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bayleereads's reviews
150 reviews
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
4.5
Y’all, I FLEW through this book. From start to finish, it took me maybe 4 hours. I liked it a lot! I was going to give it 3.5 stars at the end, until I read the epilogue. The epilogue saved the ending for me. I loved the racial, family, and financial diversity in this. I removed 1/2 of a star because it felt rushed. I'm more of a "slow-burn" lover. It was interesting that this entire book happened within just one day. I definitely recommend this one!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
5.0
Well, I found my new favorite book. I wanted to write a really detailed review for this book with spoilers and everything-- but after I finished, I realized that no words can truly describe how amazing and life-changing this book is. You just need to read it yourself. All I’m going to say is, be prepared to cry and go into it knowing your heart will shatter into a million pieces. I seriously can’t recommend this book enough. If you haven’t already, go and read this book NOW. You won’t regret it.
Warblers & Woodpeckers: A Father-Son Big Year of Birding by Sneed B. Collard III
4.5
My mom and I have been reading this together for the past several months and we just finished it tonight. We LOVED it and didn’t want it to end. My mom and I are avid birders and have been for nearly 10 years. That being said— we really enjoyed this book because we understood the humor and facts surrounding birds! We knocked off 1/2 a star because some of the language is very advanced at times and we found ourselves having to Google the meaning of some words. If you don’t have an interest in birds or have the slightest amount of knowledge about birds, than this book might not be for you— but please give it a try if you’re interested or want to learn more about birds!
Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli, Aisha Saeed
4.0
This was a cute little romance! I loved the diversity in this— the main characters being Jewish and Muslim. I also loved the family diversity. I knocked a star off because there’s just SO MUCH political talk. Canvassing is what brings Jamie & Maya together, but I wish there would have been more friendship and relationship development OUTSIDE of canvassing and hanging out at Target. I found myself wanting to skip some pages just to avoid all of the political jargon. But overall, it was a cute read! P.S.— Gabe is a manipulative ass. Definitely one of my least favorite characters EVER.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
5.0
My HEART! This is definitely one of my favorite romances I have ever read! I love that the story is not just about Alex & Henry’s romance, but also about Alex discovering himself— specifically his sexuality. I definitely think this book is for readers 15+, as there are some sex scenes that shouldn’t be read by younger audiences. I also LOVED that the day Alex & Henry told the world about their relationship was the exact date of my birthday— October 2nd :)
As much as I would love to see the FSOTUS (to a female president) be a bisexual Mexican-American in 2020, unfortunately it is just not realistic at this time. Also, it is unrealistic that the Prince of Wales would be openly gay. Like I said, I WISH these things were plausible today, but unfortunately they are not. BUT, I will say that I loved getting to escape our current political stance while reading this book and I hope we can see progression like this in the future!
As much as I would love to see the FSOTUS (to a female president) be a bisexual Mexican-American in 2020, unfortunately it is just not realistic at this time. Also, it is unrealistic that the Prince of Wales would be openly gay. Like I said, I WISH these things were plausible today, but unfortunately they are not. BUT, I will say that I loved getting to escape our current political stance while reading this book and I hope we can see progression like this in the future!
Parkland: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen
5.0
I absolutely LOVED this book. I am usually not a nonfiction reader— I gravitate more towards fiction. This book, though... WOW. With everything going on in the US (from a political standpoint), I think this book holds a very important message that definitely needs to be talked about more. It’s an emotional read, but it will make you passionate and angry in the best possible way. I highly recommend this read to everyone, but especially those who want to learn more about the mass-shooting issue (particularly school shooting) and gun-control activism in the United States.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
4.5
One of my favorite romances I've read! Although this is a romance book, it also explores Simon's sexuality and him beginning to be comfortable with being gay. I love the LGBTQ+ representation in this! I also love that his parents and friends were *for the most part* super supportive of him. Overall a really good book!
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
5.0
I wasn't sure that I would like the writing-style of this book, as I can get confused when books are written from multiple perspectives. But, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can definitely see myself reading this again in the future. Rachel and Henry had me feeling butterflies that I haven't felt in a long time.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
4.5
This was my first Angie Thomas book and I am blown away! The writing was phenomenal and I loved almost all of the characters. I removed a 1/2 star simply because Bri and Aunt Pooh's relationship was very toxic and I think Bri could have taken better lessons from their relationship. I would have liked to see Bri learn from her aunt's mistakes instead of constantly sticking up for her.