Book 253: Beauty Queens

What a ride.

Beauty Queens was a great book. It's about a group of beauty queens who are on their way to a pageant when their plane crashes on a desert island and they have to learn to survive and how to be a team. Like Lord of the Flies only cooler and with girls (and therefore better).

It had a really diverse crew of girls, including a trans girl, girls of different sexual backgrounds, education backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, family backgrounds, everything.

It also has pirates.

And a distinct dislike of capitalism.

Very cool.

I rate it a 7 out of 10. Wasn't as good as Going Bovine but still a nice change from paranormal and magic themed works that Bray often writes.

So excited to finally start this book! I've heard so many good things! . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 23, 2017 at 5:41am PST

The inside cover of Beauty Queens is such a distracting colour! . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 25, 2017 at 2:42pm PST

Book 10 of 2017: Love in the TIme of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

Book 252: Love in the Time of Cholera

I really don't know how to write my review of this book. There is so much to say about what I liked at what I didn't like.

Firstly, for those of you who don't know, Love in the Time of Cholera is a weird sort of love story taking place in Colombia. For most of the book I was a little unsure of exactly where the story was taking place because my geography isn't that great but goodreads doesn't lie. It's not your typical love story. It's about two young people who fall in passionate "love" and then one of them gets married after becoming disillusioned to her youthfully folly. The other never moves on.

However it opens with a really cool death scene and because I don't research books before I read them I thought that the book was going to be more about a cool coroner solving a murder. It was a bit of a let down.

I really loved the writing style, but it wasn't the sort of book that begs you to pick it up and read it. I struggled a bit with being motivated to finish it. Alas.

I found Florentino Ariza to be a bit creepy (read a lot creepy) which was the biggest part of the book that I struggled with. I didn't want to read about him and his love lorn and lose ways. I really didn't want to hear about his imo statutory rape of his niece (sorry spoilers). I didn't want to see him harass old ladies into loving him because no one else did. I object to him as a being.

I've struggled with rating this book. I gave it a 4 out of 10 but it deserves both more and less. I feel like I haven't lived enough to really appreciate this book and I want to reread it in a couple of decades to see if what I thought changed any. Who knows. It wasn't a bad read it just wasn't good or what I wanted.

A couple of my friends had been asking me if I had read Love in the Time of Cholera lately so I decided to pick it up the other day when I went to the bookstore. Many of them didn't really like the book that much but I'm super excited to see what it's pages hold! 🤓 . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 14, 2017 at 3:47pm PST

Is anyone else having problems getting motivated to read this long weekend? Tell me what you're doing to combat it! . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 20, 2017 at 8:41am PST

Book 10 of 2017: Eric by Terry Pratchett

Book 251: Eric

So, as you all probably (hopefully) know I've been reading the Discworld series in order for a while now and I've really been enjoying them.

Enjoyed the myths that were intertwined in the story as well as the small references to inferno in hell. I always like a Rincewind story, however I found this one a bit flat. Maybe because it was just it was retelling the Faust legend which is very common in the western cannon or perhaps its because I've read Marlowe's Dr Faustus.

The most interesting part of the book, I though anyways, was the part about boredom. Very cool.

I rate this book a 5 out of 10. It was nothing special. Regardless, I'm looking forward to the next book

Blizzard reads 🌨🌨 . . . #terrypratchett #discworld #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 13, 2017 at 2:18pm PST

Book 9 of 2017: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Book 250: The Queen of the Tearling

What can I say about this book without giving everything away?

Firstly, I loved it. The world building is fantastic, the characters are great and come with complete and compelling backstories, the novel builds up a past without letting the cat out of the bag so to speak, and it sets up the second book fantastically.

What a ride.

The Queen of the Tearling is set in the future but has some major past vibes, we're talking 17th century vibes. Everyone has swords and armour but knows about modern medicine as a myth of the past. It's a weird dichotomy but it really works for this book.

The book addresses through Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, our protagonist, what it takes to be a good leader, the worth of a human life, and the values of knowledge and appearance; all topics which are especially topical in today society as well as this one that is set in some unknown future time.

The idea in the novel is that some brilliant guy decided that Europe was no good war zone and wanted to start a socialist paradise and it didn't go as he planned. Mostly because the ship with the doctors sunk which lost them the use of modern medicine which really puts a kink in the plans of socialism. Obviously this didn't go well for various reasons partially discussed in the book and we end up at the beginning of the novel.

I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who reads but especially if you like fantasy. I read this book in three days between work which is pretty great. The style is really good and it has great flow.

I rate this book 10/10. It is my first 10 of 2017 and I'm really excited about it. I was reading it with my friend Jaclyn who also finished it in the blink of an eye and we're going to go and buy the second book on Sunday so stayed tuned for the next review!

Really enjoying this book so far! 🤓 . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 11, 2017 at 2:58pm PST

Loving that each chapter starts with a bit of history . . . #thequeenoftearling #erikajohasen #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A post shared by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 12, 2017 at 5:08pm PST

Book 8 of 2017: Anna Karenina

Book 249: Anna Karenina

Even though I've just finished reading this book I feel like it's one that I'll need to read again. I've often been told Anna Karenina is a book you should read every 10 years and I understand why now.

 I didn't like Anna's story. I spent the first half of the book disliking her and the second half feeling bad for her. I find that she is very polarizing and both easy to like and hate. I find that at some points she can be emotionally immature, while in others she seems to be the character that is most firmly grounded. She goes through many drastic changes throughout the novel which is why she is such a compelling character. I like her better now that I'm done and have had time to think that I did when she was initially introduced.

 Her husband, although easy to sympathise with, isn't a great person; cold, manipulating, emotionally detached, adding more complexity to Anna's story. His never ending want for revenge seems somewhat out of character at times as it is often noted that he doesn't deal with emotions very well.

Vronsky is, perhaps, the character that I dislike the most. He seems to live in his own world for most of the novel where his actions don't have consequences. He's not a great communicator, especially with Anna who needs clear communication, and does not pick up well on social queues. I also didn't like how he treated Kitty. An imperfect character. Very believable.

 Levin is by far my favourite character and I greatly enjoyed his more philosophical musings in the last two parts. I found his reaction to childbirth very interesting and his resulting feelings towards his child. I also think that his and Kitty's love is one of the best stories in the whole novel. I also found it very interesting that he wanted t revolutionise labour but was very firm that he was not a communist and wish that Tolstoy had elaborated further on why it was important to Levin that he not be seen as one, though I'm sure it has something to do with him being a Nobel hanging out with other Nobeles.

I rate this book a 9 out of 10 Overall a good book. Left me feeling accomplished. I feel that I might be a bit young to get everything out of it and that it might be better suited to people in their thirties and forties who have more life experience.

Below the pictures will be a short review of the movie.

Just picked up this tome again. My goal is to finish it by the 28th. Wish me luck! 👩🏼‍🏫 . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #classic #classics #annakarenina #tolstoy #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A photo posted by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 6, 2017 at 4:13am PST

ALMOST THERE! . . . #annakarenina #leotolstoy #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A photo posted by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 10, 2017 at 10:29am PST

So, the movie was pretty great. As far as a book-to-screen translation I feel that it does a really good job at taking all the really important parts from the book. I did regret that there wasn't more about Levin in the movie as he is my favourite character, but understand that they only have so much time and the book is called Anna Karenina and not Konstantin Levin.  I give it four stars.

Book 7 of 2017: Ru by Kim Thúy

I recently decided to leave school which gives me more time so I've decided to start doing a video review of my books as well as a written review. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Book 248: Ru

With an air of an autobiographical sketch, Ru was a pleasure to read. Kim Thúy weaves a tale of what it is like to be a refugee in Canada and what is like to leave one's home country.

Her novel follows Nguyen, a women once from Vietnam who is recounting her life. Sometimes a girl, other times a mother, her story telling is deeply engrossing making this book hard to put down.

The story, told in vignettes, jumps around in time and place as different thoughts flow through Nguyen's mind. Sometimes reflecting on her own children, others reflecting on her mother and how her mother's behaviour makes sense to her now that she is also a mother.

I really liked the style and meter. the words slowly pour over your eyes, each with a meaning deeper than their definition.

This novel gives you a lot to think about and is a good book to read in a time when the political climate is not looking kindly on refugees. I rate this book a 6 out of 10.

New month new bookclub book! . . . #bookclub #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd #canada #canadian #canadareads #february

A photo posted by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Feb 2, 2017 at 3:55am PST

January Books!

So, I made a new YouTube video about the books that I've read this month. Let me know what you think!

Book 247: Death at Victoria Dock

Yet another wonderful novel by Ms. Greenwood.

This one was darker than the last three, perhaps a running theme, with anarchists and family drama.Not as funny or as light hearted as I've come to expect from the series, but deals with interesting subjects. I wish there was a little more elaboration on Bret and Cec's characters because I feel that they had a lot more that they could have added to the story with their history as communists.

I give this novel a seven out of ten. Even though I disagree with Miss Fisher's views on the revolution, I appreciate her feelings towards beautiful men. Well written and suspenseful and at least one of the endings was a surprise.

Can't wait to read the next instillation of the Series!

Needed a break before I start reading Anna Karenina 🕵🏼‍♀️ . . . #currentlyreading #book #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bibliophile #readers #reader #readerlife #readerofig #readersofig #readersunite #booksofinstagram #goodreads #bookish #bookaholic #bookaddict #booknerd

A photo posted by Colleen Earle (@unphilosophize) on Jan 29, 2017 at 6:07am PST