Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

4 stars (originally 2 stars)

Check out my original review here.

The story behind Guy Montag is an ironic one. Montag is a fireman who burns books and as the novel progresses becomes obsessed with retaining books and the information within them to make sense of the world around him. Bradbury is a staple science fiction writer and his tales spoke of warnings to society about the reliance of technology. I was originally introduced to Montag’s story of a fireman whose job is to burn as a freshman in high school. Interestingly enough, I read the book in April of 2013 and four years later as a freshman in college I’m reading Fahrenheit 451 again for an essay on book banning and challenging. I originally gave this book 2 stars, which seems harsh but also understandable. Younger Sarah did not like classics and referred to this novel as being “older than my mom so it’s original in my opinion”. Young Sarah gave no fucks about the classics and hated metaphors according to my prior review. I don’t agree with Young Sarah at all. I was very callous and wasn’t able to see a world without books, even ones I didn’t like, but as I’ve done more research and see how books are still challenged today I see the importance of a novel like this.


Is Bradbury the perfect writer? Absolutely not. His writing can be a little sluggish when pacing falters and a lot of this novel is spent of reflecting and imaging. It’s not the most immersive pacing, but the words that Bradbury has put on the page are striking and remain with the reader. I also, love Bradbury’s metaphors. As time goes on and I become a more well-rounded reader, I look for novels that have meaning and substance. This novel has that and while not all novels that have meaning speak to me, this one does because I believe our society has and will always be one that prefers technology to conversations and thought. It is how our society has shaped and it’s not a bad thing, but it has left humans disconnected from one another. Relationships are not built on the same foundation that once were and sadly, Montag and Millie’s relationship perfectly captures a couple who doesn’t know why they are together and don’t feel a connection to each other because screens and “the family” block that both. Maybe I sound cynical, but I see it every day with couples and not all couples are like this, but the majority is now. A lot of people feel that Bradbury’s novel is outdated, but I disagree. I feel like Fahrenheit 451 is mirroring the twenty-first century more and more every day.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3.75

The main male character is Guy Montag. I don’t have a connection to Montag and when it comes to dystopian novels his character is one that seems to be confused, panicked, and I can’t connect to him. Montag pales in comparison to Offred or Winston Smith because his personality doesn’t make me feel for him. He also doesn’t have very many memories of the past and this disconnection to his past makes it hard to connect to him.


Swoon Hero Worthy Scale: 3

This is a very small novel, but there is a large cast of characters that cement Montag’s journey from a burner of books to a reader of books. The cataclysm for his journey is Clarice, a neighbor who likes to ask questions and takes walks. Montag’s interactions with Clarice lead him to seeing the world and looking at things, like the moon, that he previously ignored. Clarice dies unexpectedly and her death leads to him taking higher level risks than his previous ones. Millie or Mildred is Montag’s wife and we are first introduced to her in a comatose state due to sleeping pills. Immediately, her stomach is pumped and she is brought back to life and her existence continues. Millie is an odd character because she is perfectly paints what an individual obsessed with TV looks like and while today TV isn’t obsession iPhones create Millies by the billions every day. She likes to drive fast in the beetle to feel alive and she remains a disconnected individual towards her husband. Faber becomes a friend and ally to Montag when it comes to books. I really liked Faber’s interactions with Montag and he called himself a coward which is a very brave statement to make because most cowards deny cowardice, but he saw that he could do something and hid in house. Beatty is a confusing character. He seems to be the villain because he is the Captain of the Firemen, but as we see at the end this is not the case. I have a strong feeling that Beatty loved books and didn’t want to live in a world where books could not be read. He was constantly quoting books and writers under the guise of haggling or expressing how unnecessary books are, but someone who doesn’t value books would have no need to express his feelings through quoting others. In the end, Montag finds a group of men who have become books. It’s a really interesting concept and the feeling of hope at the end of the novel after a war breaks out and destroys the city. I’m quite happy with the way Bradbury has ended Fahrenheit 451 because it feels like a new beginning.


Character Scale: 4

Overall, my thoughts on Fahrenheit 451 have changed drastically. I originally didn’t like this book very much and I do think it was because I was too young to have appreciated in. My reading tastes at the time were not looking for a novel like 451 and being forced to read it did not help. I recommend this to anyone who loves Bradbury or dystopian novels. I feel like this novel is a staple to the dystopian genre and any fan should pick this novel up.


Plotastic Scale: 4.5

Cover Thoughts: My edition is a book of matches. Literally, matches within a book! I love my edition so much and I’m happy to own a copy of this novel.

Have you read Fahrenheit 451? Have you ever read a book that you didn't like and enjoyed later after rereading? What's you favorite dystopian novel? Let me know down below in the comments!

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh

Second book in the Westcott series

2.25 stars

“What I set as my primary goal in life was all a mirage in a vast, empty desert.”

Camille Westcott has lost everything. Her life has been turned upside down since finding out that her father’s marriage to his mother was a sham and her and her siblings are illegitimate. She finds herself in Bath at the orphanage where her half-sister lived and becomes a teacher to the orphans without any knowledge of children. Joel Cunningham is a renowned artist known for capturing self-portraits that bring out a person’s personality. Joel is no stranger the orphanage that Camille finds herself teaching at as he lived there as a child and teaches art to the orphans. Camille’s demeanor is stiff and cold and he finds nothing tasteful about her since her rejection of his dear friend (Camille’s half-sister), Anna, but when Camille’s grandmother commissions him to paint a portrait of her, he finds himself becoming attracted to her. This book is bland. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a HR novel that didn’t have me speed reading through (even my least favorite one I read quickly), but this one was so easy to put down. There are quite a few issues I have with this novel, but it also isn’t horrible because when it was fun to read I wasn’t bored and I found myself squealing at the cute moments.


Balogh’s writing style is impassion and cold. It’s hard to make a connection to her when her character match her writing style at the beginning of the novel. Another con to Balogh’s writing style is her tendency to have really long mental interjections before starting a conversation. It gets really easy to lose interest when I’m reading a conversation that last several pages because there are so much unnecessary anecdotes that lack in humor and are filled with existential drama. This story didn’t entrance me and in my opinion, that’s a bad sign in a HR. HR romance should make me want to never stop reading and I should gobble it the story up because it’s just so swoony and fun. This novel lacks just that.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 2

“Life has kick us in the teeth, Abby, and I am about to kick back. Hard.”

The main female character is Camille. Camille has the personality of a bag of bones, even then I’m sure skeletons are more fun than her.

She is a very refined character and her thoughts don’t feel real for a very long time. My interactions with Camille were not off to a good start at the beginning of the novel and I couldn’t find myself wanting to connect to her cold, whiny inner monologues. Camille is also incredibly selfish. Her mind is all woe-is-me my life is over and ruined. Waah waah waah!


The funny thing is that Camille does grow on the reader. I’m studying to teach high school English and I loved her interactions with teaching the children. It made my soul so happy. Camille’s interactions with baby Sarah are her saving grace. It’s those interactions that made her human and I could see that Camille wasn’t a cold-hearted aristocrat no longer in high society, but a woman who didn’t know love and wanted to give it to someone small.


Camille also made a complete 180 out of nowhere from being cold to shoving tongue happily into Joel’s mouth, which is great, but a little out of left field for her personality. Then she became cold and stiff again then she randomly jumps into bed him with. I was proud of Balogh for allowing Camille to have a true first sexual experience. She doesn’t have an orgasm and it’s refreshing and believable. Then Balogh ruins it with that annoying trope of fuck and run while calling herself a naïve idiot for putting her love in someone who may not love her.

Like please, can we stop with this trope? Why can’t we have a heroine who has sex and doesn’t feel ashamed by her actions just because affections may not be returned.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 2.5

The main male character is Joel. Joel is so bland. He is boring and I couldn’t find myself falling for him. He is not the type of HR hero that makes me swoon and it made story pretty boring. An orphaned painter shouldn’t be such an uninteresting character, but Balogh somehow managed to make his character dull. He does grow into a more interesting and fleshed character as the story progresses, but by the last page I still found myself unimpressed by his comments and I just didn’t really care all that much for him.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 2

I haven’t read the first novel in this series, so I hadn’t met Anna prior to reading this novel. I can’t say I’m impressed with Balogh by her introduction to a beloved character because it left a sour taste in my mouth. I’m introduced to her in a POV after a tense interaction with Camille and it results in her and Camille’s cousin, Lizzie, making snide judgmental comments about Camille’s state of dress and her personality. I understand from reviews that people didn’t like Camille, but I honestly didn’t like Anna very much because of this at first. The first time I'm introduced to a character in a book, POV wise, shouldn't be them judging another woman while also saying "I so want to like her, but I don't know if I can because of how she treated me in the past" (paraphrased). Anna did grow on me as the story went on, but I still can’t get over my first introduction being a catty bitching session about a woman.


I did enjoy seeing a huge family like the Westcotts in a HR because most families are quite small, but this family was huge. I couldn’t keep track of all of them and it reminded me of how big my family dinners are because I come from a large family as well. I enjoyed Abigail, Camille’s sister, and Avery, Anna’s husband, but besides them no one really stuck out to me. The connection to Joel’s family is quite interesting and I really felt for him for his new knowledge and sudden loss. It’s too bad the character wasn’t around more because I found his dry humor hilarious.


Character Scale: 2.75

Overall, I don’t know if I would recommend this. It’s not my favorite HR and it’s definitely the best. There are much better ones out there and I would recommend Lisa Kleypas, Sarah MacLean, and many more before I would recommend picking this one up just because it’s not very fun and the characters are bland. The novel remains at a stagnant pace for a long time and I almost DNFed because of how bored I was. I’m glad I finished though because I found the ending to be sweet. SPOILER I wish that there were more adoption endings in HRs because I think it’s so beautiful to welcome unwanted children into the lives of those who are willing and able to provide for them.SPOILER If you do decide to pick this one up, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.


Plotastic Scale: 2.25

Cover Thoughts: I love the cover for this one. It’s stunning!

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Are you interested in picking up Someone to Hold? Have you read Mary Balogh? Any recommendations as to what other books I should pick up? I know she is beloved and I just think this one was a miss for me. Let me know down below in the comments!

A Feast of Sorrows by Angela Slatter Video Review

 

Hi everyone! I read A Feast of Sorrows at the end of 2016 and here are my thoughts!

 

3.75 stars 

Have you read A Feast of Sorrows? What's your favorite short story collection or retelling? Let me know down below in the comments!

Books I Want on My Bookshelf!

I love to buy books! I'm sure most bloggers do, but I also know a lot of bloggers use libraries. I used to use libraries, but I would check twelve books out at time and read only four-ten and none of the books I already owned would get read. So, I stopped going to the library, but I LOVE library sales and think they are the best. I also work in a library at my university, so I'm used to be around smelly, moldy books and documents (I mean this lovingly, but some of those books STINK!) and I relish in the feel of new books because of it. I do love to buy used books though because I'm always looking for a deal. The problem is... I'm a broke college student with an expensive addiction. Books are expensive and you can't just buy one at a time (I have started to do this with much restraint not to buy five more), so keeping up the addiction to buying is not a priority. I do buy books, though, I may be paying way through college, but I know how look for a sale so I can still pay my tuition on time. Anyway, when I can't buy books (I'm treating myself once finals are over!!!!!!!!!) I dream about the books I want to own on my shelf. Here's a list of some books I need in my life like as of yesterday!
                                                                        The Books:

                                                           Books I've Already Read:

 
1) All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood- I received this ARC from Netgalley and it was the first book I finished in 2017. It was absolutely AMAZING and I love this book so much. I contemplated whether I want to buy the hardcover or wait for the paperback, but if I can get the hardcover cheap online I'd prefer to buy that because it has the constellations that play such an important role in the book. LOVE this and you should all read it!
2) It by Stephen King- I used to own this book. It was a first edition hardcover and at twelve years old, I carried it around for two months. This was first SK novel and I was horrified, but too young to appreciate it. I've been reading King again the last couple years and even reread a Night Shift (so good and I highly recommend) and I'm excited to reread this and for the movie!
3) The Complete Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin- I loved the first two Mara Dyer books, but I need to reread them before I finish the trilogy and I originally checked them out from the library. This box set is tempting me and I want it.
4) Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher- I read this book in eighth grade and I loved it so much. I think about it all the time and I would love to reread it and own it.
5) Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys- I borrowed this from my sister and loved it so much. I want to own and reread this, especially since I heard that a movie is coming out based off of this story.
6) Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor- I own the other two books in this trilogy and it's one of my all-time favorite series, but I don't own this book and it's an injustice to Laini Taylor and my bookshelf. I must fix this soon.
7) Burned by Ellen Hopkins- I loved this book and it's my favorite Hopkins novel. I own Smoke, but refuse to read it until I reread this novel. I need to get myself a copy!
                                                                     Series Books: 

   
8) Dark Bites by Sherrilyn Kenyon- I have yet to continue with this series (that I used to love) because I stopped at a novella and this book contains that novella and I need it because for some reason I can't pick up the next book without having read the novella because my brain won't let me.
9) If There Be Thorns/Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews- I read Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind in seventh grade and Flowers in the Attic remains one of my favorite classics, but I have yet to continue the series and I know what happens because I watched and loved the Lifetime movies. 
10) Angel's Flight by Nalini Singh- I'm a huge fan of the Guild Hunter series and this includes a book of short stories in it. I do want to reread the series, so I may just buy this one and the ones I've read (four) and continue the series.
11) One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost- I loved Halfway to the the Grave and I don't know why I've put off buying this book.
                This Has Been on My TBR for Years, But I Don't Own It For Some Reason:

12) Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning- This book has been on my TBR since 2011 and I have always really wanted to read it because Irish fae! I need to get my act together and buy a copy.
13) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray- Also on my TBR since 2011 and I loved Beauty Queens and I have almost bought this book several times. No excuses.
14) Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt- Also on TBR since 2011 (seeing a pattern, here?) This book is about a girl falling in love with Death. Yes, please. It's harder to find, but I'm going to get online soon.
15) Lips Touch Three: Times by Laini Taylor- (TBR Since 2011) I wish I had bought this at Walmart twenty billion years ago, but I hadn't read Laini Taylor yet and didn't know she was freaking amazing.
16) Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews- TBR since 2012 (a break in the pattern) and I really wan to check this UF out. It's a beloved favorite of the genre and I want to see if I'll dig Andrews.
17) Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas- (TBR since 2012) I LOVE LISA KLEYPAS! I still don't know why I haven't started this series yet and I need to get it together and buy and read all the books.
18) Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks- (TBR since 2012) This features a deaf heroine and a Scot! I need this in my HR!
19) Splintered by A.G. Howard- I almost bought this a month ago because it was on sale, but I had to pay tuition and didn't want to spend too much money.
20) All the Rage by Courtney Summers- I love Summers and I've been wanting to read this since 2012 (long before it was released), which means I don't own it at all because all the books I want I never buy when they come out.
21) Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson- (TBR since 2012) This is a Peter Pan retelling from Tiger Lily's POV and I need it! Everyone loves it and I have yet to even see it at a bookstore.
22) Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty- I'm not a contemporary reader (unless it's dark and gritty), but everyone loves this and I read Keertana's review for it years ago and have wanted to read it since.
23) First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones- (TBR since 2012) I've heard that this is funny and I love funny PNRs.
24) Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay- (TBR since 2012) I've heard great things about this novel and while it's not my usual genre, I'm really interested in this one.
25) Archangel by Sharon Shinn- I look for this every time I'm at a bookstore, but have only found sequels. I'm going to have to get this online!
26) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes- I read this in class in eighth grade, but it was an abridged edition and I've always wanted to read this novel. The parts I did read touched my heart and soul.
27) Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec- I love the summary for this and it sounds hilarious.
28) Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett- Cults? Yes, please. I'm fascinated by these kinds of stories.
29) Written in Red by Anne Bishop- I'm so interested in this because this is like my perfect plot. Everything in the summary appeals to me.
30) In the After by Demetria Lunetta- This sounds intense and I'm digging the description. Zombies and a teenager girl rescuing a child? Love the sound of this!
31) Enclave by Ann Aguire- People LOVE this one and I almost buy it every time I see it.
32) Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis- A world without water?! That sounds so interesting and I'm really interested in picking up a McGinnis novel.
                                  I'm a Picky Bitch and Want to Replace My Ugly Copy:
 
33) Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare- I refuse to read my ugly cover. I hate the original editions (except for Clockwork Princess) and I want an excuse to own pretty covers like this. #coversnob
34) Delirium by Lauren Oliver- That ugly girl in leaves cover has got to go and I refuse to read it. #coversnob
35) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold- I don't mind my movie copy, but it's a really old used massmarket paperback and I want this pretty paperback instead. Plus it's in the bargain section at BooksaMillion and I almost bought it a month ago, but was trying not to spend more than $30, so I didn't get it. It shall be mine soon.

This isn't even all the books I really want to buy! I have an addiction! I definitely would like to a do second part to this post, so let me know if you are interested in seeing that! Do you want any of these books? Are any of your favorite books mentioned above? Let me know down below in the comments!

My Bookish Thoughts

 

Currently Going in My Life:

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I'm currently in my last three weeks of the spring semester and Spring Break is in one week. I'm so excited and so ready for a break! I'll be going to the World War II Museum in New Orleans, so I'm looking forward to seeing it for the first time. I'm also planning on cutting my hair because winter guard season is finally over! This was my university's my first time doing winter guard in four or five years and it was so much fun to be the new team to set the bar. Our show was called Break the Silence. It's based off a song called Break the Silence and it's a song about a woman is forced into prostitution. Our team took the song and turned into a message about all women or men breaking the silence, whether it comes from someone else hurting them or themselves. It was a really important show to me and it's my favorite show that I've ever performed. We placed second in our division and I'm so excited for next year!

Books Mentioned in the Video:

  Too Late by Colleen Hoover- 3.5 stars. For what this novel is worth, it's dramatic and over-the-top. It's an incredibly addictive story that I gobbled up in two days (which is crazy because reading in my first semester of college was not a huge priority). I don't condone Hoover's usual usage of sexual abuse as a plot device, but in this novel, I understand why it was used. I talk more about my thoughts on that in my video.

 Existentialism: From Dostoevsky to Sartre by Walter Kaufmann- 3 stars Watch my video for my thoughts on specific philosophers and watch me butcher their names and the word "hieroglyphics". I promise I can speak English, but y'all... I get so excited sometimes that my brain and my mouth don't align. 

Who Killed Kurt Cobain? The Story of Boddah by Nicolas Otero- DNF Check out my review here.

The Twilight Zone: The Shadow by David Avallone- 4 stars It's no secret that the The Twilight Zone is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Check out my review here. 

In Search of Scandal by Susanne Lord- 1.25 stars This is my least favorite HR EVER!!!! I'm so angry because this could have been so good, but the sexual abuse and the constant back and forth between the love interests infuriated me and made me lose all respect for this story.

Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on them? Interested in reading any of them? Let me know down below in the comments!

Rant Review on HP and The Cursed Child and Gushing Review on And Then There Were None

 

Hello, al1! I'm doing things slightly different for this book review video. Usually I talk about the books a little down below, but I won't be doing that for these two books. If you're interested on my thoughts, please watch my video and I do plan on writing reviews for these books, but that may take years at the rate I review!

Books:

  

What were your thoughts on "Harry Potter" and the Cursed Child? Have you read And Then There Were None? If so, what other Christie books would you recommend I read? Let me know down below in the comments!

This Video is a Hot Mess: My Bookish Thoughts

 

Hello, lovelies! I'm still posting my thoughts on all my past 2016 reads. There's a bit of a rant towards the end because I didn't realize how frustrated I was with the novel until I started talking about it. I love discussing books because once you start talking (or writing) you can really understand your thoughts and feelings. ^_^

The Books:

      

Hot Gimmick Volumes 1-3 by Miki Aihara 4.5 stars This is my second time rereading this series and I know it's controversial and supports problematic relationships, but I don't care. 

 Hot Gimmick Volumes 4-6 by Miki Aihara 4.5 stars This is my favorite volume bind-up and this is, what I consider, to be the stronger portion of the Hot Gimmick series.

Hot Gimmick Volumes 7-9 by Miki Aihara 4 stars These volumes are the weakest in the series and I feel like a lot of the subplots could've been cut.

Hot Gimmick Volumes 10-12 by Miki Aihara 4.25 stars My ship sailed so that's all I care about. The ending is crazy, but this is a shoujo manga and I expect nothing less.

Go Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian by Kurt Vonnegut 3.25 stars This is my lowest rated Vonnegut, which makes me sad, because I only want to give Vonnegut 5 stars. Sadly, this essay collection on death isn't my favorite and while it does have a lot of great satire humor a la Vonnegut, this collection doesn't stick out in my mind. Read it if you love Vonnegut, but if you skip it, you're not  missing much.

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin 4 stars I love the illustrations and I recommend this story for parents looking to introduce fantasy to younger readers. 

The Smaller Evil by Stephanie Kuehn 4.5 stars Check out my review! I recommend this for psychological fans and people interested in cults.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins I originally gave this book 3.5 stars, but I don't think that's an accurate rating and I explain why in my rating video. When I write my review, I'll be able to rate this more accurately. 

Have you read any of these books? What are your guilty pleasure "trashy" books? I'd love some recommendations! :D Happy reading!