i'm still actively crying as i write this review. why is this the best YA series to ever exist ever i'm still actively crying as i write this review. why is this the best YA series to ever exist ever ...more
this is one of the most beautiful books i've ever read. i hate that it had to be about this.
i was taking a women and gender studies course in collegethis is one of the most beautiful books i've ever read. i hate that it had to be about this.
i was taking a women and gender studies course in college when the brock turner rape trial was occurring, and i remember all the women in the room commiserating over his sentence and the unfairness of it all. revisiting it all to hear chanel's story increased that pain tenfold, but the journey she takes the reader on through grief and recovery was stunning. i listened to the first half of this on audio, listening to hear recount her experiences, but switched to reading it physically since i found i preferred to soak in every word and reflect on the absolute power this book contains.
i really don't have the words to talk about how immaculate and soul-wrenching this book is-- i'm already having a hard time thinking of adjectives. you would really be doing yourself a disservice by not picking this up. it's a new top favorite of mine and i can't wait to see what chanel accomplishes next....more
not gonna lie to y'all, i got rid of my physical copies of this series and ALMOST decided not to even listen to this one because it had been so long snot gonna lie to y'all, i got rid of my physical copies of this series and ALMOST decided not to even listen to this one because it had been so long since the previous one came out. however, i'm so happy that i did because libba bray was generous with her plot recaps, and i forgot how much i ADORE this cast of characters. ensemble casts in books can be difficult for me to read sometimes because i choose favorites and don't care about the others, but there isn't a single character in this circle of friends that i'm not hooked on. the action in this book was always interesting even though it took me a bit to finish, and i think everyone knows by now how high of quality these audiobooks are. ms january truly deserves a raise for her oscar-nominated performance.
the ending was a bit confusing and seemed really speedy and easy for such a long series, but i liked how this book tackled the subject of the ghosts of america's past, as well as political and social issues we still face today. it's a clever commentary from multiple angles, even though (view spoiler)[ there was a death of a Black character that was quite obscene after an entire plotline discussing the KKK and running from persecution in the south. this character was eventually resurrected, but it was startling that all other deaths in this book are sacrificial for the cause of saving the world, while this one was stark violence. (hide spoiler)]
i would definitely recommend getting these books on audio and listening to them all back to back, but if there ends up being a year or two in between when you listen to the books, they also pick back up nicely without leaving you strande. as always, i cried during the epilogue of this book because i'm a sucker for wrapping things up after having lived with these characters for about five years....more
this book was cruel for tricking me into reading shakespeare, but it was even more cruel for THAT ENDING!!!!! i'm happy that this is not the 4.5 stars
this book was cruel for tricking me into reading shakespeare, but it was even more cruel for THAT ENDING!!!!! i'm happy that this is not the book i thought it would be. i feared that it would be dry and overly-scholarly, since i'm not the biggest fan of shakespeare. but it read almost like a YA book with its easiness to comprehend. it definitely had gorgeous, flowing writing to help the reader along.
i buddy read this with my bestie bonnie and it was really fun to volley theories back and forth about the murder and how it paralleled the shakespeare plays they did. this book was atmospheric and character-focused with an interesting setting at a pretentious boarding school for the arts, which i know will be a lot of people's cup of tea. for me i wish there was slightly more explanation on what made the characters tick to suddenly become so dark. but if you need a book to read in a group or a club, i HIGHLY recommend this one. lots to discuss.
"What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds? How can there be war and the next day eating, a man stacking plates on the curl of h"What makes a man with a gun seem bigger than a man with almonds? How can there be war and the next day eating, a man stacking plates on the curl of his arm, a table of people toasting one another in languages of grace?" - Lunch in Nablus City Park
My favorite poems in this collection were The Clean Rise; Jersusalem; Footfall; Mr. Dajani, Calling From Jericho; and All Things Not Considered. I'm so happy that I waited to read this after reading a book on the history of Palestine, because knowing the background of the region combined with keeping up with the news this year made this book so much more heartbreaking. I LOVED Naomi's intention for this book: "Poetry slows us down, cherishes small details. A large disaster erodes those details. We need poetry for nourishment and for noticing, for the way language and imagery reach comfortably into experience, holding and connecting it more successfully than any news channel we could name." It shone through expertly and the small details and family members described made me feel so at home in her words. I'm devastated that this book came out over 25 years ago and nothing has changed....more
This was 5 stars at first but the world expanded so quickly and there was kinda an instalove thing that I wasn't a fan of so idk. I love Matt3.5 stars
This was 5 stars at first but the world expanded so quickly and there was kinda an instalove thing that I wasn't a fan of so idk. I love Matthew and Diana but I wish there was more slow burn and forbidden romance and by the end i was almost cringing at their dialogue lol. i already bought books two and three though so i hope it adds more angst rather than sappy stuff...more
i didn't anticipate i would read and finish this all in one night, but i just could not put it4.5 stars
damn, this book made me miss being a teenager.
i didn't anticipate i would read and finish this all in one night, but i just could not put it down. it contains smart, palpable characters. the relationships, both between friends, lovers, and family, were so well written. the vibes of this book in general had the perfect summery, beachy setting. it balanced the serious themes gorgeously with light and airy moments, and now i just really want to eat peanut butter from a spoon on top of a lighthouse.
i literally can't wait to read everything else from ashley herring blake...more
i just finished this and it's 2 a.m. and i cried significantly
for some reason this book made it to the list of books i've owned the longest that I havi just finished this and it's 2 a.m. and i cried significantly
for some reason this book made it to the list of books i've owned the longest that I haven't yet read. I think it's because I heard that it's not CL's best work and it's more character-based than smutty, but this still flew by and as mentioned, it made me weep by the end. it's been so long since i've read a good romance book that im just out here mourning my lack of an elliot. ...more