The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m
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I Believe in a Thing Called Love - Maurene Goo

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Image result for i believe in a thing called loveBlurb (on back of book): Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama. 

MY OPINION: ****

No, I didn't disappear off the face of the earth.

I've been meaning to write this review for a long time. I haven't gotten around to it until now but I've created a list of things that I did and didn't like about this book. I mean, it wasn't a bad book, no, not at all, but I thought that there were some things that were unusual or unlikeable.

I really enjoyed certain aspects of this book because they were somehow connected to me. Like, I've gone through similar experiences or have similar aspirations.

I'm actually going to make this review written in a list format so that I can lay out everything that I want to say. Also, I think it'll be easier for you guys to read because long paragraphs are annoying, I get it.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ME AND DESI
1) We both want to go to Stanford.
I've wanted to go to Stanford since I was a little kid. It started from my dad always asking me where I wanted to go and I would respond Stanford or Harvard. Harvard is too far away from where I live, so Stanford is my best bet. I've visited the campus, researched a LOT, and have everything ready to go. However, I know this doesn't mean I'm definitely going to get in but it's a "dream", just like Desi.

2) We both have a missing parent.
I don't really want to go into this because it'll take a while and bring out some things that I don't really feel like bringing out. I just want to say that a lot of books these days have a missing parent, for whatever reason (either they died or they left them) and I really appreciate that. I like feeling that there are people (even if they're fictional) who know how it feels, especially when they explain their emotions.

3) We're both Asian.
I feel like I had to put this in because of the lack of Asian characters in books these days. There is a large diverse character field in the Young Adult world but it's rare that you come across a Young Adult Asian novel, no matter what the genre. Yes, maybe a couple of the characters aren't Korean or Chinese but I really appreciate the diversity. I'm a huge Jenny Han lover and I really liked this aspect of this book.

4) We don't have boyfriends.
I just want to point out the fact that I'm just almost in high school, so this doesn't really apply. But all my friends have had boyfriends or have them now, and I can't relate. I definitely understood Desi's plight!

Moving on from similarities, because I can go on and on and on...

LIKES

I always try to start with the good first before moving on.

1) I loved the romantic tension. I don't know how else to explain it but I loved the DRAMA of it all. I loved Luca's character (AND HIS NAME) and I loved how real the emotions were in this book.

2) I liked the character development. The characters in this book were realistic and had the characteristics of modern teenagers now, such as growing up and rebelling against parents (face it, we all do it).

3) I liked the lightness of this book. I liked how it was fun to read and not terribly depressing or boring. I liked how it was easy and a quick novel.

4) There were certain parts of the book I loved. I liked the whole Luca thing and basically every time she was there. I liked all of the escapades and I liked all of the Wes and Desi barf couple thing.


DISLIKES

I wouldn't say these were dislikes but more like nagging little irritations that I just need to vent about.

1) Luca. I loved him but I also hated him at the same time. HE WAS SO UNROMANTIC. And yes, I must admit, it was SO real to life. You are NEVER going to meet a romantic guy like the ones in romance novels and Luca was so like real life guys that I almost want to cry at how unfair it is. But he was SO UNROMANTIC AND I HATED IT. I read romance novels for the FANTASY of it all.

2) I'm just gonna say it: I thought Desi was a very childish person. I don't know... the way she talked, the way she acted, everything about her was just so immature. This is similar to Lara Jean from To All the Boys I've Loved Before but in her case, she was innocently immature. Desi is more like straight-up a kid. She didn't seem like a teenager.

3) Luca again. I hate the stupid nicknames he calls Desi. "NERD" That annoyed me. As someone who is often categorized as a nerd, I know how it feels. And yes, maybe it was supposed to be seen as endearing or cute or charming and maybe it was to you but NOT TO ME. I hated it and I cringed mentally everytime I read that. He also says stupid things like "I LIKE YOUR HOT BRAIN" which literally TRIGGERED me (and now I cringing for using the word "triggered").

4) I thought that this whole plot was cliche. Yes, maybe that's a good thing because I like fluffy romances that end in happily ever after right after a couple of mishaps and breakups and tears and yayayayayaya. But it was predictable and while I don't think that's necessarily a BAD thing, I thought that the author could have put some effort into creating surprises or red herrings. Yes, I know this is a light read.

5) The dialogue in this book. The way that the characters talked annoyed me to no end. They used words that fit into a middle-school boy's general vocabulary. They were blunt, quick, and haphazardly written pieces of dialogue.

So yeah. I didn't hate this book, lemme just make that clear. I actually enjoyed it and am planning on reading Maurene Goo's other book (or is it books?). There were just a few faults that I found that weren't exactly the best thing in the world.

I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a light fluffy read.

Main Character: Desi
Sidekick(s): Luca, Wes, Fiona, etc
Villain(s): Love, misunderstandings, lying, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: All of this was very real to life.

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