Two books I didn't like and two books I loved. ~Callie

 Two books I didn't like and two books I loved.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

I did not like this book. I had heard about it on TikTok and, after my cousin Ava told me her sparkling review of it, I picked it up at the library. I then spent the whole afternoon reading it, never taking a break since I knew I wouldn’t pick it up again. Immediately after finishing it I gave it 1/5 stars but moved that rating up to 2/5 stars because objectively the writing was good.

    Now on to why I didn’t like it. The novel starts out feeling like it would be science-fiction, then shifts towards more drama-y, then out of nowhere it turns into romance. This makes it hard to read since you are just confused about what is happening. The “romance” part of the plot is rushed since the book’s setting is one day long. The characters don’t have much connection between them. The author packs in a lot of backstories to try and make the reader sympathize with the characters but it all just feels rushed. Overall it was not an enjoyable story.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I wanted to like this book but alas I gave it a 2/5 rating. I had seen the movie before and genuinely enjoyed it. So when I saw it was based on a book I decided to check it out from my school library and read it over a week. At first I just thought it was bland, but after finishing it I thought it was bad. I continued to read the whole series because the movies had yet to come out and I wanted to know the true ending.

If you are looking for strong female characters this is NOT your type of book. The main character Lara Jean can be described in one word, naïve. She was in love with her sister's ex-boyfriend while they were dating and throughout the novel makes even worse decisions. The other prominent female characters in the book include her sisters Margot and Kitty, her nemesis Gen, and her best friend Christine. Her sisters are only there to support Lara and have no other use. Gen is only there to create conflict and doesn’t have any other personality traits in this book. Her best friend is the comedic relief of the story and IS ONLY THERE TO SUPPORT LARA. Most of Lara Jean’s struggles are related to her dating life and I just wish the author had made her a more complex character.

Monday’s Not Coming

I had picked up this book for two reasons: The cover was bright red and it was on the top of the shelf at my school library. When checking out the book the librarian Mrs. McClellan warned me it would not be an easy book to read. I finished it quickly, not putting it down until I couldn’t keep my eyes open that night. This was an enjoyable book in most parts, but some parts are so sad that it is hard to read. I gave it 5/5 stars. 

To start, the writing in this book is great. I have read many books with teenage characters and few can write teens who act like real teens. The author also knows how to write young female friendships well. Both these elements made me appreciate the book. This book is harsh. The author shows the harsh reality of abuse and growing up as a black girl in D.C. This book is a fresh breath of air from all the young adult books that sugar coat things to make parents feel more comfortable. If I had to describe this book in one word it would be devastating.

dev·as·tat·ing

/ˈdevəˌstādiNG/

causing severe shock, distress, or grief.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

          This is the book that got me back into reading this. During the Uni summer camp, I had been given the summer reading flyer and one of the options was “Get a book recommendation from a librarian”. So later that day my friend Khuyen and I went up to the library. Although only the main room was open, I still was excited to be there for the first time. I asked Charlie to give me a book recommendation. He asked me what other books/media I liked and I forgot everything I had ever read or watched. Then he handed me this book. I read it all in one night and was exhausted at camp the next since I stayed up so late. I rated it 4/5 stars.

               The writing in this book is great. The plot points flow well together and the pacing is perfect. I couldn't see the main plot twist coming but there are some things you can predict like the main character's sexuality and the romance. I didn't think the book would end the way it did. In fact, I really hated the ending and that is the main reason I didn't give it 5/5 stars. Two subjects very present in this book are racism and homophobia, so trigger-warnings for that. Although these subjects can be hard to read about, they are very necessary for this story. This, and the characters, make the book emotional at parts. A must-read!

That's it for my first blog post! Thanks for reading!