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heddas_bookgems's Reviews (490)
The story of "These Violent Delights" follows the lives of two bright college freshmen, Paul and Julian, who are instantly drawn to each other. However, their relationship takes a violent turn as the story progresses. Despite the title of the book, I was still unprepared for the intensity of the story. Had I known it was inspired by movies like "Heavenly Creatures" or "Leopold and Loeb," I may have been better equipped. Fortunately, I read this book with in a buddy read, and our discussions helped me process the story.
While I enjoyed the book overall, I had difficulty connecting with the characters. They were aloof, arrogant, and overly intellectual, to the point of annoyance. It was as if their nihilistic attitudes kept me at arm's length. However, I do appreciate how their attitudes contributed to the story's message about toxic love. It portrayed how love can become one's identity, even if it's unhealthy. The writing style was elegant, and the book had thrilling moments that kept me engaged. Overall, I gave the book four stars.
While I enjoyed the book overall, I had difficulty connecting with the characters. They were aloof, arrogant, and overly intellectual, to the point of annoyance. It was as if their nihilistic attitudes kept me at arm's length. However, I do appreciate how their attitudes contributed to the story's message about toxic love. It portrayed how love can become one's identity, even if it's unhealthy. The writing style was elegant, and the book had thrilling moments that kept me engaged. Overall, I gave the book four stars.
In Take a Hint Dani Brown Talia Hibbert tells a romantic story about Danika Brown and Zafir Ansari. Zafir is dealing with depression, while Danika is a Ph.D. student focused on her work. They pretend to be a couple to boost Tackle It's profile on social media, resulting in a hilarious and romantic journey. The book addresses themes such as mental health, societal expectations, and diversity while the writing style is captivating and spicy. A big plus is that it emphasizes mutual respect and understanding rather than just physical attraction. Highly recommend this one as it while leave you with the biggest of smiles.
Get ready for a heart-stopping journey in this novella of Heartstopper! This time, lovebirds Nick and Charlie are put to the ultimate test: a long-distance relationship! As Nick preps for uni hundreds of miles away, Charlie struggles to keep it together, despite his Tumblr crew already predicting their doom. Can their love survive the distance?
Any story with Nick and Charlie just warms my heart. Yes, it deals with some serious mental health themes, but still manages to make me feel all fuzzy inside. I think that’s the power of these characters that just are embedded in my heart.
Be aware for spoilers though if you read this one before volume 5.
Any story with Nick and Charlie just warms my heart. Yes, it deals with some serious mental health themes, but still manages to make me feel all fuzzy inside. I think that’s the power of these characters that just are embedded in my heart.
Be aware for spoilers though if you read this one before volume 5.
She Gets the Girl follows two college students, Alex Blackwood and Molly Parker, fresh out of high school, both in search of a new start. Alex is trying to win back her ex-girlfriend while Molly is working on developing more confidence. When they accidentally bump into each other, Alex sees an opportunity to prove herself a good person by helping Molly win the heart of her crush. The only problem is, what if feelings get in the way?
The book cover is an accurate representation of the romcom's tone: humorous, vivid, cheerful, and heartwarming. The character development is impressive, with each character possessing genuine qualities such as wit, humor, charisma, and relatability, while also having a backstory, anxieties, and even some emotional baggage.
This book was an absolute joy to read - I was thoroughly entertained throughout. The characters were so relatable and I found myself connecting with them on a deeper level. I laughed, cried, and had an overall great time while reading it.
What makes this romcom even more special is that it is written by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick, who are a couple in real life. In an interview with their publisher, they shared that the story even resembled their own love story. Alyson said, "I randomly invited Rachel to a party. I liked a girl in class, but I had trouble getting to know her. Rachel stepped in and helped me talk to her. At a certain point, I discovered I had fallen for Rachel... Four years later, we got married." Isn't that adorable?
If you're searching for a fun, slow-burn romcom with well-developed characters that will make you laugh, cry, and even cringe in a good way, look no further than She Gets the Girl.
The book cover is an accurate representation of the romcom's tone: humorous, vivid, cheerful, and heartwarming. The character development is impressive, with each character possessing genuine qualities such as wit, humor, charisma, and relatability, while also having a backstory, anxieties, and even some emotional baggage.
This book was an absolute joy to read - I was thoroughly entertained throughout. The characters were so relatable and I found myself connecting with them on a deeper level. I laughed, cried, and had an overall great time while reading it.
What makes this romcom even more special is that it is written by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick, who are a couple in real life. In an interview with their publisher, they shared that the story even resembled their own love story. Alyson said, "I randomly invited Rachel to a party. I liked a girl in class, but I had trouble getting to know her. Rachel stepped in and helped me talk to her. At a certain point, I discovered I had fallen for Rachel... Four years later, we got married." Isn't that adorable?
If you're searching for a fun, slow-burn romcom with well-developed characters that will make you laugh, cry, and even cringe in a good way, look no further than She Gets the Girl.
Chaos ensues in the wake of King Robert Baratheon's death in the second book of A Song of Ice and Fire series. With six self-declared kings vying for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, the fate of the realm is unknown.
Having awarded the first book a five-star rating, I wondered if the sequel could maintain the same level of excellence. It does, and brilliantly so. Once again, the author's witty and exceptionally well-written dialogues are a highlight. Particularly noteworthy is the almost monologued rambling of the Kingslayer. Additionally, the book's intricate worldbuilding and detailed character development are impressive. New characters like Ser Davos Seaworth and Theon Greyjoy are well fleshed out, while Tyrion Lannister continues to be my favorite, excelling in his wit, intelligence, humor, and ambition.
One of the most captivating aspects of this book is its morally complex characters. No one is purely good or evil, which I absolutely adore. However, as this series is written by a man, it is not without its minor flaws, such as the frequent use of swear words and the focus on sex. There are also some unfriendly female scenes, which need to be mentioned.
Despite these minor flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its grim betrayals, strategies, plotting, and drama.
Having awarded the first book a five-star rating, I wondered if the sequel could maintain the same level of excellence. It does, and brilliantly so. Once again, the author's witty and exceptionally well-written dialogues are a highlight. Particularly noteworthy is the almost monologued rambling of the Kingslayer. Additionally, the book's intricate worldbuilding and detailed character development are impressive. New characters like Ser Davos Seaworth and Theon Greyjoy are well fleshed out, while Tyrion Lannister continues to be my favorite, excelling in his wit, intelligence, humor, and ambition.
One of the most captivating aspects of this book is its morally complex characters. No one is purely good or evil, which I absolutely adore. However, as this series is written by a man, it is not without its minor flaws, such as the frequent use of swear words and the focus on sex. There are also some unfriendly female scenes, which need to be mentioned.
Despite these minor flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its grim betrayals, strategies, plotting, and drama.
Jack London's first novel, "Call of the Wild," tells the story of Buck, a pampered pet dog who is abducted and forced to work as a sled dog during the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska. Buck's journey is one of survival, as he endures harsh treatment and dire circumstances before embracing life in the wilderness.
It is no surprise that this book became a beloved classic, particularly for Americans. London's decision to tell the story from the perspective of an animal was groundbreaking, and his vivid descriptions of rural life in Alaska transport readers to another world. His poetic writing style only adds to the book's allure.
However, while I enjoyed reading about Buck and his pack, I found the story somewhat repetitive and lacking in depth. Although London successfully conveyed the themes of human versus animal and the call of the wild, the book failed to completely captivate me. Despite its literary merits, it ultimately fell short of my expectations.
It is no surprise that this book became a beloved classic, particularly for Americans. London's decision to tell the story from the perspective of an animal was groundbreaking, and his vivid descriptions of rural life in Alaska transport readers to another world. His poetic writing style only adds to the book's allure.
However, while I enjoyed reading about Buck and his pack, I found the story somewhat repetitive and lacking in depth. Although London successfully conveyed the themes of human versus animal and the call of the wild, the book failed to completely captivate me. Despite its literary merits, it ultimately fell short of my expectations.
The Amber Spyglass marks the end of the His Dark Materials trilogy and follows Will and Lyra as they search for answers about their world, themselves, and how to survive an impending war. Despite the deceiving cover, this novel is a grim and philosophical response to Milton's Paradise Lost. Pullman uses poetic language to take readers on a journey with Will and Lyra, delving into topics such as religion, choice, and the belief in knowledge over fate.
While the philosophical aspect was the novel's strongest point, other elements left something to be desired. For example, the quotes before each chapter felt excessive and disrupted the flow of the story. Additionally, Lyra played a less prominent role than expected, and appeared to rely too heavily on Will, losing some of her independence and unique character. Other changes, such as out-of-character behavior and new character additions, made the story feel disjointed at times.
Though the ending left me feeling a bit lost, I appreciated the conclusion to the trilogy. It may not have been what I expected, but it delivered powerful messages about the human experience with all its flaws and desires.
While the philosophical aspect was the novel's strongest point, other elements left something to be desired. For example, the quotes before each chapter felt excessive and disrupted the flow of the story. Additionally, Lyra played a less prominent role than expected, and appeared to rely too heavily on Will, losing some of her independence and unique character. Other changes, such as out-of-character behavior and new character additions, made the story feel disjointed at times.
Though the ending left me feeling a bit lost, I appreciated the conclusion to the trilogy. It may not have been what I expected, but it delivered powerful messages about the human experience with all its flaws and desires.
Horrorstör is an intriguing story that follows Amy and her boss Basil as they get entangled in a series of mysterious events at Orsk store. Every night, strange occurrences take place, leaving the store in disarray. To solve the problem, they decide to patrol the store overnight. Amy agrees to do so because she needs the money to pay her rent. However, things take a bizarre turn as soon as they start their shift.
The author's ironic and sarcastic tone towards a Swedish interior shop is hilarious and well-crafted. Each chapter is named after a Scandinavian-inspired piece of furniture, and the catalog pictures at the beginning of each chapter are aspirational but also give away some of the events that take place in the store. Although the story has its scary moments, it falls a bit flat. Nonetheless, the concept of the book is impressive, and it is worthy of a four-star rating.
The author's ironic and sarcastic tone towards a Swedish interior shop is hilarious and well-crafted. Each chapter is named after a Scandinavian-inspired piece of furniture, and the catalog pictures at the beginning of each chapter are aspirational but also give away some of the events that take place in the store. Although the story has its scary moments, it falls a bit flat. Nonetheless, the concept of the book is impressive, and it is worthy of a four-star rating.
This novel is a retelling of multiple folktales, set in a winter fairytale environment, and focuses on the stories of three young women: Miriyem, Wanda, and Irina. All three find themselves caught up in their fathers' affairs and are trying to escape their fates.
Initially, the story seemed promising, with a powerful female protagonist and a feminist tone that tackled sensitive themes like discrimination and domestic abuse. However, the addition of multiple points of view made it difficult to follow. Despite the beautiful writing style and the retelling of diverse old tales, the slow pace and lack of distinction between the characters made it challenging to stay invested in the plot.
Overall, while the writing was quite beautiful, the lack of a strong plot and a clear focus on individual characters made it difficult to connect with Spinning Silver.
Initially, the story seemed promising, with a powerful female protagonist and a feminist tone that tackled sensitive themes like discrimination and domestic abuse. However, the addition of multiple points of view made it difficult to follow. Despite the beautiful writing style and the retelling of diverse old tales, the slow pace and lack of distinction between the characters made it challenging to stay invested in the plot.
Overall, while the writing was quite beautiful, the lack of a strong plot and a clear focus on individual characters made it difficult to connect with Spinning Silver.
“I was okay just a moment ago. I will learn how to be okay again.”
A couple of months ago Marin left her birthplace, San Francisco, after a traumatic summer with nothing more than a phone, a wallet, and a picture of her mother. But now it’s winter break and everyone is packing up to go to their families except for Marin. The only one she will see before she will be left alone in an emptied dorm is the visit from her friend Mabel.
We Are Okay is a book that will make you feel not okay for a while and explore feelings of grief. It will make you wonder what happend to this girl. A girl that clearly has been so heartbroken that she abandoned everything she knew and became an empty shell of what she was. And slowly on you will gather more information through Marins flashbacks what has happened.
Despite the fact that this book deals with grief, depression, identity crisis, the struggle of finding yourself and feelings of abandonment, it wasn’t extremely depressing to read. Yes, it made me on the verge of tears multiple times, but it also felt hopeful. It made me believe in the strength of friendship, in the ones who will scrape you off the floor when you need it the most and the ones who will just hold your hand when you feel you are falling. And because of it, this became a new favorite. If you decide to read it, I suggest looking into CWs.
A couple of months ago Marin left her birthplace, San Francisco, after a traumatic summer with nothing more than a phone, a wallet, and a picture of her mother. But now it’s winter break and everyone is packing up to go to their families except for Marin. The only one she will see before she will be left alone in an emptied dorm is the visit from her friend Mabel.
We Are Okay is a book that will make you feel not okay for a while and explore feelings of grief. It will make you wonder what happend to this girl. A girl that clearly has been so heartbroken that she abandoned everything she knew and became an empty shell of what she was. And slowly on you will gather more information through Marins flashbacks what has happened.
Despite the fact that this book deals with grief, depression, identity crisis, the struggle of finding yourself and feelings of abandonment, it wasn’t extremely depressing to read. Yes, it made me on the verge of tears multiple times, but it also felt hopeful. It made me believe in the strength of friendship, in the ones who will scrape you off the floor when you need it the most and the ones who will just hold your hand when you feel you are falling. And because of it, this became a new favorite. If you decide to read it, I suggest looking into CWs.