Marlena by Julie Buntin – 3.5 stars
I really liked the premise of this book. I just felt like the execution left a lot to be desired.
There were a lot of weird time jumps that did not always make sense to me. And there were times that it was hard to distinguish what was present day and what was a flashback.
I also didn’t really care for the main character, Cat. I don’t know why. She just didn’t really stand out for me and I never really felt connected to her. She also seemed to be a contraindication of herself. There were times where she was extremely self destructive. But then there were other times that she was oddly self-aware. It just didn’t quite match up.
Marlena as a character was interesting. I almost wish that the story was from her point of view rather than Cat’s. I think it would have been fascinating to be inside her head.
The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives by Theresa Brown, RN – 4.5 stars
I absolutely loved reading this. It is clear from the beginning that Theresa cares deeply for her profession and her patients. Nursing can be rough. Things go wrong when you least expect them. People receive the worst news of their life on your watch sometimes, especially when you are on an oncology unit like Theresa.
Theresa’s thorough walkthrough of her day was fascinating to read. I loved seeing her work through all of the obstacles that came her way. I loved the team aspect of her unit and how each of them were each others’ support. I just really liked this. I read it right after I found out I had passed my NCLEX and it was just what I needed. I truly hope that one day I can be as dedicated, compassionate, and knowledgeable as Theresa.
Chemistry by Weike Wang – 4 stars
The amount that I identified with the unnamed narrator when it came to the pressure of succeeding in school is kind of scary. I haven’t dropped out like she ended up doing, but there were several times throughout my college career that I truly questioned what I was doing and whether or not I wanted to continue doing so.
It was interesting to read about the narrator’s life moving to America from China when she was 6 years old, and how there was an extra added pressure to her life due to the tension in her family as a result of the family’s immigration.
I also thought it was interesting to see how the narrator wasn’t just facing pressure in one aspect of her life. Nearly all aspects were in shambles and she was really having to grapple with that.
I appreciate that Wang had the narrator going to see a counselor. I am a huge supporter of more of this representation in works of fiction. It’s okay to need to go out and seek help. There is nothing wrong with that, especially when you feel like everything is going wrong.
At first, I was a little annoyed by how much the book jumped around. But once I got used to it, I realized that it made complete sense to have the book structured this way.
I really ended up enjoying this book.
The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan – 4.5 stars
I still really really love the cast of characters in this series. I love how diverse of a group they are and also just how funny they are. I especially loved the new character, Alex. She is just so freaking sarcastic and badass.
And I really like that there continues to be no romance between the main characters. I just really like that they are just a group of friends. Though I really do like the relationship between Sam and her fiancee.
I also really liked Riordan’s interpretation of the Norse gods.
It was just a fun, whimsy, hilarious journey of the heroes trying to get Thor’s hammer back.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – 4.5 stars
I grew up watching the movie with Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Claire Danes, Christian Bale, etc. And I loved it growing up. I just never really felt the urge to read the book. But I’m glad I did.
Yes, this is a sweet book. Yes, the characters can be overly annoyingly perfect. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of it at all.
Jo is definitely my favorite character. She’s not perfect and she is stubborn and she just wants what is best for her family.
Amy is my least favorite because she honestly always came off as a spoiled brat to me and I never really saw any growth in her.
I was always pretty ambivalent towards Meg and Beth just because they didn’t really grow as characters, but they also never really annoyed me like Amy did. Though I did tear up a little bit when Beth died.
I do appreciate the life lessons that come out of this book and I honestly think that I enjoyed the movie just as much as the book.
NerdyNurseDaria 