Tag Archive for: 2 Stars

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The Sirens Of Titan

The Sirens Of TitanTitle: The Sirens of Titan
Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Genre: Classic, Science Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 224
Length: 9h 20m
Narrator: Jay Snyder
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

THE SIRENS OF TITAN is so different from most books I’ve read. It was mildly entertaining with interesting views on free will, fatalism, and manipulation. I liked that the story made me think and challenge my own views and beliefs regarding the universe, God, and people. However, I’m not really a huge fan of satire and that aspect hindered my enjoyment of the story. I’m glad I read this book at least once, but I’ll never read it again and I’m glad it’s over.

The God Of The Woods

The God Of The WoodsTitle: The God of the Woods
Author: Liz Moore
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 478
Length: 14h 36m
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I thought THE GOD OF THE WOODS was a very interesting read with a lot to discuss (i.e., it’s a great book for a book club). I wanted to love it, but I didn’t. I loved the concept, but the story seemed really disjointed, way too long, and so depressing. I also despised most of the characters, making it hard for me to love the story since I’m a character-driven, rather than plot-driven, reader.

I don’t think I was in the right frame of mind when I started this one. However, it’s my book club’s pick for November so I kept going. I would’ve rather read this when I was more in the mood for this type of story. I might’ve liked it more, but maybe I wouldn’t have. The beginning held so much promise and then it just kept letting me down.

The Wife Upstairs

The Wife UpstairsTitle: The Wife Upstairs
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Thriller
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 290
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I don’t know anything about Jane Eyre, at all. I’ve never read the book and I haven’t seen any of the movies / TV shows. I was drawn to THE WIFE UPSTAIRS by its title and cover. When I discovered it was a retelling of JANE EYRE, I decided to look up the setting and main characters so I’d have a little bit of reference. Most retellings I’ve read are far more subtle than this seemed to be. (I read the plot of JANE EYRE after I finished because I wanted to see how similar the stories were.)

I hated reading Bea’s POV. Although, she surprised me because I never guessed she was an unreliable narrator and the true antagonist. I didn’t mind Eddie’s POV near the end of the novel. His section was actually my favorite part of the whole book. Even though I didn’t want Jane to end up with him because of what he had done, I wanted her to find out the full truth and she never did.

There has been a huge debate in my book club for years regarding JANE EYRE. A couple of people love it and think it’s a beautifully written gothic romance. Others hate everything about it. I feel like I’d be in the latter camp, but I’m not sure. Too bad I have no desire to read the source material, lol.

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Fundamentally Female

Fundamentally FemaleTitle: Fundamentally Female
Author: Reneé Rongen
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self Help
Format: Paperback
Pages: 180
Reason Read: Recommended
Rating:

My Thoughts

Some of the stories were heartwarming, but for the most part, FUNDAMENTALLY FEMALE was preachy and thought too highly of itself. Thankfully, it was a quick read.

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Aspergirls

AspergirlsTitle: Aspergirls
Author: Rudy Simone
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self Help
Format: Paperback
Pages: 236
Reason Read: Recommended
Rating:

My Thoughts

As an “Aspergirl” myself, I wanted ASPERGIRLS to be an eye-opening, life-changing experience so many others seem to have had while reading it. Unfortunately, I had a very hard time with it. I related to some of what Simone wrote about. However, I mainly felt like I couldn’t relate to the stories / experiences because I don’t experience life exactly the way they do.

Update: In 2020, I discovered that I’m not an Aspergirl. I’ve been diagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder which often presents itself like being on the spectrum. This makes so much more sense to me why I didn’t connect with this book when I read it.