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The Program (The Program, #1)
Suzanne Young | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
While this book had some certain tropes in it (hello love triangle) - and it definitely would have some trigger warnings, a few times I was shocked at what I read, not necessarily in a bad way - but some people may actually have issues with this book if they're super sensitive.

the whole suicide epidemic was quite an interesting story to read (granted that right there should trigger people - hey don't read this book) - the whole lobotomy after getting into the program was intense too - though wickedly fun to read about.

i'm very very curious to see where this series goes.....luckily I checked them all out from the library!
  
Love Letters to the Dead
Love Letters to the Dead
Ava Dellaira | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
7
6.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great for fans of Perks of Being a Wallflower!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Trigger warning. This book deals with some deep stuff.

This was a super interesting idea. The story was deep, and it was the first book I've ever come across that told its story through letters to dead celebrities. So bonus points there for sure!
The overall story reminded me a lot of Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is one of my all time favorites.

I did not LOVE the POV/writing of the book but that wasn't because the author didn't do well. In fact I'd say that means she did amazing given the book is told from the POV of a teenage girl. She's young, and the writing reflects that. So while it wasn't my personal cup of tea, it made sense for the book. Bear that in mind when going into this one.

We follow Laurel venting to dead celebrities about her life and the loss of her sister. How did she die? Why does Laurel feel guilty? Why isn't her mom around anymore? Through letters to her idols she reminisces and vents, and we get to see her navigate life and relationships without her big sister.

*Potential trigger warnings for domestic abuse, rape, molestation, drug/alcohol use, and suicide.
  
Trigger Warnings: Racism, colorism, misogyny, sexism, violence, transphobia, homophobia, gun violence, mentions of drug and alcohol addiction, sexual assault, sexual violence, bullying, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, religious bigotry *

*The author has marked biographies at the beginning of the novel with * to indicate profiles that detail trigger experiences

From activists to sporting icons, bakers to scientists, journalists to actresses’, We Go High tells the stories of 30 influential women of color who have strived to overcome challenges in their lives. Paired together with stunningly beautiful portraits from Natasha Cunningham, Nicole Ellis celebrates these women of color’s achievements as well as their personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drives them to be remarkable.

I loved all the different types of women and their stories that were given in mini biographies - there were a lot of details given in the short amount of pages. This works great because this book is aimed for a younger audience (middle grade/young adult) that opens the door for more research to dive into.

I have known about 90% of the women mentioned in this book, but there were a handful of them I didn’t know. Such as Dr. Kissmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett, who was a leading viral immunologist to help create the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Or Sônia Guajajara, a Brazilian Indigenous activist, environmentalist, and politician.

Overall, I feel like this is an amazing book about amazing women of color for those of all ages to enjoy, though especially those in middle or high school as a stepping stone to further research and knowledge.
  
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot #4)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot #4)
Agatha Christie | 2006 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry
4
7.6 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not my favorite novel
You can also find this review on my blog at bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death, murder, talk of suicide

Review:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd follows detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the murder of Roger Ackroyd. Ackroyd was murdered in his study that was locked, but not before he received a letter from the person that was blackmailing the widow he was having an affair with. This same widow was being blackmailed and rumors spread about her murdering her own husband. She ends up committing suicide because of these rumors and blackmailing.

King's Abbot is full of suspects but it's up to Hercule Poirot to figure out who is guilty of murdering Roger Ackroyd. He is aided by the village doctor and narrator of the story, James Sheppard and his sister, Caroline Sheppard.

I really wanted to love this novel, as it seemed really interesting. It didn't get interesting until the very ending and I wouldn't recommend reading this book first if you've never read an Agatha Christie novel. This was the first ever novel I've read by Agatha Christie and I'm just not really bothered to read any more novels by Agatha Christie.

The story was somewhat interesting, but the execution wasn't there. I wasn't able to guess the killer, so that was a fun little plot twist. But the ending came abruptly and the overall story lacked. It lacked that punch that most mysteries have. There was hardly any development and background for both the story and the characters.

I listened to the audiobook version of this so I wasn't sure if there wasn't any grammatical and/or spelling errors. The narrator was a bit monotone but was otherwise a decent speaker. I forced myself through this, when all I wanted to do was DNF it. It lacked, was confusing, and was rather boring. I did not enjoy this and was disappointed with the overall story.

"The things young women read nowadays and profess to enjoy positively frighten me."