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quirkybibliophile's reviews
610 reviews
The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
4.0
It took me a while to decide what I was going to rate this book just because of the complexity of the subject but I ultimately decided that 4/5 stars were right. I really enjoyed how this took a different approach to sexual assault/rape and how the main character handled the emotions afterward. I love the ways they show how complex the feelings and aftermath can be for a woman. The only thing that I did wish we saw more of was how it ended. I would have liked to see more of how her relationships with important people shifted as they found out.
Horseman, Pass By by Larry McMurtry
2.0
I read this alongside other books that I was reading and decided to read it a chapter a day just to get through it. The beginning was great and I loved how the cattle disease was inserted into the book. When I read the excerpt of the book it mentions a terrible cattle disease and instantly I was excited about reading this book. You see I love anything about viruses and diseases and when authors seamlessly use one to add to their plot I need to read it.
Larry McMurtry does a great job of giving you a picture of life on a Texas ranch back in the Old West. I loved how descriptive every paragraph was and how elaborate each scene was. Even though the chapters were short and the book is short it has a lot packed in.
What I failed to do was really connect with any of the characters. I was waiting for the moment that I would care for characters the way that I always have with everything that I read but that moment never came for me. In fact I wasn't even able to hate the character that did a lot of bad stuff because I didn't feel for the characters that his actions were affecting.
Not being able to connect with the characters made this a hard book to get through. I wish that there was some character development or a plot that I could follow past the cattle disease which is resolved half way through the book. It could also be that I wasn't able to relate to it and maybe people who grew up in Texas or on a ranch might have more of a connection to this book.
I do think that this was a good read when you take into consideration that this his McMurtry's first book and that the things he writes after this get better. I now need to get my hands on the film Hud so I can see if that might make me appreciate this book a little more.
Larry McMurtry does a great job of giving you a picture of life on a Texas ranch back in the Old West. I loved how descriptive every paragraph was and how elaborate each scene was. Even though the chapters were short and the book is short it has a lot packed in.
What I failed to do was really connect with any of the characters. I was waiting for the moment that I would care for characters the way that I always have with everything that I read but that moment never came for me. In fact I wasn't even able to hate the character that did a lot of bad stuff because I didn't feel for the characters that his actions were affecting.
Not being able to connect with the characters made this a hard book to get through. I wish that there was some character development or a plot that I could follow past the cattle disease which is resolved half way through the book. It could also be that I wasn't able to relate to it and maybe people who grew up in Texas or on a ranch might have more of a connection to this book.
I do think that this was a good read when you take into consideration that this his McMurtry's first book and that the things he writes after this get better. I now need to get my hands on the film Hud so I can see if that might make me appreciate this book a little more.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
4.0
Fish in a Tree is the story of a 6th grade girl, Ally, who struggles in the classroom due to inability to read. Rather than ask anyone for help she becomes the class clown and continues to get herself sent to the office. It isn't until one teacher notices her individuality and decides that he is going to bring to light her talents. Because of this teacher, Ally feels comfortable to stand out and use her talents to succeed in the classroom around others who don't fit in.
I cried while reading this book because of how much I could relate to the characters who didn't fit in. I really wish that I had found books like this when I was in middle school because it would've helped tremendously with my self esteem. I love how this book celebrates each characters differences and includes a teacher who helps them learn to love themselves not despite these differences but because of them.
I cried while reading this book because of how much I could relate to the characters who didn't fit in. I really wish that I had found books like this when I was in middle school because it would've helped tremendously with my self esteem. I love how this book celebrates each characters differences and includes a teacher who helps them learn to love themselves not despite these differences but because of them.
Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly
4.0
Lost in a Book is the story of the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast with a twist. Early on in her stay at the castle, Belle encounters a enchanted book in the Beast's library and rather than sharing her findings with others she keeps it to herself. Through the use of this book, Belle visits the land of Nevermore which offers her a separate life than the one she would have at the castle. In Nevermore Belle can have all of her dreams come true, after all this is a story written just for her, but staying here would mean leaving behind what she has at the castle. What would leaving her friends at Beast's Castle mean for belle and for her friends?
I love how the prologue for this book is two sisters who are watching Belle's life unfold at the castle and decide to bet on what she is going to decide. I like how this opening shares the relationship between these two sisters because it sets a precedent to the rest of the story. Their relationship causes issues not only among themselves but for others who come into their lives, such as Belle.
I love how the prologue for this book is two sisters who are watching Belle's life unfold at the castle and decide to bet on what she is going to decide. I like how this opening shares the relationship between these two sisters because it sets a precedent to the rest of the story. Their relationship causes issues not only among themselves but for others who come into their lives, such as Belle.