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blackflower

So Many Books, So Little Time

I read everything. Unless it's not good.
MILA 2.0 - Debra Driza

Less romance, more android fighting. I actually thought some of the parts of Mila's test were hard to follow, but I loved her discovering what it means to be human.

Dearly, Departed - Lia Habel Closer to 3.5. As many other reviewers have stated, there are WAY too many POVs. I also thought the ending was confusing. But the worldbuilding (including why these people in the future have adopted Victorian ways of life, which no one in steampunk novels seems to think about) and interesting conception of zombies kept me reading. I'm curious to see what comes next.
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein My father-in-law recommended this book to me. I was immediately suspicious when I realized that the DOG was the narrator. (Yes, I know that one of my favorite book series of all time was based on various talking animals. There are no humans in those books. Except the first one. And we don't talk about those humans anyway.) I found myself surprisingly affected by this book. There was a part where I almost threw the book down in disgust. (I didn't because I was reading on a Kindle, but I did shout angrily.) And the ending was so beautifully bittersweet. I really liked this book, and I liked the analogies to racing, even though I'm not a racing fan. They all made sense within the context of the story. Very entertaining read.
Every Day - David Levithan Interesting, in parts. But mostly meh. I can suspend a lot of my disbelief but I can't get past media that claims "love at first sight" is a thing.

Also, I can't believe there is going to be a sequel. The most interesting bits got introduced way too late for them to really matter, so I should have been surprised. But I was. And annoyed too.
The Love Song of Jonny Valentine: A Novel - Teddy Wayne Three and a half, honestly.
The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber Liked it very much, though I didn't like how it seemed to peter off in the end. The narrator was a special surprise. Loved that voice.
The Shining Girls - Lauren Beukes So good, but I need someone to put this in chronological order for me. Get to work, Internet!
Tampa - Alissa Nutting Why did I read this.
Going Bovine - Libba Bray Whatever crazy drug Libba Bray is taking to make her books so wonderfully wackadoodle, I want some. <3
Little Star: A Novel - John Ajvide Lindqvist Why was I surprised when this ended in an effed up way.
The Game of Triumphs - Laura Powell I find the Game itself very confusing, but I did like the characters and learning their motivations for playing.
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald 2.5 stars. I don't get it.
Throne of the Crescent Moon - Saladin Ahmed Nooo, how can this book be over? There's so much more that has to happen!

This is going to sound weird, but I loved all the references to God and religion. I always think it's interesting in fantasy when God has a hand in magic. I wish the author had given us a greater understanding of the different kinds of magic, because it's pretty obvious that Adoulla and Dawoud and Litaz all do different kinds, but I'm not sure what separates them. Maybe it will be explained in a later book?

I think my favorite part of the book was Raseed's growth and understanding of the world. When he started chanting to himself "Perfection is the palace in which God alone lives," I teared up because so many of us become caught up in becoming perfect. What a great reminder that no one is perfect! I thought it was cool to see him change right before my eyes and I can't wait to see what happens between him and Zamia.

My only complaint would be that everything finished a little too pat, however I see this is book #1 of a series so hopefully I will get some answers. I love seeing non-Tolkien-esque fantasy with people of color! It's not over yet for the last ghul hunter.
The First Apartment Book: Cool Design for Small Spaces - Kyle Schuneman, Kyle Schuneman, Joe Schmelzer Some very cool ideas here. I'm not sure how many I could pull off, but at least it's got me thinking.
Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects - Amy Stewart Ew, gross, ick, I hate creepy crawlies! This didn't help me not hate bugs. But at least it was funny! And the pictures were very cool. At the very least I have an appreciation for how diabolical these lil buggers can be!
Prophecy - Ellen Oh It's really a 3.5. There's such a thing as TOO many superpowers, but I found Kira an engaging heroine. I also like how some of the characters are not completely good or evil. Good to have some realistic grey areas. Curious to see what happens next.