I really thought this was going to be a four or even five star book for me with how fast and fun it started. I’m okay, for books like these, with the I really thought this was going to be a four or even five star book for me with how fast and fun it started. I’m okay, for books like these, with the science being pretty light, but it’s functionally nonexistent here. I could’ve let that slide if the economics (which are thoroughly explained) worked or if the plot just weren’t so convenient and shallow. There was just a lot of handwaving over what could’ve been really interesting challenges to delve into.
That said, it was still fun, and it was by no means a slog. I was just kind of giggling and rolling my eyes throughout....more
This book club kit comes with a letter from the author, discussion questions, a playlist from the author, a short history of gothic romances, and a NoThis book club kit comes with a letter from the author, discussion questions, a playlist from the author, a short history of gothic romances, and a Noemi paperdoll cutout.
The extras are great, but a book club kit is primarily about the discussion questions, and unfortunately, the person who wrote these clearly hadn't read the book. They're as generic as you can get ("who was your favorite character and why?" "would you read a sequel?", "what questions would you ask the author?").
As a book club kit, unfortunately, this totally fails. As a bonus for readers, it'd be great....more
Ooh, this was lovely: short and sweet and impactful. I was worried I didn't love Novik's writing outside of Scholomance (after being thoroughly underwOoh, this was lovely: short and sweet and impactful. I was worried I didn't love Novik's writing outside of Scholomance (after being thoroughly underwhelmed by Buried Deep and Other Stories), but this was wonderful.
It's amazing how much world-building and heart Novik fit into just over 100 pages, and we see character growth from pretty much everyone. It's honestly shocking how much is crammed into this novella without it feeling rushed at all.
I would have enjoyed this more if the book actually concluded. I don’t need everything wrapped up at the end, but it feels like it ended at a random sI would have enjoyed this more if the book actually concluded. I don’t need everything wrapped up at the end, but it feels like it ended at a random spot to be continued in the next book in the series. ...more
This is a light (in content, not tone) kind of thing that I listened to on audiobook. The promised hope in the title was on short supply, but I apprecThis is a light (in content, not tone) kind of thing that I listened to on audiobook. The promised hope in the title was on short supply, but I appreciated what said Greta Thunberg as quoted by Kolbert: “Hope is not something that is given to you. It is something you have to earn, to create.”...more
By all accounts, this should've been a five star read for me, but I just never really got into it. I loved the whole premise and I generally love GranBy all accounts, this should've been a five star read for me, but I just never really got into it. I loved the whole premise and I generally love Grant's/McGuire's writing, but this one fell a little flat....more
I’ll eat up any mythological retelling, and I was super excited to read Wiswell’s take of the story of the labors of Hercules, told from Hera’s and HeI’ll eat up any mythological retelling, and I was super excited to read Wiswell’s take of the story of the labors of Hercules, told from Hera’s and Heracles’s perspectives. I really like Wiswell’s writing style: it’s irreverent and wry and you really feel the characters.
There’s tragedy and found family and self-discovery for both parties—all great ingredients.
Four rather than five stars because the last 20% dragged on a bit for me, and there were a few things I would’ve loved to have delved further into.
You can always count on Adrian Tchaikovsky for interesting alien life, but the hard thing about this one was it was so hard tProbably really 4.5 stars
You can always count on Adrian Tchaikovsky for interesting alien life, but the hard thing about this one was it was so hard to picture in my head the world Tchaikovsky built. It wasn’t his description—it was the true alienness of Shroud, and that also made this book groundbreaking for me.
I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving things away, but I can safely say that if you liked Tchaikovsky’s books like Children of Time and The Doors of Eden, you’ll like this one.
I’d give this a full five stars for the first and last 25% and then four for the middle half which started interesting but became a tad repetitive.
I wanted to love this one (like I loved Radical Candor), but something about it just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe Scott wasn’t the right author forI wanted to love this one (like I loved Radical Candor), but something about it just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe Scott wasn’t the right author for this topic for me, or maybe I’ve spent so much time reading, thinking and talking about bias and prejudice in the workplace that this book was too simplistic for me.
I realized I just ended a lot of that with “for me”, so it’s clear that there are lots of folks who could get a lot out of this book; I am just not one of them. ...more
I loved The Traveling Cat Chronicles, so I was so excited to read this one. Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it was the translation or thI loved The Traveling Cat Chronicles, so I was so excited to read this one. Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it was the translation or the writing itself, but I never got into the characters even though I usually love vignettes that intertwine. I think I just flat out disliked most of the people and their casual, subtle misogyny.
I like the idea a lot, and there were some bright spots.