Very good coming-of-age, discovering-who-you-are book.
I especially lived the characters.

I really liked learning about deaf culture and struggles through this book. I believe it was inspired by a cochlear implant case, so themes of bodily autonomy are prevalent throughout. I like the view into the world through the perspectives of both a deaf person and a CODA. Overall, I liked the book, but it sort of just... ends. The "resolutions" are incomplete and unsatisfying, but it doesn't diminish the rest of the book.

This is a very intricate, and well-written story. All of the loose ends get tied up, so it is satisfying to finish. The non-chronological style of writing can be a tad confusing if you struggle keeping track of smaller details, but it all makes sense at the end. A very good read.

I more liked this book than didn't like it, but I was very angry at the ending. Without giving anything away, while it may be reflective of real-life choices that are made, it definitely left much to be desired for the reader. Otherwise, it is a thought-provoking work that is mostly fun to read.

I bought this because I liked Little Fires Everywhere, and I assumed it would be similar. It's not. It's a dystopian (what I would call dystopian-lite), and I didn't know that when I picked it up, and, full disclosure, I'm not a fan of dystopian stuff. Though I'm not a fan, the book is well-written. The ending did disappoint, as I feel it sort of just ends in the middle of things, so it was pretty dissatisfying, but I guess that's the point.

Meh. Just wasn't that great.

Wow. Just a really well-researched and honest look into the realities of life for different classes of black Americans in the 1950's.

This was a recommendation from a friend, and it was very good. I read it in one day! Allie is a 15 year old girl, and Bea is a 70 something widow, and, through a series of painful and terrible circumstances, they find themselves together going on an adventure. Though there are some dark themes, the story never gets too graphic, and it isn't uncomfortable to read. Overall, a good pick.

This is so much like Fiddler on the Roof; obviously, the setting and characters are different, but the themes and plot are strikingly similar.
I did find myself having to reread many passages - I just am not a big fan of the writing.

This took a while to get through. The first 2/3 were a trudge (though not uninteresting). The last 1/3 was much quicker. Prince Harry's story is deeply introspective and seems honest. I've always been pretty neutral about my feelings toward the royals, but this look into the struggle of being born and living in a "cage" was moving and eye-opening.

I was hesitant to buy/read this, but I read most of TJR's other stuff, and after Malibu Rising, I wanted the Carrie Soto story. When I started, I was worried because I hated Carrie's character, but there is a beautiful arc, and it, like her other novels, is so well-crafted. I do feel that the ending of this is somewhat satisfying; there is closure (mostly), which is more than I can say for Malibu Rising. Anyway, it's super good!

When I picked this up, I was expecting something like Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones or Malibu Rising. It was not like any of those. It has a singularly different style and tone. That said, it was a fun read, and I recommend it to fans of TJR.

I bought this after having read read Evelyn Hugo (loved it) and Daisy Jones (liked it well enough). I would rank this in between the two. What I really like about TJR books is the level of realism (if one can relate to famous people) that not everything in life "works out" in a satisfying way, and I did feel that by the end of this book. I will buy the rest of her books and read them, and she consistently produces well-written characters.

I read about halfway then gave up. I almost NEVER don't finish a book once I've started, but this one was just so disjointed and didn't reveal enough details to keep the reader engaged. The investment I had in it wasn't enough to sacrifice time better spent. Maybe it gets better, but most reviews I read suggested that it does not.

Pretty good book. I was surprised by the twists in the story, which is uncommon. The ending was satisfying, and all loose ends were tied up. It's written I'm a nonlinear way - sort of starting from the time of the incident and working it's way outward (both before and after the event) to reveal the details. All in all, clever, well-written, and eye-opening.

The first half of this book was really good; it had soooo much potential. Then, it feels like the author just gets tired of writing it and rushes the ending. I found myself realizing that there were very few (I'm talking like 3 or 4) pages left, and the central conflict still hadn't been resolved. Then, it just is. I wish there had been another 100 or so pages to give the story the ending it deserved.

I REALLY was excited to read this. It was the B&N Book of the Year, so I had very high expectations. The writing is very good, but I just wasn't that excited about it. I'm not much into gaming, and the characters, while realistic, just make such "why would they do that" choices that I didn't much like them. I kept reading, thinking that the ending would redeem it, but it was very bittersweet (heavy on the bitter).

I love almost everything about this book. Elizabeth Zott is a female chemist in the 50's and 60's, and through a series of events ends up a television host of a cooking show that she uses to subtley influence women to not accept the oppression that the world had been doling out.
It is well-crafted, real, and super inspiring, and everyone should read it.

I liked this book - not as much as Evelyn Hugo, but the author is a talented write. The format of this book is interviews - no "narrative". The story has to be pieced together from the interviews of each character (and they are all happening simultaneously). It's clever.

I wanted to love this book, but I didn't. At one point, I felt like I was just "getting through it", though it does improve. I can't put my finger on what, exactly, leads to my feelings of apathy? about it, but there are some. That said, I actually didn't see the twist coming (and that's a rarity for me), so I was pleasantly surprised about that.
The book was cute. The characters were realistic. I just didn't really connect.

I liked this book quite a lot, though it was fairly predictable (given its title). I love Victorian-set stories, and this one is parallel timelines, so it combines Victorian with modern and is clever.

I waited an entire weekend to calm myself before crafting this review. The writing was good, though I did get a bit lost with all of the back-and-forth through time. I'm not convinced that that adds appeal rather than detracting.
Now for the anger. That ending... was it even an ending? So, no spoilers, but it was VERY unsatisfying to say the least - to the point where I'm not even sure I liked the book.

So, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I loved Eddie Huang's voice, but I got lost in some of the things he was talking about. And I don't mean his Chinese culture - I mean his hip-hop, drug-dealing, private school culture. That said, he is a super intelligent, cool dude who's done a lot of different things with his life, and this book provides some perspective.

This book was beautiful. All at once parallel, connected love stories, mystery, historical, and modern. I know some things about Cuba (I saw DD Havana Nights, after all), but this glimpse into the complex politics and history of the island was perfectly captured in a compelling and engaging read.

This book was ok. I read a lot of YA, but this was a mostly love-triangle (with a healthy dose of exploring her own sexuality), and it didn't have any other elements that made it stand out. Writing was decent - there were no glaring plot holes or unresolved issues, but I did find myself pushing to be done, so I could move on.

I wanted to like this book, but it was hard. I couldn't get into it the first time I picked it up, but the second time, I was determined (and out of reading material). None of the characters were particularly likeable, and none were really redeemed (except for maybe Cord), but I guess that's sort of the point.
It does REALLY make me want to go on a cruise, though.

Just read it. It's amazing and has it all: romance, intrigue, danger, an unexpected twist. Although the ending is bittersweet, it does allow the reader to hold out hope.

So, I liked this book... not as much as I liked "Turtles All the Way Down (which I finished just prior to this one)", but enough. I think the reason that I only like rather than love this book is because I don't feel very connected to the characters; they just aren't very likeable, so the emotional attachment one would expect to feel at the outcome of events just isn't there for me. But, it's John Green, and it's solid writing.

"You watch them try to fill themselves up with booze or money of God or fame or whatever they worship, and it all rots them from the inside until nothing is left but the money or booze or God they thought would save them."

So, I didn't know this book was about a girl's mom dying of Cancer - suuuuper depressing. That said, it's not ALL about her mom dying of Cancer. It's about their bond and culture and the unique ways in which the daughter attempts to keep that alive after her mother's death. It's an honest memoir that reminds us that family dynamics aren't always what they seem and a reminder to enjoy the time we have.

I really liked it. It was a very quick read - kind of spooky, kind of romantic. It's described as an " Ethiopian Jane Eyre retelling" which a lot of people argue about, but I thought it had a lot of Jane Eyre-esque elements. I believe this is the author's first novel, but I look forward to reading her others.

Up next...?
Can't decide. What do y'all love?

This book starts off really slowly, and I almost gave up, but I'm glad I didn't. The story is deep and touching, and the story's shifting of perspectives is creative, though I found myself rushing through Fig Tree's parts, as a lot of it is technical botany and didn't always seem connected to the rest of the story. This fades as the story progresses, and the very last chapter brought some needed, satisfying closure.

This book is fabulous. It's about Evelyn Hugo, but it's also a beautiful representation that appearances do not necessarily depict the whole story - that people are complex and messy and a mixture of "good" and "bad". The "twist" is heavily foreshadowed (but I am an English teacher), so if you like to be surprised, it may not impress you, but it is, overall, a beautifully done novel.

So, I love Slipknot, and I love Corey Taylor.
His book can border on pretentious, and it's a bit repetitive, but I like his style, and I still think it's worth a read. He discusses his personal experiences with the paranormal and his theories about the "why" and "how" of it all.

Abby is a high school student who's in love with her best friend. After she takes a DNA test, she discovers she has an Instagram-famous, full-blooded sister that she knew nothing about. The two arrange to spend the summer together by attending/working at the same camp. Shenanigans ensue.

Game Changer is a Game Changer. Great writing. Great story with substance.

So, I have some mixed feelings about this book. Frederick Joseph talks about a lot of things that, I think, are important to be heard, but he also says some things that are likely to turn off his intended audience (things like "this book is a gift, not an obligation" and "it isn't the duty of Black people or people of color to explain things."). These kinds of statements undermine his purpose in wanting to create a world that is more inclusive.

This book is very well-written, and I love how fitting the title is with the overarching themes of the book. The ending, however, leaves some things to be desired, though I suppose that is kind of the point.