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kathleenabby's reviews
406 reviews
As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
4.5
Devastating beautiful!!
π The story is set in war-torn Syria at the height of the revolution and focuses on Salama, an 18-year-old pharmacy worker who lives in the Syrian city of Homs and who volunteers at a hospital. Through Salama, we are given an insight into the cruelty and destruction wrought by a conflict that has continued since 2011.
β¨ Review β¨
This is not an easy story to read, while this weaves hope and love throughout the narrative beautifully this showcases the horror of living in a war torn country and it's heartbreaking. So please check Trigger Warnings.
I'll be honest it's not a book I really know how to review as I sit here in comfort and think about how this is other people's reality.
The level of cruelty shown to these people isn't something I can comprehend fully and yet I know it's true. The strength and courage shown and the way they could find beauty and love amongst such horror is a testament to the human resilience.
Not only is this an incredible book I think it's an important one too.
π The story is set in war-torn Syria at the height of the revolution and focuses on Salama, an 18-year-old pharmacy worker who lives in the Syrian city of Homs and who volunteers at a hospital. Through Salama, we are given an insight into the cruelty and destruction wrought by a conflict that has continued since 2011.
β¨ Review β¨
This is not an easy story to read, while this weaves hope and love throughout the narrative beautifully this showcases the horror of living in a war torn country and it's heartbreaking. So please check Trigger Warnings.
I'll be honest it's not a book I really know how to review as I sit here in comfort and think about how this is other people's reality.
The level of cruelty shown to these people isn't something I can comprehend fully and yet I know it's true. The strength and courage shown and the way they could find beauty and love amongst such horror is a testament to the human resilience.
Not only is this an incredible book I think it's an important one too.
Fool's Quest by Robin Hobb
5.0
I know I keep repeating myself when speaking on this series but it truly is incredible.
As always these are slow character driven books but it's set in such a rich detailed world with a complex relatable protagonist at its heart. Watching Fitz grow from a child into the man he is now has been incredible. I've never known a character this well it's such an intimate experience.
But it's not just Fitz the characterisation for all her side characters no matter how small there role its mind-blowing. Everyone comes alive off the page.
These books are devastating Hobbs explores duty, loyalty, loneliness and loss in such depth. This series has broken my heart a million times over. But it's also about the power of grief, the resilience of the human spirit, it's about love and unbreakable bonds.
I love this series and Ive never felt this devastated to pick up a final book. I can't wait to see where this goes because everything is coming together beautifully with old and new characters. And while I can always reread it I'm so sad I don't have more time with Fitz.
I'm one book away from the end πππ
As always these are slow character driven books but it's set in such a rich detailed world with a complex relatable protagonist at its heart. Watching Fitz grow from a child into the man he is now has been incredible. I've never known a character this well it's such an intimate experience.
But it's not just Fitz the characterisation for all her side characters no matter how small there role its mind-blowing. Everyone comes alive off the page.
These books are devastating Hobbs explores duty, loyalty, loneliness and loss in such depth. This series has broken my heart a million times over. But it's also about the power of grief, the resilience of the human spirit, it's about love and unbreakable bonds.
I love this series and Ive never felt this devastated to pick up a final book. I can't wait to see where this goes because everything is coming together beautifully with old and new characters. And while I can always reread it I'm so sad I don't have more time with Fitz.
I'm one book away from the end πππ
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
5.0
WOW!! I think I just found a new favourite author.
I laughed, I cried (uncontrollably) and I raged. I love and hate this town. And I would read a million more stories about this town.
π Set in a remote Swedish town, the story revolves around a junior ice hockey team and a violent act that shatters the community.
β¨ Review β¨
First I would say to check your trigger warnings. This is a heavy/dark read. It was absolutely devastating I sobbed my heart out. What I will say without spoilers is the author handles all of it with such care, respect and understanding it's incredible.
Now this is set in a hockey town and while hockey is at the core of this town as someone who's only knowledge of hockey is the mighty duck films I can safely say you don't need to know anything about hockey.
This is what I would call a dark slice of life. It's multiple POV and we follow many people within this town. The characterisation is incredible this town came to life through the pages and the prose is fantastic he earned every he wrote.
The level of depth and complexity he manages to give everyone is incredible. There were characters I loved, characters I hated with every fiber of my being. Then there were the characters I like but felt disappointed in. They were all just so real and that's the main thing that made some of them so frustrating because this speaks so true to life and I hate that reality.
This also speaks on the weird culture we create around things like sports, how society focuses in on the accusation rather than crime, how silence is easy but so damaging and dangerous and so much more. It's such a layed story and even though this completely works as a standalone I can tell this town has more to give.
His prose his also fantastic, it was beautiful but he also managed to weave dread and hope through the pages. This story gripped me from beginning to end.
This was beautiful, devastating, intense, raw, honest and so important. This book will stay with me and so will this town.
I laughed, I cried (uncontrollably) and I raged. I love and hate this town. And I would read a million more stories about this town.
π Set in a remote Swedish town, the story revolves around a junior ice hockey team and a violent act that shatters the community.
β¨ Review β¨
First I would say to check your trigger warnings. This is a heavy/dark read. It was absolutely devastating I sobbed my heart out. What I will say without spoilers is the author handles all of it with such care, respect and understanding it's incredible.
Now this is set in a hockey town and while hockey is at the core of this town as someone who's only knowledge of hockey is the mighty duck films I can safely say you don't need to know anything about hockey.
This is what I would call a dark slice of life. It's multiple POV and we follow many people within this town. The characterisation is incredible this town came to life through the pages and the prose is fantastic he earned every he wrote.
The level of depth and complexity he manages to give everyone is incredible. There were characters I loved, characters I hated with every fiber of my being. Then there were the characters I like but felt disappointed in. They were all just so real and that's the main thing that made some of them so frustrating because this speaks so true to life and I hate that reality.
This also speaks on the weird culture we create around things like sports, how society focuses in on the accusation rather than crime, how silence is easy but so damaging and dangerous and so much more. It's such a layed story and even though this completely works as a standalone I can tell this town has more to give.
His prose his also fantastic, it was beautiful but he also managed to weave dread and hope through the pages. This story gripped me from beginning to end.
This was beautiful, devastating, intense, raw, honest and so important. This book will stay with me and so will this town.
Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb
5.0
At this point what can I say about Robin Hobb that I haven't already.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE ππ»πππ»
π I don't want to give spoilers so all I'll say is that years have passed since we last saw the Fitz. He's now living a peaceful life, a happy one. But Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe.
β¨ Review β¨
This was truly a spectacular start to the final trilogy in the realm of the elderlings world. I'm both happy and sad to be here at this point. Being back with my boy Fitz is everything but this also feels like the start of goodbye. I don't think I'll ever be ready to let these characters go.
Like all of Hobbs books this is slow I am personally never bored and if you've made it this far in the series I'm assuming slow isn't something you mind.
This sets up this series so beautifully. We dive deep with Fitz as he contemplates his past and compares to the present. As his past comes back with a vengeance. We've watched Fitz grow up. I met him when he was a small children and now he's older than me. There isn't a character I knowore intimately. While he has been through so much and grown he's still the Fitz I know and love. The depth of his character is just incredible, I can't even describe it he's just so real.
And not just Fitz the characterisation for all the side characters and how individualised everyone is. It's truly something incredible!! Robin Hobbs character is unmatched.
We have some of our favourite characters we've grown to love but also new characters. One in particular I absolutely adored saying who they are would be a spoiler but this person has quickly become a new favourite!! If you haven't read this far I can't wait for you to meet them.
There are lots of moving pieces in this one. Hobbs has me so stressed and scared for all my favourite characters. There really isn't anything I could say without giving spoilers to previous books but just know this world is all coming together beautifully and I just know this series is gonna go out on a high note!!
It's just so layered, it's beautiful, stressful, devastating. It's just perfection and I can't recommend it enough.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE ππ»πππ»
π I don't want to give spoilers so all I'll say is that years have passed since we last saw the Fitz. He's now living a peaceful life, a happy one. But Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe.
β¨ Review β¨
This was truly a spectacular start to the final trilogy in the realm of the elderlings world. I'm both happy and sad to be here at this point. Being back with my boy Fitz is everything but this also feels like the start of goodbye. I don't think I'll ever be ready to let these characters go.
Like all of Hobbs books this is slow I am personally never bored and if you've made it this far in the series I'm assuming slow isn't something you mind.
This sets up this series so beautifully. We dive deep with Fitz as he contemplates his past and compares to the present. As his past comes back with a vengeance. We've watched Fitz grow up. I met him when he was a small children and now he's older than me. There isn't a character I knowore intimately. While he has been through so much and grown he's still the Fitz I know and love. The depth of his character is just incredible, I can't even describe it he's just so real.
And not just Fitz the characterisation for all the side characters and how individualised everyone is. It's truly something incredible!! Robin Hobbs character is unmatched.
We have some of our favourite characters we've grown to love but also new characters. One in particular I absolutely adored saying who they are would be a spoiler but this person has quickly become a new favourite!! If you haven't read this far I can't wait for you to meet them.
There are lots of moving pieces in this one. Hobbs has me so stressed and scared for all my favourite characters. There really isn't anything I could say without giving spoilers to previous books but just know this world is all coming together beautifully and I just know this series is gonna go out on a high note!!
It's just so layered, it's beautiful, stressful, devastating. It's just perfection and I can't recommend it enough.
Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
To start with I liked the concept but I feel like this story is trying to do too much. We have been introduced to multiple plotlines and conversations. While individually they're interesting conversations to be had this book is only 350 pages long. I fail to see how we are to hit any real depth and so far it hasn't.
I don't think this book knows what it wants to be again it's doing to much and I don't think the plotlines speak to each other and it feels like I'm jumping in and out of multiple books which makes for a frustrating read.
This also reads like a cheesy British detective show but at the same time it's trying too hard to be profound to me. There are so many lines that just shouldn't provoke a profound description. It's also very repetitive, it's just not holding my attention and it feels like a chore to pick up.
I don't think this book knows what it wants to be again it's doing to much and I don't think the plotlines speak to each other and it feels like I'm jumping in and out of multiple books which makes for a frustrating read.
This also reads like a cheesy British detective show but at the same time it's trying too hard to be profound to me. There are so many lines that just shouldn't provoke a profound description. It's also very repetitive, it's just not holding my attention and it feels like a chore to pick up.
The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
2.5
This was my first James S.A. Corey book and it was ... Well it was underwhelming. So much so I'm not sure I wanna read the expanse now.
π A human world is overtaken by an alien empire, some humans are extracted to an off-world site, and some of these humans are put to work on a difficult task where success might prove the usefulness of humankind to the empire. Can the species stay alive? Will the captives fight back?
β¨ Reviews β¨
This had such an interesting premise and yet the execution was so bland. Now there are things I liked about this.
I thought the world building was great, I could picture ever thing clearly and the politics were fantastic. I enjoyed the moments we spent with the Carryx (aliens) however not enough of these moments to make a difference.
It's doesn't have a lot of science talk but I don't think it's overly complex it's delivered in a very easy and digestible way.
So what's the problem you ask!?! These are some of the blandest some uninteresting characters I ever read. I couldn't find it in myself to care about anything. Such an interesting world but these 1 dimensional characters made it nothing but boring.
I think this is a book where it's gonna be highly dependent on how character driven of a reader you are.
π A human world is overtaken by an alien empire, some humans are extracted to an off-world site, and some of these humans are put to work on a difficult task where success might prove the usefulness of humankind to the empire. Can the species stay alive? Will the captives fight back?
β¨ Reviews β¨
This had such an interesting premise and yet the execution was so bland. Now there are things I liked about this.
I thought the world building was great, I could picture ever thing clearly and the politics were fantastic. I enjoyed the moments we spent with the Carryx (aliens) however not enough of these moments to make a difference.
It's doesn't have a lot of science talk but I don't think it's overly complex it's delivered in a very easy and digestible way.
So what's the problem you ask!?! These are some of the blandest some uninteresting characters I ever read. I couldn't find it in myself to care about anything. Such an interesting world but these 1 dimensional characters made it nothing but boring.
I think this is a book where it's gonna be highly dependent on how character driven of a reader you are.
The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe
4.25
One of the most fascinating concepts I've ever come across.
π Disguised as Tarquinβs new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man sheβs sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot thatβs bigger than both of them.
β¨ Review β¨
This is a action-packed character driven sci-fi with a tense, mysterious atmosphere.
I absolutely loved this, the science of it was so interesting. In this world everyones neutral mapis backed up and they can reprint themselves into new bodies. Leading to humans living extremely long lives.This also makes death a really interesting concept as what they experience in their old body can have devastating effects on their new body. I would have liked more history behind how humans became this but either way this had me gripped.
There is a creepy horror element that I absolutely adored in this. At one point I had genuine goosebumps like it creeped me. The s cond half is less creepy which was a little disappointing because I was really enjoying it. Which brings me onto the prose which was stunning the imaginary and foreboding she creates in her writing was fantastic.
I loved the characters. They are perfectly flawed, and there development and growth is fantastic. I also loved the side characters. It's hard to talk about characters without spoilers because part of the mystery is figuring out who people are. But I loved the dymanics between characters and how they bounced off one another.
The one thing that didn't work for me was the romance and it's not that it's a bad romance. For me it was just the least interesting part of story and it's like 40% romance. It's has a strong romantic subplot and whenever it was at the forefront I found myself just wanting to get back to everything else.
I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series. Lama was right!!!
π Disguised as Tarquinβs new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man sheβs sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot thatβs bigger than both of them.
β¨ Review β¨
This is a action-packed character driven sci-fi with a tense, mysterious atmosphere.
I absolutely loved this, the science of it was so interesting. In this world everyones neutral mapis backed up and they can reprint themselves into new bodies. Leading to humans living extremely long lives.This also makes death a really interesting concept as what they experience in their old body can have devastating effects on their new body. I would have liked more history behind how humans became this but either way this had me gripped.
There is a creepy horror element that I absolutely adored in this. At one point I had genuine goosebumps like it creeped me. The s cond half is less creepy which was a little disappointing because I was really enjoying it. Which brings me onto the prose which was stunning the imaginary and foreboding she creates in her writing was fantastic.
I loved the characters. They are perfectly flawed, and there development and growth is fantastic. I also loved the side characters. It's hard to talk about characters without spoilers because part of the mystery is figuring out who people are. But I loved the dymanics between characters and how they bounced off one another.
The one thing that didn't work for me was the romance and it's not that it's a bad romance. For me it was just the least interesting part of story and it's like 40% romance. It's has a strong romantic subplot and whenever it was at the forefront I found myself just wanting to get back to everything else.
I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series. Lama was right!!!