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Awkward, failed attempt at satire?
After college, Elinor moves to New York with her journalism degree and dreams of writing pieces that mean something. She sees a future with her boyfriend, Mike, also a journalist. Instead, Elinor lives in a cramped apartment with no kitchen, sleeps on a foam pad, and nannies to two slightly whiny and obsessive children. She thinks her future is looking up when she's offered a position at Journalism.ly, a digital brand a la BuzzFeed. But soon Elinor learns that her sole function there is to produce pieces that go "viral" and then she and Mike break up, pushing her into a deeper depression. Is it even possible to have the creative and romantic life she dreamed of, Elinor wonders?
I won't lie; this was a strange book. Even the narration style is odd. While it's told mostly from Elinor's point of view, we get this peculiar device thrown in at times (e.g., "the reader should know"). You get used to it eventually, but still.
In fact, the whole novel can be very awkward at times and after a while, I lost the thread on whether it was because the book was well-done (she's so well-written!) or just awkward and painful. A lot of the book features much melodrama between the characters, most of whom always seemed to be having bad days. Really, was life so terrible? There is much angst, a lot of social media usage, lots of happy hours and supposed networking, and not a lot of people to care about.
For indeed, a lot of the characters are not likable, and I found myself vacillating in my feelings for Elinor. I didn't grow up in the social media world, like she, but am immersed in it enough now that I could empathize with her--to a point. At some stages, the novel really captured some painful situations. There were some funny points, and places where Elinor could be helpless yet sympathetic. At other points, Elinor was just hapless and unable to take charge of her life in any capacity and filled me with abject terror for the future of the nation.
I was honestly baffled at times on whether the book was satiric, or a commentary on social media and journalism, or taking itself too seriously. Elinor winds up working for Journalism.ly, which is said to be similar to BuzzFeed (and many other sites), and she's told to make things go viral, which, funnily enough, she has a bit of a knack for, despite her own inability to make friends or succeed in social situations (or life, in general). Whether all of this is ironic or not, I'll never quite know.
So, in the end, I'm at a loss with this one. I really don't know how I feel. Satire? A look at a generation? A bunch of hapless unlikable people prattling on? All three combined? I can say that this was a fast read--the author drew me in, as I read it in about a day. I was left with a weird feeling when I finished. I can't say I really recommend it, but it was an interesting read at times.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
I won't lie; this was a strange book. Even the narration style is odd. While it's told mostly from Elinor's point of view, we get this peculiar device thrown in at times (e.g., "the reader should know"). You get used to it eventually, but still.
In fact, the whole novel can be very awkward at times and after a while, I lost the thread on whether it was because the book was well-done (she's so well-written!) or just awkward and painful. A lot of the book features much melodrama between the characters, most of whom always seemed to be having bad days. Really, was life so terrible? There is much angst, a lot of social media usage, lots of happy hours and supposed networking, and not a lot of people to care about.
For indeed, a lot of the characters are not likable, and I found myself vacillating in my feelings for Elinor. I didn't grow up in the social media world, like she, but am immersed in it enough now that I could empathize with her--to a point. At some stages, the novel really captured some painful situations. There were some funny points, and places where Elinor could be helpless yet sympathetic. At other points, Elinor was just hapless and unable to take charge of her life in any capacity and filled me with abject terror for the future of the nation.
I was honestly baffled at times on whether the book was satiric, or a commentary on social media and journalism, or taking itself too seriously. Elinor winds up working for Journalism.ly, which is said to be similar to BuzzFeed (and many other sites), and she's told to make things go viral, which, funnily enough, she has a bit of a knack for, despite her own inability to make friends or succeed in social situations (or life, in general). Whether all of this is ironic or not, I'll never quite know.
So, in the end, I'm at a loss with this one. I really don't know how I feel. Satire? A look at a generation? A bunch of hapless unlikable people prattling on? All three combined? I can say that this was a fast read--the author drew me in, as I read it in about a day. I was left with a weird feeling when I finished. I can't say I really recommend it, but it was an interesting read at times.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated If I Die Tonight in Books
Mar 5, 2018
Well-drawn characters (1 more)
Powerful look at social media's influence
Suspenseful, character-driven tale
Havenkill is a pretty quiet town--mostly focused on its football team. So when a washed up 80s rockstar named Aimee En stumbles into the police station in the middle of the night, claiming someone carjacked her Jaguar and then ran over a teenage boy who was trying to help, it receives a lot of police and media attention. The young teen's name was Liam--a star on the football team--and he's quickly portrayed as a hero for trying to save Aimee and her vehicle. Suspicion turns fairly soon to another local teen, Wade Reed, a social outcast, who is vilified by his peers and the local media. His younger brother, Connor, struggles as his own friends distance themselves in the wake of Wade's alleged actions. And Pearl Maze, a member of the Havenkill police force, who was there when Aimee arrived, isn't sure how real Aimee's story actually is.
The novel's story is told via short snippets of narrative from a varied cast of characters, including Pearl, Aimee, Connor, and Connor and Wade's mom, Jackie. It's effective--and effectively frustrating, as you find yourself wanting to know more about what happened the night Liam died. The book sucks you in immediately via this format and its excellent, well-drawn characters. These characters are complex, as are the relationships between everyone in the novel. Nothing is as it seems, and everyone is hiding more beneath their surface (and the past). I was shocked at how well-done these interconnected relationships were and how much I wanted to keep reading. I felt such allegiances to particular characters and such distaste for others. Pearl, Jackie, even Wade and Connor--they were magnificently written and the book was just so well-done. I was really impressed by this one.
Pearl, for instance, was such a complicated character, with such a nuanced backstory. She was an excellent cop, and I found myself immediately rooting for her. She was so smart. Gaylin did a wonderful job of portraying how small towns deal with tragedy and how social media can influence opinion--and how it can affect teens. It was really powerful. As the novel wears on, you're not exactly sure who to trust--or exactly what happened the night Liam died--and I couldn't stop myself from obsessively turning the pages, trying to figure out what happened. Even though the novel is very character-focused, it's suspenseful too and focused on the Liam mystery.
Overall, this was great and such a pleasant surprise. I love requesting an ARC of an author I've never read before and discovering such a great story. This was a suspenseful read, with an excellent, well-written cast. I'm looking forward to reading more Gaylin's work. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review. More at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
The novel's story is told via short snippets of narrative from a varied cast of characters, including Pearl, Aimee, Connor, and Connor and Wade's mom, Jackie. It's effective--and effectively frustrating, as you find yourself wanting to know more about what happened the night Liam died. The book sucks you in immediately via this format and its excellent, well-drawn characters. These characters are complex, as are the relationships between everyone in the novel. Nothing is as it seems, and everyone is hiding more beneath their surface (and the past). I was shocked at how well-done these interconnected relationships were and how much I wanted to keep reading. I felt such allegiances to particular characters and such distaste for others. Pearl, Jackie, even Wade and Connor--they were magnificently written and the book was just so well-done. I was really impressed by this one.
Pearl, for instance, was such a complicated character, with such a nuanced backstory. She was an excellent cop, and I found myself immediately rooting for her. She was so smart. Gaylin did a wonderful job of portraying how small towns deal with tragedy and how social media can influence opinion--and how it can affect teens. It was really powerful. As the novel wears on, you're not exactly sure who to trust--or exactly what happened the night Liam died--and I couldn't stop myself from obsessively turning the pages, trying to figure out what happened. Even though the novel is very character-focused, it's suspenseful too and focused on the Liam mystery.
Overall, this was great and such a pleasant surprise. I love requesting an ARC of an author I've never read before and discovering such a great story. This was a suspenseful read, with an excellent, well-written cast. I'm looking forward to reading more Gaylin's work. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review. More at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Heathski (173 KP) rated Moto 360 smartwatch in Tech
Feb 27, 2019
Customisable faces (5 more)
Wide range of compatible apps and phones
Notifications across all my social media
Looks stylish
Can reply to messages, whether its email, text or whatsapp. Using voice commands as well as keyboard
Bluetooth signal is good
Battery doesnt last that long if you use the watch a lot. (2 more)
Sometimes it can be a bit slow
Small touch screen can be tricky to use.
Stylish design decent smartwatch
Ive been after a smartwatch for a while and they are quite expensive. I managed to get one for around £50, on average they seem to be between £70-£250
I wanted a smartwatch that i could see messages and reply to them when i did not have access to my phone. I was given a fitbit charge which only enables me to see text messages. The moto 360 however, can be linked to all social media. While in range of my phone, I can get notifications from text messages, whatsapp, email, instagram etc, and also reply. I especially like the feature of recording a voice message on the watch which it converts and sends as a text message. It is much simpler and faster than trying to use the keyboard, which can be a bit chunky till you get used to it. I love the customisable faces. Facer and watchmaker are 2 of the best apps for downloading or creating new watch faces. The range is endless. The screen is very clear and sharp. I did have a small problem, I thought Id damaged the pixels on the screen. Searching online said there was no hope, then one day i switched it on and it had just vanished. This was lucky for me, as they are not that easy to fix. Even attempting to change the straps on the watch can break the back plate.
There are plently of smartwatches out there that can do the same as the 360, but i really do like the watch. Its less expensive and functions really well.
I wanted a smartwatch that i could see messages and reply to them when i did not have access to my phone. I was given a fitbit charge which only enables me to see text messages. The moto 360 however, can be linked to all social media. While in range of my phone, I can get notifications from text messages, whatsapp, email, instagram etc, and also reply. I especially like the feature of recording a voice message on the watch which it converts and sends as a text message. It is much simpler and faster than trying to use the keyboard, which can be a bit chunky till you get used to it. I love the customisable faces. Facer and watchmaker are 2 of the best apps for downloading or creating new watch faces. The range is endless. The screen is very clear and sharp. I did have a small problem, I thought Id damaged the pixels on the screen. Searching online said there was no hope, then one day i switched it on and it had just vanished. This was lucky for me, as they are not that easy to fix. Even attempting to change the straps on the watch can break the back plate.
There are plently of smartwatches out there that can do the same as the 360, but i really do like the watch. Its less expensive and functions really well.
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Melja Gregory (2 KP) rated The Name of the Wind in Books
Jan 5, 2018 (Updated Jan 5, 2018)
Never expect an end to a great series
Wonderful book but a warning, don't expect to finish the series. The author seems to literally postpone writing the last, or at least next, book in the series for anything, and I mean anything. Like playing video games, and he brags/laughs about it on his social media. So not sure I should recommend this book no matter how good the series is, because the author seems very unmotivated to finish the cliffhanger you are left with in the second book.
A great series that may start a bit slow, but picks up fairly quickly as we go throughout the main characters life. The first book leads into the second, and the second should lead to a third, but once again the problem is you are left in the second before what feels like the big climax that if the third ever happens should be an epic conclusion.
A great series that may start a bit slow, but picks up fairly quickly as we go throughout the main characters life. The first book leads into the second, and the second should lead to a third, but once again the problem is you are left in the second before what feels like the big climax that if the third ever happens should be an epic conclusion.