“Where books had been a comfort before, they became a necessity, old books best of all: thick heavy tomes with stories that spread and twisted through other worlds, where he could walk like a ghost in the footsteps of other lives.”
― Alexia Casale, House of Windows
From the very beginning this book’s pacing was fast and the tone suspenseful. Crouch’s language is simple, yet his voice manages to be just as haunting as it is intriguing, making the reader constantly want to turn the next page and discover what comes next. The plot of this book was by far its most unique factor. Filled not only with unexpected twists and turns, this novel posed profound questions regarding the consequences our choices make in shaping our lives, and even our very realities. While this book is classified as a science fiction thriller it focuses more on the nature of love and life as well as what it means to be human. The main protagonist Jason Dessen is an average guy faced with abnormal and formidable circumstances whose only wish is to return to the family and life he loves above all else. All the hype leading up to reading this book was not unfounded, and I found this novel to be a satisfying and unique read that left me thinking for days after.
📚✔︎ Would recommend for readers looking for a unique perspective within the science fiction genre.
If I could summarize the book in one word: mind-boggling
Check out the official summary of Dark Matter by Blake Crouch on goodreads.
My rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
Fiction is the truth inside the lie.
-Stephen King
Thank you so much judiththereader @readandreview2016.wordpress.com and @storyscope.wordpress.comfor nominating me for the Liebster Award! The rules are:
Display The Award
Answer All 11 Questions
Nominate 5 Worthy Blogs Which Have Less Than 200 Followers
Create 11 New Questions For Them To Answer
1. When did you start blogging?
I first started a book and writing blog on tumblr at writing-the-dream.tumblr.com before creating my wordpress website in January!
2. Why did you start blogging?
I wanted to create a platform as an aspiring author. I’m currently writing a YA fantasy novel and hope to publish it one day!
3. What is the best book you’ve ever reviewed?
I would say A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas is the best novel I’ve ever reviewed. I usually rate books on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, but I loved it so much I gave it a score of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ because it was so amazing!
4. What is your favourite genre?
Fantasy will always be my first love, however, I have a soft spot for certain types of science fiction as well.
5. What is a genre you’ve stayed away from?
Though I have read some inspiring non-fiction books, I rarely ever pick them up.
6. What was the best book-to-film adaptation you’ve ever watched?
I am so obsessed with the Lord of the Rings movies! No matter how many times I watch them, Middle-Earth always feels like home.
7. How do you organise your bookshelves?
I basically have only two bookshelves: 1) the FAVORITE bookshelf, where the books I feel really changed me are placed 2)the bookshelf where I keep everything else
8. Do you do anything whilst reading: do you listen to music, eat, drink?
I’ve been known to do all of the above (especially the eating), however, I’ve found the best books I’ve read⎯the ones I can’t seem to put down⎯are so amazing that I don’t want to eat, sleep, or do anything else before finishing them altogether.
9. If you could meet any author, who would it be?
I would love to meet either Cassandra Clare or Sarah J. Maas!
10. What is the weirdest book you’ve ever read?
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton is by far the most bizarre novel I’ve ever read, and yet I couldn’t help but love the unique beauty of the language and story. Needless to say, it made the FAVORITE bookshelf.
11. How do you keep track of your TBR?
I don’t really keep track…? I’m really bad about buying books that I think I’ll love and when I don’t, I stop reading and never pick them up again. While I have restarted books I’ve taken a break from and found some real treasures, my TBR pile is still huge and probably won’t be shrinking anytime soon. When a book becomes more frustrating than enjoyable to read, then it’s not worth the effort to me.
My Nominees:
@ literarylands.wordpress.com
@ ashleyreadsit.wordpress.com
@ whatemmasreading.wordpress.com
@ daniellawrites.com
Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them @ youngadultfictionreviews.wordpress.com
My Questions:
“…the page of whatever book we read becomes luminous with manifold allusion. Every sentence is doubly significant, and the sense of our author is as broad as the world.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
True to its name this novel was indeed both strange and beautiful in in its themes, prose, and story. While the title gives the impression that the plot primarily centers on the character of Ava Lavender, the book is more of an anthology of the fantastical experiences of several generations of women in one peculiar family.
This book isn’t simply about a girl named Ava who is born with the wings of a bird, but rather so much more. It is about life and love. It is about the passage of time.
The story and the way in which it is narrated—through the various perspectives of each of the characters—reflects on the drastic ways love effects people’s lives. Infatuation, lust, hatred, the pain of betrayal, love in all its forms—these are all emotions we all feel, and Walton portrays them with a poignancy and subtle grace that is utterly mesmerizing. The narrator’s repeating declaration that “love makes us such fools” effectively summarizes the overarching theme of the novel, which explores both the negative and positive consequences of such a visceral emotion in equal measure. This story isn’t solely about love. It is about humans’ interaction with the accumulation of emotions that make up love and all that it entails.
This is not an adventure story, nor even a coming-of-age tale, but rather a conglomeration of fantastical elements, superstition, and mythology and how they intertwine with reality. It is unique and bizarre in every sense of the word, but also incredibly profound. This is the perfect novel to cozy up with on your next rainy day.
📚✔︎ Would recommend for readers looking for a beautiful love story within a fantastic and magical world
If I could summarize the book in two words: bizarrely moving
Check out the official summary of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender on goodreads.
My rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★1/2
So while I’m waiting to hear feedback on my manuscript from a beta reader, I decided to keep myself by starting another book!
I’m currently spending my day jotting down notes and ideas for where I want the story to go as well as beginning the first chapter. I always love writing the initial lines because they hold so much potential for the rest of the story. What do you do while waiting to hear feedback on a manuscript?
writingthedreamblog 