carahamelie's reviews
303 reviews
The Pisces by Melissa Broder
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Snotgirl, Volume 2: California Screaming by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Leslie Hung
3.0
Great INFP representation 😂😂
Snotgirl, Vol. 1: Green Hair Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Leslie Hung
3.0
CUTE. Loved the dark little look into the self absorbed side of social media and fashion bloggers. :) I loved how over exaggerated it was and how shallow and narcissistic Lottie was. Also, Right up my ally in regards to art. Beautiful work. And yes, it's a little confusing at times.. but I think its supposed to be. We aren't supposed to understand everything yet, Which I'm okay with.
Introvert Doodles: An Illustrated Look at Introvert Life in an Extrovert World by Maureen Marzi Wilson
4.0
This is cute..... a bit repetitive at times, but fun and relatable regardless.
There's More to Life Than This: Healing Messages, Remarkable Stories, and Insight About the Other Side from the Long Island Medium by Theresa Caputo
3.0
Meh. I want to believe this stuff so bad... but there is still the skeptic inside me. There were a few contradictions in this book that made me wonder about her and her "gift" and her beliefs. Things don't completely line up.... but it is interesting if you like the show.
Gemina by Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman
4.0
4.5
ugh. Why are these books such a ride?
Do I like this one more than the first? No.... In fact I think I may like the first one a LITTLE tiny bit more which is why I'm giving this one a 4.5. There was something about AIDAN in the first book that gave me all the feels.... and I felt more emotional in the first book. But this one is just as exciting, interesting, and unique as the first.
The thing about these books that I have to mention though is the confusion you feel at the beginning. I felt it with this one and with Illuminae and it takes a second to get into them. You feel a little lost, like you are missing something... but then they ALWAYS come together and you can't put them down. I'm only saying this because I want to encourage you NOT to throw in the towel. These are not mindless books to numb out to.. which don't get me wrong, I love me an easy to read mindless book.... These are books that you have to focus on and engage in to really get what's going on. These books are so intense and fun to read.
ugh. Why are these books such a ride?
Do I like this one more than the first? No.... In fact I think I may like the first one a LITTLE tiny bit more which is why I'm giving this one a 4.5. There was something about AIDAN in the first book that gave me all the feels.... and I felt more emotional in the first book. But this one is just as exciting, interesting, and unique as the first.
The thing about these books that I have to mention though is the confusion you feel at the beginning. I felt it with this one and with Illuminae and it takes a second to get into them. You feel a little lost, like you are missing something... but then they ALWAYS come together and you can't put them down. I'm only saying this because I want to encourage you NOT to throw in the towel. These are not mindless books to numb out to.. which don't get me wrong, I love me an easy to read mindless book.... These are books that you have to focus on and engage in to really get what's going on. These books are so intense and fun to read.
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie Liu
3.0
This was good but REALLY confusing. The amount of world building and information they tried to squeeze into this graphic novel was a little overkill. They tried to do too much in a short amount of time, and it was really hard to follow. It almost felt like I started with volume II and everything was already explained, and I was trying to catch up. With that said though... I will continue, it's just a story you have to read at a slower pace to keep everything straight. I'm sure as I read future volumes, things will come together more. This has won MANY awards, so I have to assume it starts to make more sense.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
3.0
I think there are some really great things in this book. I honestly think the key ideas are actually a huge secret to living a content life, especially the first couple chapters. However... This got muddled and discombobulated fast. In some sections I found myself confused at how the topics were related to the main concept of the book.... but I don't find this that uncommon with self improvement books. I feel like a lot of these books have a key point and a great idea... but you really don't need an entire 200 page book to get it across and thats why they can feel a little convoluted at times.
Another thing that tends to irk me with these types of books is when the author takes 1 example of personal experience, and uses it as evidence to prove their point... when in reality the parallel might not have anything to do with each other, and that can be dangerous. For example...In the beginning of the book he mentions Charles Bukowski and the fact that he didn't give a fuck and thats how he became a famous poet.. you should just not give a fuck and there you go. That to me sets unrealistic expectations and in turn can easily create a lot of disappointments in life. Just because Charles became a famous poet... and also just happened to not give a fuck, does not mean that not giving a fuck will make you a famous painter. Correlation does not imply causation. I don't think thats what he was going for, but that's very much how it came across... and this happened more than once in the book.
With all of that said, I think it's a good read but I always take self improvement with a grain of salt. The concept over all is something I can subscribe to.
Another thing that tends to irk me with these types of books is when the author takes 1 example of personal experience, and uses it as evidence to prove their point... when in reality the parallel might not have anything to do with each other, and that can be dangerous. For example...In the beginning of the book he mentions Charles Bukowski and the fact that he didn't give a fuck and thats how he became a famous poet.. you should just not give a fuck and there you go. That to me sets unrealistic expectations and in turn can easily create a lot of disappointments in life. Just because Charles became a famous poet... and also just happened to not give a fuck, does not mean that not giving a fuck will make you a famous painter. Correlation does not imply causation. I don't think thats what he was going for, but that's very much how it came across... and this happened more than once in the book.
With all of that said, I think it's a good read but I always take self improvement with a grain of salt. The concept over all is something I can subscribe to.