![Before I let go by Marieke Nijkamp: A Book review]()
Drama |
I picked this book when I was looking for another book of Marieke Nijkamp and I could not find it on the store. I read the blurb, which I rarely do, and got ready to dig into the mystery set in the obscure town near Alaska. Let us see how Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp turned into, alright?
About Before I let go
Book Name: Before I let go
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Young Adult
Characters: Corey, Kyra
Setting: Alaska, The USA
Plot summary of Before I let go
The story begins with Corey returning to her small town called Lost Creek,
Alaska after she heard her best friend Kyra is dead. As she tries to understand what happened to Kyra, Corey is pushed away from the very town she grew up in and lived for sixteen years.
Kyra and Corey have been best friends since childhood. They have stood together through thick and thin, especially when Kyra was diagnosed as bipolar and the villagers started treating her differently.
But now everything appears to have changed. Everyone speaks of Kyra lovingly and treats her like someone special, now that she has gone. What happened in the past few months and how did Kyra even die? You need to read Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp to know more.
Book review of Before I let go
For starters, I don’t think it was meant to be a mystery novel, thanks for nothing, Goodreads!, because there was no suspense, like at all. Somewhere in the middle of the book, we already know the ‘what, when, why and how’. The plot had a lot of things going on, but the storyline became so predictable and lacked pace.
Well, the book talks about mental illness and the kids are sexually diverse (a pansexual and an asexual) but I can not be the judge of the realness of the representation. The atmosphere was creepy and sinister until the end, which I liked.
Things that worked for me
- The friendship between Kyra and Corey was strong. The whole story revolved around that instead of romance. for a change.
- I liked the writing style and it kept me invested until the end despite the other flaws.
- I liked the eerie setting and frankly just reading about this small town in a remote place.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I felt the pace was so slow and it became kinda repetitive after a while.
- I didn’t particularly relate to any of the characters, which were bland and flat.
- The non-lead characters seemed under developed as well.
Bottom line
Before I let go talks a lot about strong friendship in an eerie and hostile environment. If you like reading about mental health with diverse characters you might like Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp.
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Drama |
Do you ever feel so disappointed in yourself when you don’t fall in love with a book? I did as I read The Forty rules of love. When I was in a reading slump a while ago, a friend of mine nudged (read as: pushed) me towards this one as this was one of her favorite books.
I had had few others recommending this book earlier, and the time had finally come for me to pick The Forty rules of love. So let us see how that turned out for me right?
About The Forty rules of love
Book Name: The Forty rules of love
Author: Elif Shafak
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Magical Realism, Historical
Characters: Ella, Rumi, Shams-i Tabrizi
Setting: The USA, Turkey
Plot Summary of The Forty rules of love
The Forty rules of love is a story within a story. Ella, a married woman is going through a mid life crisis with a loveless marriage, a husband who is cheating on her and kids who don’t need her anymore.
When her young daughter announces that she is getting married to her boyfriend, Ella finds it hard to believe that people (i.e. her daughter) wanted to marry for love.
Ella is a beta reader who receives a manuscript from an author with whom she begins email conversation. She realizes that Aziz was so different from her and his beliefs and faith shock her as much as they enthuse her.
She continues to read his manuscript about two friends, Rumi and Sham and learns about their Dervish ways of life, which a part of Islam. Does the relationship between Ella and Aziz go any further? Does Ella’s perception of life change at all? Read The Forty rules of love to know further.
Book review of The Forty rules of love
As I was telling earlier, I tried so hard to like The Forty rules of love but I was left disappointed. And for once it was not because of my high expectations or the hype. I just failed to understand the whole point of the rules of love and completely disliked the preachy tone and wonder if it had anything to do with the translation or it was just the writing itself.
I wish it had a little bit lightheartedness in it to make it more fun to read. There were too many small characters to remember but I can understand why they were needed, to educate every rule. I still wish the characters had more depth, while they were all card board cut – the non religious were all evil and the religious ones were all love and simple.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the way the author had mixed in Turkish culture and history to the story.
- The ideology behind the rules for the love to God and one another was novel and interesting (to a point).
- Reading this story has increased my interest in reading the poems of Rumi which are well known.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I wish the characters were more complex and deeper.
- I didn’t like the moral, preachy tones that made it difficult to like the characters.
- To be fair I have never had a thing for magical realism. Maybe I don’t get it well enough to appreciate it.
Bottom-line
I am happy for all those for whom this book worked. But it didn’t for me, I understand why didn’t work for me. I might give the author another try, in a few years and maybe it will work then. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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Drama, YA |
It has been a while since I had a book that got me riled up like THUG did it for me. When I saw Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu, I thought it would be my ticket to reaching it again. Well, to know if it happened or not, you should read my book review of Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu ahead.
About Moxie
Book Name: Moxie
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Genre: Fiction – YA
Characters: Vivian, Seth, Claudia, Lucy
Setting: The USA
Plot Summary of Moxie
When the boys at Vivian’s school get away with their sexist slogans and actions, Vivian circulates out feminist zine called Moxie anonymously to bring the girls together. Her actions and ideas garner attention and soon the school girls walk out to support one of theirs claims. How Viv and her friends stand up to the toxic environment forms the rest of Moxie.
Book review of Moxie
Moxie talks about topics that are highly relevant today – feminism and rape culture. It highlights the importance of speaking out and the power of collective voice.
I loved how the shy and obedient Vivian turned to be the voice of the rebellion and protest. The story may have been written for a younger audience but worked for me – to an extent. But then, the story also had its flaws that left me unimpressed.
Things that worked for me
- I adored the new and old female friendships that were formed during the story.
- The messages on feminism and rape culture certainly made me worked up and agitated.
Things that didn’t work for me
- Some of the characters were so one dimensional that they seemed straight out of a parody.
- The romance between Seth and Viv was so forced and the book could have easily been romance free.
- While there were adults involved, why the situation was never brought to their notice?
Bottom-line
If you are looking for a book to help to start a conversation about feminism with your niece or nephew Moxie may be the one for you. I felt it was more of a middle grade book than a Young Adult literature.
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Drama, Review Shots, Romance |
You know I usually say I never read a book when everyone is talking about it, right? But I am here to show you that I have read some books at the right time. And of course, I forgot to review them right then, which is quite like me of course.
So in our new episode of review shots, let me tell you about books that were not on my TBR and I read them only because of the hype. Well, that never turns out quite well, does it?
Books that I read only for the hype
Book Name: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Madeline “Maddy” Furukawa Whittier, Oliver “Olly” Bright, Pauline Furukawa Whittier, Carla Flores
Setting: Los Angeles, California, The USA
This YA took the Twitter world by a storm and I got the book almost immediately to read it.
Maddy led a very sheltered life all through her life due to her illness. She has never stepped out of her house in years and her mother and her nurse are the only one she interacts with. Them and her book blog. Until a new family moves to their next house.
I liked the book and would have loved it even until for the twist at the end, which I didn’t see coming at all. I normally would love to be thrown off, but this twist was kinda ‘trying too hard’. I also didn’t like the theme that ‘love conquers all, even illness’ that kept surfacing.
I loved reading the story, for the cutesy cheesy love story but it didn’t win my approval.
Book Name: Turtles All the Way Down
Author: John Green
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Aza Holmes, Davis Pickett, Daisy Ramirez, Mychal Turner, Noah Pickett
Setting: Indianapolis, Indiana, The USA
You all know my beef with John Green.
This book had everything that the book world is talking about and needs now. Turtles All the Way Down has #Ownvoice leads, one of whom suffers from mental illness and a mystery the leads had to solve in relation to their parents. Sounds all good to me.
Yet I could not relate to the characters at all, nor did I buy their ‘love story’. Did I mention this book had an absentee parent as well? I know lots of people loved this book but for me it ended as a so-so read because of these reasons and more.
I wanted to like it more than it deserved any way. And probably will stay away from John Green hereon.
Book Name: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Characters: Elsa, Granny, Alf, Britt-Marie, Kent, Ulrika, Lissete, George
Setting: Sweden
Oh I loved Backman’s other book A Man Called Ove and I started reading this one almost immediately. But it took me more than a month to finish this 350 and odd pages and I will tell you why.
The precocious ‘almost eight’ years old Elsa has just lost her grandmother to cancer. Her grandmother was also her best and only friend, who kept her safe at night with the tales of the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas.
Now she is set with the task of handing over apology notes to the wacky characters in their apartment for her grandmother’s past and getting to know more about them and her family as well.
I liked the concept of the book and how the little girl learnt to deal with all the changes and new people in her life. I loved many of these characters and their sub plots. But the book totally went over my head when it came to the imaginary land and its people.
Maybe there is a reason to why I don’t read fantasy much.
Bottom – line
Of course I don’t regret reading them at all. But I wish I hadn’t tried as hard to like them and gave up when I should have. Well, lesson learnt. Maybe.
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Review Shots |
It has been a while since I posted these review shots but here I am. I will be posting these mini reviews on the first Monday of every month, as per my old schedule. And I have a huge review backlog so I will utilizing this chance perfectly.
This week I have three books that everyone, well almost everyone, I know has read already and everything that is to be said about them has been said. So I am gonna make them short and quick, a.k.a bite sized mine reviews.
Book Name: Simon and the homo sapiens agenda
Series: Creekwood #1
Author: Becky Albertalli
Genre: Fiction – Romance, LGBTQA, Young Adult
Characters: Simon Spier, Martin Addison, Abby Suso, Nick Eisner, Leah Burke
Setting: Shady Creek, Georgia, The USA
This book put a smile on my face. I started to read the book just before I watched the movie, as per my usual rule. And I didn’t want to end at all.
Every character was freaking adorable and well adorable. It is a simple boy meets boy story with a hint of mystery angle in it. The writing was so perfect that I read another one of the author’s books. Everyone should read this one.
I loved that the book asked the correct questions about LGBTQA, without being too preachy about it. It also spoke about friendship and family support.
Book Name: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Lara Jean, Peter Kavinsky, Kitty, Margot, Josh
Setting: Charlottesville, Virginia, The USA
I will be reviewing the whole series than each book, as I read them in one shot without stopping between them. I usually don’t love book series but this one bowled me over.
The story revolves around Lara Jean, an introvert who writes letters to her crushes to get it out of her system. Unexpectedly those get delivered to all those boys and hilarity ensues. The leads are so relatable and again family relationships and friendships form a big role in the series.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a a cute story that was converted to a Netflix film just a while ago due to the hype it created. And I assure you the film does not disappoint as well.
Book Name: Nordic King
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Contemporary
Characters: Aurora, King Askel, Clara and Freja
Setting: Copenhagen, Denmark
Aurora is selected to be the new nanny for the Nordic royal family. She is from the Australian outbacks and is no way considered fit to be teaching the royal princess or to be the King’s new girl friend – or is she?
Even though the plot is kinda predictable I enjoyed reading this one. I liked the family dynamics and the friendship between the kids and their nanny. Perfect for a cold afternoon read with cup of coffee.
So how did you like these books? Do you do mini reviews on your blog? Do you like reading them? Let us talk about it.
