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You are afraid of the pain in you, and so whenever there is a gap in your day, you fill it up with books or television so these blocks of suffering do not come up to the surface.
I've never had the great pleasure of meeting the late Thich Nhat Hanh in person, but somehow he'd managed to call me out in this book. And I deserved it.
It's truly a shame that he recently passed away (last January 22, 2022). But as he thoughtfully discussed in You Are Here, birth and death are merely concepts - so we should not fear them. In fact, he wrote: There is only continuation, only manifestation, because birth and death are just ideas.
While some readers have criticized this book for being a tad repetitive (and I can see where they're coming from), I think sometimes advice needs to be told over and over before it fully sinks in. Each reiteration of practicing mindfulness - in breathing, in walking, and in doing - hit every single time. And it personally resonated with me.
Highly recommended!
Isang malaking, malutong na putangina, anong kagaguhan ito?
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
Ahh, this steamy romance novel was such a much-needed breath of fresh air!
Final impressions:
• Set in a post-COVID timeline where a jaded romance author and a dreamy comic book artist start dating after getting drunkenly married in Las Vegas.
• Accidental, drunken marriage with a twist because Oliver is convinced that he's found someone special.
• Eclectic group of friends turned chosen family!!!
• Emery is a bisexual, biracial beauty who deserves all the love in the world.
• Oliver Harrington said, "fuck toxic masculinity."
• In the same vein, Oliver Harrington can choke me respectfully.
• I also appreciate how this book portrays exes and past relationships in a humanizing light. Sometimes people just don't fit in the way that they should in order to make things work, and that's okay.
• No unnecessary third-act breakup and it was very refreshing.
• A delightful balance of fluff and steam - where the fluff is deliciously precious and the steam is very, very hot.
• Perfect for readers who are looking for a cozy, whirlwind romance with a generous helping of feel-good escapism.
Highly recommended!
Final impressions:
• Set in a post-COVID timeline where a jaded romance author and a dreamy comic book artist start dating after getting drunkenly married in Las Vegas.
• Accidental, drunken marriage with a twist because Oliver is convinced that he's found someone special.
• Eclectic group of friends turned chosen family!!!
• Emery is a bisexual, biracial beauty who deserves all the love in the world.
• Oliver Harrington said, "fuck toxic masculinity."
• In the same vein, Oliver Harrington can choke me respectfully.
• I also appreciate how this book portrays exes and past relationships in a humanizing light. Sometimes people just don't fit in the way that they should in order to make things work, and that's okay.
• No unnecessary third-act breakup and it was very refreshing.
• A delightful balance of fluff and steam - where the fluff is deliciously precious and the steam is very, very hot.
• Perfect for readers who are looking for a cozy, whirlwind romance with a generous helping of feel-good escapism.
Highly recommended!
Move over, Genova. A Princess in Theory is basically Cinderella meets Princess Diaries. Except that the princess in question is a Black woman navigating the perils of STEM.
Recommended!
Recommended!
I am confused, baffled, and flabbergasted by what I just read. And I suspect that the absurd cliffhanger ending is a strategic ploy to force readers into buying the last book.
But y'all can't fool me. I am DONE with this series, and I will happily pretend that I never read the first two books.
Final impressions:
• Honor Among Thieves was weird in a fun, compelling way. But this sequel? Plain weirdness all around.
• The beginning was sluggish and boring, the middle was unexpectedly convoluted, and the ending was frustratingly abrupt
• Beginning - Admittedly, my interest started dwindling during the pit fights where, shocker of all shockers, it was discovered that Zara Cole has an unparalleled talent for fighting and a superpower for identifying her opponents' weaknesses.
• Middle - From fighting against a godlike Big Bad to making life-threatening deals with an organized crime boss to engaging in multiple skirmishes against the phage, this sequel threw so many elements into its plot that if it were a meal, I'd spit it out. There were so many add-ons to the original threat (i.e. the phage) that the plot was absurdly messy and insufferably redundant, jumping from one battle to another.
• Ending - Since majority of the story was spent fighting baddies and running away, the final battle scene came across as anticlimactic and unsatisfying.
• I adored all the character relationships and found family energy in the first book, so I was disappointed to see Zara Cole's crewmates becoming hollowed husks whose sole purpose is to hype her up.
• In line with this, the bizarre sexual undertones of Zara and Nadim and Beatriz's relationship were not for me.
• On top of all my complaints, the biggest shortcoming of Honor Bound lies in its protagonist, Zara Cole. Cementing her status as special snowflake with superpowers early on in the sequel, her self-serving, impulsive behavior and presumed self-importance (enabled by the other characters) quickly grew irritating.
Not recommended.
But y'all can't fool me. I am DONE with this series, and I will happily pretend that I never read the first two books.
Final impressions:
• Honor Among Thieves was weird in a fun, compelling way. But this sequel? Plain weirdness all around.
• The beginning was sluggish and boring, the middle was unexpectedly convoluted, and the ending was frustratingly abrupt
Spoiler
since it literally ends in the middle of a big battle scene.• Beginning - Admittedly, my interest started dwindling during the pit fights where, shocker of all shockers, it was discovered that Zara Cole has an unparalleled talent for fighting and a superpower for identifying her opponents' weaknesses.
• Middle - From fighting against a godlike Big Bad to making life-threatening deals with an organized crime boss to engaging in multiple skirmishes against the phage, this sequel threw so many elements into its plot that if it were a meal, I'd spit it out. There were so many add-ons to the original threat (i.e. the phage) that the plot was absurdly messy and insufferably redundant, jumping from one battle to another.
• Ending - Since majority of the story was spent fighting baddies and running away, the final battle scene came across as anticlimactic and unsatisfying.
• I adored all the character relationships and found family energy in the first book, so I was disappointed to see Zara Cole's crewmates becoming hollowed husks whose sole purpose is to hype her up.
• In line with this, the bizarre sexual undertones of Zara and Nadim and Beatriz's relationship were not for me.
• On top of all my complaints, the biggest shortcoming of Honor Bound lies in its protagonist, Zara Cole. Cementing her status as special snowflake with superpowers early on in the sequel, her self-serving, impulsive behavior and presumed self-importance (enabled by the other characters) quickly grew irritating.
Not recommended.
Edit (01 March 2022):
Taking back my stars because Dana Isaly is an unhinged weirdo who used someone's CSA experience as a source material for her book, Games We Play. For further reading, Source 1 and Source 2.
I had not known about this prior to reading Dipped In Holly, and I certainly won't be supporting any more of her books moving forward.
Not recommended.
Taking back my stars because Dana Isaly is an unhinged weirdo who used someone's CSA experience as a source material for her book, Games We Play. For further reading, Source 1 and Source 2.
I had not known about this prior to reading Dipped In Holly, and I certainly won't be supporting any more of her books moving forward.
Not recommended.
I am of the opinion that Katie Zhao's writing shines the brightest in her middle-grade novels, and Last Gamer Standing can be held as further proof. This story is fun, immersive, and thoroughly engaging.
Final Impressions:
• I was initially skeptical on how the VR battle royale component would translate into text, but the author did a great job in establishing the game and enveloping readers into the experience.
• Reyna Cheng is an admirably brave protagonist with big dreams - and I was rooting for her from start to finish.
• I greatly appreciated how this book tackles the toxic gaming community - and how it is often steeped in racism and sexism.
• Really, really loved the family and friendship dynamics. Particularly how her parents wanted to be wholeheartedly supportive of Reyna's dreams but also sought to protect her.
• Admittedly, I have a few misgivings towards the latter part of the book, especially when it became a little harder to suspend disbelief.
• Overall, this Last Gamer Standing is a fun and action-packed romp into online gaming culture, especially from a refreshing perspective. While it delves deeply into misogyny, the book still manages to offer a hopeful message where change is possible.
Recommended!
Final Impressions:
• I was initially skeptical on how the VR battle royale component would translate into text, but the author did a great job in establishing the game and enveloping readers into the experience.
• Reyna Cheng is an admirably brave protagonist with big dreams - and I was rooting for her from start to finish.
• I greatly appreciated how this book tackles the toxic gaming community - and how it is often steeped in racism and sexism.
• Really, really loved the family and friendship dynamics. Particularly how her parents wanted to be wholeheartedly supportive of Reyna's dreams but also sought to protect her.
• Admittedly, I have a few misgivings towards the latter part of the book, especially when it became a little harder to suspend disbelief.
Spoiler
Moreover, the identity reveal towards the end, in particular, felt abrupt and dissatisfying. While I understand that it was meant to be an empowering moment, my main reaction was, "Oh, pretty rude of Reyna to interrupt in the middle of announcing the champion." Honestly, the girl could have waited a couple of minutes before delivering her impassioned speech. In fact, I think it would've been more impactful if she revealed her identity after she was announced as the winner - but maybe I'm nitpicking.• Overall, this Last Gamer Standing is a fun and action-packed romp into online gaming culture, especially from a refreshing perspective. While it delves deeply into misogyny, the book still manages to offer a hopeful message where change is possible.
Recommended!
I love this show so fucking much, and the glimpse behind the scenes is absolutely glorious.
Highly recommended! - From one sexy plank to another
Highly recommended! - From one sexy plank to another
