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4.5 stars.
This may be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. The writing is incredibly clever and I love the witty moments peppered throughout. There are a lot of wonderful quotes and moral lessons that make the story well rounded, but it also has a lot going on so that the story stays interesting from beginning to end. Sometimes plays have a tendency to leave their characters fairly flat, but Hamlet produces a play with a whole cast of dynamic characters developed through spoken lines.
I listened to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of the play and it was wonderfully done. There were some fabulous actors and great sound effects that made the play come to life. If you're going to listen, I definitely recommend this version.
This may be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. The writing is incredibly clever and I love the witty moments peppered throughout. There are a lot of wonderful quotes and moral lessons that make the story well rounded, but it also has a lot going on so that the story stays interesting from beginning to end. Sometimes plays have a tendency to leave their characters fairly flat, but Hamlet produces a play with a whole cast of dynamic characters developed through spoken lines.
I listened to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of the play and it was wonderfully done. There were some fabulous actors and great sound effects that made the play come to life. If you're going to listen, I definitely recommend this version.
There was a lot of cringe factor in this contemporary novel. Nearly every character was a train wreck and made poor decisions. While I can see some pieces of cultural relevance in the plot, this was overwhelmed for me by a heavy-handed unsympathetic protagonist.
Some of my apathy toward Queenie was the result of the structure of the narrative itself. Because her relevant past was glossed over and not discussed with understanding until the last 1/4 of the book, her past trauma wasn't as impactful on the remainder of the novel as it could have been. Also, regardless of her history, she really wasn't a character that garnered sympathy from me because a lot of the damaging situations were ones she placed herself in by making overwhelmingly poor choices. It was just too much.
Likewise, the majority of the supporting characters were a mess. Queenie's friends, family, and the men she chose to associate with were primarily damaged and unhealthy for her in any state of being. The depressing situations were a bit overwhelming and the lack of any semblance of a fully healthy support system was a just a spiral of claustrophic negativity.
I did appreciate the discussions on mental health and the importance of therapy and solid self esteem. These topics were fairly well handled. I do wish that the therapy could have occurred earlier in the narrative and that the healing journey for Queenie could have been a larger portion of the plot than being overwhelmed by the repetition of her seeking out harmful situations.
The writing was solid and the development of the characters was very dynamic, but ultimately this was a novel that simply didn't feel balanced for me. Though the ending did have some redeemable qualities, it felt like there was too much piled on. Individually, the characters and the situations were absolutely believable and well-written, there was nothing but trauma and Queenie in particular did not seem to learn anything from her mistakes.
Some of my apathy toward Queenie was the result of the structure of the narrative itself. Because her relevant past was glossed over and not discussed with understanding until the last 1/4 of the book, her past trauma wasn't as impactful on the remainder of the novel as it could have been. Also, regardless of her history, she really wasn't a character that garnered sympathy from me because a lot of the damaging situations were ones she placed herself in by making overwhelmingly poor choices. It was just too much.
Likewise, the majority of the supporting characters were a mess. Queenie's friends, family, and the men she chose to associate with were primarily damaged and unhealthy for her in any state of being. The depressing situations were a bit overwhelming and the lack of any semblance of a fully healthy support system was a just a spiral of claustrophic negativity.
I did appreciate the discussions on mental health and the importance of therapy and solid self esteem. These topics were fairly well handled. I do wish that the therapy could have occurred earlier in the narrative and that the healing journey for Queenie could have been a larger portion of the plot than being overwhelmed by the repetition of her seeking out harmful situations.
The writing was solid and the development of the characters was very dynamic, but ultimately this was a novel that simply didn't feel balanced for me. Though the ending did have some redeemable qualities, it felt like there was too much piled on. Individually, the characters and the situations were absolutely believable and well-written, there was nothing but trauma and Queenie in particular did not seem to learn anything from her mistakes.
3.5 stars.
This was a quick, light read, but one where I really struggled with the protagonist. I found Catalina to be immensely frustrating and sometimes far too unbelievably oblivious.
The story moved really well as far as pacing goes and there were some fun/funny/quirky instances and characters along the way, including a good handful of standard romance tropes. As long as this isn't a book you're planning on taking overly seriously, it's a good read. It's a little long, but it's entertaining.
As I mentioned, Catalina is just problematic. She was not believable for me. There were some incredibly obvious moments where the "miscommunication" was just eye-rolling and she should have caught on to reality. She was also sometimes just overly rude and plain unlikable as a person. Sometimes this works and the character redeems themselves in the end. Catalina did not do that for me
So...it gets points for entertainment, but not enough to give it a 4-star. In fact, 3.5 might be being a bit generous. There wasn't a lot that was unique or creative beyond the things you'll find in other romance novels. I know this is a social media darling, but The Love Hypothesis is a better choice if you're looking for a good, highly hyped romance.
This was a quick, light read, but one where I really struggled with the protagonist. I found Catalina to be immensely frustrating and sometimes far too unbelievably oblivious.
The story moved really well as far as pacing goes and there were some fun/funny/quirky instances and characters along the way, including a good handful of standard romance tropes. As long as this isn't a book you're planning on taking overly seriously, it's a good read. It's a little long, but it's entertaining.
As I mentioned, Catalina is just problematic. She was not believable for me. There were some incredibly obvious moments where the "miscommunication" was just eye-rolling and she should have caught on to reality. She was also sometimes just overly rude and plain unlikable as a person. Sometimes this works and the character redeems themselves in the end. Catalina did not do that for me
So...it gets points for entertainment, but not enough to give it a 4-star. In fact, 3.5 might be being a bit generous. There wasn't a lot that was unique or creative beyond the things you'll find in other romance novels. I know this is a social media darling, but The Love Hypothesis is a better choice if you're looking for a good, highly hyped romance.
There was a lot of this that had the feel of a Kate Quinn novel. If you weren't already aware of my reading proclivities, this is high praise.
The story is told in a dual timeline perspective with two separate protagonists and I felt like the organization was really spot on. The writing is well-structured and does a great job of capturing the historical feel of both timelines (1918 WWI France and late 1970s US). I could definitely have used a bit more bulk and development to the story, so a longer book would have likely gotten even higher ratings from me, but it was still a fascinating read from both historical content and entertainment perspectives.
The female protagonists are both really well balanced and felt genuine. I enjoyed that they were both told from an introspective point-of-view and that I felt like the reader could really get to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This helped them to really come alive on the page. I was more attracted to the WWI story line, but more attached to the 1976 protagonist. There is a great discussion of misogyny throughout the secondary timeline and a small slice of racism discussed in both timelines. I particularly struggled with Kathleen's story line, in the sense that her treatment seriously boiled my blood. There was definitely a high amount of emotional response from me throughout these parts of the plot. I appreciated the author's note at the end of the novel with regard to the historical accuracy of these moments as well.
I knew that the timelines would tie together in some way (because that is just the nature of these types of stories), but I did not predict how that would happen until it was beginning to really unfold. I appreciated that lack of predictability and, though it wasn't a complete bombshell for me, it definitely added to my enjoyment of the novel.
The War Librarian is absolutely worth the read and I will be adding Armstrong's debut novel to my TBR for a hopefully soon read.
The story is told in a dual timeline perspective with two separate protagonists and I felt like the organization was really spot on. The writing is well-structured and does a great job of capturing the historical feel of both timelines (1918 WWI France and late 1970s US). I could definitely have used a bit more bulk and development to the story, so a longer book would have likely gotten even higher ratings from me, but it was still a fascinating read from both historical content and entertainment perspectives.
The female protagonists are both really well balanced and felt genuine. I enjoyed that they were both told from an introspective point-of-view and that I felt like the reader could really get to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This helped them to really come alive on the page. I was more attracted to the WWI story line, but more attached to the 1976 protagonist. There is a great discussion of misogyny throughout the secondary timeline and a small slice of racism discussed in both timelines. I particularly struggled with Kathleen's story line, in the sense that her treatment seriously boiled my blood. There was definitely a high amount of emotional response from me throughout these parts of the plot. I appreciated the author's note at the end of the novel with regard to the historical accuracy of these moments as well.
I knew that the timelines would tie together in some way (because that is just the nature of these types of stories), but I did not predict how that would happen until it was beginning to really unfold. I appreciated that lack of predictability and, though it wasn't a complete bombshell for me, it definitely added to my enjoyment of the novel.
The War Librarian is absolutely worth the read and I will be adding Armstrong's debut novel to my TBR for a hopefully soon read.
Great premise for a fun fantasy, but the execution just did not work for me.
First of all, I COULD NOT get past the fact that a 17-year-old male character (who was really not that age...which you understand if you've read the book) was basically hitting on a 10-year-old girl. Gross. In fact, I took a quarter star off my rating purely because this age gap "romance" existed.
The plot itself was okay, but a bit bland. The plot seemed fairly basic and lacking in detail and the characters were pretty flat. Though it is a middle grade novel, it still could have done with more development. You can have a good kids' book and still give it some depth. This just didn't feel like it really lived up to the potential it had.
First of all, I COULD NOT get past the fact that a 17-year-old male character (who was really not that age...which you understand if you've read the book) was basically hitting on a 10-year-old girl. Gross. In fact, I took a quarter star off my rating purely because this age gap "romance" existed.
The plot itself was okay, but a bit bland. The plot seemed fairly basic and lacking in detail and the characters were pretty flat. Though it is a middle grade novel, it still could have done with more development. You can have a good kids' book and still give it some depth. This just didn't feel like it really lived up to the potential it had.
4.5 stars.
A good continuation of the series that finally catches up to where the TV show starts. Familiar characters started showing up in this one, which made it even more nostalgic and enjoyable for me.
A lot of foreshadowing with this one and a lot of harrowing situations that had me a bit on edge. The maturity level definitely increases in this book as things get a bit harder and more serious for the family. The Ingalls family continues to be a lot heartier than I think I could have been in these circumstances. Ma deserves a medal for all that she put up with.
A good continuation of the series that finally catches up to where the TV show starts. Familiar characters started showing up in this one, which made it even more nostalgic and enjoyable for me.
A lot of foreshadowing with this one and a lot of harrowing situations that had me a bit on edge. The maturity level definitely increases in this book as things get a bit harder and more serious for the family. The Ingalls family continues to be a lot heartier than I think I could have been in these circumstances. Ma deserves a medal for all that she put up with.
Well hello creepy cult novel. Catriona Ward can write a group of characters that just eek their way under your skin. Uncle has master ick factor and boy does she write him well. The whole shebang just screams run. Creepy gothic castle on an isolated island that is only accessible by a causeway when the tide is out. Weirdo little town that just lets these people stay locked up in said castle without wondering what the crap is going on up there with these clearly emaciated children. The whole thing gave off a seriously medieval vibe though the timeline places it firmly in WWI with a followup timeline a couple of decades later.
I freaking devoured this book. It was so good and sketchy. I was totally entranced by the atmosphere and there were plenty of cringeworthy moments. The psychological games played with the plot were fantastically done and even when I had one of the big twists figured out I was just enraptured. A super disturbing read like a train wreck you can't look away from. Dark and weird. Just like I like 'em.
I freaking devoured this book. It was so good and sketchy. I was totally entranced by the atmosphere and there were plenty of cringeworthy moments. The psychological games played with the plot were fantastically done and even when I had one of the big twists figured out I was just enraptured. A super disturbing read like a train wreck you can't look away from. Dark and weird. Just like I like 'em.
3.5 stars. While the writing is rather clever and there a lot of subtle jokes and puns, the series is starting to get a bit repetitive.
3.5 stars. The writing is really good and imaginative and I can certainly see why lovers of epic fantasy hold this in such high regard. It is interesting and creative. But the characters are all a bit of a blur and though there was a lot going on I just didn't care enough to really be pumped up into the higher ratings. Enjoyable? Sure. Will it warrant a reread? Probably not. But I will be continuing on and I will read The Fellowship of the Ring, so clearly it was still worth my time and I can find value in it.