#BookThoughts

[hewasverycinematic]

so im probably going to finish The First To Die At The End within the next couple hours and it's so hard to not just put the book down to prevent the inevitable ending

but at the same time im determined to finish it today because the characters dont get that luxury of putting it on hold

but man my heart already hurts idk if i can do this

[amaliathereader]

Some stories promise the moon but leave you staring at the night sky alone. White Nights by Dostoevsky is one of those — a bittersweet dance of longing and loneliness, where dreams sparkle briefly before fading too fast. A story of dreamers, but I wasn’t dreaming with them and if emotional manipulation were an art, Nastenka would paint in blood.

[haiaiel71]

#bookthoughts

I’m currently reading I’m not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang and omg the main character is kinda insufferable

also the Indian girl being jealous of Jessica’s hair and skin??? Seriously? I mean can we a) please stop pitting minorities against each other and b) come on an Indian girl would definitely have amazing hair and skin, especially if she’s the popular kid. I mean, we have amazing hair and skin genetically, and naturally have products and age old methods of getting it, so what is she going on about?

Going back to my main point, main character is so insufferable. ‘Jessica Chen this, Jessica Chen that’: girl, instead of pitting yourself against your cousin how about you please just focus on yourself?

and she complains so much about the whole ‘oh I come from such a poor family, woe is me’. Sweetheart, your parents pay $40,000 in school fees, calm down.

I get that the girl has insecurities, everyone does, but instead of being super jealous about someone how about you improve yourself? Focus on YOURSELF??? I expected that that would be what her character journey would go through but she’s still the same. Zero growth.

I wanted to enjoy this, I expected I would but Jenna Chen reminds me of every single girl who would get jealous of me because I was either prettier, smarter or wealthier than them (or all 3). I always tried to help them and was super nice but they would still get jealous for no reason and that used to confuse me??

I think I am a Jessica Chen and that’s why I’m getting so annoyed, but that’s just me. No one ever sees how hard we work though, they just get jealous without putting in the effort (and yes self-care also requires some amount of effort too). People keep trying to humble people like Jessica Chen and I and it’s super annoying, please live and let us live.

Can we please write books that either show the growth of the main character to love herself and be confident, or have her confident from the get go? It’s so important for 17 year olds especially to learn to support each other and heal their insecurities rather than influencing them to be jealous of other girls.

As the other girl, it’s really fricking annoying. Jealousy is natural, but healing that jealousy and learning to love yourself is so much more important. Otherwise the jealous girls end up stabbing others in the back multiple times (like what happened to me).

[peterrsthomas]

Book Review: The Great Gatsby and Brideshead Revisited

I’ve just finished reading The Great Gatsby for the first time, and yes, I can see why it’s become a classic of American literature. The underlying themes, the gradual reveal of the Gatsby’s elusive past, the inevitable tragedy, are subtle and enduring. It reminded me of Brideshead Revisited in a way. The tragic nature of wealth, the decay beneath all that glitz and glamour—Gatsby is to American literature what Brideshead is to English.

Both are narrated by outside observers, Nick Carraway (Gatsby) and Charles Ryder (Brideshead). And both of these men are drawn into the world of wealth from modest backgrounds, and both are simultaneously invested and detached in what they see. Nick establishes a relationship with Jordan Baker, a socialite part of Gatsby’s world, and Charles with Julia, the sister of Sebastian Flyte. And both watch as Gatsby and Sebastian struggle through their personal issues.

Those observed are haunted in their own way by their past. Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy Buchanan, while Sebastian and his family are consumed by their heritage, the death of the English nobility and struggling Catholic traditions. And Gatsby and Sebastian’s family are both eventually consumed—Gatsby is killed following the attempted renewal of his relationship with Daisy, and Sebastian descends into alcoholism.

But there are, of course, key differences. Brideshead’s driving theme is the Catholic religion and English aristocracy; Gatsby’s is the American Dream, a quasi-religion in itself, I suppose, and chased with similar fervour. Fitzgerald critiques a particular form of social mobility and how it can be achieved, and amidst this the hidden classes that define American society, while Waugh explores, with nostalgia, the decline of English nobility, its relationship to faith, education, and tradition. Significantly, wealth, for Gatsby, comes from questionable means, and for the Flytes, wealth is inherited and comes with its own obligations. But, of course, wealth ends up destroying them both, and the people they love.

Do these differences reveal the contrasting nature of English and American societies? Or do they simply represent the differing perspectives of their authors on the nature of wealth and status? There’s something of both, clearly, in this. But regardless, both are significant reads.

[kirs-10]

today's january prompt in my journal was about a good book i've read, and i wrote about the secret history by donna tartt. after writing about it, i feel like rereading it again to pick up the foreshadowing and in a different perspective other than richard's bcs he was just all around an unreliable narrator. i ended up hating him by the end of the novel........ and camilla and francis deserve better ;-;

[imunbreakabledude]

I succeeded in a goal of reading more this year compared to the last few years (34 books), and I'm in a mood to reflect on positive stuff in an end-of-year way and bring good energy into next year, so... here's an informal highlights list of some of my favorite books I read in 2024!

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin - breathtaking; I've been getting into lots of her work lately but this is my favorite of hers I've read so far.

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin - slightly denser and less immediately gripping to me than TLHOD; however, it still made me think a lot, in that beautiful way that Le Guin's work does.

1984 by George Orwell - yes, my first time reading it. I thought I knew pretty much what to expect from this book, having heard references to it throughout my adult life. and yes, some aspects were famliar and expected. but my god, was it so much more cutting and on point and bleak than I thought it could be. absolutely chilling. it's always nice to read a classic and come away feeling that it 100% deserves its reputation.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - picked this one randomly from a Tiny Free Library (one of my favorite book sources lately!) with no idea what to expect. it was emotional, one gut punch after another, and while I saw others complaining in goodreads reviews (one of my hobbies after finishing a book is to go see what random strangers had to say about it lol) about the lack of grand "payoff" or "rebellion" - that seems so obviously the point of the story to me, and it works extremely well for what the intent of the story is.

Who to Believe by Edwin Hill - a contemporary mystery/thriller with loads of POVs and potentially unreliable narrators. Simply engaging and fun and a very quick page-turner if you're looking for something like that!

All Systems Red (Murderbot #1) by Martha Wells - a friend lent me this and I enjoyed it a lot but haven't gotten to any of the rest of the series yet! I do plan to read more of them because I loved Murderbot a lot and definitely want to know the books before that TV adaptation comes out

What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama - simple but beautifully crafted, heartwarming and affirming without being trite. i really loved this interweaving of stories of different individuals in a community who feel stuck or lost in their lives and how they find new meaning in unexpected ways. a great example of "coming of age" style stories with people at many different points of life, showing that "coming of age" or finding a new way to look at life doesn't have to be some huge, dramatic adventure. sometimes it's just finding the right library book.

Piranesi by Susannah Clarke - I was gifted this book and had no idea what to expect, but as one of the back cover blurbs promised, it was weird and enthralling and I finished it within a day. I did enjoy the beginning more than the end, not because the end was bad or anything, but the nature of this story to me was that most of the journey was just coming to understand Piranesi and his world, and less about the resolution or destination. still, it was totally unique and really enjoyable.

[thewritermuses]

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead

Overall this is a boring story. There are very few beats to the plot. When nothing is happening with the characters nothing is happening at all.I did enjoy the construction of the novel. The story is broken up into separate parts for the different characters. This works especially well for Cora's mum Mabel. She has been immortalised and hated by the other characters in the story and it is only when we see her part towards the end that we learn the truth.The rest of the story is broken into a few locales. The Randall farm and the escape. North Carolina and a new life. The attic and Valentine's farm. There is minimal action and Cora isn't interesting herself.It isn't exactly that though. Cora is interesting. We only get to see her real emotions a few times.

The railroad itself is disappointing. It's an actual railroad - it left me thinking: Was that real? Amazing if so. But I'm sure it wasn't - so what was the point? Very strange.

The story is punctuated at every turn by brutality. I am so dead to this treatment of African Americans in popular culture.I have a seething hatred of the US because of the systemic racism that so many generations have done nothing about.How much more racial inequality do I need to witness? Read the full article

[thatkaseyjames]

📝 Banned books aren’t the threat—thinking is

“The real danger of banned books is what happens when people start to think for themselves.”

I’ve been sitting with this idea while rereading old favorites—and making my larger video this month. It’s not just about censorship. It’s about fear.

[itsjustalibrary]

Art from my Today is Going to Be Great Day desk calendar by Aimee Dolich (artsyville.com)

[jamespreston47]

A Brief Review of 'Vibrant Nightmares' by Ettore Fenice

Just shared my thoughts on 'Vibrant Nightmares' by Ettore Fenice. Dive into the surreal world where creativity meets technology and see how AI is changing the game in literature. Curious? Check out my latest insights on Medium! Link to the book on Amazon:

Link to the book on Google:

Read the full article here:

[momentarymurmurs]

"...It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Steele." His voice warm and husky like dark melted chocolate fudge caramel... or something.

Me, innocently flipping through the book: Oh, okay, nice description, I guess.

Also me, two seconds later: Wait, did Anastacia just swoon mid-thought? Like... girl, you're already gone. No turning back now.

Didn't realize how smitten she was with Christian Grey until I read it for myself. The movie didn't prepare me for this level of internal monologue thirst.

[adapasrinivas]

✨ Weekend Thoughts: Winning by Jack Welch 📚

Happy weekend, Tumblr fam! 🌼 I decided to dive back into a classic—Winning by Jack Welch—and it’s clear why this book remains a go-to for anyone striving in business and leadership. 🌟

Here’s what really resonated with me:

1️⃣ Adapt to Change: Welch highlights the power of agility. In today’s fast-moving world, those who embrace change thrive.

2️⃣ Clear Leadership: Great leaders guide with clarity. Welch’s emphasis on transparency and open communication fosters a culture where everyone knows their goals and how to succeed. 💬

3️⃣ Celebrate Talent: Recognizing and rewarding top performers is essential. It’s all about lifting up those who contribute to growth. 🏅

4️⃣ Integrity Matters: Success is more than profits; it’s about building trust. Welch’s take on the importance of ethics and honesty in every decision is a reminder for all of us. 🤝

Looking for business wisdom with a real-world touch? Winning is a must-read. What’s your favorite business book lately? 📖

[lindsaywin]

#books #booksread #bookthoughts #bookreviews #2023

Need a book recommendation: Read my thoughts on the books I've read in 2023.

[milimeters-morales]

idk i believe miles g would have a somewhat popular unhinged book review youtube channel that he originally had to make for school but just kept it as a sort of constant thing he had complete control over. but then again i can see him deleting it all the second he doesn’t need it anymore bc any risk of popularity would mean his vigilante activities getting revealed + he’s just not that type of person who’s super comfortable with his face on the internet like that. and i don’t think you even need to upload the videos to yt just email them to the teacher. but also: suspend your belief with me for a second.

[velvetbunniie]

i’ll say it. jacks and evangeline didn’t even go through that much. those books were fucking boring as hell.

[imunbreakabledude]

forget if i posted about this before. but, last reblog reminded me of it.

mild spoilers for hunger games books (particuarly sunrise on the reaping/ballad of songbirds and snakes) ahead!

I caught up on those two hunger games prequels a couple months ago. and they were good, and reminded me how the hunger games series as a whole holds up... and I will preface what i'm about to say with of course the YA Fiction Series is not necessarily the best/only/most profound lens thru which to view real life events, but yknow, good fiction can be a helpful way to process real life sometimes

and one thing that those two books in particular really helped/are helping me process right now was their emphasis on the capitol's INCOMPETENCE.

both Ballad and Sunrise, compared to the original trilogy, pull back the curtain on the capitol's operations and show how often they colossally fuck up and/or are barely holding their authoritarian rule together. and also, how people were rebelling the entire goddamn time - it didn't take 75 years for a rebellion to happen, it took 75 years for it to complete.

and it shows how desperate the capitol is to project the image of omnipotence and inevitability. even if they fuck up at every single turn of their "slaughter helpless children for entertainment" scheme, they are then forced to spend so much time and energy covering for their fuckups. to make everyone continue to believe that resistance is futile and the capitol knows all.

I read 1984 for the first time last year, and that really bummed me out because, well, um, it's a bummer. and it does a really good job of painting how fascism works and how it can gain success. it both begins and ends with fascism "winning." and 1984 is a really good book and scary in the right ways and also imparts some good lessons for the real world.

but the hunger games prequels offered something I really need(ed) right now. HOPE. even though they're still bleak and really, really painful (reading them is even more gutting now that I'm an adult and really reading it like innocent children being slaughtered for entertainment moreso than kids on a life-and-death adventure as it somewhat seemed when I was a teen reading them)... they sill offer hope. They offer the true reminder that dictatorships fall. fascism does incredible damage but throughout history it always always fails, and it is far less strong and inevitable than it wants you to think.

yeah. i am trying to hold onto that right now. when it's hard to see that and believe that in reality... sometimes holding onto the fictional version is a bridge to help get you there.