Review: Just Like You (Nick Hornby)

Genre: Adult Fiction
Publisher: Viking UK
Publication Date: September 17th 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 310

Blurb from Goodreads:

The person you are with is just like you: same background, same age, same interests. The perfect match. And it is a disaster.

Then, when and where you least expect it, you meet someone new. You seem to have nothing in common and yet, somehow, it feels totally right.

Nick Hornby’s brilliantly observed, tender but also brutally funny new novel gets to the heart of what it means to fall surprisingly and headlong in love with the best possible person – someone who is not just like you at all.

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RATING

3 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW

I was curious to read Nick Hornby’s books since the existence of High Fidelity TV show on Hulu. Since Just Like You is a story about interracial relationship, I straight away requested this book out of curiosity.

The theme is mainly about the challenges of interracial relationship. In this case, how does a twenty year old age gap and their different political and economical background affects the relationship and their respective families. This romance novel with an unusual setup lays out Joseph and Lucy’s story through their conversations together during their relationship. You can observe how they don’t really have the chemistry as they have different point of views regarding politics and race in general, however they both make it through the relationship at the end.

In my point of view, I don’t think that the author explores their relationship in a convincing and reassuring way at all. For instance, I am not sure why Joseph stays with Lucy till the end because Joseph always has his doubts about dating an older women and he always thinks the possibilities of what would happen if they stay and marry each other. To be honest, I think Joseph only stays for the sex with Lucy because based on the book, they had tonnes of it. Besides, there are no definite story to their relationship. The chapters after they both meet each other are so dull that anything barely happens in the book. There is no sign of Lucy’s ex husband wanting to repair the relationship at all. Fortunately, the story does get better at the end with the meeting between Lucy and Joseph’s mother as at the beginning, Joseph is reluctant for them to meet. From start, we see awkward meet ups and conversations but at the end, both parties understood and respect each other’s decisions.

Sure, race relations are a spot on topic in 2020, but the way the author puts it that you can date a black person and still be racist makes me want to gag.

One of the good things is the Brexit commentary as it shows how people from different kinds of race and economic backgrounds act and react to referendum.

This book is not a bad book, it is just a great read for me. I expect more story behind the relationship, not just the superficial kind of relationship.

Thanks Times Reads for sending me Just Like You in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Before the Ever After (Jacqueline Woodson)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publication Date: September 1st 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 176

Blurb from Goodreads:

National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson’s stirring novel-in-verse explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed and the cost of professional sports on Black bodies.

For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone’s hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he’s as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with as he is to his millions of adoring sports fans. But lately life at ZJ’s house is anything but charming. His dad is having trouble remembering things and seems to be angry all the time. ZJ’s mom explains it’s because of all the head injuries his dad sustained during his career. ZJ can understand that–but it doesn’t make the sting any less real when his own father forgets his name. As ZJ contemplates his new reality, he has to figure out how to hold on tight to family traditions and recollections of the glory days, all the while wondering what their past amounts to if his father can’t remember it. And most importantly, can those happy feelings ever be reclaimed when they are all so busy aching for the past?

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RATING

4 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

This is a beautiful and heartbreaking story about a relationship between a father and his son which the father happens to be a popular football player. Before the Ever After is such a short novel and written in verses but boy, this book does punch you in the gut. The book is separated into two parts, which are before and after his father was diagnosed with this unexplainable disease.

What I love about this book is Jacqueline Woodson took the opportunity to show the readers the situation that happened to football players who suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and how it affects the family members and close friends. It is so heartbreaking to see how a child process and witness the deterioration of the human’s mind such as behavioral and personality changes with thinking and memory problems. For instance when you forget your son’s name or forget to do simple tasks like going to the bathroom.

In real life, football players are also always prone to concussions to a point where there are a lot of football players who face the same problems like ZJ’s father does. Even once upon a time ago doctors don’t have a definite answer and present a suitable treatment for them. Up until Dr Bennet Omalu discovered a new name for the disease and published it in 2011.

This story is such an eye-opener and emotional as it deals with grief and hardship. Such an outstanding book. I look forward to read more books from Jacqueline Woodson.

Special thanks to Times Reads for sending me Before The Ever After in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Breathless (Jennifer Niven)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: September 29th 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 400

Blurb from Goodreads:

The much anticipated new novel from international bestselling author Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places.

You were my first. Not just sex, although that was part of it, but the first to look past everything else into me. Some of the names and places have been changed, but the story is true. It’s all here because one day this will be the past, and I don’t want to forget what I went through, what I thought, what I felt, who I was. I don’t want to forget you. But most of all, I don’t want to forget me.

For her last summer before college, Claudine Henry and her mother head to a remote island off the Georgia coast. There, amidst the wild beauty of the place, she meets the free spirited Jeremiah Crew. Their chemistry is immediate and irresistible, and even though they both know that whatever they have can only last the summer, maybe one summer is enough . . . 

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RATING

4.25 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

Wow, what a read. This is my first time reading a book written by Jennifer Niven and I can conclude that she’s a great writer. I was truly captivated by the story that I just had to stop reading because I didn’t want it to end very soon. It’s one of the books that will ruin you at the end of the book, but it will still give you a sense of hope and happiness.

I love everything about the story especially the themes discussed in the book. There are not so many YA books that discuss about sex and virginity because it is a taboo issue and people are not comfortable enough to talk about it publicly. The theme of sex is explored in a truly exceptional way, a way that I have never seen in any other YA books. There are a lot of sex talks discussed by the characters in the book that can be a conversation starter for people to talk about their experience without being judged. The book also breaks down the misconceptions of virginity and debunking myths about hymen where a person’s value is not based on their virginity. Breathless truly crosses the barrier of YA literature. 

Breathless also talks about handling grief and trauma. The main character, Claudine deals with an enormous grief where her parents are in the midst of having a divorce. One day she would be fine, but the other day she’d be so moody. I guess that how teenagers deal with their problems. It’s not always comfortable to read about them, but that’s how human act and react to many kinds of emotions.

My favorite part of the book is definitely the romance between Claudine and Jeremiah. I don’t usually read romance, but when I do, I always get to read beautifully written romance like this story.  Their relationship are truly fleshed out from the start where we see these two characters cross their path. They have such a healthy relationship as they talk and discuss everything that had happened in their lives. They also had a great time on that island during the summer and it is so exciting to read about their adventure. When they are sad to leave each, I also feel devastated for them as we don’t know what could happen after summer ends. The future is full of uncertainty. 

I was kinda frustrated to read the anticlimactic ending because I am desperate to know what happened to both of them and between Claudine’s parents. I really hope there will be sequel to Breathless because I would love to read about Claudine and Jeremiah all over again.

This has got to be one of the best YA books for 2020. Breathless will definitely be on my best books spot for this year.

Thank you so much Jennifer Niven for your beautiful story. 

Special thanks for Times Reads for sending me Breathless in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Havenfall (Sara Holland)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: March 3rd 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Pansing Books
Page Count: 320

Blurb from Goodreads:

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it — at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds — each with their own magic — together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie’s brother. It’s where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it’s where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens–a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She’ll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she’s letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie–no one can be trusted, and no one is safe…

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RATING 

2 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

I have put this book on hold for such a long time, since March. Mainly because I didn’t have the energy to continue reading it. From the first page, it already set a boring tone that would last throughout the whole book. Since then I DNF’d right until yesterday when I thought, why not just continue this book?

The premise was quite interesting but the execution was horrible and messy. The thing that put me off from reading was how boring and uninteresting the chapters were. A lot of information was thrown around to the readers as if the readers didn’t know anything from reading other fantasy novels. It was so annoying to a point where I had to stop reading. However, the writing was okay.

The characters were not much of a help either. The main character, Maddie was uninteresting and naive, as any YA character you would meet. All of the minor characters felt flat and didn’t really have any kind of solid reasons to be in the story.

Honestly, the book could’ve been much better but it didn’t. I’m so sure if I am going to read the sequel next year. If I do, I am hoping that it won’t disappoint.

Thank you Pansing Books for sending me Havenfall in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: The Testaments (Margaret Atwood)

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Nan A. Talese
Publication Date: September 2019
Format: Hardback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 419

Blurb from Goodreads:

Fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within.

At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results. Two have grown up on opposite sides of the border: one in Gilead as the privileged daughter of an important Commander, and one in Canada, where she marches in anti-Gilead protests and watches news of its horrors on TV. The testimonies of these two young women, part of the first generation to come of age in the new order, are braided with a third voice: that of one of the regime’s enforcers, a woman who wields power through the ruthless accumulation and deployment of secrets. Long-buried secrets are what finally bring these three together, forcing each of them to come to terms with who she is and how far she will go for what she believes. As Atwood unfolds the stories of the women of The Testaments, she opens up our view of the innermost workings of Gilead in a triumphant blend of riveting suspense, blazing wit, and virtuosic world-building.

RATING

3 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

I love watching The Handmaid’s Tale TV series on Hulu, so reading The Testaments is definitely a must for me. I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale book yet but I can safely say that if you have watched the first three seasons of the show, you can read this book.

One of the reasons why I truly enjoy watching the TV series is because the main character, June Osborne is such a compelling character. You really want her to win after all she’s been through under the prejudiced treatment from Gilead. Since The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, I really want to know what happened to her. Did she die? Did she run away to Canada and never look back? I really have to read this.

The Handmaid’s Tale universe really reads like your general YA dystopia like The Hunger Games, Divergent etc. It has the “chosen one” trope with a resistance growing under the cruel reign of Gilead. I am definitely familiar with all of the tropes found in the book, hence I kinda expected what was going to happen at the end with the characters and all. The predictability was something I didn’t really like about the book.

The book is narrated by three POVs, Agnes, Jade and Aunt Lydia. At first, I was kinda bummed that we didn’t get to see June anymore but little did I know that she’s definitely in the picture but not explicitly explained. The first two characters are teenagers in the book, so their inner monologues and thoughts are childish and have lack of maturity that makes The Testaments sounds like a middle grade book. If the book is narrated by an adult, the book could’ve been much thinner. Maybe the author wanted to make this book appealing to a younger generation but I crave for more mature content as we have seen in the TV series. They are not as engaging as June.

I also want to complain about the thickness of the book. The book has so many filler chapters that if deleted, the story could still be delivered to the readers.

Another downer is that there are so many question left unanswered. After waiting for 35 years after the initial release of The Handmaid’s Tale, people would have wanted to know more of Gilead. Does the system slowly going to shambles? Are there a resistance fighting Gilead? However, there is no major revelation revealed in the book. That makes my reading experience so disappointing for the fact people have been waiting for sequel to be spectacular but instead the end result is upsetting.

Although I enjoy this solely based on an entertainment perspective, I really think The Testaments can be improved. I want more solid plot with engaging characters. I feel like this book is forced to be written, that’s why the book turns out to be just mediocre. I went into this book with such hype and morbid curiosity but I was disappointed at the end.

I can’t wait for season four and I really hope they don’t mess it up. The TV series is our only hope now. Blessed to be the fruit!

Special thanks to Times Reads for sending me The Testaments in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: The Vanishing Half (Brit Bennett)

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publication Date: June 2nd 2019
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 352

Blurb from Goodreads:

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Ten years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters’ storylines intersect? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person’s decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins. As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.

RATING

4.5 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

The Vanishing Half has got to be the most hyped book I’ve ever read for this year. Imagine a few weeks after its release, the book has already secured a limited TV series adaptation by HBO. Hollywood is indeed desperate for more Black Lives Matter content to produce, so I think this series will be such an important show for viewers to watch and learn. The producers of this show will have a difficult task to make sure the show truly follows the concept of the book.

The Vanishing Half discusses about racial identity and the idea of “passing”. I’ve never heard the term before so I was kinda confused why the author decided to use it. Based on the story, passing means when a Black community passes to become white. They leave their old identity because they want to escape slavery and racial violence and to gain more social benefits.

The book also touches on issues like the lightness of your skin and the biases that exists within the Black community itself. Mallard, the fictional town was founded by Stella and Desiree’s ancestors for light skinned Black people to live. One of the reasons why they created this town was the residents wanted to create more light skinned generations of children. They wanted a place where they refused to be treated as Negroes but at the same time, they couldn’t be treated as white. Over time, the town became prejudice to dark skinned Black people. This was the turning point where Stella and Desiree rejected these ideas that they decided to run away.

The story is told from multiple point of view – the sisters and their daughters, Jude and Kennedy. The story tells us about the sisters’ upbringing and their motivation to run away from their hometown, Mallard to start a new life. The story also tells us about their daughters’ journey on navigating and figuring out life. My favorite part of the book is definitely the part where Jude and Kennedy’s life intertwined with each other as they both discovered their own heritage and similarities. The story and characters really kept me curious and intrigued to read it until the end.

It was so interesting to see how the twins were basically raised in the same house but they grew up to be two different people as they went into two different directions. It hurt me when Stella left her own Black heritage to be white and at the same time, I really wonder how she could stand living and pretending the lie. She couldn’t even tell her own daughter about her family stories that it was like all of her family were dead.

From what I could learn about this book is that identity is really complicated. We want to simplify it using our language but the surface is just the facade of it.

The reason why I didn’t give this book a solid five stars because the first hundred pages was a bit hard to read as I was just familiarizing with the writing style and the ending could have ended with some closure instead what happened in the book.

All in all, just read this thought-provoking and timely story. You will bring something home to ponder upon.

Thank you Times Reads for sending me The Vanishing Half in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Darius the Great Is Not Okay (Adib Khorram)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date: August 20th 2019
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 321

Blurb from Goodreads:

Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian – half, his mom’s side – and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life.

Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush – the original Persian version of his name – and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab.

Adib Khorram’s brilliant debut is for anyone who’s ever felt not good enough – then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay.

RATING

3.5 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

I have been eyeing this book for so long now since it first came out in 2018 and I have finally finished reading it. Everyone in the YA community is still raving about how good this book is that I had to judge it by myself.

In the first chapter of the book, we are instantly introduced to Darius who works as a part time barista at Tea Haven. There are so many tea references in this book as many of its characters are tea drinkers themselves. I also get to learn how to make tea and what is the best way to drink tea. It’s best to drink it without sugar. Not that I’m that brave to drink it bitter.

I enjoy Darius’s adventure in Iran with his family for their short vacation. Iran really comes alive in the pages of the book. I love learning about Persian culture from its food, celebrations and historical places. Iran truly touches all of my senses from taste (the amazing cuisines and desserts), sight, hearing (the sound of azan) and smell. It is refreshing to see a YA book comes out from its natural habitat aka the normal life in America to exploring and learning about new places and culture.

I appreciate the platonic relationship in this book with Darius and Sohrab. I initially thought that this book is going to be centered around a gay romance simply because I read everywhere that this book is queer. After I read the author’s interview, it is implied that Darius is gay.

However, I don’t appreciate Darius sometimes being treated badly by Sohrab. There are instances where Sohrab hurts Darius by his words during the football match. I feel like the relationship feels really shallow as they rarely talk about deep stuffs and also they become close so quickly like won’t you want to know the person better before opening up about your problems?

I also feel like Darius’ father is little bit too harsh to his only son. There are times where his father judges his eating habits and body size. He should have just advice Darius nicely without being so condescending.

Depression is one of themes in this book and the author has stated how depression affects Darius’ way of thinking and accepting things. It is nice to see how his parents supports him no matter what he does.

I am interested in reading the second book of the series, Darius the Great Deserves Better which just came out a week ago. I would love to know how the author writes about his life and sexuality in context of Southwest Asian point of view.

Thanks to Times Reads for sending me Darius the Great Is Not Okay in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Again Again (E. Lockhart)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 2nd 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Times Reads
Page Count: 289

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud comes a complex novel about acceptance, forgiveness, self-discovery, and possibility, as a teenage girl attempts to regain some sense of normalcy in her life after a family crisis and a broken heart.

If you could live your life again, what would you do differently?

After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times–while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

A raw, funny story that will surprise you over and over, Again Again gives us an indelible heroine grappling with the terrible and wonderful problem of loving other people.

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RATING

3 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

My review for Genuine Fraud.

Again Again is a story of “what ifs” in your life in terms of your choices, wishes and regrets. The book is full of paragraphs of alternative or parallel universes where it tells you what instead will happen if something goes in the different way. Throughout the book, you will see the outcome of a situation is different if something (no matter how big or small) had been said or done differently by Adelaide, the main character.

This is also a book about love. It tells you about the love for family and most importantly the love for yourself. I appreciate the family scenes where they all bond together regardless of their situation. This book also tells you about opioid addiction, which is a long-lasting addiction disease that can cause major health, social and economic issues. You must have heard that opioids are used for patients to relieve pain. However, they are widely misused in America and many people die from over dosage. Seeing how the person in the book struggles with the addiction really breaks my heart.

This is actually a very mature and thoughtful book that I had to stop reading and ponder things that I have read. There are many mixed reviews about this book, but in my opinion it is far better than Genuine Fraud. I couldn’t stand that book at all. While for Again Again, I can somehow relate to Adelaide’s situation. The reason I am giving three stars for this book is because I am not satisfied with the story and ending as I crave for more action and adventure. All in all, it is still a good read.

Thank you Times Reads for sending me Again Again in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: Private Lessons (Cynthia Salaysay)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: May 12th 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Pansing Books
Page Count: 320

Blurb from Goodreads:

In a standout debut for the #MeToo era, a young pianist devotes herself to her art — and to the demanding, charismatic teacher she idolizes.

After seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay’s father’s death, only music has helped her channel her grief. Claire likes herself best when she plays his old piano, a welcome escape from the sadness — and her traditional Filipino mother’s prayer groups. In the hopes of earning a college scholarship, Claire auditions for Paul Avon, a prominent piano teacher, who agrees to take Claire as a pupil. Soon Claire loses herself in Paul’s world and his way of digging into a composition’s emotional core. She practices constantly, foregoing a social life, but no matter how hard she works or how well she plays, it seems impossible to gain Paul’s approval, let alone his affection.

Author Cynthia Salaysay composes a moving, beautifully written portrait of rigorous perfectionism, sexual awakening, and the challenges of self-acceptance. Timely and vital, Private Lessons delves into a complicated student/teacher relationship, as well as class and cultural differences, with honesty and grace.

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RATING

2 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

This review is full of spoilers. Be warned.

TW: Sexual assault, sexual content, underage drinking, age-gap relationship, rape. 

I didn’t expect that after reading this book that I had to write a bad review. I generally support and love reading diverse reads from diverse authors, but this book was so bad that I just had to give a bad rating.

The writing was okay but the plot progression was so slow that it took 200 pages to finally reach to the climax of the story, which was about this toxic relationship between Claire and her music teacher, Paul

The main character, Claire was so annoying. She was a bad friend to Tash and a bad daughter to her mother. I don’t understand why it is so hard for authors to write about obedient children who do not fight with the parents all the time. I know that teenagers tend to rebel but there are times that we cannot rebel such as after a death of your parent.

The main character also made terrible choices. I don’t understand that she developed a crush on to this 40-50ish year old man who was really strict and hard on her at the first place. I honestly think that having a romantic relationship with your teacher is so wrong on so many levels. How do you generate professionalism if you cannot separate between love and work? I am never a fan of this teacher-student relationship. It is easy for the teacher to manipulate the student into doing unimaginable things.

I was also surprised by the fact that Claire also house-sat for Paul when he was away for his music stuff. The fact that a teenager is house-sitting for a middle age man’s house is deeply disturbing. Why would her mom agree to Claire house-sitting for Paul? Asian moms are always written to be so strict but in this particular moment for some reason her mother wasn’t there to stop her.

I was also upset about the graphic sex scenes in this book. If you want to include an extremely graphical sex scene in a book, at least have the decency to include a trigger warning on the first page of the book. You have no idea how dangerous and triggering it is for people. I could say that I was definitely not ready to read a clear description of a rape scene.

I am so disappointed with this book. I really thought that this diverse story will be a good read, but sadly it is far from it.

Thank you Pansing Books for sending me Private Lessons in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina

Review: The Austen Girls (Lucy Worsley)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children
Publication Date: April 2nd 2020
Format: Paperback
Source: Pansing Books
Page Count: 289

Blurb from Goodreads:

By turns thrilling, dramatic and inspiring, this is the story of Jane Austen’s life as you’ve never heard it before.

It is 1809 and Fanny and Anna have just been launched on to the ruthless Regency marriage market by Fanny’s mother (think Mrs Bennet). But luckily their mysteriously wealthy Aunt Jane is there to guide them and help them make better choices – i.e. don’t get married at all!

Jane plays detective to help them rescue a falsely accused friend from being transported to Australia, while Anna impetuously makes and breaks an engagement. Fanny is forced to leave the marriage market when her mother dies and she has to look after ten siblings. She learns the secret of Jane’s wealth and self-possession (she is, of course, a writer) and decides to follow in her footsteps.

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RATING

3 STARS

HERE’S MY REVIEW!

Believe me or not, but I haven’t read anything by Jane Austen. I am deeply interested in reading them since people are still raving about her books, so I will definitely make my time to check them out.

The story basically surrounds this one specific theme which is young girls getting married. Truth to be told, I am so disturbed by this matter because young girls are supposed to achieve and discover new things before settling down for a man. However, tradition changes as time goes by. Reading about the girls’ argument about early marriage makes me want to puke. I really appreciate if the author discuss about why during the old days, young girls are pressured into getting married. I hate reading something that is not discussed thoroughly in a book.

Jane Austen is the MVP of this story. Her appearance makes my reading experience bearable to say the least. She is the definition of a strong and independent woman who does whatever it takes to make her goals achievable. Even though women face endless limitations compared to men back in the day, Jane Austen successfully wrote many books that people till now, still enjoy.

Special thanks to Pansing Books for sending me The Austen Girls in exchange of an honest review.

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Sabrina