Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz – 3 stars
I read this back in the day (I honestly can’t remember when) and I remember loving it so much. It was back when I was in my vampire high and I thought that this world was fresh and new.
However, on re-read, this was just okay. I thought the characters were pretty two-dimensional and the plot was pretty standard. I also thought the writing wasn’t the best – the pacing isn’t very good and there’s a whole lot of telling rather than showing.
I do still enjoy that the three main focuses are females. I also appreciate that Mimi isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. I’m not saying that she always goes about it in an appropriate manner or that I condone all of her actions, but she is so sure of herself and it was really nice to read.
I do still think that the idea of the vampires originally being Angels is intriguing. I just wish it was a little bit more developed. And I know that there are other books, but there just could have been a little bit more world building in this one for my taste.
The first time I read the series, I only got through the first three or so books, so I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see how the mythology gets developed.
Hemingway Didn’t Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotes by Garson O’Toole – 2.5 stars
I don’t really know what I was expecting from this book, but what I got definitely wasn’t close to it.
It was clear that O’Toole did his research when it came to the quotes that were presented in this book. But there were times where it felt like it just dragged on. And for the most part, it was just boring. It was kind of interesting to read about the history of each quote, but overall, it wasn’t that enjoyable or anything that I’ll remember any time soon.
One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul – 4 stars
This was a really wonderful collection of essays reflecting on Scaachi’s life. It was funnier than I expected but also tackled some serious topics such as racism, body image, and sexual assault with grace.
I really enjoyed reading about Scaachi’s life growing up in Canada as the daughter of immigrants. I especially loved Koul’s description of being Indian in Canada vs. when she would go home to India.
I loved how there were parts where I absolutely identified with the struggles Scaachi faced, but there were way more where I learned through her experiences. I would definitely read anything else that Scaachi writes.
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West – 3 stars
This was just an okay book for me.
There were parts that were decently cute, but overall, I was kind of bored. I figured out who Lily’s secret pen pal was pretty quickly. I honestly didn’t see the attraction between the two of them. I wish that there was more focus on Lily and her best friend rather than just having the best friend be there as support.
I normally love the trope that this story plays with, but it just didn’t do it for me.
With that said, I would be willing to read more books by Kasie West, especially when I’m in the mood for fluffy contemporaries.
Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?: Stories by Kathleen Collins – 3 stars
I really really wanted to love this book. But unfortunately, it just didn’t quite do it for me.
There were a couple of essays that were so powerful. But the majority of them weren’t my favorite.
I did love reading Kathleen’s take on what it means to be black, a woman, and especially a black woman. Especially since it is not something I will ever experience.
I think part of this book missing the mark for me is that I’m not the biggest fan of Collins’ writing style. There were times where it felt like a stream of consciousness that wasn’t my favorite. Her writing also felt unpolished and several of the stories ended and I was like “that’s it?”
I guess I was just hoping for some more.
NerdyNurseDaria 