, girl please, you just wanted to go out and dance just admit it, it's no sin to want to have fun. Did i find anything original here? not really. Again and again i found that nagging feeling in my head, hm i feel like this is similar to this and that.
But anyway, I rated this 3.5 because it's not really that bad. Definitely will read the second book and hopefully it'll get better.