Kristen > Recent Status Updates

Maria Semple can WRITE but why is this story so disjointed

This might be a DNF at 2/3rds done- the book is supposedly about the author’s experience growing up in a cult, but the whole second half is dedicated to her life in the US Army. Sure, there’s some commentary that can be made about how the U.S. army is also a cult, but she’s not making it - it’s about the gender dynamics of the military and without reflection on the harms caused by the U.S. army…

Proving to be a really tough read because there is genuinely so much child sexual abuse in this cult

Immediately insane that this girl chooses to run instead of being like “I didn’t do it”

Kind of loving this, took a peek at the ratings and realized they’re sort of low - so many people are complaining that they didn’t know enough about the El Salvadoran revolution to enjoy this book?? First of all, that’s on them, not the book, second, I do not feel like that’s a barrier to enjoying this book?? It’s explaining the history enough for the plot, if you want a deeper dive, go seek one out

Dialogue is pretty bad (lots of sass at inappropriate moments, and unnecessary incredulity), concept is fun but as is devolving from a fun romp to the devil giving life and ethics advice (???) it’s losing me

Well I could have done without the FMC deflecting her feelings by setting up a date between her 22 year old sister and her 35ish year old love interest. The book is over 500 pages so if I had to pick some fat to trim it would certainly be this lol

Sometimes you just need to binge YA horror

Oh I am immediately in

Nearly a third of a way in and we haven’t gotten a single actual treasure hunting activity in yet, I am DISAPPOINTED (still hanging in for treasure hunting antics but I like Sarah Adler so much and like the concept so much that I had high hopes for this being very fun!!)

Finally, a romance novel where the FMC is a b*tch (said with absolute affection)

Vaguely enjoying this as a music history piece but man it is lacking in reflection and deeper thought. What did it really mean to be a “punk” band signed with a major label? What did it mean to be a punk band playing for soldiers in a war zone? Both things are the very antithesis of punk but what we get from Hoppus is “I wanted to sell more records” and “I liked playing for American soldiers”