"'We all settle. There isn't a person alive who matches every element of the fantasy we wish for. Every person in a relationship has settled. What you"'We all settle. There isn't a person alive who matches every element of the fantasy we wish for. Every person in a relationship has settled. What you choose to compromise on is up to you."
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 -
Hold Back the Stars is, at its core, a love story. Teeming with adolescent angst, Carys and Max are out to prove to Utopia that love can happen early and fiercely. Since the war to end all wars, citizens have been forced to delay marriage and childbearing till at least 35. The idea is that with a long, unfettered youth, individuals can travel, learn, and succeed beyond previous generations.
Carys and Max, falling in love in their twenties, don't want to hide their emotions. They are willing to fight society mores and push for change to prove their love can last. They are charged with a mission to space; a challenge to see if romantically involved teams can work together better than others.
When the novel starts, Carys and Max have only ninety minutes of oxygen left on this mission. The storyline alternates between present and the history of their courtship. It pulls you in on both sides. Each chapter left me wanting to skip to the next so I could find out how the story unfolded.
The good: for me, this was an original story. The writing was decent. The characters well-developed even if not always likable. The bad: the ending was strange. It left a bad taste in my mouth after mostly enjoying the book. I also wish Carys had a stronger backbone.
If you're looking for something light and romantic (but not a bodice-ripper or too sappy), this is a fun, YA read. Recommend.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Reproductive Rights: Who Decides is a brief, yet longitudinal account of reproductive rights history in the United States. Beginning with early intervReproductive Rights: Who Decides is a brief, yet longitudinal account of reproductive rights history in the United States. Beginning with early interventions to prevent pregnancy to the TRAP laws of the early 2000s, Vicki Oransky Wittenstein gives an overview of the major and formative events that have brought the US to where it is today.
This is an easy read, and a great resource for someone who wants a crash-course on reproductive rights, or wants to educate someone else on the topic. The writing is accessible to younger readers, with plenty of explanations for terms and a glossary in the back. Think: health educators and women's history teachers (probably better for high school than college). The colorful pages and text insets with photographs break up the chapters nicely, and make for a fast read.
As someone who works in the reproductive health field, and a passionate advocate, I have read plenty of reproductive rights history previously. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised by a few new tidbits. I also appreciated that this book felt objective--less of an opinion piece than a basic outlay of facts. The only complaint I have is that, with its quick transitions to cover all topics, the book lacks an overall cohesiveness. The conclusion reads like the end of a high school book report, with one or two paragraphs to summarize over 100 pages of research; it feels insufficient in its brevity.
I absolutely plan to share this book with the educators I work with, and would recommend it to anyone new to the topic. ...more
I, Ripper is a new take on the Jack the Ripper murders. Stephen Hunter uses multiple narrators to provide a varied perspective on the legend--Jack's dI, Ripper is a new take on the Jack the Ripper murders. Stephen Hunter uses multiple narrators to provide a varied perspective on the legend--Jack's diary, the memoirs of a reporter desperately on Jack's tail, and the occasional letter from a London prostitute home to her family. The first few pages hooked me: I haven't read about Jack the Ripper before, and the story is creepy enough to reel the reader in. As I feel with all real-life crimes, I was drawn to the horror of history and human offense. Then, I got bored. I felt Hunter tried to use graphic details to shock the reader, but they came across dry and lifeless (maybe gratuitous is the right word?). Jeb, the memoirist reporter, irritated me; Jack wasn't particularly intriguing; and the story dragged. I, Ripper is labeled as a thriller, but it didn't carry suspense and adventure, nor did it trigger fear or adrenaline.
This was my first First Reads book, and I wanted so badly to like it since it was free, but I couldn't finish it (I tried harder than usual and quit with only 50 pages left). Thanks for the hardcover, but it didn't make me love the book!...more
I thought this book was great, my mother gave it one star. She called me to say, "it's really weird." True: it's really weird, but in a twisted, racy,I thought this book was great, my mother gave it one star. She called me to say, "it's really weird." True: it's really weird, but in a twisted, racy, edge-of-your-seat way (my opinion, not her's).
Lucas Graham is a true crime writer who's glory days have long past. His wife is having an affair, his teenage daughter Virginia (Vee) is filled with angst, and he can't quite find a way to get back on track. Then, he gets a letter from a notorious cult leader (think Jonestown massacre) who promises to tell him the inside story of the 8 people who died in his home. Lucas decides to uproot himself and Vee to chase this story with every ounce of his being.
Things get weird when they move into the house. Haunted? Maybe. Lucas can't seem to keep track of time or his daughter. Vee is ever-more intrigued by the bizarre happenings; she is morbidly fascinated in the way only a gothic teenager can be. I turned the pages faster and faster trying to figure out where this twisty story would end up.
To be fair to my mother, it's not the best book I've read. Just totally readable. By the end, things got so far from reality that it lost some credibility, but I kept likening it to the Jonestown massacre, which reeled me back in. I think it's worth a read if you like creepy, strange horror stories.
Oh, and I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more
I hate to call a book about Spanish influenza, with a dying cast of characters, fun and light reading, but that's how I felt about A Death-Struck YearI hate to call a book about Spanish influenza, with a dying cast of characters, fun and light reading, but that's how I felt about A Death-Struck Year.
Cleo Berry is the feisty protagonist. She's in boarding school and not quite sure what she wants to do when she graduated. Her parents both passed away in an accident, and her older brother and his wife are her guardians. They are down in San Francisco when the Spanish flu hits hometown Portland, Oregon. All the public institutions, including Cleo's schools are shut down until further notice. Cleo sneaks home, despite the fact that all concerned believe a young lady should not be home alone.
When she arrives, she sees a notice for Red Cross volunteers. Without much thought, Cleo joins up and jumps in. She's slightly terrified, but deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of flu-infected individuals. She meets a crew of equally dedicated volunteers who become her family as the face this plague.
I liked Cleo. I liked her friends. This book is a super-fast read, and while sad, was quite easy. It was also an interesting historical novel for me, someone who has not read much about the Spanish flu or how the state health departments struggled to limit its spread. Definitely recommend. ...more
I received Dare Me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review:
Dare Me is narrated by Addy, the "lieutenant" cheerleader. She never wanted to I received Dare Me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review:
Dare Me is narrated by Addy, the "lieutenant" cheerleader. She never wanted to be captain or the star of the show; Addy is comfortable being second-in-command to queen bee {"b"} Beth Cassidy. Cassidy desperately wants to be the star, and will let nothing and no one stand in her way.
The cheerleading squad was mediocre until a new coach came to town. The coach is pretty, "tight," and determined to run the squad hard and fast to the next level. The girls are enamored. Addy is particularly drawn to coach, and as a result, Cassidy begins to lose the attention of her main follower.
The storyline is purely junk food. Sex, affairs, dangerous cheerleading stunts, and thrills. The writing, though, is strange. It feels to me like it's trying hard to be literature, when it's really a guilty pleasure. It also could have moved more quickly - by the end I was desperate for the inevitable drama to occur. It (inevitably) does.
In the last two pages is this gem, which feels like an alternative version of St. Francis of Assisi's well-known prayer:
"Rescued from mediocrity. Saved. 'I choose to excel, not compete... 'I choose to make changes, not excuses... 'To be motivated, not manipulated. 'To be useful, not used.'"
If you're looking for something light and fun, this is worth picking up, but not impressive....more
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