unravelingthepages

[unravelingthepages]

#musicals #lin manuel miranda #hamilton #hamilton musical #alexander hamilton #aaron burr #memes

[unravelingthepages]

laughing screaming sobbing

#hamilton #aaron burr #lin-manuel miranda #musicals #broadway #memes #brooklyn99

[unravelingthepages]

Hamilton- a review and a shoutout to my current favorite musical

hi! just got done with my mid-semester exams this week and thought I would start by recommending a musical I absolutely loved (yes I’ve been on a musical kick, I blame my cousin).

Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda is musical comprising of AMAZING soundtracks that I re-listen entirely every couple of days (I wish I was kidding) with the music spanning over genres of hip-hop, rap, musical theatre and more.

Just a note before I go into more about why I loved it- this is not a play made with the intention of depicting history. Yes, it draws from historical events and has historical figures as the main characters but the fact remains that it is a musical, and not intended to have a political message glorifying things like slavery. I will say that it while it does not forgoe looking at the themes of feminism and slavery and does have references to them, it in no way focuses on them and therefore might have the unintended consequence of glorifying figures like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington who owned slaves and such. If you plan on watching this musical, do go into it with this information.

About the musical

Hamilton is the epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honour, love, and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation. It is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and has the themes of romance, honour, war, revolutions, adultery, politics and more.

Why I loved it

Did I mention I absolutely ADORED the songs? Because I'm obsessed with each and every one of them. The way you can read into them and how each song can be seen as a build-up for the next and how later songs reference lines from the earlier songs- it's frankly amazing and so cool.

Speaking of the songs, I loved that this was essentially just music and continuous beats. The conversations followed a pattern and more often than not, ended up being part of the songtrack itself. While I do love musicals that have songs and then periods of just dialogue in-between where 'the plot thickens' (imagine with the hand gesturing and air of mystery, please tell me someone knows what I'm talking about); all the plot advancing needed in Hamilton is mainly included in the tracks (hell, an entire Cabinet debate is a rap battle) and I adore this form of storytelling. It's also another reason I love re-listening to all the songs, since I know exactly what part of the musical it's from and what's going on in that number.

Moving on to the characters- I loved that none of them were glorified but still given human qualities such you can find them tolerable and want to listen to what they are saying. That's not to say I like most of them as historical figures (I decidedly do not). But they were all so distinct here- in their personalities, their style of talking, their general demeanor and more- that it played a large part in how their contasting characters fit into the story so seamlessly. A huge shoutout to the cast for that, I absolutely loved how they embodied their characters.

Let me end with saying the way the story is written and portrayed is incredible. It goes in a linear timeline and have so many cool elements to it that you can't take your eyes away from the scene. There are so many different ways to look at every scene and… well, I could go on but it's safe to say I'm in love with this musical. (My favorite songs are Wait For It and Burn and my favorite scene has to be the whole rewind scene with Angelica Schuylur and the characters of Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr and King George III HAVE to be my favorite because I honestly laughed out loud every time I saw some of their expressions and the lines that went with them.)

All-in-all, I recommend watching this musical with all my heart! I loved it and would a thousand percent rate it 5 stars.

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#5 stars #blog #Hamilton #Lin-Manuel Miranda #musical

[unravelingthepages]

If We Were Villians- a review (read: an explanation for my adoration for this book)

If We Were Villians by M. L Rio is a dark academia book that I will probably always remember fondly. I loved the writing, the characters, and their respective personalities so so much. I definitely found it a 5 star read. Read below to find out more about why I would recommend it to you too :))

(I do have a word of warning- please do not try to compare it to The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I went in with this impression that it's similar and though it has surface level similarities, it is very different. While that impression did not affect my love for this book, it did give me expectations that were not fair to this book and the author's writing. Yes, both are within the realm of dark academia but If We Were Villians is much faster paced and should not be compared to The Secret History which for me atleast was a book to slowly digest and not binge read like I did the former. That being said, I loved and highly recommend reading both!! You can read my review of The Secret History by Donna Tartt here in case you're interested- https://unravelingthepages.wordpress.com/2023/02/18/the-secret-history-reasons-i-loved-it/)

Book blurb

Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.

As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.

Why you should read it

-I think I had a rather limited understanding of how Shakespeare's plays were meant to be acted until now. But after this book- the way Shakespeare is almost an active character in this book… chef's kiss

“Do you blame Shakespeare for any of it?” The question is so unlikely, so nonsensical coming from such a sensible man, that I can’t suppress a smile. “I blame him for all of it.”

The characters were frankly amazing. I loved how each character was, their personalities were so dynamic and just so real. A large part of it was how Oliver (the narrator and protagonist) describes them and how we get to see them through his lenses.

“For us, everything was a performance.” A small, private smile catches me off guard and I glance down, hoping he won’t see it. “Everything poetic.”

“When did we become such terrible people?” “Maybe we’ve always been terrible.”

The conversations between the characters. They were full of dry humor, pain, hidden meanings and literary references- sometimes all at once! They lived deep in the world of theatre and the author's writing transports you right into the world where pretty words masked tragedies alongside the characters.

“When we first walked through those doors, we did so without knowing that we were now part of some strange fanatic religion where anything could be excused so long as it was offered at the altar of the Muses. Ritual madness, ecstasy, human sacrifice.”

All-in-all, while I do think you need to read this book to understand exactly what I'm talking about, this should give you a brief delve into the world and help you decide whether this is something you would pick up. If it IS something you would pick up, I hope you love it as much as I did!! It's the kind of read that sticks with you as a fond memory of a read you loved and one can get engrossed in during your fifth re-read, just as easily as you had the first time.

If you’re planning on purchasing this read, please consider using the following amazon affiliate link to purchase it. It would be at no extra cost to you and would really help me out, thank you!

purchase this read: https://amzn.to/4a8BhkR

“..I need language to live, like food—lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.” M.L. Rio, If We Were Villians

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#book blog #book recommendations #book review #book reviews #dark academia books #must read #reading #if we were villains #dark academia

[unravelingthepages]

Rock Paper Scissors- Worth the hype?

Hi :-) can I just start by saying it's definitely worth the hype? it was a definite 4 star read for me and one that kept me engaged till the very end.

So Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney is a domestic thriller that I adored. It follows a married couple over a weekend getaway and if I'm honest it kept me wondering throughout. I definitely recommend it to you.

Book blurb

Think you know the person you married? Think again…

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

What I liked-

From the start I was making my own little conspiracy theories about what actually happened (all completely wrong in case you were wondering lol) and that kept me so engrossed in the book, I loved it.

The characters!!!! I loved getting these different perspectives, so very wildly different from each other I might add, and it was so cool when it all added up at the end and their little reactions made sense!!

The ending. Because genuinely, I had to go back and confirm that it was actually possible because I was so so sure it wasn't. But it was and it was so COOL how all the little details made sense.

Writing style 10/10. That's all I will say. I loved it.

Can I just gush over this book here? This is a fan post. Because I loved it so much and I'm now kind of wondering why I'm not rating it 5 stars lol. Maybe I'll re-read it and update my rating later.

Anyways, go check out this book!

purchase the book here: https://amzn.to/3Te9BFb [this is an associate link]

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#book blog #book recommendations #book review #book reviews #reading #thrillers

[unravelingthepages]

if rainy season is curling up under a blanket near the window with a book, winter is the season of sitting at cafes with hot chocolate and your book

#reading #book blog #blog #books #bibliophile #booklover #bookblr

[unravelingthepages]

Blood Divided by Katie Keridan- Book Review

Hi! I start my second semester of university tomorrow so I'll keep this review short for now but here goes!

Blood Divided by Katie Keridan is book 2 in the series The Felserpent Chronicles. It's a YA fantasy with the tropes of soulmates, reincarnation and more. It is important to note that I have not read the first book of this series but nevertheless, here's my review!

Thank you to bookinfluencers.com and the author for my e-copy of this read.

Book blurb

Kyra Valorian and Sebastian Sayre have finally remembered their pasts as the former Felserpent Queen and King, and now it’s time for them to change the future―by reuniting the realms and bringing peace to Astrals and Daevals. But tensions between Aeles and Nocens have never been higher, and those of silver and gold blood are more divided than ever. In addition to improving her recovrancy abilities and completing internship, Kyra is determined to uncover her father’s role in the evil Astral experimentation program, no matter the danger. As Sebastian learns to be in a relationship, he finds himself facing the traumas of two very different pasts, forcing him to make tough decisions about his chosen profession and who he wants to be. Meanwhile, Tallus, arch-enemy to the Felserpent monarchy, has also returned―and it will take help from Cyphers, as well as friends both old and new, to find and stop him. As Kyra and Sebastian struggle to navigate the differences between their past and current relationship, one thing’s part of fulfilling their destiny means accepting their fate. The choices they make will reach all the way into Death.

My review-

I really enjoyed this book. I went in without any backstory but the first few chapters introduce the characters and the story well, and that along with the writing style (which I loved), made the book easy to follow along to. I especially liked the tropes and the characters were great. I would recommend this read to you. I'll be updating this post with a more detailed review soon, but for now, I definitely suggest checking this book out. I'll hopefully be able to read the first book in the series as well soon!! There are some unanswered questions this series has yet to address but should be answered in the next book (I genuinely hope it's coming out soon).

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#book blog #book reviews #fantasy books #reading #bibliophile #books

[unravelingthepages]

thank you. thank you for being my first love, my first heartbreak and my best confidant. thank you for understanding me better than i understood myself and thank you for being my identity. thank you for being a map of my childhood, thank you for holding my tears, my anger and my happiness. thank you for giving me a place to leave the anger, the hurt and the sadness. thank you for teaching me about thoughts and feelings and people. thank you for staying with me always and thank you for teaching me to let go. thank you for everything, and more.

thank you for being my identity.

#my love letter to books #in case it was not clear this is about books #books #reader #booklover #bibliophile #book obsessed #childhood memories #nostaligiacore #thank you

[unravelingthepages]

Battlefield Earth (review pt2)

Hi! I reviewed this book in August of last year so this review is long overdue (you can check out my initial review on here by scrolling up) especially since last time, I was only in the process of reading the book and this time, it was in the audiobook format. And this time, I started by reading the author’s notes and introduction. And so, I now with a more comprehensive understanding of what…

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#book review #book reviews #reading #science fiction

[unravelingthepages]

Kakistocracy of the Technocrats- Book Review

Hi! Kakistocracy of the Technocrats by Natalie Triumphs is a standalone political thriller (??) that I recently completed and liked!

Kakistocracy= government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state. And that’s the whole book, with its backdrop in the White House. From the start of the book its evident, and it just gets worse as the book progresses. I mean I could have yelled at the incompetence and utter stupidity (not the main characters mind you, at the other characters). This read also balances elements of political discourse, action and a tiny bit of romance.

The Plot

As White House Researcher for a non-existent department that oversees a demented robotic President, Karissa James finds herself in the middle of a string of murders, fires, earthquakes, embassy bombings, assassination attempts, bribes, wars and an Administration that can best be described as a kakistocracy. Will she survive to find out the truth about her father and those responsible for the killings? Will she be able to protect her family and new-found friends? Or will she meet the fate of those who are dropping dead all around her? Book review- I did enjoy this read, especially the first 100 pages. It is a fast-paced and an enjoyable read if you are able to follow along to the conversations efficiently. I personally took the time to slow down in the text, considering the book reads as an act from a play often, in the sense that it is only dialogues for the majority of the page with not a lot of other direction. You are often left to infer the reactions from the characters’ responses and such. This was a new style of writing for me, and I didn’t mind it entirely though I wouldn’t choose it. That being said, a brief overview of what I liked in this read: the thoughts it provokes on modern governance in general through fiction, the little bits of sprinkled humour, and the protagonist. Now a brief overview of what I found a bit iffy: it did not make sense for the main character to be be as young as she was (19??) and handle all that she did so well and efficiently, I felt like a bit could have been focused on her just dealing with the complicated feelings she was bound to have; the way the two main male characters got overly protective over her and continued doing it after she said not to, frankly it bugged me; and the fact that you often had to read back to figure out what exactly was even being discussed by the characters. All-in-all, I would suggest checking out this book if the book blurb sounds interesting to you, you will probably enjoy it! Thank you to bookinfluencers.com and the author for my e-copy of this read.

purchase this read here: https://amzn.to/40qqdM0 [this is an associate link]

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#book blogger #book review #book reviews #political thriller #reading #bookblog #bookblr #booklr

[unravelingthepages]

Maus- a memoir you should read

Hi! I read this graphic novel as a part of my english course and ended up reading its second half in the same sitting. Needless to say, I definitely recommend this to you.

Maus (Maus I and II), is a graphic novel in a comic strip format detailing Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust’s accounts of Hitler’s Europe and living through it. It also details the lives of Art Spiegelman, his son, as he deals with the guilt of being a second-generation survivor and not actually living through the horrors his parents had to endure.

The Plot

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice, the Poles as pigs, and Americans as dogs), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek’s harrowing story of survival is woven into the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits. This astonishing retelling of our century’s grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.

Why you should read it

Let’s start with the format. The events seesaw with one side being Art, the son, talking to Vladek, his father, as Vladek accounts his life as in that time, and the other side Vladek’s life as he did his best to keep him and his wife alive. The formatting does not take away the truth and seriousness of the Holocaust, but it does balance it out with some much-needed lighter conversations where survival is not the only motive.

Its accounts of the Holocaust. This read depicts the Jews as mice and the Germans as cats (there are a thousand allegories you can take from that one), the Americans as dogs, and Poles as pigs. But despite this representation, it does not have any humour per say. It is a very much matter-of-fact recounting of starvation, survival, violence, and plain suffering.

The depictions of the Jews, especially Vladek and his family. Art’s parents, Vladek and Anja Spiegelman, were two Jews from Poland who survived through the Nazi ghetto of Sosnowiec and the extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. They were survivors and they bargained and used up favours in order to do this. Vladek saw the gas chambers used to exterminate Jews (like vermin, like mice, you can’t help but read into that one).

Vladek was portrayed as a very flawed man, whose flaws did not disappear with what he lived through and I loved his portrayal. He was not painted as a victim who gave into the sufferings of Jews, or a survivor who was a beloved hero or anything like that. He was a flawed person who ate snow for days to survive and more, and I loved that.

Art and Vladek’s relationship. I loved that this book delves into Art’s guilt of not living through all his parents survived, and his feelings of competing with his (dead) older brother. It makes Maus a very holistic representation of not only the Holocaust and Hitler’s Europe, but also the years long after that and the effects that proved to be lasting through generations.

Its important to know that, as talked about in the book, this book is based closely on the author, Art Spiegelman’s father’s memories of the death camps and Hitler’s Europe, hours on hours of research and took a total of whopping 13 years to complete.

All in all, I recommend you to pick this up, regardless of how old you are!

purchase this book here: https://amzn.to/45UuqZF [this is an associate link]

“Yes, life always takes the side of life, and somehow the victims are blamed. But it wasn’t the best people who survived, nor did the best ones die. It was random!”

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#book recommendations #book review #book reviews #memoirs #must read #non-fiction books #reading #maus #art spiegelman

[unravelingthepages]

The Bandits of Basswood- Book Review

Hi! I read this book a while back and enjoyed reading it! It is a children’s book but it pretty much kept me hooked to it too. Its intended audience is middle grade readers.

Bandits of Basswood by E.P. Bellows is a fantasy book for middle grade readers and the first of a series. Thank you to bookinfluencers.com and the author for my e-copy of this read, below is my honest and uninfluenced review of this book.

The Plot

John William Drake was born an explorer; just like many, many Drakes before him. His adventure really began with the discovery of an old book hidden in the ceiling of the Drake home, followed by the mysterious disappearance of his father. He lived everyday in misery until his twelfth birthday. A new friend gave him an invitation he could not turn down… follow me and change your destiny. He never imagined being captured by bandits and taken to a ship riddled with river rats was part of his fate. Not just any bandits – the Bandits of Basswood; known to be a ruthless and wild crew of thieves. Trying to escape would be a ridiculous idea. No one has ever escaped and lived to tell about it. Uncovering traces of his missing father gave him hope and upped the stakes. John William was determined to get off the ship alive and search for the missing pieces of the puzzle. The chase out of Basswood was on. He took a chance to change his destiny and ended up on a wild ride to solve the most important mystery of his life.

Book review-

The book starts off slow but picks up its pace pretty quickly. It starts with an event long ago, with the second chapter in the life of John Willian Drake, the protagonist, when he’s 11 and then fastforwards a year, which is when the rest of the story takes place (he’s a tween).

Let’s start with his character. He’s pretty tenacious, and smart at times though with the innocence and trust a kid has. He makes friends quickly and though it’s written in the third person, you get insights into his thoughts.

I especially liked the little illustrations that pop up occasionally. Taking up barely any space, they provide these tiny glimpses into an entirely new world. I liked that it helped you visualize the world the characters are in as the author intended. It should be especially helpful for those kids who may not enjoy reading only-text books because descriptions of something can only do so much and would appreciate those tiny, ethereal illustrations.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I definitely think I would be waiting for the second book if I read this when I was a kid. So if this book sounds like something someone you know would enjoy, I recommend it to you :)) I give this read 3.75 stars!

purchase this book here: https://amzn.to/48t2PB1 (free on Kindle Unlimited!) [this is an associate link]

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#book blog #book recommendations #book reviews #fantasy books #reading #books for children #bookblog #bookblr

[unravelingthepages]

#reading #book blog #blog #book blogger #books #bibliophile #book things #reader things #facts

[unravelingthepages]

the paradox

sadness is relatable and happiness is contagious

hopelessness is common and hope is powerful

pain is the norm and trauma is ubiquitous

but hurt, hurt is something given and recieved, never taken or wanted

-@unravelingthepages

#poems #poems on tumblr #original poem #book blog #emotions #poems and poetry

[unravelingthepages]

A Machine Divine- Book Review

A Machine Divine by Derek Paul is a young adult steampunk fantasy that I recently read. Thank you to bookinfluencers.com and the author for my copy of this book. Below is my honest, uninfluenced review of this book. Read my review below.

The Plot

"We are not the cogs. We are the cog makers. And this machine runs because of us."

Asher Auden is a biology prodigy whose work led to an economic boom for his rural hometown but has left him feeling isolated and alone. Callendra Saint is an introvert and the town’s most prolific, yet reluctant, animal trapper. The two are presented with an opportunity of a lifetime when they are accepted into a prestigious university at the heart of the nation’s capital. As they adjust to new surroundings, Callie embraces her independence while Asher’s gifts land him the social acceptance he’s long desired. But, they aren’t the only new arrivals.

A gas-masked terrorist has begun plaguing the city, poisoning its leaders, and sowing political discord. Equipped with the prowess to develop an antidote, Asher sets out to protect his new friends while enlisting the support of Callie, the only person he can trust. In doing so, he unknowingly ensnares them both in a covert investigation, an ancient society’s conspiracies, and the ambitions of a deadly menace.

Book Review-

This read starts off relatively slow with introducing you to the world, and it takes a while to get used to it. But once you get the hang of the world and the changing character perspectives, you really start enjoying it. You start recognizing whose perspective this read is from and you delve into their character. All of them are smart and its really interesting to see their takes. Overall, I really enjoyed this read.

This book is something you will enjoy if you like politics and science fiction, a genre I don't admittedly read a lot of, but one I liked seeing here! While I could spot a few things here and there that put me off, there were a dozen others that drew me back to the book and kept me reading. I would recommend A Machine Divine to you.

purchase this read here: https://amzn.to/3LGIX3w [this is an associate link]

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#book blogger #book review #book reviews #reading #books #book recs #steampunk #fantasy books

[unravelingthepages]

feeling it all terribly deeply

#blog #book blog #reading #booklr #books #bibliophile #book blogger #book things #reader things #reader problems #bookcommunity #book community

[unravelingthepages]

#blog #reading #book blog #books #booklr #bibliophile #book blogger #book memes #reading problems #book problems