Zaheerah

Monthly Rewind: September 2018

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018by Zaheerah6 Comments

B O O K S

I am so impressed with the fact that I managed to read 14 books this month. It was most likely spurred by the fact that I start my second year of university in October so I really wanted to read as much as I could before it’s limited by deadlines and essays. Also, I’ve been cheeky and just stolen snippets from my own reviews for this post.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon | (3/5) | TSIAAS is one of those books where I’m genuinely in the middle. Like I didn’t enjoy it, but I didn’t absolutely love it. I feel like there’s a bit of switch here for me. But it’s ending was really good and the way Nicola Yoon jumps into different bystander’s voices without affecting the main plot brilliantly done. I like how it showed we are all connected in some way or another

Circe by Madeline Miller |(4/5)| Miller’s ability to re-present the classics never fails to amaze me. Seven years since TSOA was first published, four years since I had read it, and I can definitely say that Circe was definitely worth the wait.

How She Likes It by Carla de Guzman |(5/5)| Isabel Alfonso is next in line to be CEO of her family-owned company. But she’s also risking her own business to take it. Single dad Adam Sevilla is just going by, raising his daughter while also allowing her to reconnect with her distant mother. Isabel and Adam are two very different people, but they work well together. And so does this story. Its pacing was well, and it was a relatively fun and enjoyable read.

Lions Can Always Learn to Roar (Until Lambs Become Lions, #2) by Charlotte Anne Hamilton |(5/5)| After nearly dying at the hands of the Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood and her merry gang are on a deadline after the Queen Mother appears to have sent her people to Nottingham. Robin has no idea what’s ahead of her but she’ll do anything to keep her family safe.

Margot & Me by Juno Dawson |(3/5)| Fliss and her mother move in with her cold grandmother. Fliss discovers the diary she kept during the war and learns all new secrets about her seemingly distant grandmother. I don’t know what, but this book just didn’t work for me.

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Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Review: Vicious (Villians #1)

September 26, 2018October 6, 2018by Zaheerah2 Comments

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Victor and Eli began as college roommates, almost friends, where curiosity leads to near-death experiences and development of supernatural powers. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison determined to exact revenge on his old friend. Both are armed with terrible controls, a product of their actions ten years prior, but who will survive?

I think I’ve found a new favourite book. And I haven’t found one of them in a while. Vicious was a delightful surprise. I have never read a V.E (or Victoria) Schwab before, and Vicious sounded like the safest options out of all her books to try. And, is this what all her books are like? Because you can now count me in the Schwab hype train.

Vicious from the get-go was so different. A true twisted tale of a friendship gone wrong. Victor and Eli, former friends, now current foes, are reunited after Victor breaks out of prison for revenge. Both developed supernatural powers from experiencing near-death experiences. In their case, they forced it to happen to test a theory that Eli was developing. Eli believes his capability puts him above others and sees others like him as a rodent that must be exterminated. And Victor may be the only person that can stop him.

Victor and Eli both see themselves as the hero and the other the villain, but neither can be categorised as good or evil. And that’s what makes me them so appealing. Schwab really is a killer at this. The story unfolds in a way that would appear disorienting, but it’s deliberate, and it works well. The constant jumping back and forth between everything, it goes from their time at college, their time in prison before bouncing back to the present time.

Overall, I loved Vicious. It’s a grim tale that had me gripped from the beginning all the way to its sinister ending. A story of corruption with its evil moments and moments of sweetness that worked well. Extremely thrilling with a cast of complex characters, Vicious was a difficult book to put down and once finished, I never wanted it to end.

Goodreads | Amazon | Author

Content warning: self-harm, suicide, extreme violence, torture, murder.

Media, Other

ASTRO (아스트로) 2ND MAKESTAR PHOTOBOOK UNBOXING

September 24, 2018September 19, 2018by Zaheerah2 Comments

Today’s post is going to be a little different. I’ve decided to do an unboxing review of ASTRO’s Second Makestar Photobook. For those who don’t know ASTRO, they are a six-member K-Pop boy group, and they are my absolute favourite!

I became a fan around the time the first photobook was happening. But I never bought it because of 1. I hadn’t yet realised how much I would love them and their music yet 2. I actually couldn’t afford the photobook at the time. So when the second time came around, I knew I had to purchase one!

I will include a youtube video I made of me unboxing the photobook, the toy stamps and the extra goodies we received every time we reached a stretch goal. (We received photo cards, postcards, bookmarks and then a poster) I also do a little flip through of the book. (Not all of the book though, it’s pretty massive and would’ve made the video twenty minutes long) I did intend this to be a speaking unboxing but I, unfortunately, was sick at the time of filming but imagine me fangirling as I go through the goods because I was!

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Books, Contemporary, Romance

Review: Crazy Rich Asians

September 21, 2018September 19, 2018by Zaheerah1 Comment

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5 going on 3/5)

Rachel Chu agrees to come to Singapore to celebrate her boyfriend’s best friend’s wedding. She expects a traditional wedding like any other. But what she doesn’t realise is that Nick comes from one of the wealthiest families in the world. And she has no idea how big the target on her back truly is.

Crazy Rich Asian was weirdly entertaining and strangely absurd. And I think that is the best I could say about this book. I wouldn’t call this the best book ever, but it was reasonably entertaining. The way these characters behave are so over the top. Reading this was like looking into a whole new and different world. It was fascinating to read. Kwan has a talent for writing interesting descriptions of this affluent society, its architecture, fashion, cuisine and goods. I read this frustrated at every single of these characters, but there is some humour within. It’s more outrageous than it is funny.

When it comes to the flaw of this book, I don’t know what else I can say that hasn’t already been said. (x, x – note that these articles are about its 2018 movie adaptation but nonetheless they can still be applied to the novel) I didn’t expect this book to the answer to all Asian representation and I don’t think it can be done in one book. But here it’s evident that Asian effectively means east Asian or ethnically Chinese. And there’s a whole lot of ugly in this book. That includes racial slurs towards Black people, Indian people and Romani. A ton of classism and loads of prejudice from Asians towards other Asian ethnicities.

Overall, there’s a lot that goes unchallenged, but the sheer outrageousness of this novel was probably why is it so well received. The plot is a rollercoaster ride, with one bad thing happening after another with this group of wealthy elites. I’m entirely sure if I want to continue the series yet.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Content warning: TBA.

Books, Contemporary, LGBTQIA

Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

September 19, 2018September 18, 2018by Zaheerah1 Comment

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

* I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post begins at the end of her parent’s life. Cameron is relieved because now they’ll never know she had a kissed a girl. But the struggle doesn’t end there, we follow Cameron from the ages of 12 and as she grows to 16. Life is different, but Cameron is an expert at blending in. Until she meets Coley Taylor. And then one thing leads to another, and Cameron’s forced to join a conversion camp by her ultrareligious Aunt to “fix” herself.

This was a very detailed and passionate read. The story shifts with its array of characters, each vibrant and different from one another. The story starts off with a summer fling, a more happier vibe, where everything seems to be going well. Until it takes a dark turn and punches you straight in the stomach. While I didn’t find it emotional, but nonetheless, it was difficult.

For me, there are two parts to this story. The first is Cameron coming to terms with her sexuality and learning who she is. The second is where its all ripped away from her, and she’s forced to join a conversion camp. There’s a middle lull in this book where nothing really seems to happen. And this is where, from other reviews, everyone seems to drop off from the book. I’m not going to lie, even my interest started to falter after a few chapters but I held on and I’m glad I did, but I don’t expect anyone to force themselves through a book they find slow.

I can’t speak for certain rep in the book, like the Native American rep. I’ll link to this post that speaks on it much better. There’s a lot of language that’s quite negative towards Native Americans and very ableist so watch out for that.

Overall, Cameron Post was an intriguing read, while I didn’t love it, the story is important.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Content warning: ableism, anti-Indigenous language, use of multiple slurs (f*g, d*ke etc.), lesbophobia, sex scenes, a lesbian character being outed, underage drinking, conversion therapy, self-harm with a suicide attempt that is graphically described. (TO BE ADDED)

Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

Review: The Darkest Minds

September 17, 2018September 11, 2018by Zaheerah1 Comment

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

A sickness spreads across the United States, killing a majority of its children and leaving its survivors with something uncontrollable that has the government shaking in fear. Swiftly taken from their parents, children are quickly taken away and placed in rehabilitation camps. Ruby was ten when she learnt that suppressing her skill keeps her alive. Six years later, Ruby escapes and on the run to find others like her.

The Darkest Minds has such a captivating concept. It’s a shame that it is so painfully slow. I’ll give applause to Chubs and Suzume who technically saved this book for me. The two that stood out the most for me. Without them, I wouldn’t even question my decision to not finish this series.

There’s a lot of confusion, especially when it came to worldbuilding. They gain these powers and are then categorised according to how much of a threat they are. Maybe the reason why these powers happen are revealed later down the line in the series, but there’s not much to keep you hanging but just completely confused. How a world is seemingly wiped out but still existing in some places like normal despite having locked up a majority of its youth population.

What even was the point of the romance in this? Honestly, I give most romances the benefit of the doubt but like how did Ruby and Liam even happen. She spends most of her time ignoring him, which is fair enough, but then suddenly with no warning, they’re all over each other. I just don’t think enough space was given to develop these two the way they deserved.

The narrative is an actual snail pace after Ruby escapes the first camp. There are multiple flashbacks. And even when it’s at a point where it should speed up, it’s just chapter after chapter of them on the least exciting road trip in the world. There’s a couple of car chases scenes to give us the illusion that something is happening.

There is a lot of good to this book, it wasn’t exactly terrible, I think the pacing just dragged this book to hell for me. I don’t understand how a book with a lot of plot aspects that I usually enjoy disappoint me like this.

I’m sort of in the middle of this series right now. TDM didn’t really do much for to compel me to want to continue its series. The ending was a bit of disappointment considering it chucks Ruby straight back to where she was 15% of the novel. But there’s a lot to like, a bit and pieces of it was really intriguing to me. The variety of powers and the shocking treatment these children receive. The found family aspect was a sweet shining moment in the rest of the dullness. I’ll sit on it, for now, maybe I’ll be interested later down the line to finish the series.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Content warning: Violence, sexual assault, murder, gun violence, physical violence, PTSD, unchallenged ableist language.

Author: Zaheerah

Monthly Rewind: September 2018

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