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booksandbongs's reviews
155 reviews
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Gonna have to come back to write a full review when the glamour of this book wears off…..
I see why everyone likes this book the best in the series; wow what a ride it was. I LOVE Feyre’s evolution into such a badass and don’t get me started onRhys and Feyre’s relationship evolution…holy sh*t . I loved this book so much and didn’t want it to end. I don’t feel like I’ve been so invested in characters like this in a long time. (immediately started wings and ruin after)
I see why everyone likes this book the best in the series; wow what a ride it was. I LOVE Feyre’s evolution into such a badass and don’t get me started on
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was skeptical because of the hype — but I really enjoyed it. I love the world Maas has created. The romance aspects are never my favorite but I enjoyed the romantic elements of the story. Her writing isn’t by any means literary or profound, but the story itself is good enough for me to rate it 4 stars and start the second book. Would be great as a TV series.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed and loved the premise of the book, as well as the multiple timelines and multiple POVs. I found the focus on food in the book to be particularly moving, especially with the historical context and focus on foods origins in relation to cultures. The book ends with all of the loose strings tied up and all of the questions the book brought up answered. The use of foreshadowing was a little excessive, only because it made the reveals/twists in the book predictable.
The reason I did not give this five stars is the same as many of the critiques I have seen -- the author tries to go to wide with the story and cover as much as she can as opposed to deep diving into the central story.
Overall, an interesting read that I enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing the authors progression and refinement as a writer in the future.
The reason I did not give this five stars is the same as many of the critiques I have seen -- the author tries to go to wide with the story and cover as much as she can as opposed to deep diving into the central story.
Overall, an interesting read that I enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing the authors progression and refinement as a writer in the future.
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I think Celeste herself said it best in the authors note; "Bird and Margaret's world isn't exactly our world, but it isn't not ours, either".
I can confidently say that this book scared me. Not in the sense of horror, but in the sense of how similar the "dystopian" world was to our own world. It would be false to say that what happens in the book couldn't happen, or hasn't already happened. At the end Celeste discusses how a large part of inspiration for the book came from the missing hearts we are seeing now; the removal of migrant and indigenous children from their parents. Not to mention legislation towards a group of people deemed dangerous (Muslim ban, to name one) and a threat to free speech (McCarthyism and a resurgence of banned books).
This book tackles a lot of heavy themes and in my opinion is by no means an easy read, but I would argue a necessary read.
Comparing to Little Fires Everywhere, I feel as though the characters lacked some depth -- although I can't help if being kept at arms length from the characters was intentional. Celeste still writes very eloquently and manages to make the story beautiful despite its heaviness. I think it is a different direction than her other works, but I think the different direction is part of why it works so well.
The ending of the book was very unexpected for me, although I think the ending unfolding the way it does is really important to the meaning of the book. Celeste does not aim to give us a "happy" or "fairytale" ending, instead asking us to reflect on a world where the oppressors win, where people are seemingly defeated. At the same time, she does an excellent job at adding a thin thread of hope to the story, and in turn I think a thin thread of hope about the world and our current reality.
Overall I thought this was an exceptional and unique story that does an incredible job of drawing past, present, and future events together in a cohesive manner. Her prose throughout is beautiful and haunting -- creating a particularly moving narrative.
I can confidently say that this book scared me. Not in the sense of horror, but in the sense of how similar the "dystopian" world was to our own world. It would be false to say that what happens in the book couldn't happen, or hasn't already happened. At the end Celeste discusses how a large part of inspiration for the book came from the missing hearts we are seeing now; the removal of migrant and indigenous children from their parents. Not to mention legislation towards a group of people deemed dangerous (Muslim ban, to name one) and a threat to free speech (McCarthyism and a resurgence of banned books).
This book tackles a lot of heavy themes and in my opinion is by no means an easy read, but I would argue a necessary read.
Comparing to Little Fires Everywhere, I feel as though the characters lacked some depth -- although I can't help if being kept at arms length from the characters was intentional. Celeste still writes very eloquently and manages to make the story beautiful despite its heaviness. I think it is a different direction than her other works, but I think the different direction is part of why it works so well.
The ending of the book was very unexpected for me, although I think the ending unfolding the way it does is really important to the meaning of the book. Celeste does not aim to give us a "happy" or "fairytale" ending, instead asking us to reflect on a world where the oppressors win, where people are seemingly defeated. At the same time, she does an excellent job at adding a thin thread of hope to the story, and in turn I think a thin thread of hope about the world and our current reality.
Overall I thought this was an exceptional and unique story that does an incredible job of drawing past, present, and future events together in a cohesive manner. Her prose throughout is beautiful and haunting -- creating a particularly moving narrative.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
This one has been on my radar for a while, I just wish I had picked it up sooner. The background info surrounding the Apartheid was really interesting/important for those who lacked the background knowledge. I thought Noah's perspective on the post-Apartheid conditions/culture was eye opening and valuable to understand the lasting effects of Apartheid. The book tackled some heavy themes, while still making me laugh at times. His writing style makes it seem like a friend is telling you stories, making this a really fast and easy read that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed his reflections on growing up, and his reflections on his mom and her unconditional love were really interesting. I want to give his mom a big hug. Both thought provoking and heart wrenching, I would recommend this book to everyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book, it felt like a warm hug. The characters were lovable and I found myself rooting for them, and the storyline was engaging throughout. I can see how some people would be deterred by the slow pace, but I enjoyed the slow build up to the conclusion.
This story was charming and uplifting, while still tugging at the heart just a little bit. Cameron was a difficult character to tolerate at first, but I encourage you to stick with him — he gets better at the end.
I loved the three perspectives that we shifted through, with Marcellus being my favorite. I found the authors writing style to be well done, and found myself laughing while tears were still in my eyes.
I loved every moment of this warm and charming book, and will definitely read it again in the future.
Remarkably Bright Creatures goes beyond the Tova-Marcellus relationship and at its core is about loneliness, loss, hope, friendship, family and community. It was such an original and heartwarming concept I won’t forget for a long time.
This story was charming and uplifting, while still tugging at the heart just a little bit. Cameron was a difficult character to tolerate at first, but I encourage you to stick with him — he gets better at the end.
I loved the three perspectives that we shifted through, with Marcellus being my favorite. I found the authors writing style to be well done, and found myself laughing while tears were still in my eyes.
I loved every moment of this warm and charming book, and will definitely read it again in the future.
Remarkably Bright Creatures goes beyond the Tova-Marcellus relationship and at its core is about loneliness, loss, hope, friendship, family and community. It was such an original and heartwarming concept I won’t forget for a long time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I found this book to be a page turner. I had previously read Station Eleven so I knew what I was getting into with Mandel's writing; she has an elegant way of writing. The book spans across time and space, but Mandel makes it quite the enjoyable journey. I liked the pandemic based setting because I feel like the book does a lot about exploring the deeper impact of the pandemic on our lives -- for example one of my favorite lines in the book is “This is the strange lesson of living in a pandemic: life can be tranquil in the face of death.”
Mandel does an excellent job of not letting the science of the story become overwhelming, it was done in a very readable and graceful way.
I really enjoyed reading this book, but (what seems to be the general consensus) it was really only a four star book for me until the very end. I wrestled with 4.75 or 5 stars, and settled on 4.75 only because I wish the novel had been longer, I would've loved more details/scenes. The way that Mandel brings all the pieces of the story together is absolutely brilliant, and in retrospect, inevitable. I was really drawn into this book and sad when it came to an end.
Mandel leaves us with some peace of mind about the future, too: "if definitive proof emerges that we're living in a simulation, the correct response to that news will be So what. A life lived in a simulation is still a life"
Exceptional read, and I will be going back to read Glass Hotel now too.
Mandel does an excellent job of not letting the science of the story become overwhelming, it was done in a very readable and graceful way.
I really enjoyed reading this book, but (what seems to be the general consensus) it was really only a four star book for me until the very end. I wrestled with 4.75 or 5 stars, and settled on 4.75 only because I wish the novel had been longer, I would've loved more details/scenes. The way that Mandel brings all the pieces of the story together is absolutely brilliant, and in retrospect, inevitable. I was really drawn into this book and sad when it came to an end.
Mandel leaves us with some peace of mind about the future, too: "if definitive proof emerges that we're living in a simulation, the correct response to that news will be So what. A life lived in a simulation is still a life"
Exceptional read, and I will be going back to read Glass Hotel now too.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
While a little predictable, I found this to be a really enjoyable read. The book creates what I would consider an accurate depiction of struggling with depression and the thoughts that come with it, and I think anyone with a personal relationship to depression and suicide will relate well to this book. I can see how it could come off as a little "self help"-y to some, but it was a nice gentle reminder to get excited about living. Some of the concluding points might be obvious to some, but I enjoyed how the message as well as the story itself were wrapped up nicely at the end. Aside from the message of the book, the story itself was captivating and I enjoyed getting to know Nora.
I can see how this book could not be someone's cup of tea, but I really liked it and thought it was well written. I would recommend this book to others for sure.
I can see how this book could not be someone's cup of tea, but I really liked it and thought it was well written. I would recommend this book to others for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Would have been 4 stars if it weren't for the abrupt ending. I opted to not read the epilogue because everyone said it ruined the story. I knew that there could not be a happy ending to the story, but I would have liked to see the ending through a little more (maybe that is my fault for not reading the epilogue). The story itself was more fictitious than I expected going into the story, but it was a pleasant surprise. An interesting take on Stockholm Syndrome as well as a deep dive into human relationships, I enjoyed how the story was more about the relationships/getting to know the individuals than the events themselves. I think my biggest complaint was the utter fascination with the singer, I think it may have been a little overplayed/repetitive. I did enjoy the way the author made music and culture central to the experience, which I think notes to the importance of things like art/music/culture.