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themoonwholistens's Reviews (698)
The teen crazy rich asians.
but give all the characters highly questionable morals.
My mind wandered a lot in this book too. I have just not been enjoying the contemporary books I have been picking up recently which is a bummer.
after all the screaming and complaints in my updates we shouldn't even be surprised with my rating. I am really sorry to everyone who loved this.
STOP WITH THE ASIAN STEREOTYPE. I was really trying to forget about the contribution this makes to that automatic mindset of asians created by media, even for a bit, and just enjoy the “fun teen experience” and all the crazy things that they were doing but... no.... I am just tired of it.
— overall thoughts: 1.50 —
What I didn’t like:
1. contributes to the “strict asian parent” stereotype
2. medical careers =
but give all the characters highly questionable morals.
“When my mind wanders, it is always to you.”
My mind wandered a lot in this book too. I have just not been enjoying the contemporary books I have been picking up recently which is a bummer.
after all the screaming and complaints in my updates we shouldn't even be surprised with my rating. I am really sorry to everyone who loved this.
STOP WITH THE ASIAN STEREOTYPE. I was really trying to forget about the contribution this makes to that automatic mindset of asians created by media, even for a bit, and just enjoy the “fun teen experience” and all the crazy things that they were doing but... no.... I am just tired of it.
— overall thoughts: 1.50 —
What I didn’t like:
1. contributes to the “strict asian parent” stereotype
2. medical careers =
something was bothering me the whole time I was reading this and now I know what it is, so please read Ayushi's review. Even though I am SouthEast Asian, we are not a monolithic culture so I hope we all take the time to read the ownvoices reviews for this book. thank you :)
and PSA: this is not an #Ownvoices book. It features South Asian characters and is written by a White author... and I don't know how the 5-star reviews aren't mentioning this. Not that non-ownvoices books are necessarily bad but when they contain harmful representation is another discussion.
i need more ~arranged marriage tropes so please recommend me some others, i am starved
and PSA: this is not an #Ownvoices book. It features South Asian characters and is written by a White author... and I don't know how the 5-star reviews aren't mentioning this. Not that non-ownvoices books are necessarily bad but when they contain harmful representation is another discussion.
i need more ~arranged marriage tropes so please recommend me some others, i am starved
in case this contemporary romance about a bangladeshi teen fake dating the bad boy hasn’t been brought to your attention, here I am doing that ✨ this sounds like wholesome fun
My fingers are literally itching to get my violin and search my folders for a Mozart piece to practice. Which probably won't be hard to find.
This is a perfectly balanced book with magical and realistic elements that made me both want to float away to the Kingdom of Back but also reminded me just how important giving equal opportunity to everyone, no matter their gender, race, etc. is.
It puts a magical twist on real events in history that we probably never knew even happened.
— overall thoughts: 4.5—
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless stated otherwise*
If you are going to read this for anything let it be for Nannerl and Wolfgang's brother-sister relationship. The way they care for each other and the way they're written I just... my heart. is. full. and. soft. As a musician myself who grew up on Mozart this was already a book dear to me even before I started reading. Marie Lu's take on historical fiction honestly did not feel like the intimidating kind that is usually found in this genre with all the heavy topics. It's accessible and as usual, easy to digest and comprehend but with every scene still packing so much substance and layers.
It was obvious that this book was written by a musician and someone familiar with Mozart... and it translated so well to the writing and world building. There is so much passion in the pages and I appreciated it so much
Every character felt like they had so many layers. I never knew what to think of hyacinth… which I think was the point but he was just such a well written character. Honestly, all of them are. Marie Lu's strong suit is creating characters that are evidently flawed but still easy to relate to. They are all flushed out and it's easy to get into the groove of their dynamics. Especially as a whole family.
It talks about how we choose to see what we want to see and the only way to change that is by facing the reasons why that's so. Nannerl is a very strong female character that has been dealt with.. unfair.. cards. And seeing her come to terms with her life was both heartbreaking and... hopeful. The plot was predictable to me to a certain degree but at time, I just don't care. I have to say that it was an aspect that did pull me out of what was going on at time. There was a sort of detachment when the plot concerned characters other than the Mozart family. Everything else about this book made me fall in love. All my feelings are here and present, and with the brilliant execution of themes... what else can I say?
Literally the master of writing satisfying and tear jerker endings, and as someone who believes that endings make or break a book, it’s a solid reason to pick up her books and...
I JUST LOVE HER ENDINGS OKAY.
Marie Lu's signature is all over this book with the adventure, intrigue, and emotional moments but make it a little more light and whimsical. If you are into any of those things I think you'll enjoy this (bonus points if you are into Mozart).
PLOT: ★★★★☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★★
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★★★
CHARACTERS: ★★★★★
THEMES: ★★★★★
PACING: ★★★★☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★★★
----------------
PRE READ:
8/3/20
I just saw that this was about Mozart and his sister, and immediately knew that I had to read it. As a classical musician, I felt it would have been a betrayal if I didn't :3
“What you offer me… I have already achieved.”
This is a perfectly balanced book with magical and realistic elements that made me both want to float away to the Kingdom of Back but also reminded me just how important giving equal opportunity to everyone, no matter their gender, race, etc. is.
It puts a magical twist on real events in history that we probably never knew even happened.
— overall thoughts: 4.5—
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless stated otherwise*
If you are going to read this for anything let it be for Nannerl and Wolfgang's brother-sister relationship. The way they care for each other and the way they're written I just... my heart. is. full. and. soft. As a musician myself who grew up on Mozart this was already a book dear to me even before I started reading. Marie Lu's take on historical fiction honestly did not feel like the intimidating kind that is usually found in this genre with all the heavy topics. It's accessible and as usual, easy to digest and comprehend but with every scene still packing so much substance and layers.
It was obvious that this book was written by a musician and someone familiar with Mozart... and it translated so well to the writing and world building. There is so much passion in the pages and I appreciated it so much
Every character felt like they had so many layers. I never knew what to think of hyacinth… which I think was the point but he was just such a well written character. Honestly, all of them are. Marie Lu's strong suit is creating characters that are evidently flawed but still easy to relate to. They are all flushed out and it's easy to get into the groove of their dynamics. Especially as a whole family.
“Speak for the ones who will come after you.”
It talks about how we choose to see what we want to see and the only way to change that is by facing the reasons why that's so. Nannerl is a very strong female character that has been dealt with.. unfair.. cards. And seeing her come to terms with her life was both heartbreaking and... hopeful. The plot was predictable to me to a certain degree but at time, I just don't care. I have to say that it was an aspect that did pull me out of what was going on at time. There was a sort of detachment when the plot concerned characters other than the Mozart family. Everything else about this book made me fall in love. All my feelings are here and present, and with the brilliant execution of themes... what else can I say?
Literally the master of writing satisfying and tear jerker endings, and as someone who believes that endings make or break a book, it’s a solid reason to pick up her books and...
I JUST LOVE HER ENDINGS OKAY.
Marie Lu's signature is all over this book with the adventure, intrigue, and emotional moments but make it a little more light and whimsical. If you are into any of those things I think you'll enjoy this (bonus points if you are into Mozart).
“I wrote this for the Nunnrel’s of today and tomorrow. In the hopes that when they are ready to share their brilliance with the world, the world is ready to give them the attention and honor they deserve.”
PLOT: ★★★★☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★★
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★★★
CHARACTERS: ★★★★★
THEMES: ★★★★★
PACING: ★★★★☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★★★
----------------
PRE READ:
8/3/20
I just saw that this was about Mozart and his sister, and immediately knew that I had to read it. As a classical musician, I felt it would have been a betrayal if I didn't :3
“To know what this world could look like, what humanity could be, if only we all chose to do our best, to help others, to...to be, well, heroes.”
FORMAT READ: Audiobook
SIMILAR VIBES: The Young Elites, The Darkest Minds
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
OVERALL: 3.5
Compared to the first book… I liked this one more in terms of plot and themes. I feel like there was more happening in the plot and world-building was able to expand more in this book. It was more thought-provoking, in my opinion, and I really thought that the themes that the series is trying to communicate were much more prominent. It hit me in the face a lot more.
That guy that Nova works with is my favourite character in the whole book even though I cannot remember his name. And the Nova-Adrian relationship interests me more than their individuals characters though… which is... I don't know how to feel about that yet BUT I LIKE THEM
The other character relationships ARE MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE as well !!! I probably can't say exactly which ones because erm spoilers... I have a lot of problems with the characters themselves but I like how they interact and the dynamic between the characters are something that I really enjoyed and was what ultimately kept me going. I absolutely adored the family representations in this book. They aren’t very explicitly described and focused on but that is part of why I liked it. It's one of the underlying themes and is part of the emotional gut punches every now and then.
A lot of lines made me cringe, however, and I couldn't help but pause to catch myself. But I do like the way battle scenes are written. It was descriptive enough for a fantasy novel without it being too flowery which is sometimes what puts me off in certain books.
It was a lot less focused on neither the Renegades or the Archanists which kind of disappointed me. Though, it gave room for more of Nova-Adrian time. And even then, there was just enough emotional punch that made me want to keep reading and reading and reading !!
I think that the pacing of these books is the problem as I like fast-paced books and I just never feel like a lot of things happened. You can combine the plots of the first and second book into one and all will be good and fine. Although, I do understand that it makes this book more suitable for those slow-paces fantasy readers that enjoy the suspense behind Nova and Adrian's secret identities (which I actually really enjoy even though it frustrates me a bit).
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★☆
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS: ★★★★★
THEMES: ★★★★★
PACING: ★★★☆☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★☆☆
FORMAT READ: Audiobook
SIMILAR VIBES: The Young Elites, The Darkest Minds
⟹ MY BLOG ⟸
⟹ SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ⟸
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
OVERALL: 3.5
Compared to the first book… I liked this one more in terms of plot and themes. I feel like there was more happening in the plot and world-building was able to expand more in this book. It was more thought-provoking, in my opinion, and I really thought that the themes that the series is trying to communicate were much more prominent. It hit me in the face a lot more.
That guy that Nova works with is my favourite character in the whole book even though I cannot remember his name. And the Nova-Adrian relationship interests me more than their individuals characters though… which is... I don't know how to feel about that yet BUT I LIKE THEM
The other character relationships ARE MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE as well !!! I probably can't say exactly which ones because erm spoilers... I have a lot of problems with the characters themselves but I like how they interact and the dynamic between the characters are something that I really enjoyed and was what ultimately kept me going. I absolutely adored the family representations in this book. They aren’t very explicitly described and focused on but that is part of why I liked it. It's one of the underlying themes and is part of the emotional gut punches every now and then.
A lot of lines made me cringe, however, and I couldn't help but pause to catch myself. But I do like the way battle scenes are written. It was descriptive enough for a fantasy novel without it being too flowery which is sometimes what puts me off in certain books.
It was a lot less focused on neither the Renegades or the Archanists which kind of disappointed me. Though, it gave room for more of Nova-Adrian time. And even then, there was just enough emotional punch that made me want to keep reading and reading and reading !!
I think that the pacing of these books is the problem as I like fast-paced books and I just never feel like a lot of things happened. You can combine the plots of the first and second book into one and all will be good and fine. Although, I do understand that it makes this book more suitable for those slow-paces fantasy readers that enjoy the suspense behind Nova and Adrian's secret identities (which I actually really enjoy even though it frustrates me a bit).
PLOT: ★★☆☆☆
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★☆
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTERS: ★★★☆☆
CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS: ★★★★★
THEMES: ★★★★★
PACING: ★★★☆☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★☆☆
"I can offer you my life, but it is a short life; I can offer you my heart, though I have no idea how many more beats it shall sustain."
you will never get me to hate jem
2nd read: August 25-Sept 3, 2020
I know that I don't know how to shut up about Will... but I've always been a Jem kind of girl the first time I read this. But of course, when it comes down to it, you can never make me choose between Will and Jem I'm sorry <3
(why am I so dramatic in my old reviews)
1st read: October 24-31, 2016
Warning: Not for the soft hearted (very intense and will make your heart swell that it feels as though it is exploding from your chest)
Why must you destroy my heart like this?
No words can describe anything I am feeling right now and I just feel like jumping off my balcony.
Spoiler
Mixed feelings when Jem proposed.I truly will forever love this world that Cassandra Clare has created. And I am truthfully starting to stop complaining about all these books. These are too beautiful and I can't control myself enough to wait for the ending.
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DNF @25%
[pokes my head into the void of negative reviews saying how boring this was and whispers into the mic] i’m sorry i didn’t listen to you
this isn’t meant to be a redemption arc for snow, and it isn’t. just to clear that out. he’s still his stinky old self.
look it wasn’t that bad… i actually thought that it added to the hunger games world which i found interesting because of how it provided me with additional perspectives to the story we know and love. but that was the thing: my reasons for liking the certain aspects of this book that i did, was not because of this book in particular but more because of my emotional attachments to the original series
i did not have the care and patience for 89% of what was happening. maybe if i did i would enjoy dissecting coreLaNUS' character like i usually would but i just have way more diverse books i'd rather be reading. my free time to read with uni right now is limited and i don't feel like spending them with coreLaNUS
if you are going to read this read it for:
● tigress and snow’s platonic relationship (seriously.)
● original series easter eggs
● coreLaNUS
● not lucy
● not snow
● who the hell is arachne
that's it. it was fun being back in panem and i see why people both love and hate it.
p.s. i have the urge to rewatch and reread the hunger games on a yearly basis so i think i’m going to stick to those
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Everything was just way too realistic for me and way too close to home so <3 When I say that I related to this book on a whole other level, you better take my word for it as someone who has lived in the Philippines my whole life but has also seen more of the world than most other citizens.
This quote hit me a little harder knowing that people are dying for doing what is right on the same land that I am on.
— overall thoughts: 4.50 —
From discussions on the philippine drug war, ableism, white supremacy, Fil-Am prejudices, Filipino relationships (romantic, familial, platonic), journalism in the Philippines, both sides of the Pres. Duterte thing,... it's all summarized right here.
This quote hit me a little harder knowing that people are dying for doing what is right on the same land that I am on.
"A universe where people do not die for doing what is right."
— overall thoughts: 4.50 —
From discussions on the philippine drug war, ableism, white supremacy, Fil-Am prejudices, Filipino relationships (romantic, familial, platonic), journalism in the Philippines, both sides of the Pres. Duterte thing,... it's all summarized right here.
“I’d prefer to think... that we aren’t all so mercilessly bound to our pasts.”
FORMAT READ: Audiobook
SIMILAR VIBES: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
READ FOR: a Sherlock Holmes spin-off
READING LEVEL: Level 1-3 out of 5
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
OVERALL THOUGHTS: 3.5
It took me some time to get into the writing style and the world but once I did I actually ended up really enjoying myself <3
As a person who watched every single episode of Sharlock Holmes rather than read it I liked how much they referenced the original Sherlock Holmes tales because it felt like a spin-off of sorts. It’s a more modern take with some added romance HAHA
I was really involved in Jamie and Charlotte’s characters which was kept me driving through the book.
It’s fast paced guys!! (my favourite reading pace) I don’t know if it’s because I read this on Audio but I had a hard time getting hooked on the mystery. but I was really into it at around the 20% mark.
It’s also written in the classic Watson point-of-view. James and Charlotte are so adorable and their relationship had me giggling the whole time.
I do think that this story has more potential but I thoroughly had a good time reading the book as a whole and I would definitely pick up the next books.
PLOT: ★★★★★
WRITING STYLE: ★★★★☆(3.5)
WORLD BUILDING: ★★★☆☆(3.5)
CHARACTERS: ★★★★☆
THEMES: ★★★☆☆(3.5)
PACING: ★★★★☆
PAGE TURNER: ★★★☆☆