The Fox Inheritance - Mary E. Pearson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started out by reading this as an audiobook, and it was good, but for some reason it just didn't captivate me that way. So I set it down for a long time because I really didn't have any motivation to pick it up. Yeah, the story was intriguing but the form of the book I had chosen just didn't make me that interested in it. Once I was able to read the physical version by itself, then the book became A LOT better for me. It just sped up the pace, everything became so intense. This could be because I stopped the audiobook just as the book hit that point where everything started to happen, or the audiobook just didn't portray the pacing very well. I did feel like this book had a slow start, which I understand why, because explanation was definitely needed, but it took too long to get started.

Once the book actually got going and the general explanation was over, I enjoyed this book so much more. The change of pace was great! The futuristic aspects that the author chose were obviously researched and were seemingly realistic enough to be believable while still including aspects that pushed the boundaries of what we think is possible. She did an amazing job. I also enjoy this author's writing style and how she writes the characters inner monologues. You can clearly tell the difference between how these characters minds work, and you can see the different parts of their personalities and why they make certain decisions because of that.

Something, or rather someone, that annoyed me for the entire book was Kara. I think I may have misunderstood her. At least that is what I came to believe by the end based on the choices and decisions she made. I just didn't fully understand her character until it was explained that parts of her and Locke, and others, could've gotten lost or erased or some equivalent term to that. I was just confused whether her attitude was genuine or because she was lacking something due to it being lost. I'm still a little confused by Kara, even after the ending. It just didn't seem like a completely closed end on her side of it. I'm hoping to see more about her in the next book.

Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely - Lysa TerKeurst

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was recommended to me by a really good friend of mine. She was reading it with a study group she was apart of and shared that out of the few chapters she had read (at the time), she felt seen and very connected to the author.

I wouldn't consider myself someone who is very in touch with their faith. I believe and I consider myself somewhat religious, but there has always been somewhat of a disconnect. But based on what my friend was saying, I knew I would at least enjoy this a little bit if I picked it up.

And there for the first, more than few, chapters I felt exactly like my friend; connected and seen. But as the book continued, it felt less like a connection between me and the author but more preachy. Which is something I wasn't really expecting or wanting out of this book experience.

I don't regret picking it up, but I wouldn't recommend it to people who are similar to me in the fact there is a little disconnect between them and their faith.

Don't get me wrong, I liked a lot of this book and some of the quotes and experiences the author shared were very interesting, relatable and captured my attention. But it all became a little much for me.

May TBR

So..... my May "TBR" is to actually pick up a book once I finish with this mess of a college semester.