reading by the moonbow

the unknown for it shines in dark • book reviews of whatever i read. • all pictures and transparents do not belong to me unless i say so • all credits to their owners.

[readingbythe-moonbow]

Happy 62nd Independence Day, Malaysia!

🌺 Happy 62nd Merdeka to us Malaysians! 🌺

Spent my day with family that I forgot to post this earlier HAHA

How's your weekend so far? I've been busy with packing my things for university so it's been quite a doozy

These are the local titles that I really love and there are tons more of my malay novels and storybooks but they're stashed in boxes that it'll take an eternity to take them out.

I don't really have the newest titles of our local authors but I'll see on what I can do to get them eventually 🙆🏻‍♀️

 MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA! 

[readingbythe-moonbow]

Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolu Guo

"Fenfang, never look back at the past, never regret, even if there is emptiness ahead." My first novel of Xiaolu Guo as it should be to start off with in her writing journey. A raw & surreal narrative of a young girl named Fenfang who escapes her monotone life back in the nameless village to gain fame as an actress in the big city. Maybe she thought of being one is easy until she learnt it the hard way 🤷🏻 Even with the never-ending background roles and objectifying criticism of her looks, she's still determined to at least survive everyday that she got into script writing as a change in plans. Her story goes on with bad lovers, sexism, cursing, bad decisions and some days of herself watching pirated movies all day or meeting up with Huizi. How Fenfang described her surroundings and feelings seems quite normal but it was emotionally explained then. Her words woke me up from some things that I took lightly in life like when she describes on healing from a certain wound or her parent's appearance after a few years. All in all, Fenfang is a character that a number of us can really relate with. To me, it was relatable in parts of how lost she felt herself in some parts in her life with a dose of loneliness without her boyfriends even though she just wants company, how cynical she may seem along with her ambitious nature & unwillingness to give up on life. I did feel lost in the plot in the middle of the book just as she was but thankfully I've found my way back. I truly felt that in a certain way that Fenfang is finally ready to take on a new challenge in life at the end as she has already made quite an experience in Beijing. It was a content end to a youthful story. Rating :  🌻🌻🌻🌻 https://www.instagram.com/p/B1oYRSODj0Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

[readingbythe-moonbow]

(pianizzz)

[justeraaron]

i bet everyone must have felt like a moonbow even just once in their lives

[hamsamazen]

[alanimalcrackers]

Popular YA books and are they worth reading: my opinion

yea im just going to get into it

Harry Potter: Overall good books. They do have plotholes and lack representation, but have a great fandom that makes up for it. A great intro to magic and fantasy for the younger end of the YA spectrum. 

Overall verdict: ignore the cursed child and you’ll be fine

The Hunger Games: I thought these were really interesting books. They deal with political themes that are really important to be aware of. After reading these books I would sit in class and figure out how I would kill all of my classmates in our own hunger games. 

Overall verdict: heck yeck

The Fault in Our Stars: Pretentious and kind of hard to read, but not that bad. Pretty basic and predictable but still entertaining. The Anne Frank kiss was yikes.

Overall verdict: each to their own. read some reviews before picking it up

Twilight: Not as bad as everyone says it is, but still pretty bad. Really creepy and also pretty damn racist. Has some interesting side characters. I never read past the first book so I don’t know that much. 

Overall verdict: there are better books to spend your time on

The Mortal Instruments: Not outrageously bad, but not Oscar worthy. It’s kind of just there. Characters are pretty cliché, and some very unnerving themes are included, the YA Game of Thrones when it comes to incest. 

Overall verdict: Read her other series; they’re much better.

Divergent: fun enough. the first book is the best. very confusing and full of plot holes. not that memorable tbh. 

Overall verdict: just read the hunger games

13 Reasons Why:

Overall verdict: don’t

The Maze Runner: the first book is decent. it’s an interesting concept and an entertaining read. beware of an overabundance of boys. 

Overall verdict: go ahead, just don’t touch the sequels

Six of Crows: world can be a bit confusing at first if you haven’t read the grisha trilogy, but you pick it up pretty quickly. well developed characters, world, and plot. 

Overall verdict: hell yeah

Throne of Glass: starts off pretty basic, but decent. gets less decent as it progresses. beware barfing, toxic masculinity, graphic sex, and killing of minorities. 

Overall verdict: i genuinely have no idea what demographic this series is for

Red Queen: more into the political aspect, not that much action. glass sword is the low point. improves a lot in the last two books. iffy lgbt rep. Maven Calore carries the entire series on his back. 

Overall verdict: it’s not for everyone, but give it a fair try

The Lunar Chronicles: pretty enjoyable. i like the twists on the fairytales. the characters work well together and carry the *pretty simple* plot well. beware possible racism? idk i don’t really remember i was like eleven. 

Overall verdict: yeah sure why not.

Anything by Rick Riordan: i haven’t read his more recent stuff (think past heroes of Olympus), but i’ve heard good things. the books are fun, and overall really good. i think they’re meant for a younger demographic but i’m not entirely sure. 

Overall verdict: please at least read percy’s retellings of greek mythology

A Court of Thorns and Roses: T H I S I S N O T Y A