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Alice (117 KP) rated The Upside of Unrequited in Books
Mar 3, 2021
BECKY ALBERTALLI IS A GENIUS literally I will buy any book she puts out I love her so much, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I enjoyed Simon but I don't think I'll ever enjoy anything as much as I enjoyed Simon but that's just life isn't it (the best parts of this book were the parts with Simon just saying) All in all I enjoyed this a lot and I'm in love with Reid <spoiler>I'm so glad Molly ended up with him</spoiler> and I found I related to Molly in a lot of different things, unrequited love is my life.
my main criticisms are that it did take me almost 200 pages before I was super invested and I felt that although the representation was strong it was all just added in a little unnecessarily and was used just for the sake of having representation rather than being pivotal to the plot.
Anyway that said I'm SOOOO excited for Leah on the offbeat to come out like I'm so hyped.
my main criticisms are that it did take me almost 200 pages before I was super invested and I felt that although the representation was strong it was all just added in a little unnecessarily and was used just for the sake of having representation rather than being pivotal to the plot.
Anyway that said I'm SOOOO excited for Leah on the offbeat to come out like I'm so hyped.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Blue in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Getting into this book was a tad slow since there was alot of back story to get through before I felt like I understood what was occurring in the present time of the book. Once I got through that, there were a few things that I could easily predict about the plot. First, the plot would very much favor the father over the mother in regards to the relationship shared with the main character, fourteen-year-old Becky. Second, it is inevitable that Becky's leukemia is going to relapse. Third, this fantasy world of Tamarisk would somehow play a part in both Becky's disease and her parent's ugly divorce.
What I could not predict was how absolutely fascinating the world of Tamarisk is. I actually thought about researching all of the made-up names of the plants, animals, and geology before I completely realized the depth of creativity to which Becky and her father Chris went in the creation of this fantasy world. What began as a coping mechanism for a young child going through the rigors of chemotherapy became a world in an alternate universe that existed with its own laws of physics. I was completely enthralled by this unbelievable world of blue foliage, black dirt, microfarming, moldable crystal, smelling of chocolate and raspberries, and featuring transportation in the form of giant flying birds - and that is only the beginning of all that this world holds to tantalize the senses and ignite the imagination. Becky's voyages into Tamarisk alone are enough to fill countless children's stories that would hold any grown adult rapt with wonder.
On the alternate side of this fantastic world is the grievous reality of the ongoing feud between Chris and Polly, Becky's divorced parents. Even though Polly has remarried, she still harbors intensely negative feelings towards Chris. In addition, Chris's whole life is about finding ways to connect with Becky better, as the reader watches him fail at blind date after blind date. Becky wants so badly to hang onto her life that she lives in denial of her increasingly-severe symptoms. My heart went out to all of the characters at different points as I connected with the different emotions and situations. As a mother, I can not even fathom one of my children going through the horrors of childhood cancer, and as a wife, the thought of abandoning my spouse is inconceivable, especially during such a difficult time. My heart broke for Becky's best friend Lonnie, and I felt the awkward sadness of Becky's stepfather Al. These characters are as real as if this story were not fiction, but a memoir or biography.
I could not help noticing the parallels between belief in Tamarisk and the beliefs of Christianity. Polly either could not or would not believe in Tamarisk, and many of her arguments against it matched the common ones against a belief in the existence of God and Heaven.
The ending was bittersweet, but light on bitter and rich on sweet. I shed a tear, but Chris's perspective was very fitting for how I felt about this conclusion. This was a very, very good read that would enrich any reader's book collection. What I gained from this book will stick with me for a long time to come.
What I could not predict was how absolutely fascinating the world of Tamarisk is. I actually thought about researching all of the made-up names of the plants, animals, and geology before I completely realized the depth of creativity to which Becky and her father Chris went in the creation of this fantasy world. What began as a coping mechanism for a young child going through the rigors of chemotherapy became a world in an alternate universe that existed with its own laws of physics. I was completely enthralled by this unbelievable world of blue foliage, black dirt, microfarming, moldable crystal, smelling of chocolate and raspberries, and featuring transportation in the form of giant flying birds - and that is only the beginning of all that this world holds to tantalize the senses and ignite the imagination. Becky's voyages into Tamarisk alone are enough to fill countless children's stories that would hold any grown adult rapt with wonder.
On the alternate side of this fantastic world is the grievous reality of the ongoing feud between Chris and Polly, Becky's divorced parents. Even though Polly has remarried, she still harbors intensely negative feelings towards Chris. In addition, Chris's whole life is about finding ways to connect with Becky better, as the reader watches him fail at blind date after blind date. Becky wants so badly to hang onto her life that she lives in denial of her increasingly-severe symptoms. My heart went out to all of the characters at different points as I connected with the different emotions and situations. As a mother, I can not even fathom one of my children going through the horrors of childhood cancer, and as a wife, the thought of abandoning my spouse is inconceivable, especially during such a difficult time. My heart broke for Becky's best friend Lonnie, and I felt the awkward sadness of Becky's stepfather Al. These characters are as real as if this story were not fiction, but a memoir or biography.
I could not help noticing the parallels between belief in Tamarisk and the beliefs of Christianity. Polly either could not or would not believe in Tamarisk, and many of her arguments against it matched the common ones against a belief in the existence of God and Heaven.
The ending was bittersweet, but light on bitter and rich on sweet. I shed a tear, but Chris's perspective was very fitting for how I felt about this conclusion. This was a very, very good read that would enrich any reader's book collection. What I gained from this book will stick with me for a long time to come.
Moon Yellowstone & Grand Teton
Book
Join writer and avid explorer Becky Lomax for an unforgettable experience. With her unique...
Chasing Harmony
Book
A refreshing YA debut from Canadian author Melanie Bell, perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Becky...
Young Adult LGBTQIA+
Perfect on Paper
8.0
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Book
A bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her school friends is hired by the hot new kid to...
Darren (1599 KP) rated In the Tall Grass (2019) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – Becky is the pregnant lady travelling across country to start a life with her baby, her maternal instincts take over when she hears a young boy calling for help in the grass, which sees her get trapped, she experiences different pregnancy problems while trying to find her way out. Cal is the protect brother, who couldn’t win a fight to save his life, he wants his sister to date somebody with a future and an education. Ross is the father of Tobin who has gone too far into the grass before, he knows what is happening making him a real threat to the rest. Tobin is the little boy that is calling out for help, he desperate cries for help lead to the events of the film as Becky and Cal go in search for the answer.
Performances – When it comes to the performances this is a hard one to hate or enjoy anybody in the film, nobody is bad, Laysla De Oliveira and Avery Whitted as the brother sister don’t have the best chemistry. Patrick Wilson does go full crazy for parts of the film and it is the best part to watch.
Story – The story here follows a group of people that lost in tall grass which seems to have a mind of itself which will see them needing to figure out how to make it out alive. This is a story that does do a lot of confusing things because we do try to capture the magic of ‘Triangle’ only for it to be way to confusing for the most part because we are going over and over through different points of view which just doesn’t give us enough to work with because a lot happens in pitch black too which doesn’t make it clear just what was happening. This is a story you could break down and figure out what happened, but it isn’t a causal watch when figuring out the loops.
Horror – The horror in the film is meant to come from the unknown in the grass and just what happens within the grass.
Settings – The film wants to use the tall grass for the settings, I guess this is an American thing for it to be scary.
Special Effects – The effects used in the film are mostly shock for gore, which are fine, but just don’t shock the way they want too.
Scene of the Movie – Ross finds a way in.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many attempts to create a reset.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that just doesn’t get to any horror levels, if you have seen ‘Triangle’ you will have seen a much more interesting and better version of this story.
Overall: Just not Triangle.
Performances – When it comes to the performances this is a hard one to hate or enjoy anybody in the film, nobody is bad, Laysla De Oliveira and Avery Whitted as the brother sister don’t have the best chemistry. Patrick Wilson does go full crazy for parts of the film and it is the best part to watch.
Story – The story here follows a group of people that lost in tall grass which seems to have a mind of itself which will see them needing to figure out how to make it out alive. This is a story that does do a lot of confusing things because we do try to capture the magic of ‘Triangle’ only for it to be way to confusing for the most part because we are going over and over through different points of view which just doesn’t give us enough to work with because a lot happens in pitch black too which doesn’t make it clear just what was happening. This is a story you could break down and figure out what happened, but it isn’t a causal watch when figuring out the loops.
Horror – The horror in the film is meant to come from the unknown in the grass and just what happens within the grass.
Settings – The film wants to use the tall grass for the settings, I guess this is an American thing for it to be scary.
Special Effects – The effects used in the film are mostly shock for gore, which are fine, but just don’t shock the way they want too.
Scene of the Movie – Ross finds a way in.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many attempts to create a reset.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror that just doesn’t get to any horror levels, if you have seen ‘Triangle’ you will have seen a much more interesting and better version of this story.
Overall: Just not Triangle.
Nine Lives and Alibis
8.0
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In Nine Lives and Alibis, the seventh in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series,...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
May 6, 2022
Letters and Words
10.0
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It is never too late to start listening to your heart and find the true purpose in life. We've been...
womens' fiction
Girls - Season 2
TV Season
Following the urban adventures of a group of 20-something women, the series focuses on Hannah...