What is the last book you read, and your rating?

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null2018
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Re: What is the last book you read, and your rating?

Post by null2018 »

I just finished Turtles All the Way Down by John Green and rated it 4/5 stars.
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Redlegs
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Post by Redlegs »

I finished two books today.

Firstly, The Sellout by Paul Beatty, winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize.

This was an unusual but thoroughly biting, razor sharp satire, full of wit, sass and off-beat humour, dealing with issues of race in modern America - although its messages transcend that country, as racism is a condition that is universal.

The humour wasn't always the laugh-out-loud kind, but more the knowing smirk kind, even in the more ridiculous parts of the narrative. Beatty puts himself out there to be confrontational, but I suspect that many for whom racism is at the core of their existence just won't get it.

Much of the plot is completely absurd, in the style of the best satire, and the style is caustic and crude. But Beatty hits his mark with a mostly unerring aim, although I suspect that the crudity of some of his language and the black jive rhythm of his observational comedy will not appeal to some readers who like their narratives a little more structured and controlled.

I felt like it hit a bit of a flat spot and lacked some direction in the middle, but I'm certainly happy to give it a solid 4.5 stars out of 5.

Secondly, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle. This was an entertaining fantasy novel for a younger audience, full of religious allegory and moral themes, wrapped up in a fun adventure through space and time.

L'Engle emphasizes themes of individuality, diversity, acceptance and, especially, love in this tale about the awkward Meg Murry, her gifted younger brother Charles Wallace, her twin brothers and her mother and father, along with a new-found geeky friend Calvin O'Keefe.


The ending was a bit corny, but overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. 3.5 stars out of 5.
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
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elabooklover
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Post by elabooklover »

The last book I read was Left to Die by Lisa Jackson and I give it a 5/5.
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chrystalheart
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Post by chrystalheart »

I just re-read the YA book "The Fire Within" by Chris d'Lacey. 4 of 4 stars. I think this book does what it does very well. It uses language appropriate to its demographic. It is a book about dragons which is worth a star on all its own. And it is a meaningful book about how we let go when something we cherish passes out of our life (and how we let go *gracefully*). Beautifully done.
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meglovesreading
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Post by meglovesreading »

The last book I read was The English Wife by Lauren Willig, and it was fantastic! 4/4 stars. It was one of those books that I became totally engrossed in and found myself imagining myself as a character in the story. So much so that I miss the characters now that I'm finished!
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pink boy
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Post by pink boy »

The other day, I finished reading Massive by Julia Bell. The writing was simple in comparison to most books that I read, which really makes it feel like it's written by the teenage protagonist. I would rate it 3/5 stars.
dancinladybugs
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Post by dancinladybugs »

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. 4/5 stars. Really amazing book. I don't want to give much away though.
Latest Review: "Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)" by Janet McNulty
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Iluveb22
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Post by Iluveb22 »

I just finished The Breakdown by BA Paris. I give it 4/5 stars. Minus one star because I began figuring out the ending before I got to the big reveal.
Emmanae
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Post by Emmanae »

I finished UnDivided by Neal Shusterman, and gave it a perfect score. After 40% of the way through I probably would have only given it 3/4 stars, but something happened around 50% that hooked me and I finished 60% of the book in one sitting.
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Danielsond
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Post by Danielsond »

"The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer

Very insightful and helpful if you are interested in quieting your mind and experiencing more peace and joy in your life. Very interesting as he has a unique approach to achieving this which is really quite basic and available to everyone.
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jaylperry
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Post by jaylperry »

The last book I read was our book of the month, And Then I Met Margaret[/]. I gave the book 3 out of 4 stars, docking a point mostly because of typos. I really enjoyed it, and I believe I will return to it again at some point.
“A book, too, can be a star, ‘explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,’ a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”
– Madeleine L’Engle
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Redlegs
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Post by Redlegs »

The Subtle Knife, the second installment in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy continues the adventures of Lyra Belaqua, now sometimes known as Lyra Silvertongue, in her quest to resolve the mysteries of Dust and to find her father, Lord Asriel.

We are introduced to Will Parry, also searching for his missing father, also in imminent danger from the authorities, and who has his own connections to Dust. His and Lyra's causes become inextricably linked.

In a tale that crosses frequently between different worlds through almost invisible windows, Pullman fleshes out his epic yarn involving daemons, witches, angels, Specters, men in balloons and zeppelins and a whole cast of good and evil characters, of both the human and fantasy kind.

I much preferred this second instalment, being more adult in its fantasy concepts, despite having two children, Will and Lyra, as its central protagonists. Some of the childishness that was apparent in Lyra's character in The Golden Compass is less evident here, although Lyra is still capable of the tantrums that are common to precocious girls of her age.

This was an engaging and enjoyable story and I will look forward to continuing it in The Amber Spyglass in due course.

4 stars out of 5.
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
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Rosemary Wright
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Post by Rosemary Wright »

I just finished reading 'Veterans Day' by J. J. Jorgens. I rated it 3 out of stars, and it's for those who love fast-paced mysteries involving crimes.
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Kasslyn
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Post by Kasslyn »

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia. 3/4

Made you up was a great read. A lovely tale of a young girl with schizophrenia and the world she lives in. To any young adult readers out there, I would highly recommend.
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egdi_85
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Post by egdi_85 »

Keshtjella from Ismail Kadare
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