2019
What I Read in 2019
1. The Truth about Forever — Sarah Dessen
2. Attachments — Rainbow Rowell
2.5. The Veldt — Ray Bradbury
3. The Handmaid's Tale — Margaret Atwood
4. Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
5. 1984 — George Orwell
6. The Elegance of the Hedgehog — Muriel Barbery
7. Lady Renegades — Rachel Hawkins
8. Tuck Everlasting — Natalie Babbitt
9. Simon vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda — Becky Albertalli
9.25. Herman Wouk is Still Alive — Stephen King
9.75. The Most Dangerous Game — Richard Connell
10. Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
11. Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë
12. Good Omens — Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
13. The Invisible Man — H. G. Wells
14. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
15. Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins
16. Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins
17. Divergent — Veronica Roth
18. Shakespeare's Secret — Elise Broach
19. The DUFF — Kody Keplinger
2.5. The Veldt — Ray Bradbury
3. The Handmaid's Tale — Margaret Atwood
4. Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
5. 1984 — George Orwell
6. The Elegance of the Hedgehog — Muriel Barbery
7. Lady Renegades — Rachel Hawkins
8. Tuck Everlasting — Natalie Babbitt
9. Simon vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda — Becky Albertalli
9.25. Herman Wouk is Still Alive — Stephen King
9.75. The Most Dangerous Game — Richard Connell
10. Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
11. Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë
12. Good Omens — Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
13. The Invisible Man — H. G. Wells
14. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
15. Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins
16. Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins
17. Divergent — Veronica Roth
18. Shakespeare's Secret — Elise Broach
19. The DUFF — Kody Keplinger
Reviews
1. The Truth about Forever — Sarah Dessen
This book was not memorable but I remember liking it! I looked up the plot again to refresh. It was a quick, enjoyable read. I liked the main character. She had troubles with dating a hyper-intelligent, emotionally unavailable boy at the start of the book and I really related because my ex was exactly like that. I liked her friendships and the love interest. Overall a good, fun, easy read.
2. Attachments — Rainbow Rowell
I liked this book. It was a page turner. I liked Lincoln as a character but I found the whole circumstance of them dating kind of weird. I thought it was unrealistic that she would date him when he was reading her emails. Most women would, even if he was a kind guy, be turned off by that. I liked to see their friendships and perspectives.
2.5. The Veldt — Ray Bradbury
Love this short story! One of my favorites! I reread it all the time. This short story, weirdly enough, is the reason I listen to EDM now because I found Deadmau5 through the song called The Veldt by him. This story is iconic and means a lot to me. It always gets me thinking and entertained. I would recommend it to anyone. I printed out a copy and left it on Dave's desk. I don't know if he read it but he should have.
3. The Handmaid's Tale — Margaret Atwood
This took me forever to get through but it was worth it. I liked it a lot. It was pretty fucked up but it made me think about the role of women in society throughout history and my own identity as a women. I love books that get you thinking and that you still think about for months afterwards. This book is intelligently written, tight, clean, and has impeccable world building.
4. Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
This book is great. The world building is great, just enough to understand what's going on but not too much. I really enjoyed seeing the interactions of the characters and the way things happened. It had a lot of sound things to say about growing up. Very good book. Stayed on my mind for awhile after.
5. 1984 — George Orwell
This book is great, don't get me wrong, but I found it a bit overhyped. It took me awhile to get through, especially that section in the middle where the main character (Winston?) is reading the manifesto. It was very good and deserves to be a classic. It left me thinking. But it wasn't as life changing as I expected it to be. I think the dissonance comes with its reputation as shattering and rebuilding your mind but it didn't change much for me. A lot of the ideas in there were ones I understood and had understood before. If I had gone into it with no expectations, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I still enjoyed it though and learned from it. I liked the ending especially.
6. The Elegance of the Hedgehog — Muriel Barbery
This book. This book was powerful and connected with me in a way that few have. I wrote my Emory supplemental on it. As a lover of philosophy and Japanese culture (weaboo), this book was perfect for me. I struggle to put into words what it was about this book but it was masterful. I loved Barbery's writing, the characters, the concepts, their arcs and change. The ending wasn't the way I wanted it to end but I was able to accept its place in the story. I wish I could better put into words what this book was to me. It connected with me on a deeper level. It may also be because I read it at a point in my life where a lot was going to change quickly. Seeing my family after many months, moving to another country, closing this chapter of my life ect. This book was important to me.
7. Lady Renegades — Rachel Hawkins
This book is lots of fun, a fast read. I liked the first two books in the series better. I had some issues with the plot but I wasn't expecting much beside entertainment from this book and it was incredibly entertaining. I was quite invested in this world and these characters.
8. Tuck Everlasting — Natalie Babbitt
Kinda slow, not so interesting. Ok.
9. Simon vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda — Becky Albertalli
I liked this book a lot. I had some issues with some of the ways the characters acted like how Simon's friends weren't supportive, how Simon didn't understand why Blu didn't want to reveal himself and stuff like that but overall it made me feel some things and was a good step forward for LGBT+ representation. I wanna read more LGBT+ books next year since I have read hardly any.
9.25. Herman Wouk is Still Alive — Stephen King
An example of a solid, good short story. Makes me want to read more King but I'm scared of horror.
9.75. The Most Dangerous Game — Richard Connell
I love this short story. It's kind of Hunger Games-esque in the sense that it makes your palms sweaty, heart racing, as he's hiding in the forest. It's so well-written and gives me chills. Iconic.
10. Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
This is my fourth time reading this. It's my favorite Shakespeare play. I just love it. I love the characters, the story, the jokes, the themes. I love Shakespeare, especially the comedies. Each time I re-read it, I catch up on new dick jokes I missed. It may be an overdone play but it makes me laugh like no other and Sebastian x Antonio will always be the most tragic love story and Malvolio's mistreatment will always make me feel for him.
11. Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë
Every character in this novel is a piece of shit! I read it as a cautionary tale, not a love story, about how you should marry people you don't love but at the same time Heathcliff is still a piece of shit. I don't like people (cough cough my friend Eric who is a Heathcliff apologist and made me read this book because it's his favorite) excusing Heathcliff's awful behavior because he had a horrible childhood. Yes, what he went through is awful but it doesn't excuse his abusive and horrid behavior. Most people who have difficult childhoods are more empathetic because they understand what it is to hurt and don't want others to feel how they did. I have friends who have gone through some very fucked up shit at a young age and they never want others to feel they way they did. I'm glad I read this book. I was able to picture myself there and I thought a lot about the nature of love. I enjoyed the gothic backdrop but I hated every character. It was dramatic and I liked watching these people be horrible. Very interesting book.
12. Good Omens — Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
This book is so good. So so good! I read this because my sibling CJ wanted us to watch the show together but now I don't want to watch the show because I have such a strong view of the characters. It was so funny and insightful and I loved it!! I must read more of these two authors. I don't usually read anything of this sort (I'm not sure what genre) but I loved it! There were a lot of things from earlier in the book that all came together in the end and it was intelligently written. Masterful! A must read for all.
13. The Invisible Man — H. G. Wells
I read this in one sitting. The science-y elements were handled well in a way that wasn't too complex or dumbed down. I liked the action parts of the book. In a way it was a tragic tale of a brilliant man who fell from grace. Good book but I think it wouldn't be interesting to everyone.
14. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
I had never read this when it first came out but I decided to read it now. The world building was impeccable and I loved Katniss as a character. The idea was great and entertaining and thrilling. There wasn't a dull moment and I wanted to see how she survived. Mostly the world building was so great. There were all these new things that were explained well and not over-explained. Collins demonstrated her PTSD and terror masterfully.
15. Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins
This was very good. I was already invested in the story. I think the Gail versus Peeta thing should have been more in the backseat because you know, she's dealing with immense trauma but I liked the concept of the Quarter Quell a lot and the demonstration that every victor, the best of the districts, was just as traumatized. It demonstrated the horrific-ness of the Capital. It was good. I was entertained, terrified, and emotional. Seeing Katniss deal with her emotions and not knowing what was going on was a powerful choice. It demonstrated how it felt to be used in a ploy.
16. Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins
I didn't like this book as much as the others. I didn't like it much at all actually. The backdrop of District 13 was boring and I didn't like all the new characters being introduced just to be killed off. There were some redeeming parts of the book but overall, I wasn't engaged. It dragged and the whole Gail or Peeta thing wouldn't have been on her mind at all. Also, why the hell did they bring Peeta along? And the fact she went on a fake mission to kill Snow and people died on this fake mission that wasn't even necessary. If she wanted to go on a fake mission, she should have been alone. I just didn't like the plot that much. I did like Finnick's character and the things he revealed about the Capital and how Katniss killed Coin instead of Snow. Collins did a good job demonstrating her mental trauma which was powerful. I still liked the book enough but not nearly as masterful as the other 2.
17. Divergent — Veronica Roth
This book is not very good. It was a Hunger Games rip-off and the world building was really really bad. I liked some of the concepts sort of and it was entertaining enough but overall I was not into it. It was just kind of stupid and didn't feel geniune. The ideas of the factions was pretty stupid. I may be railing it a bit too hard but still.
18. Shakespeare's Secret — Elise Broach
This is a book I read for nostalgia's sake. It was fun, mysterious and I liked the characters. I'm not critical of this book because it was important to me as a kid, as it introduced me to Shakespeare and I read it several times. It's cute, sweet. It also dealt with some more serious topics like troubled children running away.
19. The DUFF — Kody Keplinger
This book is so bad. The idea of her ending up with Wesley made me upset. I would be able to excuse the book if she ended up with Tobey but I feel like she learned nothing and didn't even learn that using sex as a coping mechanism was bad. She ended up with a guy who didn't treat her right. I wanted a book about a not conventionally attractive girl finding love and realizing she is beautiful both for her looks and intellect. Instead, there was a girl full of self-loathing who slut-shamed herself and was not very kind to her friends. She didn't learn anything in the end which pissed me off. She kept using sex as a coping mechanism and didn't go for a guy who liked her and treated her right. I think the messages were very damaging.
I liked this book. It was a page turner. I liked Lincoln as a character but I found the whole circumstance of them dating kind of weird. I thought it was unrealistic that she would date him when he was reading her emails. Most women would, even if he was a kind guy, be turned off by that. I liked to see their friendships and perspectives.
2.5. The Veldt — Ray Bradbury
Love this short story! One of my favorites! I reread it all the time. This short story, weirdly enough, is the reason I listen to EDM now because I found Deadmau5 through the song called The Veldt by him. This story is iconic and means a lot to me. It always gets me thinking and entertained. I would recommend it to anyone. I printed out a copy and left it on Dave's desk. I don't know if he read it but he should have.
3. The Handmaid's Tale — Margaret Atwood
This took me forever to get through but it was worth it. I liked it a lot. It was pretty fucked up but it made me think about the role of women in society throughout history and my own identity as a women. I love books that get you thinking and that you still think about for months afterwards. This book is intelligently written, tight, clean, and has impeccable world building.
4. Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
This book is great. The world building is great, just enough to understand what's going on but not too much. I really enjoyed seeing the interactions of the characters and the way things happened. It had a lot of sound things to say about growing up. Very good book. Stayed on my mind for awhile after.
5. 1984 — George Orwell
This book is great, don't get me wrong, but I found it a bit overhyped. It took me awhile to get through, especially that section in the middle where the main character (Winston?) is reading the manifesto. It was very good and deserves to be a classic. It left me thinking. But it wasn't as life changing as I expected it to be. I think the dissonance comes with its reputation as shattering and rebuilding your mind but it didn't change much for me. A lot of the ideas in there were ones I understood and had understood before. If I had gone into it with no expectations, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I still enjoyed it though and learned from it. I liked the ending especially.
6. The Elegance of the Hedgehog — Muriel Barbery
This book. This book was powerful and connected with me in a way that few have. I wrote my Emory supplemental on it. As a lover of philosophy and Japanese culture (weaboo), this book was perfect for me. I struggle to put into words what it was about this book but it was masterful. I loved Barbery's writing, the characters, the concepts, their arcs and change. The ending wasn't the way I wanted it to end but I was able to accept its place in the story. I wish I could better put into words what this book was to me. It connected with me on a deeper level. It may also be because I read it at a point in my life where a lot was going to change quickly. Seeing my family after many months, moving to another country, closing this chapter of my life ect. This book was important to me.
7. Lady Renegades — Rachel Hawkins
This book is lots of fun, a fast read. I liked the first two books in the series better. I had some issues with the plot but I wasn't expecting much beside entertainment from this book and it was incredibly entertaining. I was quite invested in this world and these characters.
8. Tuck Everlasting — Natalie Babbitt
Kinda slow, not so interesting. Ok.
9. Simon vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda — Becky Albertalli
I liked this book a lot. I had some issues with some of the ways the characters acted like how Simon's friends weren't supportive, how Simon didn't understand why Blu didn't want to reveal himself and stuff like that but overall it made me feel some things and was a good step forward for LGBT+ representation. I wanna read more LGBT+ books next year since I have read hardly any.
9.25. Herman Wouk is Still Alive — Stephen King
An example of a solid, good short story. Makes me want to read more King but I'm scared of horror.
9.75. The Most Dangerous Game — Richard Connell
I love this short story. It's kind of Hunger Games-esque in the sense that it makes your palms sweaty, heart racing, as he's hiding in the forest. It's so well-written and gives me chills. Iconic.
10. Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
This is my fourth time reading this. It's my favorite Shakespeare play. I just love it. I love the characters, the story, the jokes, the themes. I love Shakespeare, especially the comedies. Each time I re-read it, I catch up on new dick jokes I missed. It may be an overdone play but it makes me laugh like no other and Sebastian x Antonio will always be the most tragic love story and Malvolio's mistreatment will always make me feel for him.
11. Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë
Every character in this novel is a piece of shit! I read it as a cautionary tale, not a love story, about how you should marry people you don't love but at the same time Heathcliff is still a piece of shit. I don't like people (cough cough my friend Eric who is a Heathcliff apologist and made me read this book because it's his favorite) excusing Heathcliff's awful behavior because he had a horrible childhood. Yes, what he went through is awful but it doesn't excuse his abusive and horrid behavior. Most people who have difficult childhoods are more empathetic because they understand what it is to hurt and don't want others to feel how they did. I have friends who have gone through some very fucked up shit at a young age and they never want others to feel they way they did. I'm glad I read this book. I was able to picture myself there and I thought a lot about the nature of love. I enjoyed the gothic backdrop but I hated every character. It was dramatic and I liked watching these people be horrible. Very interesting book.
12. Good Omens — Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
This book is so good. So so good! I read this because my sibling CJ wanted us to watch the show together but now I don't want to watch the show because I have such a strong view of the characters. It was so funny and insightful and I loved it!! I must read more of these two authors. I don't usually read anything of this sort (I'm not sure what genre) but I loved it! There were a lot of things from earlier in the book that all came together in the end and it was intelligently written. Masterful! A must read for all.
13. The Invisible Man — H. G. Wells
I read this in one sitting. The science-y elements were handled well in a way that wasn't too complex or dumbed down. I liked the action parts of the book. In a way it was a tragic tale of a brilliant man who fell from grace. Good book but I think it wouldn't be interesting to everyone.
14. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
I had never read this when it first came out but I decided to read it now. The world building was impeccable and I loved Katniss as a character. The idea was great and entertaining and thrilling. There wasn't a dull moment and I wanted to see how she survived. Mostly the world building was so great. There were all these new things that were explained well and not over-explained. Collins demonstrated her PTSD and terror masterfully.
15. Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins
This was very good. I was already invested in the story. I think the Gail versus Peeta thing should have been more in the backseat because you know, she's dealing with immense trauma but I liked the concept of the Quarter Quell a lot and the demonstration that every victor, the best of the districts, was just as traumatized. It demonstrated the horrific-ness of the Capital. It was good. I was entertained, terrified, and emotional. Seeing Katniss deal with her emotions and not knowing what was going on was a powerful choice. It demonstrated how it felt to be used in a ploy.
16. Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins
I didn't like this book as much as the others. I didn't like it much at all actually. The backdrop of District 13 was boring and I didn't like all the new characters being introduced just to be killed off. There were some redeeming parts of the book but overall, I wasn't engaged. It dragged and the whole Gail or Peeta thing wouldn't have been on her mind at all. Also, why the hell did they bring Peeta along? And the fact she went on a fake mission to kill Snow and people died on this fake mission that wasn't even necessary. If she wanted to go on a fake mission, she should have been alone. I just didn't like the plot that much. I did like Finnick's character and the things he revealed about the Capital and how Katniss killed Coin instead of Snow. Collins did a good job demonstrating her mental trauma which was powerful. I still liked the book enough but not nearly as masterful as the other 2.
17. Divergent — Veronica Roth
This book is not very good. It was a Hunger Games rip-off and the world building was really really bad. I liked some of the concepts sort of and it was entertaining enough but overall I was not into it. It was just kind of stupid and didn't feel geniune. The ideas of the factions was pretty stupid. I may be railing it a bit too hard but still.
18. Shakespeare's Secret — Elise Broach
This is a book I read for nostalgia's sake. It was fun, mysterious and I liked the characters. I'm not critical of this book because it was important to me as a kid, as it introduced me to Shakespeare and I read it several times. It's cute, sweet. It also dealt with some more serious topics like troubled children running away.
19. The DUFF — Kody Keplinger
This book is so bad. The idea of her ending up with Wesley made me upset. I would be able to excuse the book if she ended up with Tobey but I feel like she learned nothing and didn't even learn that using sex as a coping mechanism was bad. She ended up with a guy who didn't treat her right. I wanted a book about a not conventionally attractive girl finding love and realizing she is beautiful both for her looks and intellect. Instead, there was a girl full of self-loathing who slut-shamed herself and was not very kind to her friends. She didn't learn anything in the end which pissed me off. She kept using sex as a coping mechanism and didn't go for a guy who liked her and treated her right. I think the messages were very damaging.
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