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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first thing that I found curious was that the author does not begin with when Sophie first discovers who she is, but instead begins with what incident propels her to switch to the paranormal-reject-filled boarding school, Hecate Hall - also affectionately known as "Hex Hall." The incident shows the softer side of Sophie, so it is easy to predict the choices she makes throughout the rest of the book.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Good Riddance in Books
Apr 10, 2019
Daphne has just inherited her mother's yearbook from the class of 1968 at Pickering High School in New Hampshire. That year her mother was not only the English teacher, but also the yearbook advisor. Mrs. Maritch has gone to every reunion and each year she has added notations to the yearbook to all of the students. Daphne has no need or room for the yearbook in her small New York City apartment, so she puts it in the recycling. A neighbor who is also a budding documentarian finds the yearbook, and is determined to make a movie with her findings. When Daphne finds out a dark secret at the 50th reunion they attend, she will stop at nothing to make sure the yearbook is not made public. With family secrets around each corner, Daphne will try her best to keep her mother's legacy in tact and her father's heart from being broken.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I remember the thrill of getting my yearbook from middle school all through high school and having all of my friends sign it. I don't think that I ever had or even wanted any of my teachers to sign it though. And I've been to one or two of my reunions and I surely didn't go back and makes notes on what everyone is up to now.
This was a quirky story that had quite a few different elements in it. A little bit of romance, some mystery, and an annoying neighbor. Daphne is newly divorced and trying to find her way in New York City. Her apartment is small and there isn't any room for much more than her. She is going to school to be a chocolatier, but that's not really working out. She tries going back to teaching at Montessori school which she did before she was married. But with the contents of the yearbook and rumors about her mother maybe reaching the public Daphne's plate seems to be overflowing. Can she keep her mom's legacy alive and keep herself from going crazy at the same time?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I remember the thrill of getting my yearbook from middle school all through high school and having all of my friends sign it. I don't think that I ever had or even wanted any of my teachers to sign it though. And I've been to one or two of my reunions and I surely didn't go back and makes notes on what everyone is up to now.
This was a quirky story that had quite a few different elements in it. A little bit of romance, some mystery, and an annoying neighbor. Daphne is newly divorced and trying to find her way in New York City. Her apartment is small and there isn't any room for much more than her. She is going to school to be a chocolatier, but that's not really working out. She tries going back to teaching at Montessori school which she did before she was married. But with the contents of the yearbook and rumors about her mother maybe reaching the public Daphne's plate seems to be overflowing. Can she keep her mom's legacy alive and keep herself from going crazy at the same time?
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Beauty and the Professor (A Modern Fairy Tale Duet) in Books
Apr 23, 2019
When I saw Skye Warren post a call for bloggers to review her book I knew I had to jump at the chance. I really enjoyed some of her previous books, and I really love retellings of the Beauty and the Beast story. One of the things that I love about Skye Warren is that she isn’t scared to take a risk. Her books always have a bit of a taboo feel to them, and this one is no different. The power dynamics in this book have a forbidden edge to them & I enjoyed the Student/Teacher elements that were present.
Though generally, I love Skye Warren’s books I felt like the writing was a bit off in this one. There was little to distinguish between the perspectives of the characters. It seemed that they blended in with each other which became confusing at times. Another thing that seemed off with this book was the character development. It appeared that Erin & Blake didn’t genuinely grow as characters during this book. This is what I consider the curse of the Novella. I tend to find that character development is harder to flesh out when it comes to a novella. Since there is a second in the series, I hope that we see more growth.
Even though I didn’t feel that there was growth in the characters, I still loved them. Erin has a compelling background. I love that she doesn’t come from a wealthy family & I loved the dynamic that she has with the few side characters. Blake just made my heart hurt. The pain he has is heartbreaking and makes me want to just give him a hug. Both of them together was the highlight (as it should be with a romance). I loved that they (for the most part) were open and honest with each other. It’s rare to read a book where a character will openly admit to their insecurities, so this was refreshing.
All in all, this book has some faults, but I still enjoyed it. It was fast-paced with some captivating characters. I hope to see some character growth in the next book!
Though generally, I love Skye Warren’s books I felt like the writing was a bit off in this one. There was little to distinguish between the perspectives of the characters. It seemed that they blended in with each other which became confusing at times. Another thing that seemed off with this book was the character development. It appeared that Erin & Blake didn’t genuinely grow as characters during this book. This is what I consider the curse of the Novella. I tend to find that character development is harder to flesh out when it comes to a novella. Since there is a second in the series, I hope that we see more growth.
Even though I didn’t feel that there was growth in the characters, I still loved them. Erin has a compelling background. I love that she doesn’t come from a wealthy family & I loved the dynamic that she has with the few side characters. Blake just made my heart hurt. The pain he has is heartbreaking and makes me want to just give him a hug. Both of them together was the highlight (as it should be with a romance). I loved that they (for the most part) were open and honest with each other. It’s rare to read a book where a character will openly admit to their insecurities, so this was refreshing.
All in all, this book has some faults, but I still enjoyed it. It was fast-paced with some captivating characters. I hope to see some character growth in the next book!
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated It's Not Like It's a Secret in Books
Jun 4, 2019
Sana is a California transplant from Wisconsin; both her parents are immigrants from Japan, so despite feeling like she's a midwesterner, none of her friends think of her as one. There's a cringe-y scene early in the book where she cheers with her friends about being "midwestern farmer's daughters" and they tell her she's cute for thinking that, but she's Japanese, obv. I felt really bad for her. When her family moves to California, suddenly she's not the only Asian girl in a sea of whiteness. It's an interesting mix of having a place with your own people but also fighting the stereotypes of sticking with your own ethnicity. It's assumed she'll be friends with the other Asian kids, which annoys her, but she also finds to be true; having not had the opportunity to have friends like her before, she finds she really likes it. But she also tries to break that mold and be friends with people she's not assumed to like - like Jamie Ramirez and her Hispanic friends, and Caleb and his white goth friends.
The book also explores the way racism hits races differently; the Hispanic kids get hassled by cops while the Asian kids don't - though they also have things expected of them that the Hispanic kids don't. The book gets into cultural expectations as well - PDAs are not really a thing in Sana's world, so she's reluctant to be public about her affections at school, which drives misunderstandings.
It's only in the last few chapters that all the secrets come out, and Sana struggles to put things right.
One thing I really liked about the book is the narrative structure. At the beginning of the school year, Sana's English teacher gives them a project, which is to keep a journal to transcribe poems into and talk about what they mean to you. Chapters from Sana's poetry journal are interspersed with chapters of the narrative, and give some nice insight to how she's feeling. Her love interest, Jamie, also loves poetry, and it plays a large part in their relationship.
I quite enjoyed this book.You can find all my reviews plus more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
The book also explores the way racism hits races differently; the Hispanic kids get hassled by cops while the Asian kids don't - though they also have things expected of them that the Hispanic kids don't. The book gets into cultural expectations as well - PDAs are not really a thing in Sana's world, so she's reluctant to be public about her affections at school, which drives misunderstandings.
It's only in the last few chapters that all the secrets come out, and Sana struggles to put things right.
One thing I really liked about the book is the narrative structure. At the beginning of the school year, Sana's English teacher gives them a project, which is to keep a journal to transcribe poems into and talk about what they mean to you. Chapters from Sana's poetry journal are interspersed with chapters of the narrative, and give some nice insight to how she's feeling. Her love interest, Jamie, also loves poetry, and it plays a large part in their relationship.
I quite enjoyed this book.You can find all my reviews plus more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated By Blood We Live in Books
Mar 1, 2018
This thing is an <b>enormous</b> tome! I don't know if it has been released in hardback or not, but if it has, that version has to be anchor-worthy. I requested it from the library because Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette had stories in it, and I'll read pretty much anything either of those worthies publish. I didn't expect to care for most of the rest, and didn't plan to do much more than flip through them.
As it happens, I read most of the other stories, and there were many surprises. I did skip some of the reprints, such as the Anne Rice story (I wouldn't have read it the first time it was published, and I wasn't about to read it simply because she was in good company now). I had read Carrie Vaughn's "Life Is the Teacher" before, but for some reason my eyes just fell into reading it again, and I felt well rewarded for doing so. On the other hand, while I had enjoyed "Twilight" by Kelley Armstrong the first time I read it a few years back, I wasn't moved to repeat the experience.
I believe my favorite story may have been "Finders, Keepers" by L.A. Banks, as I still remember it clearly and with pleasure. I've only read one of Banks' Vampire Huntress novels and didn't find it interesting at all, so I haven't read any more of her work, but I may seek out more of her short fiction in the future.
"Mama Gone" by Jane Yolen felt fresh, as Yolen's work so often does. Garth Nix's contribution, "Infestation," was a little bit predictable, but that may be due to overexposure to the genre.
I found myself returning to the cover art by David Palumbo again and again, intrigued by the fascinating faces he gave the figures there. They aren't classically alluring, and most aren't hideous—most would look perfectly at home on any street. But they also have that, that something, an element you can't quite put your finger on, an element of the other. Take a look and I believe you'll see what I mean.
Have fun!
As it happens, I read most of the other stories, and there were many surprises. I did skip some of the reprints, such as the Anne Rice story (I wouldn't have read it the first time it was published, and I wasn't about to read it simply because she was in good company now). I had read Carrie Vaughn's "Life Is the Teacher" before, but for some reason my eyes just fell into reading it again, and I felt well rewarded for doing so. On the other hand, while I had enjoyed "Twilight" by Kelley Armstrong the first time I read it a few years back, I wasn't moved to repeat the experience.
I believe my favorite story may have been "Finders, Keepers" by L.A. Banks, as I still remember it clearly and with pleasure. I've only read one of Banks' Vampire Huntress novels and didn't find it interesting at all, so I haven't read any more of her work, but I may seek out more of her short fiction in the future.
"Mama Gone" by Jane Yolen felt fresh, as Yolen's work so often does. Garth Nix's contribution, "Infestation," was a little bit predictable, but that may be due to overexposure to the genre.
I found myself returning to the cover art by David Palumbo again and again, intrigued by the fascinating faces he gave the figures there. They aren't classically alluring, and most aren't hideous—most would look perfectly at home on any street. But they also have that, that something, an element you can't quite put your finger on, an element of the other. Take a look and I believe you'll see what I mean.
Have fun!
I picked this book up for the #AntiBullyReads readathon and wow I am so glad I did. In 2015 there was a lot of hype going around booktube about this book about how important this book was. So I got myself a copy and year down the line I actually managed to read it and loved it.
George is a 10-year-old boy on the outside but on the inside he is a girl and has felt like one for a long time. George wants to be accepted for who she truly is but she is terrified of the repercussions of telling her family and friends. George’s school is putting on play – Charlotte’s Web – George wants a part, not just any part, the main part. She wants to play Charlotte. George and her best friend Kelly practice for the part and knows every line, every pause, she has the perfect timing to become the star of the show. When George auditions the Teacher thinks it’s a joke and says that she can have any other part but there is only one part George wants.
I pretty much-loved all the characters in this book and their actions and thoughts were so impactful as to George’s journey. There were characters that made me angry but then they realised that they were in the wrong and some characters (Headteacher)made me swell up with happiness and gratitude that they recognised George for who she really is.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l2R01mSIsazqNQ7ks/giphy.gif"; width="300" height="200" alt="description"/>
This is the first book that I have read with a transgender character and what it means to be transgender too and would like to read some other books that deal with topic.
I really enjoyed this story, it is sensitively written, packed full of emotion and a very important read for anybody. There needs to be more diverse books for Middle-Grade to read and then maybe (hopefully..fingers crossed)there will be less bullying and stigma in the world. This book may be written for Middle-Grade but should be read by everyone and definitely recommend.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
George is a 10-year-old boy on the outside but on the inside he is a girl and has felt like one for a long time. George wants to be accepted for who she truly is but she is terrified of the repercussions of telling her family and friends. George’s school is putting on play – Charlotte’s Web – George wants a part, not just any part, the main part. She wants to play Charlotte. George and her best friend Kelly practice for the part and knows every line, every pause, she has the perfect timing to become the star of the show. When George auditions the Teacher thinks it’s a joke and says that she can have any other part but there is only one part George wants.
I pretty much-loved all the characters in this book and their actions and thoughts were so impactful as to George’s journey. There were characters that made me angry but then they realised that they were in the wrong and some characters (Headteacher)made me swell up with happiness and gratitude that they recognised George for who she really is.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l2R01mSIsazqNQ7ks/giphy.gif"; width="300" height="200" alt="description"/>
This is the first book that I have read with a transgender character and what it means to be transgender too and would like to read some other books that deal with topic.
I really enjoyed this story, it is sensitively written, packed full of emotion and a very important read for anybody. There needs to be more diverse books for Middle-Grade to read and then maybe (hopefully..fingers crossed)there will be less bullying and stigma in the world. This book may be written for Middle-Grade but should be read by everyone and definitely recommend.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
Louise (64 KP) rated Blue Bottle Mystery - The Graphic Novel: An Asperger Adventure in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was provided a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion.
The artwork in this graphic novel is very simplistic and colourful, easy to follow as targeted for middle grade.
I enjoyed this Graphic Novel it was very informative on a basic level, it showed family dynamics and symptoms of aspergers. I believe this should be put in all schools for children to read, to recognise that there are illnesses out there that define people the way they are. I have only really learnt about AS in my adult life, this could be that it's more recognised and understood now.
There are several characters in this story that surround Ben and you get to see all their ways in which they communicate.
Grandma is around to look after Ben when his father is working, she is very supportive and understanding and is a go between Ben and his father.
The dad, is a stereotypical dad, wants his son to be good at sports and have a rough and tumble, he doesn't understand why Ben is the way he is and clearly gets frustrated when Ben can't explain himself.
Andy, Ben's best friend, is a decent kid and is very tolerant but he himself also gets frustrated with Ben on occasions but sticks with him, its great to see that true friends will stick around and keep coming back.
The teacher (I have forgotten her name.... it's something double-barreled) is very frustrated, she has her own problems too, but Ben can't read her emotions, he takes things too literally and is mistaken for being rude.
The blue bottle and the genie is just added to make the story interesting for the kids to read, It doesn't have any real relevance to AS.
This book looks at family dynamics, friendship, bullying and obviously Aspergers Syndrome.
This is such an easy read, definitely one to read with kids to make them more aware or anyone that has never heard of AS as it shows all they symptoms in Ben's character.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
The artwork in this graphic novel is very simplistic and colourful, easy to follow as targeted for middle grade.
I enjoyed this Graphic Novel it was very informative on a basic level, it showed family dynamics and symptoms of aspergers. I believe this should be put in all schools for children to read, to recognise that there are illnesses out there that define people the way they are. I have only really learnt about AS in my adult life, this could be that it's more recognised and understood now.
There are several characters in this story that surround Ben and you get to see all their ways in which they communicate.
Grandma is around to look after Ben when his father is working, she is very supportive and understanding and is a go between Ben and his father.
The dad, is a stereotypical dad, wants his son to be good at sports and have a rough and tumble, he doesn't understand why Ben is the way he is and clearly gets frustrated when Ben can't explain himself.
Andy, Ben's best friend, is a decent kid and is very tolerant but he himself also gets frustrated with Ben on occasions but sticks with him, its great to see that true friends will stick around and keep coming back.
The teacher (I have forgotten her name.... it's something double-barreled) is very frustrated, she has her own problems too, but Ben can't read her emotions, he takes things too literally and is mistaken for being rude.
The blue bottle and the genie is just added to make the story interesting for the kids to read, It doesn't have any real relevance to AS.
This book looks at family dynamics, friendship, bullying and obviously Aspergers Syndrome.
This is such an easy read, definitely one to read with kids to make them more aware or anyone that has never heard of AS as it shows all they symptoms in Ben's character.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Night School (2018) in Movies
Oct 15, 2018
Funny...enough - especially the classmates
Both Kevin Hart and Tiffany Hadish are comedic performers that can wear their welcome out if they are not reigned in properly. They both serve best as the comic "2nd banana" of a film, rather than the lead, so it was with some trepidation that I checked out the Hart/Haddish starring comedy NIGHT SCHOOL and when the first meeting of the two was the both of them running their very fast mouths at each other, I thought - for sure - that they would wear their welcome out with me.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Night School - the focus of this film veered away from these two bantering with each other and settled into a fairly funny, fairly innocuous comedy that I walked away liking.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (GIRLS TRIP), Night School stars Hart as a High School drop-out who is now a motor-mouthed salesman who loses his job and just might lose his girl if he doesn't go back and get his GED so he can land a new job. Haddish stars as the teacher of the Night School. Both the leads are used sparingly enough that they were enjoyable participants in this film.
But for me, the strength of this film comes in the rogues gallery of comedians that were brought in to play the other students in the Night School. Rob Riggle, Mary-Lynn Rajskub, Romany Malco, Fat Joe and Al Madrigal are all winning and comforting strengths of this film as the adult "Breakfast Club" that fall under the spell - and direction - of Hart's character. It is a group that I loved spending time with and wouldn't mind spending more time with.
And I'm glad they are there for the Direction, plot twists and other characters are all pretty predictable, but they made it an enjoyable enough romp that I fall on the side of recommending it - especially if you are looking for a mindless comedy that will NOT require you to break into a discussion group afterward. A good "Netflix", rental or rainy afternoon on TBS comedy.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the BankofMarquis
But a funny thing happened on the way to Night School - the focus of this film veered away from these two bantering with each other and settled into a fairly funny, fairly innocuous comedy that I walked away liking.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (GIRLS TRIP), Night School stars Hart as a High School drop-out who is now a motor-mouthed salesman who loses his job and just might lose his girl if he doesn't go back and get his GED so he can land a new job. Haddish stars as the teacher of the Night School. Both the leads are used sparingly enough that they were enjoyable participants in this film.
But for me, the strength of this film comes in the rogues gallery of comedians that were brought in to play the other students in the Night School. Rob Riggle, Mary-Lynn Rajskub, Romany Malco, Fat Joe and Al Madrigal are all winning and comforting strengths of this film as the adult "Breakfast Club" that fall under the spell - and direction - of Hart's character. It is a group that I loved spending time with and wouldn't mind spending more time with.
And I'm glad they are there for the Direction, plot twists and other characters are all pretty predictable, but they made it an enjoyable enough romp that I fall on the side of recommending it - especially if you are looking for a mindless comedy that will NOT require you to break into a discussion group afterward. A good "Netflix", rental or rainy afternoon on TBS comedy.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the BankofMarquis
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Twerp in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="Twerp by Mark Goldblatt" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/05/arc-review-twerp-by-mark-goldblatt.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In the 1960s of Queens, New York, 6th grader Julian Twerski takes an incident too far with his group of friends and gets suspended as a result. He's asked by his English teacher to write a journal about the incident just to get out of writing a report. Instead, he writes about other incidents because he isn't really ready to talk about the incident that gets him a suspension.
Julian and his group of friends, Lonnie, Quentin, Sholomo, Eric and Howie, tend to get away with a lot of pranks after doing them. I love how Goldblatt writes Julian's life in a very realistic way that Twerp reminds me a lot of my 6th grade year in some way. It's pretty dramatic, with people holding grudges longer than necessary and when you look back, it somehow just reminds of some decisions where there was more than just one route... I feel pretty naive looking back now. If I could go back in time and rethink things through, there are just some things I probably wouldn't have done, even if I don't get in trouble for it.
Twerp is basically about taking responsibility for your actions. When you mess up terribly, sometimes apologizing is the right thing to do to make up for your actions (and sometimes, even apologizing doesn't work).
While I can't go back in time myself to rethink awkward/funny moments and situations, I'm really glad Julian finally realizes how far he took the incident and con fesses about what really happened instead of lying just to get out of it. I'm also really glad that he convinces his friends that what they did was wrong and they should, at the least, apologize about the incident. It's nice to know that after evaluating the situation and actions, it lifts a burden off someone's shoulders.
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In the 1960s of Queens, New York, 6th grader Julian Twerski takes an incident too far with his group of friends and gets suspended as a result. He's asked by his English teacher to write a journal about the incident just to get out of writing a report. Instead, he writes about other incidents because he isn't really ready to talk about the incident that gets him a suspension.
Julian and his group of friends, Lonnie, Quentin, Sholomo, Eric and Howie, tend to get away with a lot of pranks after doing them. I love how Goldblatt writes Julian's life in a very realistic way that Twerp reminds me a lot of my 6th grade year in some way. It's pretty dramatic, with people holding grudges longer than necessary and when you look back, it somehow just reminds of some decisions where there was more than just one route... I feel pretty naive looking back now. If I could go back in time and rethink things through, there are just some things I probably wouldn't have done, even if I don't get in trouble for it.
Twerp is basically about taking responsibility for your actions. When you mess up terribly, sometimes apologizing is the right thing to do to make up for your actions (and sometimes, even apologizing doesn't work).
While I can't go back in time myself to rethink awkward/funny moments and situations, I'm really glad Julian finally realizes how far he took the incident and con fesses about what really happened instead of lying just to get out of it. I'm also really glad that he convinces his friends that what they did was wrong and they should, at the least, apologize about the incident. It's nice to know that after evaluating the situation and actions, it lifts a burden off someone's shoulders.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Twenty-One Truths About Love in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Dan Mayrock is an obsessive list maker who has quit his job as a teacher and opened a bookstore. But now he's in financial trouble and afraid to tell his wife, Jill. Jill was previously married and Dan feels he can never quite live up to Jill's late husband. And then, Jill gets pregnant. Now Dan feels even more pressure to be the best he can be for Jill.
The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.
The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.