Book Review | "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

I am one of the last people to read this week's book, it seems. First published in 1988 "The Alchemist" is an acclaimed but rather polarizing book among readers. Before I get into my thoughts on it, here is the book's Goodreads description:

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts. 

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew a lot of people loved it, but I also knew a lot of people were less than impressed. 
I am in the middle ground. I wouldn't say it's a must read, but I didn't hate the story either. I did have a few issues, however that are the reason I didn't really enjoy the book.
The book, while trying to be deep and philosophical, seemed to drag on greatly.
 The time period is a little ambiguous, making visualizing the story difficult.
There was some repetition and word cushioning. For such a short book, it makes me wonder how much further the story might have been cut down had those not been present. 
This book is very spiritual/religious in its tones, so anyone who doesn't like those sorts of reads should be aware of that before beginning. 
The "alchemist" part shows up halfway through the book.

I can see why people like this book, but it has pretty specific demographics that not everyone will fit into. If you're interested but not ecstatic about reading it , like I was, then I say borrow it and give it a try. 

Review | "Seriously...I'm Kidding" by Ellen DeGeneres

This week's review is over another audiobook by yet another extremely talented and funny woman, Ellen DeGeneres! I've been a fan of hers for years and finally got the chance to listen to her latest book (my first experience with her published work).
I don't have much to say in this review, so I'll just get right into it, but first, the book's Goodreads description:

I've experienced a whole lot the last few years and I have a lot to share. So I hope that you'll take a moment to sit back, relax and enjoy the words I've put together for you in this book. I think you'll find I've left no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken, no rug unvacuumed, no ivories untickled. What I'm saying is, let us begin, shall we?

I'd like to say I loved this book, and had I listened to it before "Bossypants" I might have, but since that wasn't the order in which I experienced the audiobooks, that's not the case. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, it was a quick listen that can easily be finished in around one sitting, but I didn't find myself adoring it and laughing out loud in response to what I was listening to. 
If you're looking for a memoir, this isn't it. It's a collection of anecdotes and a few personal feel good stories, but for the most part, it's kind of like a light hearted advice book. Sadly in formatting the book to be made up of stories, it felt scatterbrained at times and didn't really resonate with me too much. I find myself struggling to remember what was in the book rather than other monologues of hers from her shows (both her talk show and her past comedy specials) or hosting appearances. 
If you're a fan of Ellen, you'll like the book, but I recommend listening to it. I think if you read the physical book, it will lose some of its charm, Ellen's voice really brings the book alive and makes it feel like a podcast. 
If you're not a huge Ellen fan however, then you can pass on it, there isn't anything so spectacular in this book that it's a necessary read.

Review | "One Sweet Summer" by Cali MacKay

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for another review, this time over the first book of New York Times bestselling author Cali MacKay's "Mermaid Isle Romance" series. This is the first book by this author I've ever read, and sadly, I wasn't impressed. It was yet another free download from amazon, though, so if anyone is interested in checking it out, you don't have to worry about wasting money if you don't like it.
Anyway, before I jump into the review, here's the book's Goodreads description:

Riley Carter’s never found anyone who could live up to her first love, Thorsen Black. So imagine her surprise when, twelve years later, he shows up at the unique and quirky inn she manages on Mermaid Isle, off the coast of Maine. The sweet, gangly teen has matured into a sexy and handsome man, leaving her heart desperate to pick up where they left off.
It’s impossible for her to ignore the way her body instantly reacts to his touch and he's just the distraction she needs when she finds out the owners of the Siren Song Inn are selling it to Holt Enterprises. Holt only has eyes on the bottom line and Riley knows they’ll strip the inn of everything that makes it special, ruining not only the Siren, but devastating the island economy.
While fighting to save her beloved inn, Riley falls in love with Thorsen all over again. But when she’s faced with the real reason Thorsen’s on the island and his unbearable betrayal, will she be able to save the inn and her chance at true happiness?

This book is supposed to be a light romance, perfect for the summer or for a lazy day staying in, but in trying to get that point across, the story was redundant and almost sickly sweet. The plot was, in my opinion, terribly predictable, which isn't a huge surprise for chick-lit romance, but when it's too predictable on top of everything else, it can take some of the enjoyment out of reading.
The story did try to have tension though, it just wasn't necessary conflict, so it didn't add much depth to things and the drama just seemed melodramatic and overdone.
This was another book where the characters both are adamant about "taking things slow" that then flies right out the window just a chapter or two later. Speaking of slow, the relationship between the two lover interests gets very intense very quickly. I know they're supposed to be teenage sweethearts, but it's been years since they've seen each other, the old dynamic can't be the only reasoning they have to jump head first into things the way they do- making this a fine case of literary insta-love. Also, no one finds it at all strange that these two have only just begun to get to know each other and already taking huge steps in their relationship.
Thorsen is another male character who doesn't think things through completely before acting.
While trying to force the sweetness of their love, Thorsen gives Riley a nickname that doesn't quite fit, which would be fine if it weren't constantly repeated throughout the rest of the book as if repetition would convince the readers that it was a great idea.
Riley drove me insane with her inability to communicate with the other characters, which made me annoyed with her. Both her and Thorsen's flaws made me dislike them as characters because I didn't feel like, as a reader, I genuinely got to know them through the story. Sure exposition was given, as were descriptions, but it didn't read like an introduction, and they didn't develop much during the plot.
The ending wrapped up too cleanly considering the mess of a problem (that shouldn't have existed and could have been avoided but wasn't) that hung over the characters' heads.

In the end, I don't know if I would recommend this one. It's available for free, so like I said, there's nothing to lose by trying it out, but unless you have no other options, I would say you can definitely pass on it.

Review | "The Pirate's Wish" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

This week's review is over the sequel to "The Assassin's Curse" (Review here) so obviously there will be spoilers for the first book if you haven't already read it (though the book's synopsis kind of spoils itself). If you're read my review over the first book, you'll know that I was a little let down. I had bought both the books because the publishing company closed recently, making them more difficult to find- usually I only buy the first book in a series to see if I like it before purchasing the others, but because there won't be any reprints, I decided to purchase both the duology together. However, I didn't really enjoy the characters or the storyline, so I wasn't too excited going into the second book.
I wish I could say it was a pleasant surprise and that I loved "The Pirate's wish", but I didn't. I didn't dislike it, but I wouldn't have missed out on much had I not purchased it to begin with,
Before I go any further into my thoughts, here's the book's Goodreads description:

 After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.

The first thing I noticed that stuck out to me enough for me to take note of it was the phoned in love triangle/amorous drama. When characters aren't in a relationship and haven't discussed their feelings (which is a plot tool I don't buy with this storyline when the two main characters can read each other's thoughts and Ananna is a loud mouth in every other aspect of her life) I can't get behind throwing in a love triangle unless it pushes the story. It didn't add the intended tension, it just felt thrown in.

The pirates are far too judgmental of physical disfigurations. I mean, they're pirates! I'm sure plenty of them have some physical attributes that aren't exactly considered the norm. 

Much like in the first book, most of the drama and conflict is resolved too quickly for it to add anything to the plot making it all unnecessary and tedious to consider reading about. I kept wanting the conflict to go on longer so it would bring another dynamic to the story, so it would make me feel something, but it never did. 

The ending , while not getting into spoilers, seemed like it was written under a deadline and thus wasn't elaborated enough for it to make sense and not seem rushed and thrown together.

In the end, if you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one, but if you didn't care for it, then this isn't a necessary read by any means.