The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Review

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I even start with this review? It's probably important to note that this book is definitely controversial, and the Goodreads community had given it mixed reviews (which really isn't shocking based on the subject matter being presented). I'm not one to read reviews before writing my own, but I was curious to see what others thought; and I'm still not 100% sure what to make of all the conflicting opinions/ reviews.

Some people get hung up on the grammatical aspects (or possibly Atwood's writing style?), thus missing the overall purpose of this story. Our narrator is UNRELIABLE- she says multiple times through her account that it may not be accurate and she doesn't even want to be recounting what transpired. She is not meant to be trusted completely. Additionally, she is only one voice, and therefore only has one perspective of the society as a whole, the actions of those around her, etc. etc. Yes, there are a lot of unanswered questions, and we really don't have a "proper ending." That's the point. You're meant to question everything.

If you don't ask questions and you take what everyone says for gospel, we will end up creating the culture and society presented in the book. Don't just blindly follow what someone else is telling you. Don't accept all things as fact until you have the evidence to prove it. Even then, be cautious.

In my opinion, Atwood's overarching goal is to make the reader question every single detail given to them. I haven't read anything quiet like this, even though I have read my fair share of dystopian novels. It's unlike anything else, and for good reason.

I'm not even going to get into the political side of this, simply because I don't feel qualified enough to do so. Political science is not my strong suit. I would love to have my poli-sci minded boyfriend read this and pick his brain for more information. If that does end up happening, I'll update this review!

Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. It should be a requirement for high school or college level classes (assuming the students are mature enough to handle the content), in my humble opinion. Honestly, give it a try, especially if you're interested in watching the Hulu series!

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#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso Review

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So, let's be honest- I don't know much about Sophia Amoruso other than the fact that she's the founder of Nasty Gal. That being said, I didn't really have many expectations for this book (good or bad), and I really didn't know how I would feel about it in the end. I'm not hating on her, but I just don't understand why so many authors/ entrepreneurs/ businessmen and women constantly degrade my generation. Not everyone is lazy, not everyone is unintelligent, and not everyone is just looking to live paycheck to paycheck. At one point I almost couldn't finish this book because Amoruso pretty much glorifies the fact that she succeeded without a college degree. I get it- not everyone can or should go to college. You don't need a college degree to succeed, but you also shouldn't discount the importance of degrees in certain professions.

She should be proud of all she has accomplished, especially at such a young age. Maybe the wording is what got me? I don't really know. I'm not offended by any means, I just can't say this is one of my favorite books. Honestly, if you need a kick in the ass to get you motivated, this is probably a good book for you to check out. Otherwise, I'm not super into it.

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How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather Review

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was much better than I was expecting to be, in all honestly. I like the plot twists (even though some of them were a little predictable), and the characters really grow and develop throughout the story. I'm obsessed with learning everything I can about the Salem witch trials, so I thought it was pretty cool that the author is actually a descendent. Overall, pretty good, but I probably won't read it again.

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The Young Elites by Marie Lu Review

The Young Elites by Marie Lu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm giving this a 3.5 out of 5 because I really enjoyed the majority of this book. The ending was a little "meh" for me, but only because it was pretty predictable. I know it's young adult fiction, and there are so many narratives with similar plots; I just expected a little bit more from Lu as a writer. I'm definitely starting the next book asap, though! I need to see how this is all going to play out. There are some loose ends (obvious, since it's a series), and I'm totally okay with that as long as they are all tied up in the end. We shall see!

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The Rose Society by Marie Lu Review

The Rose Society by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this installment in the Young Elites series because it's much darker and terrifying than I imagined! I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much because this is YA, so maybe that's why I'm so impressed. I know I've said it countless times, but Lu's writing style is perfection! She knows how to develop her characters, keeps a consistent pace, and is able to draw the reader into the world she's created. She's a master when it comes to adding plot twists- they're never overly obvious! She could take a number of different routes to finish this series, so I'm excited to see how she structures the next book.

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