Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi | Book Review #5

RATING

5/5 stars. An amazing book - highly recommend.

CONTENT WARNINGS

Hate crimes against an Iranian character, homophobia

SUMMARY

Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting. Writing the Great American Novel? Three chapters. His summer internship? One week. His best friends know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion.

With college applications looming, Scott's parents pressure him to get serious and settle on a career path like engineering or medicine. Desperate for help, he sneaks off to Washington, DC, to seek guidance from a famous professor who specializes in grit, the psychology of success.

He never expects an adventure to unfold out of what was supposed to be a one-day visit. But that's what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he's in for the ride of his life. Soon, Scott finds himself sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try--all while opening his eyes to fundamental truths about who he is and who he wants to be.

REVIEW

This is honestly one of the best books I've ever read. Scott was an awesome character to read about, his struggles and his escapes were intense and action packed. His reluctance to learn about his own culture is relatable, and his slightly sarcastic mindset was humorous. I also loved Fiora's confidence, and her own struggles to hide herself, trying hard to not be seen as weak. Trent, though he was usually high, was an enjoyable character, and some of the smaller details about him, how he paid Scott from his own pocket, showed how much he takes things thrown against him, and uses the experiences to make sure that no one else ever feels that way.

I liked how Fiora wasn't just Scott's love interest, and how they never ended up anything more than friends. I haven't been able to find many books lately that don't have the "guy gets the girl and they lived happily ever after" trope, which was refreshing. 

Jeanette's character really showed how subtle discrimination can be sometimes - it's not always getting beat up (which also happens in the book), it could be simply a quote from her, "I'm sorry for [Trent]." Many people don't notice that saying small things can have a major impact on the characters, and her way of treating Scott like he was some kind of summer boy toy just because she didn't think his Iran background would work with her Christian one.

Fiora's desperation of hiding worked well with her crosswords, and her finally getting one published was awesome to read. Scott's family's final acceptance of their son not growing up sheltered was good. I do wish Trent had more closure.

I highly recommend this book! It'll make you laugh and cry (but mostly laugh), and it's an enjoyable read. 

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera | Book Review #4

RATING

3/5 stars. Liked it.

CONTENT WARNINGS

None.

SUMMARY

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it's that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its own business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn't be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriends's things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they can't quite nail a first date... or a second date... or a third. What if Arthur tries to hard to make it work... and Ben doesn't try hard enough? What if life isn't like a Broadway show?

But what if it is?

REVIEW

I loved this! A rom-com in New York City? Sign me up.

I loved the plot and Dylan. Dylan is amazing, and he and Ben are brOTP. I didn't like Arthur - he seemed extremely jealous and he seemed quite manipulative at times - trying to guilt people into getting his way. He was also extremely in the wrong when it came to Ben and Hudson - he hated that Ben didn't tell him about Hudson, but also hated that Ben would talk about Hudson.

The writing style was iffy at times, having a ton of fandom references in a place where other things could have been added in. The book was pretty long, and I felt the one chapter where Ben listened to Hamilton could have been removed, as it didn't seem to push forward the plot. The only time Hamilton was relevant at all was when it was used as a plot device for Ben's constant lateness.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading it. It was funny, and again, Dylan.

Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel by Val Emmich | Book Review #3

written with Steven Levenson. Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul

RATING

3.5/5 stars. Liked it, but the writing style wasn't one of my favorites.

CONTENT WARNINGS

Suicide and depression, mentions of overdosing, drugs

SUMMARY

When a letter that was never meant to be seen draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, Evan is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to pretend that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore - even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents have taken him in like he's their own, desperate to know more bout their enigmatic son from his "closest friend." As Evan gets pulled deeper into the family's swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?

No loner incapacitated by anxiety or hiding from the disappointment in his mother's eyes, this new Evan has a purpose. And confidence. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling, and he comes face-to-face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

REVIEW

I will be rating this on the book stand-alone, not based on the musical at all. That's all on my Tumblr page.

I found this pretty enjoyable. Evan perfectly represented the narcissistic side of anxiety, and his thoughts definitely had a sense of humor into it. Evan wasn't really a likeable character - his intentions seemed in the wrong place at times, but he has a charm to him that will allow you to root for him. 

Connor's chapters had a haunting sadness to it, his regrets but also how he doesn't always seem to miss many people, and his anger preventing him from any type of grieving. His insights on his family by watching over them did give a good glance at how dysfunctional the Murphy family was, and how they sometimes get too proud to show their feelings.

The mention of Jared - a Jewish character - laughing over the Holocaust gave insight of the awkwardness that minorities face when talking about oppression in school. I've felt the awkward glances when talking about the Chinese Exclusion Act, so I can somewhat imagine what it was like for him to sit through an entire lesson on the horrible oppression of his people. I also appreciated the jokes he made about his Jewish backgrounds ("You can be the treasurer" "My parents would like that"), showing others how really, a lot of minorities - myself included - make jokes over our backgrounds.

I liked the dynamics between Evan and the Murphy family, and how he truly just wanted to be noticed, to be loved - by both Zoe romantically and the Murphy's as a family - and how, when you break it down, he's a lonely kid who believes nobody loved him at all, especially his mother. The darkness of his father's leaving seemed to be pronounced, especially with that being a key factor in Evan's actions. Evan also didn't seem to realize that his mother really was there for him, and that she tried her best to keep up with his life, even with it being impossibly hard sometimes.

100% recommend this book. It kept me up for hours reading it (I got it the day it came out), and it was a very enjoyable read.

One Kick by Chelsea Cain | Book Review #2

RATING

4.5/5 stars. Loved this one! 

CONTENT WARNINGS

Rape, pedophilia, kidnapping, murder/attempted murder, violence

SUMMARY

Kick Lannigan, 21, is a survivor. Abducted at age six in broad daylight, the police, the public, perhaps even her family assumed the worst had occurred. And then Kathleen Lannigan was found, alive, six years later. In the early months following her freedom, as Kick struggled with PTSD, her parents put her through a litany of therapies, but nothing helped until the detective who rescued her suggested Kick learn to fight. Before she was thirteen, Kick learned marksmanship, martial arts, boxing, archery, and knife throwing. She excelled at every one, vowing she would never be victimized again. But when two children in the Portland area go missing in the same month, Kick goes into a tailspin. Then an enigmatic man Bishop approaches her with a proposition: he is convinced Kick's experiences and expertise can be used to help rescue the abductees. Little does Kick know the case will lead directly into her terrifying past.

REVIEW

This is definitely one of my favorite books. I really enjoyed Kick - her fighting styles and strength, along with her way through life. I do enjoy how characters can stay hidden, even with the books being from their point of view, and it was good to see some new styles throughout the book. I enjoyed reading Kick's different relationships - the way she treats her brother, James, and her detective partner, Bishop.

There was also a darkness as the book progressed - the ways it revealed that anxiety-ridden James's scars didn't come from a suicide attempt, but from his abductor with bondage fetishes, and how Kick's abductor manipulated her into making videos that still surfaced years later, and deleting information critical to the ring of abductors.

I definitely recommend this if you like crime mysteries along with a normal book about a normal person's life.

Misdirected by Ali Berman | Book Review #1

RATING

3/5 stars. Liked it, wasn't a favorite.

CONTENT WARNINGS

Alcoholics, homophobia (f and q slurs)

SUMMARY

Ben is not like everyone else at his new conservative Christian high school after his family moves from Boston to a small town in Colorado. For one thing, he doesn't believe in God. But when he's bullied at school for his beliefs and falls head over hells for his cute classmate, Tess, he has to determine what's really at stake and what's worth fighting for.

His only friend at school, James, is struggling with his own problems trying to take care of his alcoholic mother. If only Ben's older brother and sister were around to help! But Pete is serving in Iraq, and Emily is off at college with her own life lessons to learn.

.

This quirky coming-of-age story revels in the awkward moments, lingers on the joy an act of kindness can bring, and proposes that respecting everyone's beliefs can be painfully difficult, but work the effort. 

REVIEW

This was definitely a very good book. It included topics many readers would be going through, while also having a lighthearted joking side. I liked reading from a character I really connected with - a scientific based student, trying to make his voice be seen. There have only been a few characters I've seen like that (Melchior Gabor from Spring Awakening) and it's nice to see these characters in different forms.

The writing style is slightly hard to get through - I felt like this was pulling straight from the characters thoughts without editing (which is good for some readers, I personally don't like reading like that), and the dialogue at some points are strands of a few words each that take up a whole page without telling who says what. 

A few of the characters "redemption arcs" weren't well shaped. Kenny - the main bully of the book - had his arc through the death of his older brother who was stationed in Iraq. Kenny and Ben connected slightly over both of their brothers serving, and Ben worried about his brother's chances of death when Kenny gave Ben facts about how slim the chances were of Pete's death. There was never really a formal apology or any punishment directed at Kenny, and it gave the slight of him getting off somewhat scot-free because of pity points.

Overall, this was a fun read, and I recommend it!

Welcome to the Blog

Welcome to the blog! Here, I'll be giving book reviews, something I've always wanted to do, but never really had the time or chance to do it. This is like my third book blog I've tried to start, but let's hope this one goes well.

My name's Sophia, and I've been reading and writing for awhile now. I've always loved to do this, and I'm trying to branch out and share my thoughts on books more professionally than just belting out on Tumblr about how much I like it or whatever.

I didn't know what to call the blog, so I decided to title it "All Shall Know the Wonder," a lyric from one of my favorite songs. It really doesn't have anything to do with books, but hey - books are wonderful, and I just really wanted to use that quote.

Reviews should be coming soon! And also - spoiler alert.