book review
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I Read an AI Book: My Thoughts
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AI novels are a relatively new phenomenon within the literature community and are rising in popularity. They appear in advertisements everywhere, with their AI-generated book covers and classic trope titles, for example, The Chosen Luna: Alpha’s Unwanted Daughter. Now, while they are popular, there are two big questions: are they good, and despite being AI, are they still valuable?…
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The Tragic Dreamer of White Nights
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When I first picked up White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, I truly believed it to be a classic romance story. Once I really started to understand the protagonist, though, I realized that this book has been misinterpreted by many. Yes, romance is a central to the story, but more than that, it explores deep loneliness and coping mechanisms, containing themes…
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No Friend to This House reimagines one of Greek myth’s most infamous women
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Greek myths are rarely kind to women, and Natalie Haynes has built a career by proving that they are rarely fair, either. In her most recent novel, No Friend to This House, the British classicist revisits an ancient tragedy through a modern lens. Haynes will discuss the book at the Kitchener Public Library on Mar. 16 as part of her tour,…
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Character Recap for the New Shatter Me Era
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fter nearly a year’s wait, prepare to return to the Shatter Me universe this upcoming April as Taherih Mafi’s newest book Release Me finally hits the shelves. The first book, Watch Me, in this new series The New Republic, was a major hit, having tugged at readers’ heartstrings at seeing James Anderson all grown up. But there was also some confusion, as it had been such a long…
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A Guide to Better Habits: What Atomic Habits Gets Right
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In 2018, James Clear released Atomic Habits, an award-winning self-help book on how to build good habits, break bad ones, and combat procrastination. Atomic Habits gained an immense following, went viral on social media, and has sold 20 million copies worldwide as of February 2024, with Slate hailing it as the “self-help book ofthe decade”. The impact of Atomic Habits is undeniable, but does Atomic Habits hold up seven years later? For many, January is a…
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5 POC Authors to Refresh Your TBR in the New Year
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As we head into the New Year, it’s the perfect time to refresh your TBR (To be read). Here are some outstanding POC authors worth adding to your reading list. Nikita Gill Known for her beautiful and emotionally resonant poetry collections, Nikita Gill is an Irish Indian writer whose work often explores mythology, girlhood, and healing. She recently released her first novel, Hekate, a Greek myth retelling that blends her signature poetic style with a full narrative arc. Gill’s writing is gentle, reflective, and easy to fall into, making her the perfect author to add to your TBR this year. Zadie Smith A staple in contemporary literature, Zadie Smith is known for her sharp, witty, and deeply observant writing. Whether you pick up White Teeth, or her more recent fiction and essays, her work offers smart, layered…
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Nabokov’s novel Lolita serves as a necessary, albeit controversial, classic
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Few novels have generated as much debate as Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. First published in 1955, the book was immediately controversial for its subject matter: the middle-aged Humbert Humbert narrates his obsessive, manipulative relationship with 12-year-old Dolores Haze, whom he calls “Lolita.” Critics and readers have long struggled with whether the book is art, exploitation, or…
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Off the Tracks takes readers on a journey of remembrance
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This article was cross-published with The Community Edition. The COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying years of varying quarantine forced the world to slow down. It confined those privileged enough to afford it into our homes. The sudden stillness after decades of moving as fast as possible caused a sort of metaphorical whiplash in many. Pamela…
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Hewitt’s Rivers in Rock a detailed account of Elora Gorge’s history
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Rivers in Rock is Kenneth Hewitt’s gorgeous homage to the beauty of Elora Gorge. Hewitt begins with an overview of the origin story of the gorge–from its barrier reef origins below the equator to the scarce traces left by Indigenous peoples in the area to the modern town around it. The book is both a…
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