en-US Tue, 29 Apr 2025 02:30:41 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 214151202 “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.�

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.]]> 320 Clare Leslie Hall 166807818X Ica 5
]]> 4.41 2025
author: Clare Leslie Hall
name: Ica
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves:
review:
The farmer, the farmer’s wife, the author, and a secret that tears the people they love apart � and it all starts with a dog chasing after the farmer’s sheep.


]]> 214151565 A read-in-one-night suspense thriller narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves. For the millions of us still chasing those gone girls, this is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Laura Dave.

Sloane Caraway is a liar.

Harmless lies, mostly, to make her self-proclaimed sad, little life a bit more interesting.

So when Sloane sees a young girl in tears at a park one afternoon, she can't help herself—she tells the girl's (very attractive) dad she's a nurse and helps him pull a bee stinger from the girl's foot.

With this lie, and chance encounter, Sloane becomes the nanny for the wealthy, and privileged Jay and Violet Lockhart. The perfect New York couple, with a brownstone, a daughter in private school, and summers on Block Island.

But maybe Sloane isn't the only one lying, and all that's picture-perfect harbors a much more dangerous truth. To say anything more is to spoil the most exciting, twisty, and bitingly smart suspense novel to come out in years.

The thing about lies is that they add up, form their own truth and a twisted prison of a world. And in Count My Lies, Sophie Stava spins a breakneck, unputdownable thriller about the secrets we keep, and the terrifying dangers that lurk just under the images we spend so much time trying to maintain.

Careful what you lie for.]]> 336 Sophie Stava 1668079348 Ica 4
Sloane works at a nail salon while supporting her mother in Brooklyn. During a lunch break in the park, she notices a handsome man, Jay Lockhart, with his young daughter. When the girl gets stung by a bee and starts screaming, Sloane impulsively claims to be a nurse. From there, her lies spiral out of control. She simply cannot help herself, and her growing web of deception becomes increasingly unsettling.

Determined to insert herself into the Lockhart family’s life, Sloane manipulates a meeting with Jay’s wife, Violet, and soon lands a nannying job within their home.

I found the story captivating, thrilling, and completely crazy � in a good way! It was fast-paced, easy to read, and highly addictive. While the plot might feel familiar to fans of psychological thrillers, I personally enjoyed it a lot.

That said, the plot twist (and the ending) felt very far-fetched and even a little ridiculous � I couldn’t help but snort at how over-the-top it got. Also, the constant mentions of Taylor Swift were a bit excessive for my taste.

Still, overall, I had a great time reading it. If you enjoy authors like Freida McFadden or Lisa Jewell, you might really like 'Count My Lies' too.]]> 3.73 2025
author: Sophie Stava
name: Ica
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves:
review:
Sloane Caraway has a problem � she’s a compulsive liar. And not just harmless white lies � real, dangerous lies that could easily land her in serious trouble. That’s how we’re introduced to her in 'Count My Lies.'

Sloane works at a nail salon while supporting her mother in Brooklyn. During a lunch break in the park, she notices a handsome man, Jay Lockhart, with his young daughter. When the girl gets stung by a bee and starts screaming, Sloane impulsively claims to be a nurse. From there, her lies spiral out of control. She simply cannot help herself, and her growing web of deception becomes increasingly unsettling.

Determined to insert herself into the Lockhart family’s life, Sloane manipulates a meeting with Jay’s wife, Violet, and soon lands a nannying job within their home.

I found the story captivating, thrilling, and completely crazy � in a good way! It was fast-paced, easy to read, and highly addictive. While the plot might feel familiar to fans of psychological thrillers, I personally enjoyed it a lot.

That said, the plot twist (and the ending) felt very far-fetched and even a little ridiculous � I couldn’t help but snort at how over-the-top it got. Also, the constant mentions of Taylor Swift were a bit excessive for my taste.

Still, overall, I had a great time reading it. If you enjoy authors like Freida McFadden or Lisa Jewell, you might really like 'Count My Lies' too.
]]> 211004350
Then she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day, and he has a proposition for her: Thirteen-year-old Alice Webber claims a witch is haunting her. Living with her family in the remote village of Banathel, Alice finds her symptoms are getting increasingly disturbing. Taking this job will give Mina some experience and much-needed money; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better—Mina is sure of it.

But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.]]> 304 Daisy Pearce 1250334381 Ica 3
The first half of the book was captivating, with an atmospheric setting that made the story feel both creepy and unsettling. It had all the makings of a gripping horror/thriller. However, after the 50% mark, the story took an unexpected turn, abandoning much of the original plot. This shift led to an unsatisfying ending, leaving me with more questions and plot holes than answers.

Mina’s character also felt inconsistent. Instead of coming across as a professional child psychologist, she often seemed more like an amateur investigator, bouncing from one situation to another without much direction. While I understand she was trying to help Alice, a bit more professionalism would have made her more believable.

Overall, I thought the book was just okay. I would still recommend it if you enjoy horror stories involving witches. However, if you decide to skip this one, I suggest checking out 'Lore' podcast (available on YouTube or Spotify), specifically Episode 41 titled 'Hole in the Wall.' It’s a fascinating listen and feels like a perfect companion to this book.]]> 3.36 2025
author: Daisy Pearce
name: Ica
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves:
review:
'Something in the Walls' follows Mina Ellis, a child psychologist who meets Sam, a reporter, at a grief support group. Sam invites her to investigate the case of Alice, a thirteen-year-old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch.

The first half of the book was captivating, with an atmospheric setting that made the story feel both creepy and unsettling. It had all the makings of a gripping horror/thriller. However, after the 50% mark, the story took an unexpected turn, abandoning much of the original plot. This shift led to an unsatisfying ending, leaving me with more questions and plot holes than answers.

Mina’s character also felt inconsistent. Instead of coming across as a professional child psychologist, she often seemed more like an amateur investigator, bouncing from one situation to another without much direction. While I understand she was trying to help Alice, a bit more professionalism would have made her more believable.

Overall, I thought the book was just okay. I would still recommend it if you enjoy horror stories involving witches. However, if you decide to skip this one, I suggest checking out 'Lore' podcast (available on YouTube or Spotify), specifically Episode 41 titled 'Hole in the Wall.' It’s a fascinating listen and feels like a perfect companion to this book.
]]> 214151896 The Light Between Oceans meets The Snow Child in this novel set in a Scottish village in the weeks after a young boy mysteriously washes up on shore, causing the buried secrets of the insular community to come to light and rekindling an old love story.

It’s 1900 and Skerry, a small Scottish fishing village, is destined for an unyielding winter. During a storm, a young boy washes up on the shore. He bears an uncanny resemblance to teacher Dorothy’s son, lost to the sea at the same age many years before, his body never found.

The village is soon snowed in, and Dorothy agrees to look after the child until they can uncover the mystery of his origins. But over time, the lines between reality and desperate hope start to blur as the boy reminds Dorothy more and more of her own lost child.

The boy’s arrival also finally forces Dorothy to face the truth about her brief but passionate love affair with Joseph, the fisherman who found the boy on the shore and who has been the subject of whispers connecting him to the drowning of Dorothy’s son years earlier.

As the past rises to meet the present, long-buried secrets are unearthed within this tight-knit community, and the child’s arrival becomes a catalyst for something far greater than any of them could imagine.]]> 368 Julia R. Kelly 1668068680 Ica 0 to-read 4.23 2025
author: Julia R. Kelly
name: Ica
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199531989 Knives Out gets a rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers Christmas romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter

The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:
She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.
He’s Mr. Big-Time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.]]> 293 Ally Carter 0063276682 Ica 2
To preface my review, romance is my least favorite and least-read genre. So, when I received this book as a gift, a blind date with a book, I thought it might change my perception of romance novels. But alas, dear readers, it did not.

The story is essentially a knockoff of one of Agatha Christie's books, where a prominent writer goes missing in her own manor after inviting some family members and three authors. The focus couple, Maggie and Ethan, are among the guests.

I found myself more interested in the background characters than in these two. Maggie is supposed to be likable but is anything but, and Ethan is just another generic macho man. The plot is long, boring, and stuffed with every romance trope imaginable.

Beyond that, I found parts of this book quite problematic. One scene that stood out involves baby Ellie instantly calming down in Ethan’s arms. While this moment is likely meant to be lighthearted, Maggie’s comment�"Well, it is a girl,"—raises concerns. It implies that Ellie’s preference for Ethan is due to her gender rather than simple comfort, reinforcing outdated ideas about female behavior.

The most unsettling aspect is that Ellie is an infant, yet Maggie interprets her actions through a gendered, almost romanticized lens. Babies seek warmth and security, not companionship based on gender. Framing Ellie’s reaction this way subtly implies an attraction-based dynamic that feels uncomfortable—especially in light of recent controversies, such as the Australian author’s book that stirred similar discussions. This left a bad taste in my mouth.

Adding to my frustration was the repeated "I hate you so much I could kill you" sentiment. At one point, Maggie lies in bed fantasizing about ways to murder Ethan. What has romance come to? This isn’t romantic—it’s a huge red flag.

Ultimately, this book was definitely not for me.]]> 3.92 2024
author: Ally Carter
name: Ica
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves:
review:
This book, in fact, was not wonderful—it was a crime.

To preface my review, romance is my least favorite and least-read genre. So, when I received this book as a gift, a blind date with a book, I thought it might change my perception of romance novels. But alas, dear readers, it did not.

The story is essentially a knockoff of one of Agatha Christie's books, where a prominent writer goes missing in her own manor after inviting some family members and three authors. The focus couple, Maggie and Ethan, are among the guests.

I found myself more interested in the background characters than in these two. Maggie is supposed to be likable but is anything but, and Ethan is just another generic macho man. The plot is long, boring, and stuffed with every romance trope imaginable.

Beyond that, I found parts of this book quite problematic. One scene that stood out involves baby Ellie instantly calming down in Ethan’s arms. While this moment is likely meant to be lighthearted, Maggie’s comment�"Well, it is a girl,"—raises concerns. It implies that Ellie’s preference for Ethan is due to her gender rather than simple comfort, reinforcing outdated ideas about female behavior.

The most unsettling aspect is that Ellie is an infant, yet Maggie interprets her actions through a gendered, almost romanticized lens. Babies seek warmth and security, not companionship based on gender. Framing Ellie’s reaction this way subtly implies an attraction-based dynamic that feels uncomfortable—especially in light of recent controversies, such as the Australian author’s book that stirred similar discussions. This left a bad taste in my mouth.

Adding to my frustration was the repeated "I hate you so much I could kill you" sentiment. At one point, Maggie lies in bed fantasizing about ways to murder Ethan. What has romance come to? This isn’t romantic—it’s a huge red flag.

Ultimately, this book was definitely not for me.
]]> 212806636 A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this epic saga of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.

Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished and abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue.

Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.]]> 368 Allegra Goodman 0593730089 Ica 5 4.00 2025
author: Allegra Goodman
name: Ica
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 40961608 In a tour de force of historical reportage, Timothy Egan’s National Book Award–winning story rescues an iconic chapter of American history from the shadows. Ěý The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Timothy Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, he does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, “the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respectâ€� (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, The Worst Hard Time is “arguably the best nonfiction book yetâ€� (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful reminder about the dangers of trifling with nature.]]> 352 Timothy Egan 0547347774 Ica 0 to-read 4.09 2005
author: Timothy Egan
name: Ica
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 6798263 Suppose I were to begin by saying that I had fallen in love with a color...

A lyrical, philosophical, and often explicit exploration of personal suffering and the limitations of vision and love, as refracted through the color blue. With Bluets, Maggie Nelson has entered the pantheon of brilliant lyric essayists.]]> 112 Maggie Nelson 1933517409 Ica 0
This book had been sitting on my physical TBR stand for years, so I finally decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I had to put it away after encountering the word f**king more times than I could count in such a short book. It felt excessive, and I just couldn't push through—for my sanity. LOL.

What are some reasons you've DNF'd a book?]]> 4.09 2009
author: Maggie Nelson
name: Ica
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves:
review:
The first DNF of the year.

This book had been sitting on my physical TBR stand for years, so I finally decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I had to put it away after encountering the word f**king more times than I could count in such a short book. It felt excessive, and I just couldn't push through—for my sanity. LOL.

What are some reasons you've DNF'd a book?
]]> 213395480 From the acclaimed author of Mrs. March comes the riveting tale of a bloodthirsty governess who learns the true meaning of vengeance.

Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family—Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . . .

Patience. Winifred must have patience, for Christmas is coming, and she has very special gifts planned for the dear souls of Ensor House. Brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in a shocking conclusion, Victorian Psycho plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath.]]> 208 Virginia Feito 1631498630 Ica 3
I stumbled upon this book while scrolling through the Libby app, and the title and genre immediately caught my attention. Naturally, I had to read it right away.

The story follows Winifred Notty, who becomes a governess in the Pounds household. But here’s the thing—Winifred is batshit crazy. She’s a ruthless killer, a wolf in wolf’s clothing, unbeknownst to the Pounds.

This book is grotesque, nauseating, and deeply unsettling. Reading from Winifred’s POV feels like experiencing a psychotic breakdown every few pages, and it’s wild. She’s like a twisted mix of Lizzie Borden and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho.

While the book is short, with brief chapters, it leaves more questions than answers. The plot holes are glaring, and as a reader, I felt a lack of closure.

That said, I still found it an interesting read. It delivers on gothic horror vibes, and I can see why it caught attention. I’ve read that A24 has acquired the rights for a film adaptation, which is exciting—I love their work, and I’m curious to see how they bring this unsettling story to life.

Again, check the trigger warnings before picking this up. This book isn’t for everyone.]]> 3.62 2025
author: Virginia Feito
name: Ica
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves:
review:
⚠️ Before deciding to read this book, I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings. ⚠️

I stumbled upon this book while scrolling through the Libby app, and the title and genre immediately caught my attention. Naturally, I had to read it right away.

The story follows Winifred Notty, who becomes a governess in the Pounds household. But here’s the thing—Winifred is batshit crazy. She’s a ruthless killer, a wolf in wolf’s clothing, unbeknownst to the Pounds.

This book is grotesque, nauseating, and deeply unsettling. Reading from Winifred’s POV feels like experiencing a psychotic breakdown every few pages, and it’s wild. She’s like a twisted mix of Lizzie Borden and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho.

While the book is short, with brief chapters, it leaves more questions than answers. The plot holes are glaring, and as a reader, I felt a lack of closure.

That said, I still found it an interesting read. It delivers on gothic horror vibes, and I can see why it caught attention. I’ve read that A24 has acquired the rights for a film adaptation, which is exciting—I love their work, and I’m curious to see how they bring this unsettling story to life.

Again, check the trigger warnings before picking this up. This book isn’t for everyone.
]]> 40338442
In captivating, starkly beautiful language, The White Book offers a multilayered exploration of color and its absence, of the tenacity and fragility of the human spirit, and of our attempts to graft new life from the ashes of destruction.]]> 157 Han Kang 0525573062 Ica 4
The book is structured as a series of short, fragmented prose pieces, each centered on white objects—snow, salt, rice, swaddling cloth, fog, and more. The narrator reflects on the death of her older sister, who died shortly after birth, and how that loss has shaped her existence. Set partly in a foreign city, the book also examines personal and collective trauma, weaving in reflections on history and war.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its emotional resonance—Kang’s writing is sparse yet profound, evoking a sense of longing and remembrance. The way she weaves personal grief with broader historical wounds adds layers of depth, making it more than just a personal meditation.

The White Book is a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page. Perfect for those who appreciate quiet, meditative literature.]]> 3.85 2016
author: Han Kang
name: Ica
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
The White Book by Han Kang is a meditative and poetic novel that blends fiction, memoir, and philosophical reflection. It revolves around the narrator’s contemplation of the color white, using it as a lens to explore themes of loss, grief, and memory.

The book is structured as a series of short, fragmented prose pieces, each centered on white objects—snow, salt, rice, swaddling cloth, fog, and more. The narrator reflects on the death of her older sister, who died shortly after birth, and how that loss has shaped her existence. Set partly in a foreign city, the book also examines personal and collective trauma, weaving in reflections on history and war.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its emotional resonance—Kang’s writing is sparse yet profound, evoking a sense of longing and remembrance. The way she weaves personal grief with broader historical wounds adds layers of depth, making it more than just a personal meditation.

The White Book is a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page. Perfect for those who appreciate quiet, meditative literature.
]]> 216223604 The nightmare she’s running from is nothing compared to where she’s headed.

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

She never arrives at her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn’t what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.

And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself—and her unborn child.

A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.
]]> 384 Freida McFadden 1464232989 Ica 4
The Crash is definitely an interesting read. While I’m not too familiar with McFadden’s work, I’ve heard she’s known for her unpredictable plot twists, and this book delivers on that reputation.

The story follows two women. First, there’s Teegan, a young woman in her early twenties who is heavily pregnant as a result of a non-consensual act. When things take a turn for the worse, she decides to drive through a snowstorm to reach her brother’s place—but she crashes and is rescued by a seemingly kind couple.

Then there’s Polly, who lives in an isolated, freezing area with her husband, Hank. Polly is a devoted wife, but her intense longing for motherhood has clouded her judgment. When she crosses paths with Teegan, things quickly spiral into chaos.

While the plot itself isn’t groundbreaking, it thrives on misunderstandings and assumptions between the two women. At times, I found myself frustrated with their poor decisions and flawed logic, yet I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for both, as life had clearly dealt them a tough hand.

As for the big reveal—I had mixed feelings. If we had gotten a chapter or two from that particular character’s POV, I think it would have landed better. I wasn’t completely blown away by the twist, but it wasn’t terrible either, it was rather more...odd.

Overall, I had a good time reading this one!]]> 3.58 2025
author: Freida McFadden
name: Ica
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/05
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves:
review:
This was my first full-length novel by Freida McFadden (aside from the satire novella I read last month), and I was lucky enough to buddy read it with a friend—which made the experience even more enjoyable!

The Crash is definitely an interesting read. While I’m not too familiar with McFadden’s work, I’ve heard she’s known for her unpredictable plot twists, and this book delivers on that reputation.

The story follows two women. First, there’s Teegan, a young woman in her early twenties who is heavily pregnant as a result of a non-consensual act. When things take a turn for the worse, she decides to drive through a snowstorm to reach her brother’s place—but she crashes and is rescued by a seemingly kind couple.

Then there’s Polly, who lives in an isolated, freezing area with her husband, Hank. Polly is a devoted wife, but her intense longing for motherhood has clouded her judgment. When she crosses paths with Teegan, things quickly spiral into chaos.

While the plot itself isn’t groundbreaking, it thrives on misunderstandings and assumptions between the two women. At times, I found myself frustrated with their poor decisions and flawed logic, yet I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for both, as life had clearly dealt them a tough hand.

As for the big reveal—I had mixed feelings. If we had gotten a chapter or two from that particular character’s POV, I think it would have landed better. I wasn’t completely blown away by the twist, but it wasn’t terrible either, it was rather more...odd.

Overall, I had a good time reading this one!
]]> 211399784 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER � An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P˛ą°ůłŮ Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 448 Layne Fargo 0593732049 Ica 5
The story unfolds through an unauthorized documentary filmed ten years after Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha’s final skate—the last time the world heard from Katarina. Friends, rivals, and insiders weigh in, but Katarina is set on reclaiming her own narrative. The book alternates between interview transcripts (in a style reminiscent of 'Daisy Jones & The Six') and Katarina’s first-person account, drawing readers into the dramatic rise and fall that made her infamous.

The characters are incredibly well-developed—flawed, complex, and deeply human. You might hate them at times, but their authenticity is undeniable. Katarina, in particular, is unapologetically ambitious, and while some readers might judge her for her selfishness, I found her determination compelling.

Beyond the personal drama, the book also explores the ruthless demands placed on athletes, especially women—how the world expects them to give everything for success and then condemns them for the choices they make to get there. It also delves into relationships, both platonic and romantic, embracing their imperfections and toxicity in a way that feels raw and real.

Like I said—messy, dramatic, and juicy. And I loved every second of it. It might not be the most heartwarming or poetic book out there, but it’s an absolute page-turner. Five stars from me!

If you enjoyed 'Daisy Jones & The Six', 'Wuthering Heights' (there are light nods to the classic), or 'I, Tonya', this one is a must-read.]]> 4.17 2025
author: Layne Fargo
name: Ica
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/03
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves:
review:
This book was an absolute whirlwind—entertaining, messy, and scandalous in the best way! I devoured it. Initially, I hesitated, assuming it was just another sports romance, but it turned out to be so much more. At its core, The Favorites is about a woman determined to forge her own path, both on and off the ice.

The story unfolds through an unauthorized documentary filmed ten years after Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha’s final skate—the last time the world heard from Katarina. Friends, rivals, and insiders weigh in, but Katarina is set on reclaiming her own narrative. The book alternates between interview transcripts (in a style reminiscent of 'Daisy Jones & The Six') and Katarina’s first-person account, drawing readers into the dramatic rise and fall that made her infamous.

The characters are incredibly well-developed—flawed, complex, and deeply human. You might hate them at times, but their authenticity is undeniable. Katarina, in particular, is unapologetically ambitious, and while some readers might judge her for her selfishness, I found her determination compelling.

Beyond the personal drama, the book also explores the ruthless demands placed on athletes, especially women—how the world expects them to give everything for success and then condemns them for the choices they make to get there. It also delves into relationships, both platonic and romantic, embracing their imperfections and toxicity in a way that feels raw and real.

Like I said—messy, dramatic, and juicy. And I loved every second of it. It might not be the most heartwarming or poetic book out there, but it’s an absolute page-turner. Five stars from me!

If you enjoyed 'Daisy Jones & The Six', 'Wuthering Heights' (there are light nods to the classic), or 'I, Tonya', this one is a must-read.
]]> 211096516 EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE

Welcome to Bletchley Park� with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious �job�, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort � if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.]]> 432 S.F. Williamson 0063353849 Ica 3
Initially, I expected the main character and the dragon to escape to a sanctuary filled with dragons, where she’d learn more about their language. However, that wasn’t the plot—I may have imagined that part on my own. Instead, the story centers on a group of misfits using their unique skills to help the government combat a coalition of human and dragon rebels. While the premise is engaging, the middle section dragged on longer than necessary, which slowed the pacing for me.

I understand why some readers might dislike the main character. She comes across as overly righteous or selfish at times. But I found her inner conflict compelling—torn between saving her family and making the difficult choice to sacrifice them for the greater good of innocent humans and dragons.

I’m unsure if this is meant to be part of a series or a standalone novel. If it’s a standalone, there are significant plot holes and unresolved questions. For instance, I would’ve appreciated a deeper exploration of the world-building and more backstory about how things came to be.

Overall, I think this book would appeal to readers who love stories about language and dragons. Despite its flaws, it offers an intriguing take on the power of communication and the bonds that transcend species and ideologies.]]> 3.83 2025
author: S.F. Williamson
name: Ica
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/23
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves:
review:
The author did an excellent job exploring language—how it connects people, reveals truths about the world, and expresses emotion. Reading this book in today’s political climate felt eerily relevant. It examines the control of media, propaganda, education, separation, knowledge, and brainwashing to maintain a compliant population. What sets this story apart is the way it translates these ideas into a world divided between humans, dragons, rebels, and a manipulative government.

Initially, I expected the main character and the dragon to escape to a sanctuary filled with dragons, where she’d learn more about their language. However, that wasn’t the plot—I may have imagined that part on my own. Instead, the story centers on a group of misfits using their unique skills to help the government combat a coalition of human and dragon rebels. While the premise is engaging, the middle section dragged on longer than necessary, which slowed the pacing for me.

I understand why some readers might dislike the main character. She comes across as overly righteous or selfish at times. But I found her inner conflict compelling—torn between saving her family and making the difficult choice to sacrifice them for the greater good of innocent humans and dragons.

I’m unsure if this is meant to be part of a series or a standalone novel. If it’s a standalone, there are significant plot holes and unresolved questions. For instance, I would’ve appreciated a deeper exploration of the world-building and more backstory about how things came to be.

Overall, I think this book would appeal to readers who love stories about language and dragons. Despite its flaws, it offers an intriguing take on the power of communication and the bonds that transcend species and ideologies.
]]> 197036073
Have you ever been badgered by an annoying pick-up artist at the bar? Ever felt a burning desire to emotionally torture a friend’s boyfriend in an act of revenge? Have you ever endured just talking to a man before?

If so, then this book is for you.

With more than 100 phrases, questions, and comebacks, How to Piss Off Men is your essential guide to sending even the most relentless mansplainer into an existential crisis. Whether it’s referring to his expensive NFL jersey as “cosplay� or letting him know he has the confidence of a much taller man, this handbook will ensure you’re equipped to combat toxic masculinity in any situation.*

* The advice in this book has been thoroughly tested for effectiveness. Even on the author, bless his heart.]]> 144 Kyle Prue 1728291925 Ica 4
Having seen Kyle Prue’s TikTok series “Things to Say to Piss Off Men�, this book felt like a fun continuation of his witty style, making for an amusing and lighthearted read.]]> 4.12 2024
author: Kyle Prue
name: Ica
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/14
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves:
review:
A snarky handbook full of clever comebacks to deal with annoying guys sounded like it had the potential to be hilarious. While not every moment hit the mark, there were definitely parts that made me laugh, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Having seen Kyle Prue’s TikTok series “Things to Say to Piss Off Men�, this book felt like a fun continuation of his witty style, making for an amusing and lighthearted read.
]]> 216476388 My husband is dead.

I attended his funeral. I watched his casket be lowered six feet into the ground. (Actually, it may have been only five feet, but that still seems like more than enough.) And then we ate an array of finger sandwiches and deviled eggs and miniature beef wellingtons that cost more than my first car.

My point is, Grant is gone. And so are all his many, many deep, dark secrets which I never really ever bothered to ask him about. He is never coming back.

So why do I still see his face everywhere I go?

The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie is an utterly addictive, unputdownable, nail-biting, absolutely gripping psychological thriller novella with a shocking, breathtaking, heartstopping, spine-chilling twist that you won't see coming, will leave you stunned, and will literally have you picking your jaw up off the floor and bringing it to the nearest hospital for major facial reconstructive surgery.]]> 152 Freida McFadden Ica 4
Is it the best or most thought-provoking book I’ve ever read? No, but that’s beside the point. I still had a great time with it, and it turned out to be exactly what I didn’t know I needed—it made me snort amusingly more than a few times and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Sometimes, you just need a quirky, light read to take a break from heavier stories, and this one did the trick perfectly.]]> 3.34 2024
author: Freida McFadden
name: Ica
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/10
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves:
review:
This was my first time reading a book by Freida McFadden, and what an experience it was! The entire novella was absurd, ridiculous, and utterly unserious—in the best possible way. As a satirical piece, it served as the perfect palate cleanser before diving into my next read.

Is it the best or most thought-provoking book I’ve ever read? No, but that’s beside the point. I still had a great time with it, and it turned out to be exactly what I didn’t know I needed—it made me snort amusingly more than a few times and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Sometimes, you just need a quirky, light read to take a break from heavier stories, and this one did the trick perfectly.
]]> 203164421 Psychological horror meets cyber noir in this delicious one-sitting read � a haunted house story in which the haunting is by AI.

Henry is a brilliant engineer who, after untold hours spent in his home lab, has achieved the breakthrough of his career � he’s created an artificially intelligent consciousness. He calls the half-formed robot William.

No one knows about William. Henry’s agoraphobia keeps him inside the house, and his fixation on his project keeps him up in the attic, away from everyone, including his pregnant wife, Lily.

When Lily’s coworkers show up, wanting to finally meet Henry and see the new house � the smartest of smart homes � Henry decides to introduce them to William, and things go from strange to much worse. Soon Henry and Lily discover the security upgrades intended to keep danger out of the house are even better at locking it in.]]> 224 Mason Coile 0593719603 Ica 5 " 3.52 2024
author: Mason Coile
name: Ica
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 199295788 In this charming and emotionally resonant follow up to the internationally bestselling Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa paints a poignant and thoughtful portrait of life, love, and how much books and bookstores mean to the people who love them.

Set again in the beloved Japanese bookshop and nearby coffee shop in the Jimbocho neighborhood of Toyko, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop deepens the relationship between Takako, her uncle Satoru , and the people in their lives. A new cast of heartwarming regulars have appeared in the shop, including an old man who wears the same ragged mouse-colored sweater and another who collects books solely for the official stamps with the author’s personal seal.

Satoshi Yagisawa illuminates the everyday relationships between people that are forged and grown through a shared love of books. As time passes, Satoru, with Takako’s help, must choose whether to keep the bookshop open or shutter its doors forever. Making the decision will take uncle and niece on an emotional journey back to their family’s roots and remind them again what a bookstore can mean to an individual, a neighborhood, and a whole culture.]]> 176 Satoshi Yagisawa 0063278715 Ica 4
The story picks up from the previous book, and this time, it felt much more heartwarming, resonating with me on a deeper level. It beautifully illustrates how stories and books have the power to bring people together during times of grief, happiness, or even when trying to mend fractured relationships.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I love the series as a whole.

It feels good to be back!]]> 3.90 2011
author: Satoshi Yagisawa
name: Ica
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
"MDATMB" is the second, and I believe the final, book in the Morisaki Bookstore series—and it's definitely my favorite of the two.

The story picks up from the previous book, and this time, it felt much more heartwarming, resonating with me on a deeper level. It beautifully illustrates how stories and books have the power to bring people together during times of grief, happiness, or even when trying to mend fractured relationships.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I love the series as a whole.

It feels good to be back!
]]> 18465852
After their daughter Maribel suffers a near-fatal accident, the Riveras leave MĂ©xico and come to America. But upon settling at Redwood Apartments, a two-story cinderblock complex just off a highway in Delaware, they discover that Maribel's recovery--the piece of the American Dream on which they've pinned all their hopes--will not be easy. Every task seems to confront them with language, racial, and cultural obstacles.

At Redwood also lives Mayor Toro, a high school sophomore whose family arrived from Panamá fifteen years ago. Mayor sees in Maribel something others do not: that beyond her lovely face, and beneath the damage she's sustained, is a gentle, funny, and wise spirit. But as the two grow closer, violence casts a shadow over all their futures in America.

Peopled with deeply sympathetic characters, this poignant yet unsentimental tale of young love tells a riveting story of unflinching honesty and humanity that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be an American. An instant classic is born.]]> 286 Cristina HenrĂ­quez 0385350848 Ica 4
What I like about this book is that we get to know the individual immigrants (from Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries) and their stories. They all left their respective countries in search of better jobs, dreams and hopes, however, they all somehow end up in a low-rise building in Delaware, America. Regardless of their fortunes, they all have pride and love for their homeland and the country they have made their home.

I flew through the pages. It was so good.

Was it an over-simplistic story? Yes.

But I loved it! I cannot believe I waited 8 years to read this book. It's been on my shelf since 2014.]]> 3.88 2014
author: Cristina HenrĂ­quez
name: Ica
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/05
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves:
review:
An easy 5-star book!

What I like about this book is that we get to know the individual immigrants (from Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries) and their stories. They all left their respective countries in search of better jobs, dreams and hopes, however, they all somehow end up in a low-rise building in Delaware, America. Regardless of their fortunes, they all have pride and love for their homeland and the country they have made their home.

I flew through the pages. It was so good.

Was it an over-simplistic story? Yes.

But I loved it! I cannot believe I waited 8 years to read this book. It's been on my shelf since 2014.
]]> 202104245 Live, laugh, shed blood. Dexter meets Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town in this twisted debut graphic novel.

Don’t murder the locals—this is small-town serial killer, upstanding citizen, and adorable brown bear Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule. A sea of potential victims is in the city just beyond the forest, but when you’ve worked as hard as Sam to build a cozy life and a thriving business in a community surrounded by friendly fellow animal folk, warm decor, and the aroma of cedar trees and freshly baked apple pie, the last thing you want is to disturb the peace. So imagine Sam's indignation when one of Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly, mysterious demise. You wouldn’t blame her for doing anything it takes to hunt down her rival before the town self-destructs and Sheriff Patterson starts barking up the wrong tree.]]> 152 Patrick Horvath Ica 4
The protagonist, Samatha, is a serial killer with a strict rule: never kill in her own small town. But when bodies start appearing close to home, she becomes desperate to unmask the murderer before her own gruesome secrets come to light.

The artwork is stunning, with adorable, sweet-looking animals juxtaposed against chillingly macabre crime scenes. The contrast is striking and unsettling, making for a truly memorable experience.]]> 4.19 2024
author: Patrick Horvath
name: Ica
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/19
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves:
review:
As a fan of horror stories with a fairytale twist, I couldn’t resist the dark allure of homicidal, anthropomorphic animals—this story was right up my alley.

The protagonist, Samatha, is a serial killer with a strict rule: never kill in her own small town. But when bodies start appearing close to home, she becomes desperate to unmask the murderer before her own gruesome secrets come to light.

The artwork is stunning, with adorable, sweet-looking animals juxtaposed against chillingly macabre crime scenes. The contrast is striking and unsettling, making for a truly memorable experience.
]]> 206101583 'A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.'

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees—and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst—and the path of her life is changed forever.

From the internationally bestselling and prize-winning author of Piranesi and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, an enchanting, beautifully illustrated short story set in the Strange universe. Featuring an introduction by Susanna Clarke and gorgeous illustrations from Victoria Sawdon truly worthy of the magic of this story, this is a mesmerising, must-have addition to any fantasy reader's bookshelf.]]> 64 Susanna Clarke 1639734481 Ica 3
While I adored the story and its atmosphere, I only wish it had been a little longer to allow for deeper character development.]]> 3.47 2024
author: Susanna Clarke
name: Ica
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/09
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves:
review:
A charming blend of fairy tale and Christmas parable, The Wood at Midwinter tells the story of Merowdis, a young woman longing for a child to share her life, finding solace among the trees. Clarke weaves a delicate and heartfelt narrative, beautifully complemented by Victoria Sawdon's stunning illustrations. Together, they create a picture book for adults—a warm and enchanting tale perfect for cold winter nights.

While I adored the story and its atmosphere, I only wish it had been a little longer to allow for deeper character development.
]]> 17061
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.]]> 176 Neil Gaiman 0061139378 Ica 5
I love this book so much!

21/7/22

I've read this book so many times...its the best ]]> 4.13 2002
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Ica
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves:
review:
31/10/2015

I love this book so much!

21/7/22

I've read this book so many times...its the best
]]> 198902277 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781250899576.

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.]]> 384 Alison Espach Ica 4
The author masterfully delves into themes of human connection and depression, capturing the conflicting feelings of wanting to give up while simultaneously yearning to live. As you age, the book’s exploration of rethinking past decisions becomes particularly resonant and thought-provoking.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved this story. Reading and listening to the audiobook was an incredible experience.

This is easily one of my favorite books of the year.]]> 4.11 2024
author: Alison Espach
name: Ica
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/19
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves:
review:
I really enjoyed the portrayal of women's friendship in this book—it felt like a breath of fresh air, distinctly different from other female friendships I’ve encountered in literature.

The author masterfully delves into themes of human connection and depression, capturing the conflicting feelings of wanting to give up while simultaneously yearning to live. As you age, the book’s exploration of rethinking past decisions becomes particularly resonant and thought-provoking.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved this story. Reading and listening to the audiobook was an incredible experience.

This is easily one of my favorite books of the year.
]]> 195430687 Three estranged siblings return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister's death in this unforgettable story of grief, identity, and the complexities of family.

The three Blue sisters are exceptional—and exceptionally different. Avery, the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London; Bonnie, a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat; and Lucky, the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky reeling. A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in.

But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize the greatest secrets they've been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves.]]> 342 Coco Mellors 0593723767 Ica 0 3.93 2024
author: Coco Mellors
name: Ica
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves: dnf-might-pick-it-up-again-maybe
review:

]]> 203578770 Author of sales sensation If We Were Villains returns with a story about a ragtag group of night shift workers who meet in the local cemetery to unearth the secrets lurking in an open grave.

Every night, in the college’s ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story.

One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn’t there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?

Before they go their separate ways, the gravedigger returns. As they trail him through the night, they realize he may be the key to a string of strange happenings around town that have made headlines for the last few weeks—and that they may be closer to the mystery than they thought.

Atmospheric and eerie, with the ensemble cast her fans love and a delightfully familiar academic backdrop, Graveyard Shift is a modern Gothic tale in If We Were Villains author M. L. Rio’s inimitable style.]]> 144 M.L. Rio 1250356792 Ica 2
The story also lacks the gothic atmosphere I was hoping for, and overall, it’s a very strange, short read. By the end, I had more questions than answers. That said, the author’s note was a nice touch and quite intriguing.]]> 3.18 2024
author: M.L. Rio
name: Ica
average rating: 3.18
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/09/26
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves:
review:
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio is like a fast-paced Scooby-Doo mystery, and I’m still unsure how to feel about it. If you’re expecting horror � as I was � you’ll need to reset your expectations. There’s nothing truly scary here. It’s more quirky than creepy, with some questionable science, but definitely not horror.

The story also lacks the gothic atmosphere I was hoping for, and overall, it’s a very strange, short read. By the end, I had more questions than answers. That said, the author’s note was a nice touch and quite intriguing.
]]> 59721793 A magnetic tale of betrayal, art, and ambition, set in the world of professional ballet, New York City during the AIDS crisis, and present-day Los Angeles

Carlisle Martin dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer just like her mother, Isabel, a former Balanchine ballerina. Since they live in Ohio, she only gets to see her father Robert for a few precious weeks a year when she visits Greenwich Village, where he lives in an enchanting apartment on Bank Street with his partner, James.

Brilliant but troubled, James gives Carlisle an education in all that he holds dear in life--literature, music, and most of all, dance. Seduced by the heady pull of mentorship and the sophistication of their lives, Carlisle's aspiration to become a dancer herself blooms, born of her desire to be asked to stay at Bank Street, to be included in Robert and James' world even as AIDS brings devastation to their community. Instead, a passionate love affair creates a rift between them, with devastating consequences that reverberate for decades to come.

Nineteen years later, Carlisle receives a phone call which unravels the fateful events of her life, causing her to see with new eyes how her younger self has informed the woman she's become. They're Going to Love You is a gripping and gorgeously written novel of heartbreaking intensity. With psychological precision and a masterfully revealed secret at its heart, it asks what it takes to be an artist in America, and the price of forgiveness, of ambition, and of love.]]> 288 Meg Howrey 038554877X Ica 0 to-read 4.07 2022
author: Meg Howrey
name: Ica
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 131177 Hangsaman is Miss Jackson's second novel. The story is a simple one but the overtones are immediately present. "Natalie Waite who was seventeen years old but who felt that she had been truly conscious only since she was about fifteen lived in an odd corner of a world of sound and sight, past the daily voices of her father and mother and their incomprehensible actions." In a few graphic pages, the family is before us—Arnold Waite, a writer, egotistical and embittered; his wife, the complaining martyr; Bud, the younger brother who has not yet felt the need to establish his independence; and Natalie, in the nightmare of being seventeen.

The Sunday afternoon cocktail party, to which Arnold Waite has invited his literary friends and neighbors, serves to etch in the details of this family's life, and to draw Natalie into the vortex. The story concentrates on the next few critical months in Natalie's life, away at college, where each experience reproduces on a larger scale the crucial failure of her emotional life at home. With a mounting tension rising from character and situation as well as the particular magic of which Miss Jackson is master, the novel proceeds inexorably to the stinging melodrama of its conclusion. The bitter cruelty of the passage from adolescence to womanhood, of a sensitive and lonely girl caught in a world not of her own devising, is a theme well suited to Miss Jackson's brilliant talent.]]> 191 Shirley Jackson 0445031174 Ica 0 to-read 3.78 1951
author: Shirley Jackson
name: Ica
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1951
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 1058564
But she soon finds herself intrigued by Nina, a young mother on the beach, eventually striking up a conversation with her. After Nina confides a dark secret, one seemingly trivial occurrence leads to events that could destroy Nina’s family.]]> 140 Elena Ferrante 1933372427 Ica 3 3.70 2006
author: Elena Ferrante
name: Ica
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2022/09/10
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:
The Lost Daughter was hard to read, but I could not look away. I know that sounds strange, but that's exactly how I felt. This book shines a light on one of my biggest fears, motherhood and the relationship between mother and daughter, the questions and feelings one goes through as a mother. I would have liked to see more dynamics between Leda and her daughters. I just wish it had a little more oomph.
]]> 4745622 125 R.L. Stine 0439918766 Ica 3 3.84 2009
author: R.L. Stine
name: Ica
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/30
date added: 2024/05/30
shelves:
review:
It's always nice and nostalgic to read R.L. Stine's works! This was a quick, easy, and entertaining read for me—it only took an hour! You gotta love the series!
]]> 180633984 June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

Also by June
The Silence of Bones
The Forest of Stolen Girls
The Red Palace]]> 364 June Hur 1250858100 Ica 3
While dark or morally grey storylines are compelling, they shouldn't come at the expense of character depth. Unfortunately, Iseul lacks personality and comes across as a borderline unlikeable character. Her sole focus on saving her sister, without any additional character traits, is disappointing.

The pacing of the book is quite slow and repetitive. Although I typically don't mind a slow pace, this book felt exceptionally sluggish.

The main mystery was difficult to follow, partly due to the number of withheld names and the confusing attempts to connect different plot points. The reveal itself felt lackluster, leaving me somewhat disappointed.

Overall, A Crane Among Wolves had a lot of potential but ultimately suffered from a complicated and underwhelming plot.]]> 3.97 2024
author: June Hur
name: Ica
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/30
date added: 2024/05/29
shelves:
review:
A Crane Among Wolves is a story set in Korea under the rule of the tyrant King Yeonsangun. After discovering the truth about his mother's execution, the king transforms from a kind-hearted benefactor into a mad king. He purges the kingdom of anyone who was in the palace on the day his mother was killed, leaving Iseul and her older sister orphans. Now, her sister has been taken by the king and turned into a concubine. Determined not to lose anything more, Iseul sets off to rescue her sister, even if it kills her.

While dark or morally grey storylines are compelling, they shouldn't come at the expense of character depth. Unfortunately, Iseul lacks personality and comes across as a borderline unlikeable character. Her sole focus on saving her sister, without any additional character traits, is disappointing.

The pacing of the book is quite slow and repetitive. Although I typically don't mind a slow pace, this book felt exceptionally sluggish.

The main mystery was difficult to follow, partly due to the number of withheld names and the confusing attempts to connect different plot points. The reveal itself felt lackluster, leaving me somewhat disappointed.

Overall, A Crane Among Wolves had a lot of potential but ultimately suffered from a complicated and underwhelming plot.
]]> 46199 Listy do mlodego poety 80 Rainer Maria Rilke 0486422453 Ica 3
It's without a doubt that "Letters to a Young Poet" has resonated with artists for almost a century. And now, I understand why.

Rilke, a famous German poet born in Prague, traveled widely throughout Europe, married, and had a daughter. A dozen years after leaving school, Rilke, already a celebrated poet, received a letter from a young man seeking advice about life and poetry. Rilke penned ten letters to him over five years.

Rilke repeatedly emphasizes the importance of solitude and the notion of creating art without concern for external validation. These are valuable pieces of advice for any writer, artist, or even any human being.

While I didn't fully connect with all of Rilke's thoughts, some of them felt a bit too philosophical for me. However, there are many gems in this lovely collection that make it well worth reading.

For those seeking validation from others, this book offers comfort.]]> 4.32 1929
author: Rainer Maria Rilke
name: Ica
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1929
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/04
date added: 2024/05/04
shelves:
review:
I've been feeling burned out lately, and a friend recommended this book. I think I really needed this short and soothing read.

It's without a doubt that "Letters to a Young Poet" has resonated with artists for almost a century. And now, I understand why.

Rilke, a famous German poet born in Prague, traveled widely throughout Europe, married, and had a daughter. A dozen years after leaving school, Rilke, already a celebrated poet, received a letter from a young man seeking advice about life and poetry. Rilke penned ten letters to him over five years.

Rilke repeatedly emphasizes the importance of solitude and the notion of creating art without concern for external validation. These are valuable pieces of advice for any writer, artist, or even any human being.

While I didn't fully connect with all of Rilke's thoughts, some of them felt a bit too philosophical for me. However, there are many gems in this lovely collection that make it well worth reading.

For those seeking validation from others, this book offers comfort.
]]> 156023123
She’s learning, too.

Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?]]> 231 Sierra Greer 0063312697 Ica 4 " 3.81 2024
author: Sierra Greer
name: Ica
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/08
date added: 2024/04/08
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 182761465 A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett

On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,� Robert Browning wrote, “and I love you too.�
Ěý
Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer’s point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert’s wild proposal that they go to Italy to see whether the sun could cure her?
Ěý
McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other’s words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry,ĚýThe Swan's NestĚýwill sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other.]]> 320 Laura McNeal 1643753207 Ica 3
At the outset, Elizabeth, a talented yet secluded poet due to her chronic illness, receives a heartfelt letter from the admired writer Robert Browning, igniting a tender connection between them.

While the novel's premise is promising, the pacing in the initial chapters feels sluggish, as the focus shifts to peripheral characters and their narratives. This diversion delays the anticipated exploration of the poets' love affair, leaving readers longing for more immediate engagement with the central storyline.

However, the narrative gains momentum in the second half, offering a more compelling portrayal of the protagonists' relationship. Yet, this shift feels somewhat abrupt, perhaps due to the extensive attention given to secondary characters earlier on.

The ending, while subtle and reflective, may come across as underwhelming to some readers. It appears that the author deliberately mirrors the mundane tone of the ending with Elizabeth's own subdued reality, thereby creating a poignant connection between the narrative's atmosphere and her illness.

While the novel succeeds in depicting the lives of real historical figures within a fictional framework, there are instances where other works have executed this approach more effectively. Nonetheless, amidst a hectic schedule, completing this book offers a sense of accomplishment and literary enrichment.]]> 3.70
author: Laura McNeal
name: Ica
average rating: 3.70
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/01
date added: 2024/04/02
shelves:
review:
This quietly captivating novel delves into the unexpected romance between two esteemed 19th-century poets, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning.

At the outset, Elizabeth, a talented yet secluded poet due to her chronic illness, receives a heartfelt letter from the admired writer Robert Browning, igniting a tender connection between them.

While the novel's premise is promising, the pacing in the initial chapters feels sluggish, as the focus shifts to peripheral characters and their narratives. This diversion delays the anticipated exploration of the poets' love affair, leaving readers longing for more immediate engagement with the central storyline.

However, the narrative gains momentum in the second half, offering a more compelling portrayal of the protagonists' relationship. Yet, this shift feels somewhat abrupt, perhaps due to the extensive attention given to secondary characters earlier on.

The ending, while subtle and reflective, may come across as underwhelming to some readers. It appears that the author deliberately mirrors the mundane tone of the ending with Elizabeth's own subdued reality, thereby creating a poignant connection between the narrative's atmosphere and her illness.

While the novel succeeds in depicting the lives of real historical figures within a fictional framework, there are instances where other works have executed this approach more effectively. Nonetheless, amidst a hectic schedule, completing this book offers a sense of accomplishment and literary enrichment.
]]> 36739755 Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura.

Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,� she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction―many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual―and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal� person excellently, more or less. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action�

A brilliant depiction of a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures we all feel to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.]]> 163 Sayaka Murata 0802128254 Ica 4 " 3.65 2016
author: Sayaka Murata
name: Ica
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/27
date added: 2024/02/26
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 18162954 An enchanting short story from Madeline Miller that boldly reimagines the myth of Galatea and Pygmalion.

In ancient Greece, a skilled marble sculptor has been blessed by a goddess who has given his masterpiece � the most beautiful woman the town has ever seen � the gift of life. Now his wife, he expects Galatea to please him, to be obedience and humility personified. But she has desires of her own and yearns for independence.

In a desperate bid by her obsessive husband to keep her under control, Galatea is locked away under the constant supervision of doctors and nurses. But with a daughter to rescue, she is determined to break free, whatever the cost...]]> 27 Madeline Miller 1408848147 Ica 4
The narrative was engaging, and the character development was well-crafted, leaving me wanting more. While 'The Song of Achilles' didn't quite resonate with me, 'Galatea' captivated me with its concise yet evocative storytelling.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, and dare I say, I wouldn't have minded if it were longer.]]> 3.93 2013
author: Madeline Miller
name: Ica
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/19
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves:
review:
Having previously read 'The Song of Achilles' by Madeline Miller and not finding it entirely to my taste, I approached 'Galatea' with some hesitation. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this short story. Miller's exploration of the Pygmalion myth from Galatea's perspective breathed fresh life into a familiar tale.

The narrative was engaging, and the character development was well-crafted, leaving me wanting more. While 'The Song of Achilles' didn't quite resonate with me, 'Galatea' captivated me with its concise yet evocative storytelling.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, and dare I say, I wouldn't have minded if it were longer.
]]> 181344829 A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was�.

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.]]> 410 Ali Hazelwood Ica 3 3.98 2024
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Ica
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/14
date added: 2024/02/13
shelves:
review:

]]> 61484875 In this graphic novel by Emily Carroll, a young woman marries a kind dentist only to discover a dark mystery surrounding his former wife’s death.

After many lonely years, Abby’s just gotten married. She met her new husband―a recently widowed dentist―when he arrived in town with his young daughter seeking a new start. Although it’s strange living in the shadow of her predecessor, Abby does her best to be a good wife and mother. But the more she learns about her new husband’s first wife, the more things don’t add up, and Abby starts to wonder...was Sheila’s death really by natural causes?

As Abby sinks deeper into confusion, Sheila’s memory seems to become a force all its own, ensnaring Abby in a mystery that leaves her obsessed, fascinated, and desperately in love for the first time in her life.]]> 256 Emily Carroll 125025552X Ica 3
The drawings were beautiful yet creepy, very much in Emily Carroll's style. However, I felt like the characters, especially the protagonist, were somewhat bland. The story can be a little bit messy and confusing, but you'll get the hang of it once you're fully immersed in the story.

The ending is very ambiguous and open to interpretation for the readers. I personally think it's a portrayal of depression and mental illness.

Despite these issues I had with it, I think it's quite decent and gorgeously illustrated graphic novel.]]> 4.06 2023
author: Emily Carroll
name: Ica
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/11
date added: 2024/02/10
shelves:
review:
"A Guest in the House" is an entertaining graphic horror novel read for me. I enjoyed Carroll's previous work, "Through the Woods," back in 2017, so I was excited to read her latest work.

The drawings were beautiful yet creepy, very much in Emily Carroll's style. However, I felt like the characters, especially the protagonist, were somewhat bland. The story can be a little bit messy and confusing, but you'll get the hang of it once you're fully immersed in the story.

The ending is very ambiguous and open to interpretation for the readers. I personally think it's a portrayal of depression and mental illness.

Despite these issues I had with it, I think it's quite decent and gorgeously illustrated graphic novel.
]]> 150246179 The Fallon Spring Reads Book Club Pick

A mother is forced to the breaking point when her life and the lives of her children are threatened by an intruder

Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. She hears a noise—old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.

She sees the figure of a man appear down the hallway, shrouded in the shadows. Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall. There they hide as the man searches for them, trying to tempt the children out with promises and scare the mother into surrender.

In the suffocating darkness, the mother struggles to remain calm, to plan. Should she search for a weapon or attempt escape? But then she catches another glimpse of him. That face. That voice. And at once she knows her situation is even more dire than she’d feared, because she knows exactly who he is—and what he wants.]]> 368 Tracy Sierra 0593654765 Ica 4
This was a claustrophobic and anxiety-inducing book. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, turning the pages, biting my nails, to find out what in the world is going on!

From page one, the tension is thick as a knife, as if you feel you're there in the house with them. The intensity and heart-pounding nature of this book kept me hooked. The twists-and-turns made me question the protagonist's headspace and her motherly instincts so many times.

I really enjoyed the quality of writing here! The protagonist's internal monologues and thoughts were silent yet loud. There were several instances where you can't help but feel anger on her behalf because of how she was treated by the authorities. It definitely evoked a love-hate relationship with the book.

Nightwatching reminded me of Ashley Audrain's books and if you like those books, then pick this one up. Overall, I think it is one of the best recent psychological thriller reads so far.]]> 3.79 2024
author: Tracy Sierra
name: Ica
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/10
date added: 2024/02/09
shelves:
review:
There's a blizzard outside. A mother and her two young children are stuck inside their old New England home, where an intruder has snuck into their abode, ready to hurt them. So, where can they hide from his evil intentions?

This was a claustrophobic and anxiety-inducing book. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, turning the pages, biting my nails, to find out what in the world is going on!

From page one, the tension is thick as a knife, as if you feel you're there in the house with them. The intensity and heart-pounding nature of this book kept me hooked. The twists-and-turns made me question the protagonist's headspace and her motherly instincts so many times.

I really enjoyed the quality of writing here! The protagonist's internal monologues and thoughts were silent yet loud. There were several instances where you can't help but feel anger on her behalf because of how she was treated by the authorities. It definitely evoked a love-hate relationship with the book.

Nightwatching reminded me of Ashley Audrain's books and if you like those books, then pick this one up. Overall, I think it is one of the best recent psychological thriller reads so far.
]]> 127305805 New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world.

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic, and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.

When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

In this remarkable novel, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive, and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice and went on to triumph.]]> 336 Daisy Goodwin 1250279925 Ica 4
The storyline poignantly portrays Maria's tumultuous relationships, including her strained connection with a bitter mother, a deceitful husband, and a scandalous affair with Aristotle Onassis. In the second half of the book, glimpses of her deteriorating health add a layer of distress as her voice serves as a vital security net.

As a fan of biographical fiction, I love the art of bringing historical figures like Maria Callas back to life. The book prompted me to delve into her real-life story, leading me to watch and listen to her performances. Maria's commanding stage presence and effortless delivery truly earned her the moniker "La Divina."

The narrative is beautifully written, seamlessly weaving historical facts into the story. At times, I had to remind myself that this might not be the exact version of Maria Callas's real-life stories. I also enjoyed the inclusion of notable figures like Grace Kelly and Elsa Maxwell.

If I were to offer a critique or two, it would be the chapter lengths and maybe the pacing of the book. Nevertheless, "Diva" has left a lasting impression on me, and it's a book that will stay with me for a long time.]]> 3.77 2024
author: Daisy Goodwin
name: Ica
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/05
date added: 2024/02/04
shelves:
review:
"Diva" is a captivating biographical fiction centered around the renowned American-Greek soprano opera singer, Maria Callas. The narrative delves into the glamorous yet melancholic life of La Divina, celebrated for her extraordinary voice and beauty but constantly betrayed by those closest to her.

The storyline poignantly portrays Maria's tumultuous relationships, including her strained connection with a bitter mother, a deceitful husband, and a scandalous affair with Aristotle Onassis. In the second half of the book, glimpses of her deteriorating health add a layer of distress as her voice serves as a vital security net.

As a fan of biographical fiction, I love the art of bringing historical figures like Maria Callas back to life. The book prompted me to delve into her real-life story, leading me to watch and listen to her performances. Maria's commanding stage presence and effortless delivery truly earned her the moniker "La Divina."

The narrative is beautifully written, seamlessly weaving historical facts into the story. At times, I had to remind myself that this might not be the exact version of Maria Callas's real-life stories. I also enjoyed the inclusion of notable figures like Grace Kelly and Elsa Maxwell.

If I were to offer a critique or two, it would be the chapter lengths and maybe the pacing of the book. Nevertheless, "Diva" has left a lasting impression on me, and it's a book that will stay with me for a long time.
]]> 123206645 A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder � from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient.

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time � it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse � a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.]]> 298 Alex Michaelides 125075898X Ica 4
While I know some readers may not share my enthusiasm for this author, his style resonates with me. I particularly appreciate his use of unreliable narrators and the signature plot twists that define an Alex Michaelides novel.

"]]> 3.34 2024
author: Alex Michaelides
name: Ica
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/28
date added: 2024/01/28
shelves:
review:
I think it is safe to say that I consider Alex Michaelides my go-to author. Having enjoyed all of his previous books, his latest, "The Fury," is no exception.

While I know some readers may not share my enthusiasm for this author, his style resonates with me. I particularly appreciate his use of unreliable narrators and the signature plot twists that define an Alex Michaelides novel.

"
]]> 127280062 Torn apart by war. Reunited by love?

Two weeks have passed since Iris returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over.

Roman is missing, lost behind enemy lines, with no memory of his past, or Iris. Hoping his memories return, he begins to write again � but this time for the enemy.

When a strange letter arrives through his wardrobe door, he strikes up a correspondence with a penpal who seems at once mysterious� and strangely familiar.

As their connection deepens, the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.]]> 420 Rebecca Ross 1250857457 Ica 4
As you know, "Divine Rivals" is one of my top favourites of 2023, and the anticipation for the sequel was high! And now, I've read it. I have some thoughts. I have mixed opinions about this book. I still ended up enjoying it overall; however, I don't necessarily think it lived up to the expectations that I set.

The first half was honestly just a recap of "Divine Rivals," but with different circumstances. Definitely much slower and a tad bit draggy for me, but I still didn't mind it. My problem with this book was the gods, Dacre and Enva. I understand why the war between them broke out, and in the midst of war, we tend to lose the reasoning for ever starting one. So, I get it. But, my god (no pun intended), Dacre had no personality and was so boring. Also, he's supposed to be cunning and clever; I mean, he is a god, so why was he trusting Roman? Enva felt like a background character. You would think she'd be more present in this book since it is her war against Dacre. Also, she knew how to defeat him yet withheld that information for years. She waited to select Iris to kill Dacre, like what's the exact reason here? Which leads to the question; why Iris? Why was she chosen to kill Dacre?

The presence of numerous plot holes couldn't be overlooked. Despite these shortcomings, I found myself emotionally invested, shedding tears during Chapter 49. The characters of Iris, Roman, Attie, and Tobias were enjoyable, and the romantic arcs were well-executed. However, the rushed ending left much to be desired.

While "Ruthless Vows" may not stand as the best sequel, it's not without its merits. I'll miss the "Letters of Enchantment" duology and will undoubtedly revisit "Divine Rivals" for its comforting familiarity. Despite the sequel's shortcomings, the overall duology remains a good read.

P.S. I believe authors and publishing houses should prioritize the quality of their work over the speed of production when releasing sequels because these new anticipated releases have not been it at ALL.]]> 3.99 2023
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Ica
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/22
date added: 2024/01/22
shelves:
review:
In this sequel, "Ruthless Vows," seamlessly picks up where its predecessor, "Divine Rivals," left off. The story thrusts readers back into the enchanting world of Oath, where unruly magic, war, and gods intertwine.

As you know, "Divine Rivals" is one of my top favourites of 2023, and the anticipation for the sequel was high! And now, I've read it. I have some thoughts. I have mixed opinions about this book. I still ended up enjoying it overall; however, I don't necessarily think it lived up to the expectations that I set.

The first half was honestly just a recap of "Divine Rivals," but with different circumstances. Definitely much slower and a tad bit draggy for me, but I still didn't mind it. My problem with this book was the gods, Dacre and Enva. I understand why the war between them broke out, and in the midst of war, we tend to lose the reasoning for ever starting one. So, I get it. But, my god (no pun intended), Dacre had no personality and was so boring. Also, he's supposed to be cunning and clever; I mean, he is a god, so why was he trusting Roman? Enva felt like a background character. You would think she'd be more present in this book since it is her war against Dacre. Also, she knew how to defeat him yet withheld that information for years. She waited to select Iris to kill Dacre, like what's the exact reason here? Which leads to the question; why Iris? Why was she chosen to kill Dacre?

The presence of numerous plot holes couldn't be overlooked. Despite these shortcomings, I found myself emotionally invested, shedding tears during Chapter 49. The characters of Iris, Roman, Attie, and Tobias were enjoyable, and the romantic arcs were well-executed. However, the rushed ending left much to be desired.

While "Ruthless Vows" may not stand as the best sequel, it's not without its merits. I'll miss the "Letters of Enchantment" duology and will undoubtedly revisit "Divine Rivals" for its comforting familiarity. Despite the sequel's shortcomings, the overall duology remains a good read.

P.S. I believe authors and publishing houses should prioritize the quality of their work over the speed of production when releasing sequels because these new anticipated releases have not been it at ALL.
]]> 53344030
Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house ... But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.]]> 336 Alice Oseman 1444957651 Ica 4 4.47 2023
author: Alice Oseman
name: Ica
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/16
date added: 2024/01/15
shelves:
review:
Nick, Charlie and the gang are back! Arghhh I just love the series! I'm not ready to say goodbye to them in the next volume! Noo
]]> 134221476 ANNA O WILL WAKE UP THE WORLD

What if your nightmares weren’t really nightmares at all?

We spend an average of 33 years of our lives asleep. But what really happens, and what are we capable of, when we sleep?

Anna Ogilvy was a budding twenty-five-year-old writer with a bright future. Then, one night, she stabbed two people to death with no apparent motive—and hasn’t woken up since. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty� by the tabloids, Anna’s condition is a rare psychosomatic disorder known to neurologists as “resignation syndrome.�

Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist and an expert in the field of sleep-related homicides. His methods are the last hope of solving the infamous “Anna O’”case and waking Anna up so she can stand trial. But he must be careful treating such a high-profile suspect—he’s got career secrets and a complicated personal life of his own.

As Anna shows the first signs of stirring, Benedict must determine what really happened and whether Anna should be held responsible for her crimes.

Only Anna knows the truth about that night, but only Benedict knows how to discover it. And they’re both in danger from what they find out.

Joining the ranks of Gillian Flynn, A. J. Finn, and Alex Michaelides, Matthew Blake delivers the thriller of the year: a dark, twisty, and shocking mystery about a young woman who commits a double murder while sleepwalking, and then never opens her eyes again.]]> 421 Matthew Blake 0063314150 Ica 3
Dr. Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist specializing in sleep-related homicides, takes on the high-profile "Anna O'" case.

The book's initial intrigue gives way to a convoluted plot with various characters and subplots. I anticipated the twist early on but found the resolution disappointing. Characters lacked depth, with Anna O being the exception.

Focusing solely on her story and providing a more sinister background might have improved the narrative.

It is one of those instances where the book's structure would possibly work better as a limited series than in written form.

Despite its interesting concept, the execution falls short, reminiscent of "The Silent Patient" but more drawn out. I wished for a more prolonged exploration of Anna's story without the distraction of unrelated subplots. Overall, not a bad start to the year.]]> 3.36 2024
author: Matthew Blake
name: Ica
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/12
date added: 2024/01/11
shelves:
review:
Here's my first review of 2024!

Dr. Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist specializing in sleep-related homicides, takes on the high-profile "Anna O'" case.

The book's initial intrigue gives way to a convoluted plot with various characters and subplots. I anticipated the twist early on but found the resolution disappointing. Characters lacked depth, with Anna O being the exception.

Focusing solely on her story and providing a more sinister background might have improved the narrative.

It is one of those instances where the book's structure would possibly work better as a limited series than in written form.

Despite its interesting concept, the execution falls short, reminiscent of "The Silent Patient" but more drawn out. I wished for a more prolonged exploration of Anna's story without the distraction of unrelated subplots. Overall, not a bad start to the year.
]]> 5326
Introduction and Afterword by Joe Wheeler
To bitter, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas is just another day. But all that changes when the ghost of his long-dead business partner appears, warning Scrooge to change his ways before it's too late.

Part of the Focus on the Family Great Stories collection, this abridged edition features an in-depth introduction and discussion questions by Joe Wheeler to provide greater understanding for today's reader. "A Christmas Carol" captures the heart of the holidays like no other novel.]]> 184 Charles Dickens 1561797464 Ica 4 4.06 1843
author: Charles Dickens
name: Ica
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1843
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/11
date added: 2023/12/10
shelves:
review:
This Christmas classic is a must read during the holiday season!
]]> 34369803
As a young actor at an elite conservatory, Oliver noticed that his talented classmates seem to play the same characters onstage and off � villain, hero, temptress � though he was always a supporting role. But when the teachers change the casting, a good-natured rivalry turns ugly, and the plays spill dangerously over into real life.

When tragedy strikes, one of the seven friends is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless...]]> 422 M.L. Rio 1785656473 Ica 3
If We Were Villains unfolds a murder mystery surrounding Oliver Marks, a former actor at the fictional Dellecher Shakespeare conservatory, primarily during his fourth and final year there with his friends.

Initially, I struggled to develop a connection with the book, and this concern persisted when I was around 30% into it.

The beginning intrigued me; I was drawn into the story's moody setting and atmosphere. Despite its slow pace, which didn't bother me, my favorite parts were Act I and Act II. The incorporation of Shakespearean quotes and dialogues added a fun touch, emphasizing the characters' dedication to theater and their admiration for the Bard.

While I understand some readers may dislike the heavy use of Shakespearean dialogue and find the theatre students pretentious and unlikable, I believe that's intentional. The challenge for me was distinguishing James and Oliver, initially perceiving them as almost the same entity. The others were fine, although I didn't particularly care for any of them.

Acts III and IV marked a turning point. Repetitiveness, extended sections, and plot loopholes emerged, especially concerning a character's abrupt shift without clear justification after three years of friendship. The second half became somewhat predictable and melodramatic, resembling a CW teen drama, which I disliked. While the ending could have been better, it remained interesting.

Overall, I find it challenging to form a strong opinion on this book. It's not something I hate, but I don't particularly like it either. However, it undoubtedly carries the elements of dark academia.

P.S. I think it would be an added bonus if you are familiar with Shakespeare's work and tragedies, as it will make it easier to understand the foreshadowing in the book.]]> 4.29 2017
author: M.L. Rio
name: Ica
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/09
date added: 2023/12/09
shelves:
review:
I wasn't initially planning on reading this, but since it was a buddy read, I thought, "Why not? It'll be fun to read together!"

If We Were Villains unfolds a murder mystery surrounding Oliver Marks, a former actor at the fictional Dellecher Shakespeare conservatory, primarily during his fourth and final year there with his friends.

Initially, I struggled to develop a connection with the book, and this concern persisted when I was around 30% into it.

The beginning intrigued me; I was drawn into the story's moody setting and atmosphere. Despite its slow pace, which didn't bother me, my favorite parts were Act I and Act II. The incorporation of Shakespearean quotes and dialogues added a fun touch, emphasizing the characters' dedication to theater and their admiration for the Bard.

While I understand some readers may dislike the heavy use of Shakespearean dialogue and find the theatre students pretentious and unlikable, I believe that's intentional. The challenge for me was distinguishing James and Oliver, initially perceiving them as almost the same entity. The others were fine, although I didn't particularly care for any of them.

Acts III and IV marked a turning point. Repetitiveness, extended sections, and plot loopholes emerged, especially concerning a character's abrupt shift without clear justification after three years of friendship. The second half became somewhat predictable and melodramatic, resembling a CW teen drama, which I disliked. While the ending could have been better, it remained interesting.

Overall, I find it challenging to form a strong opinion on this book. It's not something I hate, but I don't particularly like it either. However, it undoubtedly carries the elements of dark academia.

P.S. I think it would be an added bonus if you are familiar with Shakespeare's work and tragedies, as it will make it easier to understand the foreshadowing in the book.
]]> 133938826 should feel successful—but all she feels is drained. Haunted by an abandoned dream, she takes a leap of faith and leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a quiet residential neighborhood outside the city and opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

The transition isn’t easy. For months, all Yeongju can do is cry. But as the long hours in the shop stretch on, she begins to reflect on what makes a good bookseller and a meaningful store. She throws herself into reading voraciously, hosting author events, and crafting her own philosophy on bookselling. Gradually, Yeongju finds her footing in her new surroundings.

Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that bind them, Yeongju begins to write a new chapter in her life. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop evolves into a warm, welcoming haven for lost souls—a place to rest, heal, and remember that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start over.]]> 307 Hwang Bo-Reum Ica 0 to-read 3.94 2022
author: Hwang Bo-Reum
name: Ica
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 125077431
In “The Boundary,� one family vacations in the Roman countryside, though we see their lives through the eyes of the caretaker’s daughter, who nurses a wound from her family’s immigrant past. In “P’s Parties,� a Roman couple, now empty nesters, finds comfort and community with foreigners at their friend’s yearly birthday gathering—until the husband crosses a line. And in “The Steps,� on a public staircase that connects two neighborhoods and the residents who climb up and down it, we see Italy’s capital in all of its social and cultural variegations, filled with the tensions of a changing visibility and invisibility, random acts of aggression, the challenge of straddling worlds and cultures, and the meaning of home.

These are splendid, searching stories, written in Jhumpa Lahiri’s adopted language of Italian and seamlessly translated by the author and by Knopf editor Todd Portnowitz. Stories steeped in the moods of Italian master Alberto Moravia and guided, in the concluding tale, by the ineluctable ghost of Dante Alighieri, whose words lead the protagonist toward a new way of life.]]> 224 Jhumpa Lahiri Ica 4
� ]]> 3.77 2023
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Ica
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/08
date added: 2023/12/08
shelves:
review:
Jhumpa Lahiri, having lived in Italy for an extended period, presents her latest translated work, "Roman Stories," a collection of nine short stories set in Rome. Primarily focusing on the lives of immigrants grappling with deep-seated racism, grief, and loss, five stories stood out to me:

�
]]> 61885134 Two women's lives and identities are intertwined—through World War II and the Korean War—revealing the harsh realities of class division in the early part of the 20th century.

Can't I Go Instead follows the lives of the daughter of a Korean nobleman and her maidservant in the early 20th century. When the daughter’s suitor is arrested as a Korean Independence activist, and she is implicated during the investigation, she is quickly forced into marriage to one of her father’s Japanese employees and shipped off to the United States. At the same time, her maidservant is sent in her mistress's place to be a comfort woman to the Japanese Imperial army.

Years of hardship, survival, and even happiness follows. In the aftermath of WWII, the women make their way home, where they must reckon with the tangled lives they've led, in an attempt to reclaim their identities, and find their place in an independent Korea.]]> 384 Lee Geum-yi 1250859557 Ica 0 to-read 3.93 2023
author: Lee Geum-yi
name: Ica
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 65213543 When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn't always what we seek.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.]]> 336 Travis Baldree 1250886104 Ica 3 " 4.13 2023
author: Travis Baldree
name: Ica
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/23
date added: 2023/11/23
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 58146427
Kayleigh needs money. That’s why she takes a job as a content moderator for a social media platform whose name she isn’t allowed to mention. Her job: reviewing offensive videos and pictures, rants and conspiracy theories, and deciding which need to be removed. It’s grueling work. Kayleigh and her colleagues spend all day watching horrors and hate on their screens, evaluating them with the platform’s ever-changing terms of service while a supervisor sits behind them, timing and scoring their assessments. Yet Kayleigh finds a group of friends, even a new love—and, somehow, the job starts to feel okay.

But when her colleagues begin to break down; when Sigrid, her new girlfriend, grows increasingly distant and fragile; when her friends start espousing the very conspiracy theories they’re meant to be evaluating; Kayleigh begins to wonder if the job may be too much for them. She’s still totally fine, though—or is she?]]> 136 Hanna Bervoets 0358622360 Ica 3
Undoubtedly, there's the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to social media monitoring and its potential negative impact on a person's mental and emotional state. This could have been a great read if the book had delivered on that promise, but it falls short.

We Had to Remove This Post follows a group of young colleagues reviewing violent, crazy, and illegal content for a giant social media corporation. However, a significant portion (80%) of the book focuses not on this aspect but rather on the narrator's toxic relationship with a colleague/girlfriend.

From the start, it was unclear why the narrator was directing all her turmoil toward her boss. The purpose of her story was elusive. The ending of the book felt random, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Additionally, the inclusion of topics like whether the Holocaust happened or whether the Earth is flat seemed out of place.

While there were moments when the book was interesting, these were overshadowed by the issues mentioned. I would describe this as a wannabe episode of Black Mirror.]]> 2.85 2021
author: Hanna Bervoets
name: Ica
average rating: 2.85
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/17
date added: 2023/11/17
shelves:
review:
I feel like I've been duped by the premise.

Undoubtedly, there's the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to social media monitoring and its potential negative impact on a person's mental and emotional state. This could have been a great read if the book had delivered on that promise, but it falls short.

We Had to Remove This Post follows a group of young colleagues reviewing violent, crazy, and illegal content for a giant social media corporation. However, a significant portion (80%) of the book focuses not on this aspect but rather on the narrator's toxic relationship with a colleague/girlfriend.

From the start, it was unclear why the narrator was directing all her turmoil toward her boss. The purpose of her story was elusive. The ending of the book felt random, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Additionally, the inclusion of topics like whether the Holocaust happened or whether the Earth is flat seemed out of place.

While there were moments when the book was interesting, these were overshadowed by the issues mentioned. I would describe this as a wannabe episode of Black Mirror.
]]> 200539015 My heart has made its mind up
And I'm afraid it's you.

The Orange and Other Poems provides the perfect introduction to Wendy Cope, one of Britain's wittiest, best-selling, and best-loved poets.

In poems that go from laugh-out-loud funny to deeply moving, Cope offers reflections on love and life. From the joy of falling—and being—in love to how to manage a painful break-up to cherishing the memories of people loved and lost, this is a collection to savour and share.]]> 53 Wendy Cope 057138952X Ica 3
Intrigued by this, I decided to pick this one up. The poetry in this book comprises pieces from her earlier works like "Serious Concerns," "Two Cures for Love," and "Anecdotal Evidence," to name a few.

Personally, I find them delightful and vibrant. Admittedly, a couple of them went over my head, but on the whole, they are short, simple, and refreshing.]]> 4.13 2023
author: Wendy Cope
name: Ica
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/15
date added: 2023/11/15
shelves:
review:
If you've been on TikTok, you might have come across videos featuring people embracing a simple life or cottagecore, often accompanied by the audio of Wendy Cope's poetry reading, particularly "The Orange."

Intrigued by this, I decided to pick this one up. The poetry in this book comprises pieces from her earlier works like "Serious Concerns," "Two Cures for Love," and "Anecdotal Evidence," to name a few.

Personally, I find them delightful and vibrant. Admittedly, a couple of them went over my head, but on the whole, they are short, simple, and refreshing.
]]> 52863327
The panic years can hit at any time but they are most commonly triggered somewhere between the ages of twenty-five and forty. During this time, every decision a woman makes - from postcode to partner, friends to family, work to weekends - will be impacted by the urgency of the one decision with a deadline, the one decision that is impossible to take back: whether or not to have a baby.

But how to stay sane in such a maddening time?
How to understand who you are and what you might want from life?
How to know if you're making the right decisions?

Raw, hilarious and beguilingly honest, Nell Frizzell's account of her panic years is both an arm around the shoulder and a campaign to start a conversation. This affects us all - women, men, mothers, children, partners, friends, colleagues - so it's time we started talking about it with a little more candour.]]> 272 Nell Frizzell 1250268125 Ica 0 to-read 3.48 2021
author: Nell Frizzell
name: Ica
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again�

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands � that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper � an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 Ica 5 � 4.14 2023
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Ica
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/10
date added: 2023/11/09
shelves:
review:
�
]]> 395233 The Letters of Vincent van Gogh put a human face on one of the most haunting figures in modern Western culture. In this Penguin Classics edition, the letters are selected and edited by Ronald de Leeuw, and translated by Arnold Pomerans in Penguin Classics.

Few artists' letters are as self-revelatory as Vincent van Gogh's, and this selection, spanning his artistic career, sheds light on every facet of the life and work of this complex and tortured man. Engaging candidly and movingly with his religious struggles, his ill-fated search for love, his attacks of mental illness and his relation with his brother Theo, the letters contradict the popular myth of van Gogh as an anti-social madman and a martyr to art, showing instead a man of great emotional and spiritual depths. Above all, they stand as an intense personal narrative of artistic development and a unique account of the process of creation.

The letters are linked by explanatory biographical passages, revealing van Gogh's inner journey as well as the outer facts of his life. This edition also includes the drawings that originally illustrated the letters.

Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890) was born in Holland. In 1885 he painted his first masterpiece, The Potato Eaters, a haunting scene of domestic poverty. A year later he began studying in Paris, where he met Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec and Seurat, who became very important influences on his work. In 1888 he left Paris for the Provencal landscape at Arles, the subject of many of his best works, including Sunflowers.

If you enjoyed The Letters of Vincent van Gogh, you might also like 100 Artists Manifestos, available in Penguin Modern Classics.

'If there was ever any doubt that Van Gogh's letters belong beside those great classics of artistic self-revelation, Cellini's autobiography and Delacroix's journal, this excellent new edition dispels it'
The Times]]> 528 Vincent van Gogh 0140446745 Ica 0 to-read 4.09 1914
author: Vincent van Gogh
name: Ica
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1914
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63133205 The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.]]> 288 Britney Spears 1668009048 Ica 4 " 3.83 2023
author: Britney Spears
name: Ica
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/24
date added: 2023/10/24
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 49583709
With her soft brown hair, lithe figure and big, wondering eyes, Constance Chatterley is possessed of a certain vitality. Yet she is deeply unhappy; married to an invalid, she is almost as inwardly paralyzed as her husband Clifford is paralyzed below the waist. It is not until she finds refuge in the arms of Mellors the game-keeper, a solitary man of a class apart, that she feels regenerated. Together they move from an outer world of chaos towards an inner world of fulfillment.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700Ěýtitles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theĚýseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-dateĚýtranslations by award-winning translators.]]> 400 D.H. Lawrence 014303961X Ica 3 3.48 1928
author: D.H. Lawrence
name: Ica
average rating: 3.48
book published: 1928
rating: 3
read at: 2016/10/11
date added: 2023/10/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 63017297 In this suspenseful and darkly funny debut novel, a sophisticated French woman spends her life obsessing over her perfect husband--but can their marriage survive her passionate love?

At forty years old, she has an enviable life: a successful career, stunning looks, a beautiful house in the suburbs, two healthy children, and most importantly, an ideal husband. After fifteen years together, she is still besotted with him. But she's never quite sure that her passion is reciprocated. After all, would a truly infatuated man ever let go of his wife's hand when they're sitting on the couch together?

Determined to keep their relationship perfect, she meticulously prepares for every encounter they have, always taking care to make her actions seem effortless. She watches him attentively, charting every mistake and punishing him accordingly to help him improve. And she tests him--setting traps to make sure that he still loves her just as much as he did when they first met.

Until one day she realizes she may have gone too far . . .

The winner of France's First Novel Prize in 2021, My Husband builds on the premise of hits like Gone Girl and Fates and Furies--how well can you really know your spouse?--and adds the tension and creepy obsession of You. The result is an irresistible read--compelling, tense, and engaging, infused with sly subversive humor, and told in an utterly original voice that makes it unforgettable.

Translated from the French by Emma Ramadan]]> 272 Maud Ventura 0063274825 Ica 3 " 3.67 2021
author: Maud Ventura
name: Ica
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/16
date added: 2023/10/16
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 49656780
i dive into the well of my body
and end up in another world
everything i need
already exists in me
there’s no need
to look anywhere else
� home]]> 192 Rupi Kaur 1982172452 Ica 3
Kaur's strength lies in her ability to address important topics like womanhood, depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, and feminism. In this book, I found her exploration of these subjects particularly compelling, which sets it apart from her previous works.

However, I must admit that with Rupi Kaur, it's always a bit of a hit or miss for me. This book resonated with me more than some of her others, but her style can be polarizing. Nonetheless, her ability to tackle significant issues through her poetry is undeniable.]]> 4.06 2020
author: Rupi Kaur
name: Ica
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/12
date added: 2023/10/12
shelves:
review:
I completely forgot about this book! Published during the pandemic, Rupi Kaur continues her signature style of concise and simple poems, reminiscent of what some might call "Instagram" or "Tumblr poetry." While I can understand this characterization to some extent, I wouldn't dismiss the validity of her voice and thoughts.

Kaur's strength lies in her ability to address important topics like womanhood, depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, and feminism. In this book, I found her exploration of these subjects particularly compelling, which sets it apart from her previous works.

However, I must admit that with Rupi Kaur, it's always a bit of a hit or miss for me. This book resonated with me more than some of her others, but her style can be polarizing. Nonetheless, her ability to tackle significant issues through her poetry is undeniable.
]]> 59344312
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.]]> 336 Colleen Hoover 153872474X Ica 2 4.29 2018
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Ica
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2022/02/03
date added: 2023/10/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 123414019 From the bestselling, award-winning author of Memorial and Lot, an irresistible, intimate novel about two young men, once best friends, whose lives collide again after a loss.

Cam is living in Los Angeles and falling apart after the love of his life has died. Kai's ghost won't leave Cam alone; his spectral visits wild, tender, and unexpected. When Cam returns to his hometown of Houston, he crashes back into the orbit of his former best friend, TJ, and TJ's family bakery. TJ's not sure how to navigate this changed Cam, impenetrably cool and self-destructing, or their charged estrangement. Can they find a way past all that has been said - and left unsaid - to save each other? Could they find a way back to being okay again, or maybe for the first time?

When secrets and wounds become so insurmountable that they devour us from within, hope and sustenance and friendship can come from the most unlikely source. Spanning Los Angeles, Houston, and Osaka, Family Meal is a story about how the people who know us the longest can hurt us the most, but how they also set the standard for love. With his signature generosity and eye for food, sex, love, and the moments that make us the most human, Bryan Washington returns with a brilliant new novel.]]> 320 Bryan Washington 0593421094 Ica 3
Throughout the narrative, the symbolism of food and hearty meals acts as a poignant thread, tying them back to their core identities and the significance they hold for one another.

The presence of promiscuity, though not a deterrent for me, cast a shadow on my ability to fully connect with the characters and their experiences. It is a poignant element that adds complexity to their narratives.

While I sense this book may resonate more profoundly with a younger audience, perhaps in their early 20s, I found Washington's prose to be a masterful exploration of pain, grief, and trauma. It's a testament to the author's ability to craft powerful narratives.

In spite of being outside the intended demographic, I appreciated the artistry in Washington's portrayal of these profound human experiences.]]> 3.50 2023
author: Bryan Washington
name: Ica
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/11
date added: 2023/10/11
shelves:
review:
"Family Meal" unfolds in three distinct parts, delving into the intricate lives of Cam, TJ, and Kai. The narrative skillfully unravels their struggles, distances, and eventual reunions amidst a backdrop of profound themes such as family tragedy, coming out, and homophobia.

Throughout the narrative, the symbolism of food and hearty meals acts as a poignant thread, tying them back to their core identities and the significance they hold for one another.

The presence of promiscuity, though not a deterrent for me, cast a shadow on my ability to fully connect with the characters and their experiences. It is a poignant element that adds complexity to their narratives.

While I sense this book may resonate more profoundly with a younger audience, perhaps in their early 20s, I found Washington's prose to be a masterful exploration of pain, grief, and trauma. It's a testament to the author's ability to craft powerful narratives.

In spite of being outside the intended demographic, I appreciated the artistry in Washington's portrayal of these profound human experiences.
]]> 75668280 240 Amy Price 0063257653 Ica 3
Amy Price, the Cecil's general manager for a decade, bravely unravels this macabre narrative in "Behind the Door." The book delves into her mission to transform the Cecil into a haven, to counterbalance its grim notoriety. This endeavor, however, was plagued with challenges, including the specters of infamous residents like serial killers Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger.

The tragic case of Elisa Lam, the subject of a Netflix documentary, serves as a haunting focal point. Price's account provides a unique perspective on this enigmatic incident, revealing the relentless personal attacks she faced in its wake.

While Price's recounting of the Cecil's secrets is undeniably compelling, there are moments when her personal narrative can divert attention. Similarly, some accounts of the tenants and visitors feel fragmented.

Nonetheless, for those captivated by the Cecil Hotel's haunting legacy, combining this book with the plethora of videos and the Netflix documentary offers an immersive plunge into its dark truths.]]> 3.47 2023
author: Amy Price
name: Ica
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/03
date added: 2023/10/03
shelves:
review:
The history of the Cecil Hotel is a chilling tapestry woven with tales of despair and darkness. Since its opening in 1927, this Art Deco landmark has stood as a haunting presence in downtown LA, overshadowed by its proximity to Skid Row. The hotel's corridors have witnessed over eighty deaths, a grim testament to its grim reputation.

Amy Price, the Cecil's general manager for a decade, bravely unravels this macabre narrative in "Behind the Door." The book delves into her mission to transform the Cecil into a haven, to counterbalance its grim notoriety. This endeavor, however, was plagued with challenges, including the specters of infamous residents like serial killers Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger.

The tragic case of Elisa Lam, the subject of a Netflix documentary, serves as a haunting focal point. Price's account provides a unique perspective on this enigmatic incident, revealing the relentless personal attacks she faced in its wake.

While Price's recounting of the Cecil's secrets is undeniably compelling, there are moments when her personal narrative can divert attention. Similarly, some accounts of the tenants and visitors feel fragmented.

Nonetheless, for those captivated by the Cecil Hotel's haunting legacy, combining this book with the plethora of videos and the Netflix documentary offers an immersive plunge into its dark truths.
]]> 62874041 Eliza and Lister have never been this wide-awake in their lives, and the Slope, with its curtains drawn wide, is bright with starlight. They talk in whispers, not to disturb the maids who lie sleeping on the other side of the box room. The question Eliza’s been needing to ask swells like a great berry in her mouth, and all at once she’s not scared to let it out, not scared at all, not scared of anything . . .

In 1805, fourteen-year-old Eliza Raine is a school girl at the Manor School for Young Ladies in York. The daughter of an Indian mother and a British father, Eliza was banished to this unfamiliar country as a little girl. When she first stepped off the King George in Kent, Eliza was accompanied by her older sister, Jane, but now she boards alone at the Manor, with no one left to claim her. She spends her days avoiding the attention of her fellow pupils until, one day, a fearless and charismatic new student arrives at the school. The two girls are immediately thrown together and soon Eliza’s life is turned inside out by this strange and curious young woman.

Learned by Heart, Emma Donoghue’s mesmerising new novel, tells the heartbreaking story of the tangled lives of two women whose intense, and unlikely, relationship will change them for ever.]]> 336 Emma Donoghue 0316564435 Ica 4
So, when I came across the blurb of "Learned by Heart" by Emma Donoghue, the author of "Room," I was immediately captivated and eager to read it.

Set in a girls' boarding school in the early 1800s, we follow the journey of Eliza Raine, a fourteen-year-old of mixed Indian and English heritage, and her evolving friendship, which eventually turns into an intimate relationship, with Anne Lister, later known as "Gentleman Jack" and hailed as 'the first modern lesbian.' Their lives become intertwined when they are assigned as roommates in a small attic space at the school, and we witness the growth of their connection.

These are real individuals who lived, yet we have limited information about Raine, beyond her association with Lister and her subsequent stay at Clifton House Asylum, brought on by despair over Lister's involvement with other women. I appreciated the perspective this book offers, allowing us to experience the story from Raine's eyes, both in the past and present.

While I can understand why some readers might find the pace slow, I personally cherished it. I found myself deeply invested in the lives of both girls, as well as their interactions with classmates and teachers amidst the backdrop of daily life at the boarding school. Donoghue's prose is wonderfully lyrical, and it skillfully captures the essence of the era and the societal expectations placed upon women. Her meticulous research for this narrative is evident.

I would have welcomed a glimpse into the initial stages of the relationship's breakdown, along with the conversations that might have transpired, and perhaps a more hopeful outcome for Raine. Yet, history is unalterable, isn't it?

For those considering this book, I highly recommend the audiobook version. Shiromi Arserio's narration is outstanding!]]> 3.47 2023
author: Emma Donoghue
name: Ica
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/02
date added: 2023/10/02
shelves:
review:
I don't know why, but reading fictional books based on real-life people is one of my favorite things. Perhaps it's because we get to explore the 'what ifs' or delve into a more intimate aspect of their lives. Maggie O'Farrell, for instance, excels at weaving fictional tales around historical figures, as seen in her books, "Hamnet" and "The Marriage Portrait."

So, when I came across the blurb of "Learned by Heart" by Emma Donoghue, the author of "Room," I was immediately captivated and eager to read it.

Set in a girls' boarding school in the early 1800s, we follow the journey of Eliza Raine, a fourteen-year-old of mixed Indian and English heritage, and her evolving friendship, which eventually turns into an intimate relationship, with Anne Lister, later known as "Gentleman Jack" and hailed as 'the first modern lesbian.' Their lives become intertwined when they are assigned as roommates in a small attic space at the school, and we witness the growth of their connection.

These are real individuals who lived, yet we have limited information about Raine, beyond her association with Lister and her subsequent stay at Clifton House Asylum, brought on by despair over Lister's involvement with other women. I appreciated the perspective this book offers, allowing us to experience the story from Raine's eyes, both in the past and present.

While I can understand why some readers might find the pace slow, I personally cherished it. I found myself deeply invested in the lives of both girls, as well as their interactions with classmates and teachers amidst the backdrop of daily life at the boarding school. Donoghue's prose is wonderfully lyrical, and it skillfully captures the essence of the era and the societal expectations placed upon women. Her meticulous research for this narrative is evident.

I would have welcomed a glimpse into the initial stages of the relationship's breakdown, along with the conversations that might have transpired, and perhaps a more hopeful outcome for Raine. Yet, history is unalterable, isn't it?

For those considering this book, I highly recommend the audiobook version. Shiromi Arserio's narration is outstanding!
]]> 13496
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.]]> 835 George R.R. Martin 0553588486 Ica 4 4.44 1996
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Ica
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/24
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> 62919394
Though isolated, Cassie is never alone. From her earliest memory, a miniature black hole has been her constant companion. It feeds on her depression and anxiety, its size changing in relation to her distress. The black hole watches, but it also waits. Its relentless pull draws Cassie ever-closer as the world around her unravels.

When her CEO’s demands cross an illegal threshold and she ends up unexpectedly pregnant, Cassie must decide whether the tempting fruits of Silicon Valley are really worth it. Sharp but vulnerable, funny yet unsettling, Ripe portrays one millennial woman’s journey through a late-capitalist hellscape and offers an incisive look at the absurdities of modern life.]]> 288 Sarah Rose Etter 1668011638 Ica 4
'Ripe' follows Cassie's journey through life and her struggles in a toxic Silicon Valley workplace, all while being shadowed by a shifting black hole. She's juggling so much and it feels like she's spiraling deeper into the abyss.

I deeply connected with Cassie, especially in terms of work and the constant gray cloud that seems to loom overhead. This past year, burnout weighed heavily on me, and this month in particular has been a struggle, so reading this was a bit uncomfortable yet oddly comforting in its relatability.

The book encapsulates the very essence of what many millennials, especially those battling depression or navigating through the haze of uncertainty, are experiencing. It also does a great depiction of toxic work environments and the pressures of capitalism.

While the ending is somewhat ambiguous, the subtle hints speak volumes. This book arrived in my life at just the right moment, when I'm feeling particularly low and burnt out.

I highly recommend giving this book a try.

P.S. Make sure to check for any potential triggers or warnings before diving into this read.]]> 3.60 2023
author: Sarah Rose Etter
name: Ica
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/22
date added: 2023/09/22
shelves:
review:
For all the lonely, burned-out, and depressed millennial girlies out there, this book would truly resonate with us. I never felt so seen.

'Ripe' follows Cassie's journey through life and her struggles in a toxic Silicon Valley workplace, all while being shadowed by a shifting black hole. She's juggling so much and it feels like she's spiraling deeper into the abyss.

I deeply connected with Cassie, especially in terms of work and the constant gray cloud that seems to loom overhead. This past year, burnout weighed heavily on me, and this month in particular has been a struggle, so reading this was a bit uncomfortable yet oddly comforting in its relatability.

The book encapsulates the very essence of what many millennials, especially those battling depression or navigating through the haze of uncertainty, are experiencing. It also does a great depiction of toxic work environments and the pressures of capitalism.

While the ending is somewhat ambiguous, the subtle hints speak volumes. This book arrived in my life at just the right moment, when I'm feeling particularly low and burnt out.

I highly recommend giving this book a try.

P.S. Make sure to check for any potential triggers or warnings before diving into this read.
]]> 46157017 Boys� Love Cooked To Perfection

Eating around other people is a struggle for salaryman Yutaka, despite his talent for cooking. All that changes when he meets Minoru and Tane—two brothers, many years apart in age—who ask him to teach them how to make his delicious food! It’s not long before Yutaka finds himself falling hard for the meals they share together�and falling in love!]]> 236 Mita Ori 164275756X Ica 4 4.50 2017
author: Mita Ori
name: Ica
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/16
date added: 2023/09/16
shelves:
review:
This was so cute and wholesome! Using food to bond..YES PLEASE! I did get emotional in the end! Ugh, my heart!
]]> 51104536 The runaway bestseller that helped launch Korea’s new feminist movement, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 follows one woman’s psychic deterioration in the face of rigid misogyny.

In a small, tidy apartment on the outskirts of the frenzied metropolis of Seoul, Kim Jiyoung—a millennial “everywoman”—spends her days caring for her infant daughter. Her husband, however, worries over a strange symptom that has recently appeared: Jiyoung has begun to impersonate the voices of other women—dead and alive, both known and unknown to her. Truly, flawlessly, completely, she became that very person. As she plunges deeper into this psychosis, Jiyoung’s concerned husband sends her to a psychiatrist, who listens to her narrate her own life story—from her birth to a family who expected a son, to elementary school teachers who policed girls� outfits, to male coworkers who installed hidden cameras in women’s restrooms and posted the photos online. But can her doctor cure her, or even discover what truly ails her? Rendered in eerie prose, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 announces the arrival of a major international writer.]]> 176 Cho Nam-Joo Ica 3
The themes explored here are all too familiar, either from my personal experiences or current events. I believe any female reader will identify similarities with their own lives as well.

Before I reached the ending, I was annoyed how certain parts of this book read like a piece of an academic paper or a report. Well, then I got to the last chapter and it makes sense because the story is presented as a psychiatric case study written by a male psychiatrist who is treating Kim Jiyoung, which prompted a question in my head:

Doesn't the narrative choice of a male psychiatrist with potentially misogynistic traits writing the report contradict the feminist message of "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982"?

Well, I took some time to reflect. And this is what I've come up with:

Now, it may initially seem contradictory for a feminist work, however, it serves as a deliberate commentary on the entrenched biases present in society. By employing this perspective, it prompts readers to critically examine the influence of the male gaze, even in professional contexts.

This narrative choice challenges us to confront our own preconceived notions and underscores the need for a broader, more inclusive understanding of women's experiences. In doing so, this book sparks essential conversations about gender inequality and the importance of diverse voices in shaping our narratives.

I fully endorse the message conveyed in this book. However, its presentation falls short of being truly compelling. There's a certain element missing, though I can't quite pinpoint it. The translation could have been more refined, as certain sections, particularly in terms of grammar, proved challenging to digest.

Nevertheless, I remain steadfast in my belief that readers should delve into this work at least once in their lifetime. It serves as a vital reminder of the persisting and oftentimes unjust realities women face in our world.]]> 4.07 2016
author: Cho Nam-Joo
name: Ica
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves:
review:
The storyline revolves around a housewife who becomes a stay-at-home mother and later grapples with depression. It sheds light on the everyday sexism that the main character faces.

The themes explored here are all too familiar, either from my personal experiences or current events. I believe any female reader will identify similarities with their own lives as well.

Before I reached the ending, I was annoyed how certain parts of this book read like a piece of an academic paper or a report. Well, then I got to the last chapter and it makes sense because the story is presented as a psychiatric case study written by a male psychiatrist who is treating Kim Jiyoung, which prompted a question in my head:

Doesn't the narrative choice of a male psychiatrist with potentially misogynistic traits writing the report contradict the feminist message of "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982"?

Well, I took some time to reflect. And this is what I've come up with:

Now, it may initially seem contradictory for a feminist work, however, it serves as a deliberate commentary on the entrenched biases present in society. By employing this perspective, it prompts readers to critically examine the influence of the male gaze, even in professional contexts.

This narrative choice challenges us to confront our own preconceived notions and underscores the need for a broader, more inclusive understanding of women's experiences. In doing so, this book sparks essential conversations about gender inequality and the importance of diverse voices in shaping our narratives.

I fully endorse the message conveyed in this book. However, its presentation falls short of being truly compelling. There's a certain element missing, though I can't quite pinpoint it. The translation could have been more refined, as certain sections, particularly in terms of grammar, proved challenging to digest.

Nevertheless, I remain steadfast in my belief that readers should delve into this work at least once in their lifetime. It serves as a vital reminder of the persisting and oftentimes unjust realities women face in our world.
]]> 62047992 The moving international sensation about new beginnings, human connection, and the joy of reading.

Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, is a booklover's paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building lies a shop filled with hundreds of second-hand books.

Twenty-five-year-old Takako has never liked reading, although the Morisaki bookshop has been in her family for three generations. It is the pride and joy of her uncle Satoru, who has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife Momoko left him five years earlier.

When Takako's boyfriend reveals he's marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle's offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above the shop. Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the Morisaki bookshop.

As summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.]]> 150 Satoshi Yagisawa 0063278677 Ica 4
From the quote alone, you can tell that this is one of those comforting and calming books that you'll cherish. This book feels like the perfect companion for unwinding after a long day—snuggled up in your blanket with a cup of tea and these soothing pages.

In "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop," we follow Tatako, who is adrift and melancholic after a disastrous breakup. She decides to quit her job and move into a small room above her uncle's bookshop. There, her journey of finding solace and peace begins, with gentle guidance from her uncle.

The book has a second part to it—the story of the uncle's wife who disappeared years ago, leaving him behind. She returns to the bookshop, attempting to reconcile her relationship with her husband and her niece, Tatako. I enjoyed both parts of the book, especially when these two women are trying to rebuild their relationship.

I will say that the characters were a tiny bit flat, but given that it's a short book, around 160 pages or so, we can't fully explore all the characters' depths. Other than that, I think readers will come to like this book, especially because of its emphasis on the power of reading.

Before I conclude this review, it might sound a bit random, but I was actually expecting a cat to make an appearance in the book. I was a bit disappointed when it didn't, especially considering the cover gave me that impression!]]> 3.67 2010
author: Satoshi Yagisawa
name: Ica
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/12
shelves:
review:
"It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again."

From the quote alone, you can tell that this is one of those comforting and calming books that you'll cherish. This book feels like the perfect companion for unwinding after a long day—snuggled up in your blanket with a cup of tea and these soothing pages.

In "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop," we follow Tatako, who is adrift and melancholic after a disastrous breakup. She decides to quit her job and move into a small room above her uncle's bookshop. There, her journey of finding solace and peace begins, with gentle guidance from her uncle.

The book has a second part to it—the story of the uncle's wife who disappeared years ago, leaving him behind. She returns to the bookshop, attempting to reconcile her relationship with her husband and her niece, Tatako. I enjoyed both parts of the book, especially when these two women are trying to rebuild their relationship.

I will say that the characters were a tiny bit flat, but given that it's a short book, around 160 pages or so, we can't fully explore all the characters' depths. Other than that, I think readers will come to like this book, especially because of its emphasis on the power of reading.

Before I conclude this review, it might sound a bit random, but I was actually expecting a cat to make an appearance in the book. I was a bit disappointed when it didn't, especially considering the cover gave me that impression!
]]> 62192261 The charming international bestseller about an elderly bookseller who delivers his recommendations door-to-door and an unlikely friendship with a nine-year-old girl that changes his life, for fans of The Midnight Library and A Man Called Ove.

The bookseller Carl Christian Kollhoff delivers books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city. These people are almost like friends to him, and he is their most important connection to the world.

When Kollhoff unexpectedly loses his job, it takes the power of books and a nine-year-old girl to make them all find the courage to rebuild their bonds with each other.

A bestselling phenomenon internationally,ĚýCarsten Henn’sĚýThe Door-to-Door BookstoreĚýis a feel-good novel about books and friendship.]]> 239 Carsten Henn 133549085X Ica 0 to-read 4.07 2020
author: Carsten Henn
name: Ica
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 65593503 12 Everina Maxwell Ica 4 Arrghhh what a delight! 4.06
author: Everina Maxwell
name: Ica
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/23
date added: 2023/08/23
shelves:
review:
Arrghhh what a delight!
]]> 95696897
When complications arise in Alina’s pregnancy and Laura becomes attached to her neighbour’s son, both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their emotions, in Nettel’s sensitive and surgically precise exploration of maternal ambivalence.

Still Born was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023, announced on April 18, 2023.

In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Guadalupe Nettel explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon's touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.]]> 224 Guadalupe Nettel 1639730044 Ica 5 " 4.09 2020
author: Guadalupe Nettel
name: Ica
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/22
date added: 2023/08/22
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 54860344
Instead, Tess finds herself working all summer at her boarding school library, shelving books and dealing with the intolerable patrons. The worst of them is Eliot Birch: snide, privileged, and constantly requesting forbidden grimoires. After a bargain with Eliot leads to the discovery of an ancient book in the library's grimoire collection, the pair accidentally unleash a book-bound demon.

The demon will stop at nothing to stay free, manipulating ink to threaten those Tess loves and dismantling Eliot’s strange magic. Tess is plagued by terrible dreams of the devil and haunting memories of a boy who wears Eliot's face. All she knows is to stay free, the demon needs her... and he'll have her, dead or alive.]]> 368 Tori Bovalino 1645672352 Ica 2 3.60 2021
author: Tori Bovalino
name: Ica
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2021/11/11
date added: 2023/08/22
shelves:
review:
This is the book of the month pick in my country. Damn. I was let down. On the cover it says "witty and sharp".. more like "draggy and boring".
]]> 62919162 327 Daniel Kraus 1665918160 Ica 3 " 3.66 2023
author: Daniel Kraus
name: Ica
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/19
date added: 2023/08/19
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 61884938 Robert R. McCammon’s Boy’s Life meets H. P. Lovecraft in Wild Spaces, a foreboding, sensual coming-of-age debut in which the corrosive nature of family secrets and toxic relatives assume eldritch proportions.

An eleven-year-old boy lives an idyllic childhood exploring the remote coastal plains and wetlands of South Carolina alongside his parents and his dog Teach. But when the boy’s eerie and estranged grandfather shows up one day with no warning, cracks begin to form as hidden secrets resurface that his parents refuse to explain.

The longer his grandfather outstays his welcome and the greater the tension between the adults grows, the more the boy feels something within him changing —physically—into something his grandfather welcomes and his mother fears. Something abyssal. Something monstrous.]]> 122 S.L. Coney 1250866839 Ica 3
This was a quick and easy read that you can finish in one sitting. I enjoyed the atmospheric tone of the book and how it gradually becomes eerier. However, I'm not entirely sure if I was impressed by the secret. Perhaps the book cover gave it away, that's why I found it a bit predictable.

The book has a distinct A24 or Omeleto short film vibe, which I appreciated. Although I wasn't completely blown away, I did like this book enough. If you enjoyed "Our Wives Under the Sea," chances are you'll find something to like in this one as well.]]> 3.47 2023
author: S.L. Coney
name: Ica
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/13
date added: 2023/08/12
shelves:
review:
What an odd yet eerie little book. We follow an unnamed boy and his companion, a dog named Teach, living on the beautiful coast of South Carolina with his loving parents. The peaceful and happy family is tested when the boy's estranged grandfather comes for a visit. As the grandfather's stay prolongs, the family dynamic starts to crack, revealing dark secrets that surround the family. The ending and the secret will leave you either baffled or confused.

This was a quick and easy read that you can finish in one sitting. I enjoyed the atmospheric tone of the book and how it gradually becomes eerier. However, I'm not entirely sure if I was impressed by the secret. Perhaps the book cover gave it away, that's why I found it a bit predictable.

The book has a distinct A24 or Omeleto short film vibe, which I appreciated. Although I wasn't completely blown away, I did like this book enough. If you enjoyed "Our Wives Under the Sea," chances are you'll find something to like in this one as well.
]]> 23513349 Milk and Honey is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. About the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.

It is split into four chapters, with each chapter dealing with a different pain. Healing a different heartache. Milk and Honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them -- because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.]]> 204 Rupi Kaur 1502784270 Ica 3 3.96 2014
author: Rupi Kaur
name: Ica
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/08
date added: 2023/08/08
shelves:
review:
It seems that Kaur's work, especially this particular collection, receives its fair share of criticism on platforms like Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ. I can understand why—some might view it as pretentious with its Tumblr-like poems, and there's the ongoing debate about whether these short verses qualify as poetry. While acknowledging these criticisms, I still found myself appreciating the collection to a certain degree. Admittedly, some pieces felt a bit repetitive. Overall, it wasn't a disappointment, though it didn't become a personal favorite.
]]> 54441047 144 Halsey Ica 4 3.82 2020
author: Halsey
name: Ica
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/08
date added: 2023/08/08
shelves:
review:
Initially, I was skeptical about whether I would enjoy this collection, but I was proven wrong. Halsey's writing is truly captivating, vivid, and unfiltered. Her poems seem to radiate with colors, drawing me into their essence. I found genuine enjoyment in this collection.
]]> 6288
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,� are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.]]> 241 Cormac McCarthy 0307265439 Ica 3
"The Road" is an incredibly dark, haunting, and disturbing post-apocalyptic story. It follows the journey of a father and his young son as they struggle to survive in a desolate and dangerous world. Their entire journey takes place on foot during the winter, as they hide and scavenge for food in forests, concealed bunkers, and along the beach.

Published in 2006, the book was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and I can see why to some extent. I have a soft spot for survival stories, especially when a character has a child to protect. The harshness of the now-destroyed industrial civilization becomes their reality, and I was deeply touched by the tender relationship between the father and his child. It's this bond that compelled me to finish reading the book within 48 hours.

Typical of Cormac McCarthy's style, the book lacks punctuations and chapters, adding to its unique atmosphere.

One hiccup I found in this book is the constant repetition. For instance, the word 'Okay' appears a staggering 195 times! Yes, I was petty enough to go back and count. It somehow bothered me every time I encountered that word, almost tempting me to lash out at the book. Lol.

"The Road" reminded me of "The Last of Us," minus the zombies. It's a deeply depressing, stark, and bleak tale that can be moving at times. I recommend looking up trigger warnings before picking up this book to prepare yourself for its intensity.]]> 3.99 2006
author: Cormac McCarthy
name: Ica
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/03
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves:
review:
Well, it seems my plan to prolong reading this book throughout August didn't quite work out. I guess I'll read another physical TBR next month. Right now, I'm ready to review!

"The Road" is an incredibly dark, haunting, and disturbing post-apocalyptic story. It follows the journey of a father and his young son as they struggle to survive in a desolate and dangerous world. Their entire journey takes place on foot during the winter, as they hide and scavenge for food in forests, concealed bunkers, and along the beach.

Published in 2006, the book was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and I can see why to some extent. I have a soft spot for survival stories, especially when a character has a child to protect. The harshness of the now-destroyed industrial civilization becomes their reality, and I was deeply touched by the tender relationship between the father and his child. It's this bond that compelled me to finish reading the book within 48 hours.

Typical of Cormac McCarthy's style, the book lacks punctuations and chapters, adding to its unique atmosphere.

One hiccup I found in this book is the constant repetition. For instance, the word 'Okay' appears a staggering 195 times! Yes, I was petty enough to go back and count. It somehow bothered me every time I encountered that word, almost tempting me to lash out at the book. Lol.

"The Road" reminded me of "The Last of Us," minus the zombies. It's a deeply depressing, stark, and bleak tale that can be moving at times. I recommend looking up trigger warnings before picking up this book to prepare yourself for its intensity.
]]> 123274973 THE FIRST EVER OFFICIAL BOOK�

Published in celebration of BTS’s 10th Anniversary, stories that go beyond what you already know about BTS, including unreleased photos, QR codes of videos, and all album information.

After taking their first step into the world on June 13, 2013, BTS will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut in June 2023. They have risen to the peak as an iconic global artist and during this meaningful time, they look back on their footsteps in the first official book. In doing so, BTS nurtures the power to build brighter days and they choose to take another step on a road that no one has gone before.

BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey so far through interviews and more than three years of in-depth coverage by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and other Korean pop culture in various media. Presented chronologically in seven chapters from before the debut of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a sincere, lively, and deep story. In individual interviews that have been conducted without a camera or makeup, they illuminate their musical journey from multiple angles and discuss its significance.

In addition, portrait photos that show BTS as individuals and artists open the book, and throughout there are concept photos, tracklists of all previous albums, and over 330 QR codes. As digital artists, BTS has been communicating with the world through the internet and this book allows readers to immediately access trailers, music videos, and more online to have a rich understanding of all the key moments in BTS history. Complete with a timeline of all major milestones, BEYOND THE STORY is a remarkable archive—truly everything about BTS in one volume.]]> 544 Myeongseok Kang 1250326753 Ica 4
Spanning a decade, the biography unfolds the group's origins, their triumphs, struggles, unwavering support, and the challenges that shaped BTS into the global sensation they are today. While I appreciated insights into the creation of their songs, my fascination lay in witnessing how these young artists navigated the cutthroat industry as underdogs representing their company. Their strong work ethic and response to sudden fame, with all eyes on them, were inspiring. Amidst their success, BTS openly shared their experiences with anxiety and hardships they endured as a band, showcasing their resilience.

]]> 4.63 2023
author: Myeongseok Kang
name: Ica
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/01
date added: 2023/07/31
shelves:
review:
Supporting underdogs is always appealing, and cheering for them becomes second nature. BTS was once under that category, marking the beginning of their journey detailed in this 544-page biography of the group. From humble beginnings to reaching remarkable heights, this is the story of Bangtan Sonyeondan.

Spanning a decade, the biography unfolds the group's origins, their triumphs, struggles, unwavering support, and the challenges that shaped BTS into the global sensation they are today. While I appreciated insights into the creation of their songs, my fascination lay in witnessing how these young artists navigated the cutthroat industry as underdogs representing their company. Their strong work ethic and response to sudden fame, with all eyes on them, were inspiring. Amidst their success, BTS openly shared their experiences with anxiety and hardships they endured as a band, showcasing their resilience.


]]> 61897971
When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend� who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.]]> 303 Clémence Michallon 0593534646 Ica 4
Aidan is a manipulative, cunning man who disguises himself as a decent human being. He is a grieving man, a father, and a serial killer. In his new rented house, he keeps deadly secrets hidden from the outside world and even from his teenage daughter. In a spare room of this new place, lies a captive woman whom Aidan has been holding for 5 years, Rachel (he gave her that name). We follow the POVs of these two and Emily, the town's bar owner who is smitten by Aidan, as well as other short POVs of Aidan's victims. We see Rachel as this strong and smart woman who quietly learns about her captor's strengths and weaknesses, planning to use that knowledge to escape from his clutches.

I flew through this book in 2 days. The short chapters and slow-burning tension were heart-pounding. This book gives you anxiety at times, but you can't help but be captivated by the story. It draws you in. Now, I've seen some readers not enjoying this one because of the basic writing, but I didn't have much of a problem with it. I thought it was a well-written and enjoyable read by this French author.

I will say that my favorite POV was Rachel's. I wish Emily and Rachel had more interactions; then, at least the ending would be more emotional and gut-wrenching. Nevertheless, I really liked this one so much. If you enjoyed reading 'The Last Thing to Burn' and 'What Lies Between Us,' then you'll enjoy this one too. This was absolutely an unputdownable book!]]> 3.80 2023
author: Clémence Michallon
name: Ica
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/28
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves:
review:
This is undoubtedly one of the most psychologically complex thrillers that I've read in a while. It was so good!

Aidan is a manipulative, cunning man who disguises himself as a decent human being. He is a grieving man, a father, and a serial killer. In his new rented house, he keeps deadly secrets hidden from the outside world and even from his teenage daughter. In a spare room of this new place, lies a captive woman whom Aidan has been holding for 5 years, Rachel (he gave her that name). We follow the POVs of these two and Emily, the town's bar owner who is smitten by Aidan, as well as other short POVs of Aidan's victims. We see Rachel as this strong and smart woman who quietly learns about her captor's strengths and weaknesses, planning to use that knowledge to escape from his clutches.

I flew through this book in 2 days. The short chapters and slow-burning tension were heart-pounding. This book gives you anxiety at times, but you can't help but be captivated by the story. It draws you in. Now, I've seen some readers not enjoying this one because of the basic writing, but I didn't have much of a problem with it. I thought it was a well-written and enjoyable read by this French author.

I will say that my favorite POV was Rachel's. I wish Emily and Rachel had more interactions; then, at least the ending would be more emotional and gut-wrenching. Nevertheless, I really liked this one so much. If you enjoyed reading 'The Last Thing to Burn' and 'What Lies Between Us,' then you'll enjoy this one too. This was absolutely an unputdownable book!
]]> 63077620 On a creepy island where everyone has a strange obsession with the year 1994, a newcomer arrives, hoping to learn the truth about her son's death--but finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into the bizarrely insular community and their complicated rules...

Clifford Island. When Willow Stone finds these words written on the floor of her deceased son's bedroom, she's perplexed. She's never heard of it before, but soon learns it's a tiny island off of Wisconsin's Door County peninsula, 200 miles from Willow's home. Why would her son write this on his floor? Determined to find answers, Willow sets out for the island.

After a few days on Clifford, Willow realizes: this place is not normal. Everyone seems to be stuck in a particular day in 1994: they wear outdated clothing, avoid modern technology, and, perhaps most mystifyingly, watch the OJ Simpson car chase every evening. When she asks questions, people are evasive, but she learns one thing: close your curtains at night.

High schooler Lily Becker has lived on Clifford her entire life, and she is sick of the island's twisted mythology and adhering to the rules. She's been to the mainland, and everyone is normal there, so why is Clifford so weird? Lily is determined to prove that the islanders' beliefs are a sham. But are they?

Five weeks after Willow arrives on the island, she disappears. Willow's brother Harper comes to Clifford searching for his sister, and when he learns the truth--that this island is far more sinister than anyone could have imagined--he is determined to blow the whole thing open.

If he can get out alive...]]> 439 Jimmy Juliano 059347192X Ica 3
I have mixed feelings about this book. The whole concept is cool and eerie, and I enjoyed the beginning as it gave off an uneasy vibe to the readers. This debut book reminded me of a mixture of Midnight Mass and Twin Peaks, which was intriguing. I also liked the mixed media format used, especially when listening to the audiobook, as it added to the experience.

However, somewhere in the middle, the story started to fizzle out for me. It dragged on and became a little repetitive. If the book was 50 to 80 pages shorter, it would have been much better. The ending was disappointing and felt mundane, especially after investing 448 pages in the story. Some things weren't explained well, especially the ending and its significance, making the story feel inconsistent.

Overall, it isn't a bad horror/thriller book, and I found it enjoyable. However, I believe it might be one of those instances where the story would be better experienced through watching rather than reading.]]> 3.68 2023
author: Jimmy Juliano
name: Ica
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/25
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves:
review:
Ever wondered what it would be like to be stuck in the past, never moving forward? Clifford Island, if it ever existed, I would definitely stay clear of it.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The whole concept is cool and eerie, and I enjoyed the beginning as it gave off an uneasy vibe to the readers. This debut book reminded me of a mixture of Midnight Mass and Twin Peaks, which was intriguing. I also liked the mixed media format used, especially when listening to the audiobook, as it added to the experience.

However, somewhere in the middle, the story started to fizzle out for me. It dragged on and became a little repetitive. If the book was 50 to 80 pages shorter, it would have been much better. The ending was disappointing and felt mundane, especially after investing 448 pages in the story. Some things weren't explained well, especially the ending and its significance, making the story feel inconsistent.

Overall, it isn't a bad horror/thriller book, and I found it enjoyable. However, I believe it might be one of those instances where the story would be better experienced through watching rather than reading.
]]> 43352954 Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.]]> 209 Amal El-Mohtar Ica 3
"This Is How You Lose the Time War" is set in a future world where two powerful factions, the Agency and Garden, are engaged in a time war. The story focuses on two agents, Red and Blue, who belong to opposing sides. Red serves the Agency, seeking to shape history according to its vision, while Blue is aligned with Garden, aiming to create a world more attuned to nature. As the war progresses, Red and Blue exchange letters across different points in time, leading to a deep connection and a slow blossoming of love.

I found this book intellectually challenging due to its complex world-building and its frequent use of a lyrical narrative writing style. It definitely gained more momentum in the second half. When reading this book, you need to pay close attention to details and keep track of the shifts in time and setting. The novella doesn't provide an extensive explanation of the time war or the mechanics of time travel, leaving much of it to the reader's interpretation and imagination.

After receiving explanations from various readers and watching their videos, I began to see the cleverness and beauty of this story. The time-traveling aspect is particularly captivating. I believe I'll have to come back and reread this book to truly appreciate its intricacies.

"This Is How You Lose the Time War" could easily be an episode from "Love, Death & Robots" or "Killing Eve," but with a time travel twist. If you enjoy the concepts presented in these shows, then I highly recommend reading this book!]]> 3.86 2019
author: Amal El-Mohtar
name: Ica
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/19
date added: 2023/07/18
shelves:
review:
I should probably thank Bigolas Dickolas Wolfwood for recommending this book. If you're confused about the reference, do me a favor and Google it or head over to BookTok. LOL.

"This Is How You Lose the Time War" is set in a future world where two powerful factions, the Agency and Garden, are engaged in a time war. The story focuses on two agents, Red and Blue, who belong to opposing sides. Red serves the Agency, seeking to shape history according to its vision, while Blue is aligned with Garden, aiming to create a world more attuned to nature. As the war progresses, Red and Blue exchange letters across different points in time, leading to a deep connection and a slow blossoming of love.

I found this book intellectually challenging due to its complex world-building and its frequent use of a lyrical narrative writing style. It definitely gained more momentum in the second half. When reading this book, you need to pay close attention to details and keep track of the shifts in time and setting. The novella doesn't provide an extensive explanation of the time war or the mechanics of time travel, leaving much of it to the reader's interpretation and imagination.

After receiving explanations from various readers and watching their videos, I began to see the cleverness and beauty of this story. The time-traveling aspect is particularly captivating. I believe I'll have to come back and reread this book to truly appreciate its intricacies.

"This Is How You Lose the Time War" could easily be an episode from "Love, Death & Robots" or "Killing Eve," but with a time travel twist. If you enjoy the concepts presented in these shows, then I highly recommend reading this book!
]]> 61686012 “Now and then, language would thrust its way into her sleep like a skewer through meat, startling her awake several times a night.�

In a classroom in Seoul, a young woman watches her Greek language teacher at the blackboard. She tries to speak but has lost her voice. Her teacher finds himself drawn to the silent woman, for day by day he is losing his sight.

Soon the two discover a deeper pain binds them together. For her, in the space of just a few months, she has lost both her mother and the custody battle for her nine-year-old son. For him, it’s the pain of growing up between Korea and Germany, being torn between two cultures and languages, and the fear of losing his independence.

Greek Lessons tells the story of two ordinary people brought together at a moment of private anguish—the fading light of a man losing his vision meeting the silence of a woman who has lost her language. Yet these are the very things that draw them to each other. Slowly the two discover a profound sense of unity—their voices intersecting with startling beauty, as they move from darkness to light, from silence to breath and expression.

Greek Lessons is the story of the unlikely bond between this pair and a tender love letter to human intimacy and connection—a novel to awaken the senses, one that vividly conjures the essence of what it means to be alive.]]> 192 Han Kang 0593595270 Ica 4 " 3.53 2011
author: Han Kang
name: Ica
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/16
date added: 2023/07/16
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 59900070 New Yorker staff writer Hua Hsu, a gripping memoir on friendship, grief, the search for self, and the solace that can be found through art.

In the eyes of eighteen-year-old Hua Hsu, the problem with Ken--with his passion for Dave Matthews, Abercrombie & Fitch, and his fraternity--is that he is exactly like everyone else. Ken, whose Japanese American family has been in the United States for generations, is mainstream; for Hua, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, who makes 'zines and haunts Bay Area record shops, Ken represents all that he defines himself in opposition to. The only thing Hua and Ken have in common is that, however they engage with it, American culture doesn't seem to have a place for either of them.

But despite his first impressions, Hua and Ken become friends, a friendship built on late-night conversations over cigarettes, long drives along the California coast, and the textbook successes and humiliations of everyday college life. And then violently, senselessly, Ken is gone, killed in a carjacking, not even three years after the day they first meet.

Determined to hold on to all that was left of one of his closest friends--his memories--Hua turned to writing. Stay True is the book he's been working on ever since. A coming-of-age story that details both the ordinary and extraordinary, Stay True is a bracing memoir about growing up, and about moving through the world in search of meaning and belonging.]]> 208 Hua Hsu 0385547773 Ica 4
I loved how the author delved into his past, recounting his college days and the friendships he cherished. This memoir isn't your typical sob story that makes you cry from beginning to end. Instead, Hua Hsu writes about growing up in the 90s, the music they listened to, the dreams they shared, and so much more. Throughout it all, Ken's presence lingers in his memories. Hsu's writing style is incredibly lyrical, which I adored. I found myself highlighting numerous passages in this book. This book is a heartfelt reminder to treasure the people (especially the good ones) and the moments we have with them.

In the end, this memoir is beautifully simple—a heartfelt tribute from one person to their departed friend.]]> 4.00 2022
author: Hua Hsu
name: Ica
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/06
date added: 2023/07/06
shelves:
review:
Finished this with tears in my eyes. Man, this was a bittersweet read. Hua Hsu beautifully portrays his close bond with his Japanese American college friend, Ken, as well as Ken's untimely and tragic murder in a carjacking.

I loved how the author delved into his past, recounting his college days and the friendships he cherished. This memoir isn't your typical sob story that makes you cry from beginning to end. Instead, Hua Hsu writes about growing up in the 90s, the music they listened to, the dreams they shared, and so much more. Throughout it all, Ken's presence lingers in his memories. Hsu's writing style is incredibly lyrical, which I adored. I found myself highlighting numerous passages in this book. This book is a heartfelt reminder to treasure the people (especially the good ones) and the moments we have with them.

In the end, this memoir is beautifully simple—a heartfelt tribute from one person to their departed friend.
]]> 61641079 A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona as she unravels the dark secrets of her family history in this ravishing and provocative horror novel.

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.

Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.

But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.]]> 272 V. Castro 0593499697 Ica 2
This book had a cool concept and potential, but it just wasn't for me. I couldn't continue reading it any longer. While the idea of a multigenerational perspective and the lore around La Llorona was interesting, this book became incredibly repetitive. Although I did sympathize with Alejandra, I couldn't establish a strong connection with her. Every time I reached Alejandra's chapter or perspective, I felt like falling asleep. It was monotonous and dull. Perhaps someday, I'll give it another chance. We'll see.]]> 3.63 2023
author: V. Castro
name: Ica
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2023/07/04
shelves: dnf-might-pick-it-up-again-maybe
review:
DNF @35%

This book had a cool concept and potential, but it just wasn't for me. I couldn't continue reading it any longer. While the idea of a multigenerational perspective and the lore around La Llorona was interesting, this book became incredibly repetitive. Although I did sympathize with Alejandra, I couldn't establish a strong connection with her. Every time I reached Alejandra's chapter or perspective, I felt like falling asleep. It was monotonous and dull. Perhaps someday, I'll give it another chance. We'll see.
]]> 59629744 A prizewinning, thrillingly subversive debut novel about a woman in Japan who avoids harassment at work by perpetuating, for nine months and beyond, the lie that she's pregnant

When thirty-four-year-old Ms. Shibata gets a new job in Tokyo to escape sexual harassment at her old one, she finds that, as the only woman at her new workplace--a company that manufactures cardboard tubes--she is expected to do all the menial tasks. One day she announces that she can't clear away her colleagues' dirty cups--because she's pregnant and the smell nauseates her. The only thing is . . . Ms. Shibata is not pregnant.

Pregnant Ms. Shibata doesn't have to serve coffee to anyone. Pregnant Ms. Shibata isn't forced to work overtime. Pregnant Ms. Shibata rests, watches TV, takes long baths, and even joins an aerobics class for expectant mothers. But pregnant Ms. Shibata also has a nine-month ruse to keep up. Helped along by towel-stuffed shirts and a diary app on which she can log every stage of her "pregnancy," she feels prepared to play the game for the long haul. Before long, though, the hoax becomes all-absorbing, and the boundary between her lie and her life begins to dissolve.

A surreal and wryly humorous cultural critique, Diary of a Void is bound to become a landmark in feminist world literature.]]> 213 Emi Yagi 0143136879 Ica 4
Shibata, exhausted by the toxic work environment, decides to feign a pregnancy in order to avoid menial tasks and gain better treatment. As the "pregnancy" progresses, she goes to great lengths to create the illusion of a baby bump. Her level of dedication is truly remarkable. Through her narrative, readers uncover the underlying loneliness and the gradual deterioration of her mental health.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author skillfully critiques the societal expectations that shape gender roles in parenting, highlighting both the anticipation and anxiety, as well as the constant mixture of joy and pain that accompanies the journey of becoming a parent. I believe the story also suggests that loneliness can push individuals to two extremes: either succumbing to its consuming nature or engaging in unjustifiable actions that spiral out of control.

With its concise length, the book can be easily devoured in one sitting, making it a truly captivating read.

In many ways, this book feels like a compelling blend of Lindsay Lohan's movie "Labor Pains" and the works of Sayaka Murata.]]> 3.51 2020
author: Emi Yagi
name: Ica
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/02
date added: 2023/07/02
shelves:
review:
Have you ever found yourself desperate to escape work or deeply frustrated by the lack of respect you receive from your colleagues? To the point where you consider resorting to extreme measures like concocting outrageous lies or fabricating a pregnancy? Well, Shibata, a young single woman in her 30s, falls into both of these categories.

Shibata, exhausted by the toxic work environment, decides to feign a pregnancy in order to avoid menial tasks and gain better treatment. As the "pregnancy" progresses, she goes to great lengths to create the illusion of a baby bump. Her level of dedication is truly remarkable. Through her narrative, readers uncover the underlying loneliness and the gradual deterioration of her mental health.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author skillfully critiques the societal expectations that shape gender roles in parenting, highlighting both the anticipation and anxiety, as well as the constant mixture of joy and pain that accompanies the journey of becoming a parent. I believe the story also suggests that loneliness can push individuals to two extremes: either succumbing to its consuming nature or engaging in unjustifiable actions that spiral out of control.

With its concise length, the book can be easily devoured in one sitting, making it a truly captivating read.

In many ways, this book feels like a compelling blend of Lindsay Lohan's movie "Labor Pains" and the works of Sayaka Murata.
]]> 62919399 A collection of nineteen dark, wildly imaginative short stories from the author of the award-winning TikTok sensation Tender Is the Flesh.

From celebrated author Agustina Bazterrica, this collection of nineteen brutal, darkly funny short stories takes into our deepest fears and through our most disturbing fantasies. Through stories about violence, alienation, and dystopia, Bazterrica’s vision of the human experience emerges in complex, unexpected ways—often unsettling, sometimes thrilling, and always profound. In “Roberto,� a girl claims to have a rabbit between her legs. A woman’s neighbor jumps to his death in “A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound,� and in “Candy Pink,� a woman fails to contend with a difficult breakup in five easy steps.

Written in Bazterrica’s signature clever, vivid style, these stories question love, friendship, family relationships, and unspeakable desires.]]> 154 Agustina Bazterrica 1668012669 Ica 2
� Roberto
� Anita and Happiness
� Earth
� The Dead
� A Hole Hides a House
� Mary Carminum
� The Solitary Ones

At least, it was a fast and easy read for me!]]> 3.11 2020
author: Agustina Bazterrica
name: Ica
average rating: 3.11
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2023/07/01
date added: 2023/06/30
shelves:
review:
I don't usually pick up collections of short stories because there's a chance that I might not like the majority of the stories. Unfortunately, in this case, I did not enjoy this collection that much. Maybe the stories were lost in translation, or they were just overwritten; I can't exactly pinpoint the issue. However, here are my 7 favorite short stories out of the 20, listed in no particular order:

� Roberto
� Anita and Happiness
� Earth
� The Dead
� A Hole Hides a House
� Mary Carminum
� The Solitary Ones

At least, it was a fast and easy read for me!
]]> 18498569
"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . ."

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office--leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist--an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand--and fear--the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.]]> 400 Jessie Burton 0062306812 Ica 3
I recently decided to pick up this book for a buddy read with Teresa after having it in my possession for almost a decade.

The story draws inspiration from Petronella Oortman and her dollhouse, but it does not attempt to be a biographical novel.

We are introduced to Nella, an 18-year-old who has just gotten married and moved into her husband's house. In this new environment, she meets her husband's fiery and no-nonsense sister, Marin, as well as the helpers, Cornelia and Otto. Unfortunately, her husband, Johannes, seems distant and aloof most of the time. To distract Nella from the issues in the household, Johannes buys her a dollhouse, a replica of their own home. The furnishings and dolls for the dollhouse are provided by a mysterious and gifted miniaturist, whose creations begin to reveal secrets and lies within Nella's new household.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. At one point, I even considered not finishing it. However, everything changed when I reached part 3. The book redeemed itself, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from that point onwards. Although I found the mystery of the miniaturist a bit underwhelming, lacking the impact I had hoped for, I was pleased with the character development Nella underwent. In the first half of the book, she seemed quite immature considering her age, but she evolves into a strong character towards the end. Although I'm generally not a fan of series, I might consider picking up the sequel just to see where the story goes.

I'm happy I got to read this book with Teresa. If it weren't for her, this book would have continued to collect dust on my shelf.]]> 3.59 2014
author: Jessie Burton
name: Ica
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/26
date added: 2023/06/28
shelves:
review:
Ratings: 3.5 �

I recently decided to pick up this book for a buddy read with Teresa after having it in my possession for almost a decade.

The story draws inspiration from Petronella Oortman and her dollhouse, but it does not attempt to be a biographical novel.

We are introduced to Nella, an 18-year-old who has just gotten married and moved into her husband's house. In this new environment, she meets her husband's fiery and no-nonsense sister, Marin, as well as the helpers, Cornelia and Otto. Unfortunately, her husband, Johannes, seems distant and aloof most of the time. To distract Nella from the issues in the household, Johannes buys her a dollhouse, a replica of their own home. The furnishings and dolls for the dollhouse are provided by a mysterious and gifted miniaturist, whose creations begin to reveal secrets and lies within Nella's new household.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. At one point, I even considered not finishing it. However, everything changed when I reached part 3. The book redeemed itself, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from that point onwards. Although I found the mystery of the miniaturist a bit underwhelming, lacking the impact I had hoped for, I was pleased with the character development Nella underwent. In the first half of the book, she seemed quite immature considering her age, but she evolves into a strong character towards the end. Although I'm generally not a fan of series, I might consider picking up the sequel just to see where the story goes.

I'm happy I got to read this book with Teresa. If it weren't for her, this book would have continued to collect dust on my shelf.
]]> 58659343
Moving through something that only resembles normal life, Miri comes to realize that the life that they had before might be gone. Though Leah is still there, Miri can feel the woman she loves slipping from her grasp.

Our Wives Under The Sea is the debut novel from Julia Armfield, the critically acclaimed author of Salt Slow. It’s a story of falling in love, loss, grief, and what life there is in the deep deep sea.]]> 240 Julia Armfield 152901722X Ica 4
Coincidentally, while reading this book, I was horrified by the current news of the submersible (]]> 3.75 2022
author: Julia Armfield
name: Ica
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/24
date added: 2023/06/24
shelves:
review:
I love the ocean. I've always wanted to be in a submarine, submerge myself into the tranquility of the ocean, swallowing me into the abyss.

Coincidentally, while reading this book, I was horrified by the current news of the submersible (
]]> 63222079
The Loverlys sit by the hospital bed of their young son who is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night; his mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night: the warm, altruistic Parks who are the Loverlys' best friends; the young, ambitious Goldsmiths who are struggling to start a family of their own; and the quiet, elderly Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability, and who pass the long days on the front porch, watching their neighbors go about their busy lives.

The story spins out over the course of one week, in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face the secrets within the walls of their own homes, and the uncomfortable truths that connect them all to one another. Set against the heartwrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between death and life, or a life changed forever, THE WHISPERS is a novel about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children's. Exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy, this is a novel about the reverberations of life's most difficult decisions.]]> 336 Ashley Audrain 1984881698 Ica 4
The story revolves around four women who live in the same neighborhood, and their lives become intertwined following an accident.

Audrain's writing style is truly engrossing, as she fearlessly delves into the depths of raw emotions. What I admire most about both of her books is her unflinching exploration of the unfiltered truth behind motherhood. As I mentioned in my review of The Push, The Whispers shines a light on the profound fears and uncomfortable realities that come with being a parent.

Audrain wowed me again! I can't wait to read more books from this author!

Again, I recommend checking the trigger warnings before picking this book up.]]> 3.78 2023
author: Ashley Audrain
name: Ica
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/15
date added: 2023/06/14
shelves:
review:
The Whispers and Audrain's debut novel, The Push, make a compelling pair. However, I must admit that I feel reluctant to wholeheartedly recommend books of this nature due to the potential triggers they may contain. While The Whispers managed to hold my attention, it didn't quite grip me as intensely as The Push did.

The story revolves around four women who live in the same neighborhood, and their lives become intertwined following an accident.

Audrain's writing style is truly engrossing, as she fearlessly delves into the depths of raw emotions. What I admire most about both of her books is her unflinching exploration of the unfiltered truth behind motherhood. As I mentioned in my review of The Push, The Whispers shines a light on the profound fears and uncomfortable realities that come with being a parent.

Audrain wowed me again! I can't wait to read more books from this author!

Again, I recommend checking the trigger warnings before picking this book up.
]]> 62296512 A swoony, heart-melting YA romance from beloved author Rebekah Weatherspoon about two awkward teens who decide to practice dating in order to be good at the real thing.
Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han.

Sixteen-year-old Bethany Greene, though confident and self-assured, is what they call a late-bloomer. She's never had a boyfriend, date, or first kiss. She's determined to change that but after her crush turns her down cold for Homecoming--declaring her too inexperienced--and all her back-up ideas fall through, she cautiously agrees to go with her best friend's boyfriend Jacob. A platonic date is better than no date, right? Until Saylor breaks up with said boyfriend.

Dumped twice in just two months, Jacob Yeun wonders if he's the problem. After years hiding behind his camera and a shocking summer glow up, he wasn't quite ready for all the attention or to be someone's boyfriend. There are no guides for his particular circumstances, or for taking your ex's best friend to the dance.

Why not make the best of an awkward situation? Bethany and Jacob decide to fake date for practice, building their confidence in matters of the heart.

And it works--guys are finally noticing Bethany. But things get complicated as their kissing sessions--for research of course!--start to feel real. This arrangement was supposed to help them in dating other people, but what if their perfect match is right in front of them?]]> 304 Rebekah Weatherspoon 059346530X Ica 4
What an absolutely adorable high school fake dating story! It's just so cute. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but I had a blast reading it.]]> 4.01 2023
author: Rebekah Weatherspoon
name: Ica
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/11
date added: 2023/06/11
shelves:
review:
I typically don't read YA, but after a couple of heavy and dark books, I was in the mood for something light and fluffy. That's how I stumbled upon this delightful story.

What an absolutely adorable high school fake dating story! It's just so cute. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but I had a blast reading it.
]]> 58784475 In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won't protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.]]> 401 Gabrielle Zevin 0735243344 Ica 3
The book centers around three young people over the course of three decades who venture into developing a video game business. And, of course, there's the same old love triangle situation.

However, despite my best efforts, I struggled to form a genuine connection with any of the characters. Sam and Sadie exhibited unlikeable traits at times, and Marx appeared more as a decorative element in the story, as if echoing Sam's dismissive remark that he was merely an insignificant NPC. Ironically, it was Marx who consistently cared for and assisted Sam due to Sam's disability, making Sam's comment ungrateful and unjust.

Again, it wasn't bad, but I felt like the book sometimes lost its focus and could be draggy at times. This book reminded me of a crossover between "Eleanor and Park" and a lighter version of "A Little Life."

Overall, kinda disappointed in this book since it is regarded as one of the best books of 2022.]]> 4.12 2022
author: Gabrielle Zevin
name: Ica
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/09
date added: 2023/06/09
shelves:
review:
I have some complicated feelings about this book. There were some parts of the book that hooked me in, and then there were parts that just fell flat.

The book centers around three young people over the course of three decades who venture into developing a video game business. And, of course, there's the same old love triangle situation.

However, despite my best efforts, I struggled to form a genuine connection with any of the characters. Sam and Sadie exhibited unlikeable traits at times, and Marx appeared more as a decorative element in the story, as if echoing Sam's dismissive remark that he was merely an insignificant NPC. Ironically, it was Marx who consistently cared for and assisted Sam due to Sam's disability, making Sam's comment ungrateful and unjust.

Again, it wasn't bad, but I felt like the book sometimes lost its focus and could be draggy at times. This book reminded me of a crossover between "Eleanor and Park" and a lighter version of "A Little Life."

Overall, kinda disappointed in this book since it is regarded as one of the best books of 2022.
]]> 59357120
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.]]> 329 R.F. Kuang Ica 4
Tragedy strikes when Athena dies suddenly from choking on a pandan pancake in front of Juniper. Overwhelmed by the event, Juniper makes a questionable decision by stealing Athena's unfinished manuscript and embarking on a journey to rewrite and publish it under her own name, using the pseudonym Juniper Song. Juniper's greediness and desire to prove herself as a talented writer like Athena, if not better, cloud her judgment and lead her towards her own downfall. When the truth about her deception surfaces, the consequences are severe, particularly when it is revealed that Juniper is not Chinese.

This book ingeniously provokes heated debates and discussions surrounding the question of who should have the authority to tell a story. Can a white author authentically depict the history and culture of a person of colour if they diligently conduct research, ensure accuracy, and consult sensitivity readers? Similarly, should writers from marginalized communities be confined solely to their own stories? These debates are ongoing and sensitive, and the book does an excellent job of igniting discussions around these issues. Moreover, the story delves into the profound sense of isolation experienced by authors in the merciless realms of literature and publishing.

I found it impossible to put this book down, utterly captivated by Kuang's confident and precise writing style. While some may critique its overtly didactic approach to addressing racism, I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of RFK's works in the future.]]> 3.84 2023
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Ica
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/04
date added: 2023/06/04
shelves:
review:
"Yellowface" is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complex issue of cultural appropriation in the literary world. The story revolves around Juniper Hayward, a young white author, and her relationship with Athena Liu, a successful Asian author. From the beginning, their dynamic is filled with tension and ambiguity, leaving readers wondering about the nature of their connection. As the narrative unfolds, we learn that Juniper has always harbored a sense of envy and resentment towards Athena's achievements in the literary world.

Tragedy strikes when Athena dies suddenly from choking on a pandan pancake in front of Juniper. Overwhelmed by the event, Juniper makes a questionable decision by stealing Athena's unfinished manuscript and embarking on a journey to rewrite and publish it under her own name, using the pseudonym Juniper Song. Juniper's greediness and desire to prove herself as a talented writer like Athena, if not better, cloud her judgment and lead her towards her own downfall. When the truth about her deception surfaces, the consequences are severe, particularly when it is revealed that Juniper is not Chinese.

This book ingeniously provokes heated debates and discussions surrounding the question of who should have the authority to tell a story. Can a white author authentically depict the history and culture of a person of colour if they diligently conduct research, ensure accuracy, and consult sensitivity readers? Similarly, should writers from marginalized communities be confined solely to their own stories? These debates are ongoing and sensitive, and the book does an excellent job of igniting discussions around these issues. Moreover, the story delves into the profound sense of isolation experienced by authors in the merciless realms of literature and publishing.

I found it impossible to put this book down, utterly captivated by Kuang's confident and precise writing style. While some may critique its overtly didactic approach to addressing racism, I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of RFK's works in the future.
]]> 61812425 Behind Paris Hilton's meteoric rise from Upper West Side club kid to household name lies her self-proclaimed "superpower" of ADHD and a hidden history that traumatized and defined her. Shocking, funny, and surprisingly profound, Paris is the deeply personal memoir of the ultimate It Girl and a stunning inside view of a pop culture phenomenon.

Until, in a revealing documentary, Paris Hilton disclosed that her childhood was shattered by two years of strip searches, isolation, beatings, restraint, and brainwashing within the now infamous "troubled teen industry," Paris Hilton was simply the billionaire heiress America had watched grow up on television, on the internet, and in tabloids. But there was always more to Paris Hilton than met the eye. Yes, she is the media personality, DJ, entrepreneur, model, singer, actress, and icon beloved all over the globe. And yet...

Paris is the story people have always wanted Paris Hilton to tell--the story of who she really is. In this revealing and thought-provoking book, Hilton will separate the creation from the creator, the brand from the ambassador, and show the woman who grew up with incredible privilege but was also trapped in a world of unreasonable expectation at a moment when young women were humiliated for sport in a gossip economy on steroids. Paris recounts her perilous journey through pre-#METOO sexual politics with grace, generosity, and plenty of fun, rising above a series of heart-wrenching challenges to find healing, lasting love, and a life of meaning and purpose.

The parallel story arcs in Hilton's braided narrative come to full bloom as a watershed portrait of the Aughts, challenging each of us to question our role in her story and her role in ours. The result is an intimate and unexpected memoir about persona and personification, the price of being young and disobedient, and the complexity of manifesting your dreams after watching part of yourself disappear.]]> 336 Paris Hilton 0063224623 Ica 4
I was expecting the glitz and glamour from her memoir, maybe something extravagant, but what I was not expecting were raw conversations about her struggles with ADHD, rape, her experiences at CEDU and Provo, etc.

Of course, there are things in here that some people can't relate to and they might find her ostentatious ways revolting, but there are parts of her story that resonate with many people. By the end of the book, you can't help but feel empathy for her.]]> 4.20 2023
author: Paris Hilton
name: Ica
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/28
date added: 2023/05/27
shelves:
review:
Before you roll your eyes and start judging the heiress, I actually recommend reading this book or watching her interview with Jay Shetty. I picked up her book because she was the iconic 'it' girl when I was growing up. Tabloids after tabloids about her, you just knew her name. I used to watch her show alongside Nicole Richie, The Simple Life. It was my guilty pleasure.

I was expecting the glitz and glamour from her memoir, maybe something extravagant, but what I was not expecting were raw conversations about her struggles with ADHD, rape, her experiences at CEDU and Provo, etc.

Of course, there are things in here that some people can't relate to and they might find her ostentatious ways revolting, but there are parts of her story that resonate with many people. By the end of the book, you can't help but feel empathy for her.
]]> 62315598 67% of Americans do not have a college degree. Christopher Zara is one of them.

Boldly honest, wryly funny, and utterly open-hearted, Uneducated is one diploma-less journalist's map of our growing educational divide and, ultimately, a challenge: in our credential-obsessed world, what is the true value of a college degree?

For Christopher Zara, this is the professional minefield he has had to navigate since the day he was kicked out of his New Jersey high school for behavioral problems and never allowed back. From a school for "troubled kids," to wrestling with his identity in the burgeoning punk scene of the 1980s; from a stint as an ice cream scooper as he got clean in Florida, to an unpaid internship in New York in his thirties, Zara spent years contending with skeptical hiring managers and his own impostor syndrome before breaking into the world of journalism--only to be met by a pedigree-obsessed industry. As he navigated the world of the elite and saw the realities of the education gap firsthand, Zara realized he needed to confront the label he had been quietly holding in: what it looked like to be part of the "working class"--whatever that meant.]]> 272 Christopher Zara 0316268976 Ica 5 3.85
author: Christopher Zara
name: Ica
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/25
date added: 2023/05/25
shelves:
review:
"Uneducated" is a memoir by Christopher Zara, who fearlessly talks about being a wayward young adult, a school dropout, and a substance user before making it big as a journalist. His journey wasn't an easy one, but he was determined to put in extra effort to get where he is today. A very honest, thought-provoking, and interesting read, for sure!
]]> 62673108 From the Academy Award-winning actor and best-selling author: a novel about the making of a star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film . . . and the humble comic books that inspired it. Funny, touching, and wonderfully thought-provoking, while also capturing the changes in America and American culture since World War II.

Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldier, returning from the war, meets his talented five-year-old nephew, leaves an indelible impression, and then disappears for twenty-three years.

Cut to 1970: The nephew, now drawing underground comic books in Oakland, California, reconnects with his uncle and, remembering the comic book he saw when he was five, draws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero.

Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie.

Cue the cast: We meet the film's extremely difficult male star, his wonderful leading lady, the eccentric writer/director, the producer, the gofer production assistant, and everyone else on both sides of the camera.

Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the story--all created by Tom Hanks himself--including the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novel's major motion picture masterpiece.]]> 448 Tom Hanks 052565559X Ica 2
I rather watch paint dry.

Unnecessarily long chapters and lots of nothing.]]> 3.64 2023
author: Tom Hanks
name: Ica
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2023/05/18
shelves: dnf-might-pick-it-up-again-maybe
review:
DNF @45%

I rather watch paint dry.

Unnecessarily long chapters and lots of nothing.
]]> 49228706
PSYCHIATRIST: So how can I help you?

ME: I don't know, I'm � what's the word � depressed? Do I have to go into detail?

Baek Sehee is a successful young social media director at a publishing house when she begins seeing a psychiatrist about her - what to call it? - depression? She feels persistently low, anxious, endlessly self-doubting, but also highly judgmental of others. She hides her feelings well at work and with friends, performing the calmness her lifestyle demands. The effort is exhausting, overwhelming, and keeps her from forming deep relationships. This can't be normal. But if she's so hopeless, why can she always summon a yen for her favorite street food: the hot, spicy rice cake, tteokbokki? Is this just what life is like?

Recording her dialogues with her psychiatrist over a twelve-week period, and expanding on each session with her own reflective micro-essays, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions, and harmful behaviors that keep her locked in a cycle of self-abuse. Part memoir, part self-help book, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is a book to keep close and to reach for in times of darkness. It will appeal to anyone who has ever felt alone or unjustified in their everyday despair.


—â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä”â¶Ä�


Aku: Bagaimana caranya agar bisa mengubah pikiran bahwa saya ini standar dan biasa saja?

Psikiater: Memangnya hal itu merupakan masalah yang harus diperbaiki?

Aku: Iya, karena saya ingin mencintai diri saya sendiri.

-----

I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokpokki adalah esai yang berisi tentang pertanyaan, penilaian, saran, nasihat, dan evaluasi diri yang bertujuan agar pembaca bisa menerima dan mencintai dirinya.

Buku self improvement ini mendapatkan sambutan baik karena pembaca meraskan hal yang sama dengan kisah Baek Se Hee sehingga buku ini mendapatkan predikat bestseller di Korea Selatan.]]> 232 Baek Se-hee 6237351035 Ica 3
What I liked:

� Short chapters, easy to get into.

� The book contains facts and quotes that are suitable for anyone to read, especially if they're having a bad mental health day.

� In Chapter 14, the therapist read the book and acknowledged that they could have provided better counseling choices and wished they could've helped the author more. This self-awareness as a therapist is a plus for me.

What I disliked:

� The author, at times, can be immature. For instance, she cut ties with her friend just because her friend had a different opinion about a book. There were several examples of her being absolutely insufferable mentioned in this book.

� My main issue: the therapist. Many times, they sounded very AI-like or robotic. Not to mention the way they worded things. Now, I don't know whether it's due to lost translation or the therapist itself. To quote something the therapist said, "Your anxiety can become a burden to others," "You have to do better." Yeeesh. Thanks, doc. I personally think that the therapist did not lead the conversation well; there was just no direction to it.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book per se. It can be comforting and relatable at times. Maybe this book isn't truly for me. Hey, at least I enjoy eating tteokbokki though.]]> 3.26 2018
author: Baek Se-hee
name: Ica
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/15
date added: 2023/05/15
shelves:
review:
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I decided to read this eye-catching book. This book is literally a transcript of therapy sessions with some post-reflection at the end of each chapter. It is difficult to review this book as I both liked it and disliked it.

What I liked:

� Short chapters, easy to get into.

� The book contains facts and quotes that are suitable for anyone to read, especially if they're having a bad mental health day.

� In Chapter 14, the therapist read the book and acknowledged that they could have provided better counseling choices and wished they could've helped the author more. This self-awareness as a therapist is a plus for me.

What I disliked:

� The author, at times, can be immature. For instance, she cut ties with her friend just because her friend had a different opinion about a book. There were several examples of her being absolutely insufferable mentioned in this book.

� My main issue: the therapist. Many times, they sounded very AI-like or robotic. Not to mention the way they worded things. Now, I don't know whether it's due to lost translation or the therapist itself. To quote something the therapist said, "Your anxiety can become a burden to others," "You have to do better." Yeeesh. Thanks, doc. I personally think that the therapist did not lead the conversation well; there was just no direction to it.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book per se. It can be comforting and relatable at times. Maybe this book isn't truly for me. Hey, at least I enjoy eating tteokbokki though.
]]> 60784312
Is it enough?

Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy, Adelaide does everything in her power to hold him together—even if it means losing herself in the process.

When love asks too much of us, how do we find the strength to put ourselves first?

With unflinching honesty and heart, this relatable debut from a fresh new voice explores grief and mental health while capturing the timeless nature of what it’s like to be young and in love—with your friends, with your city, and with a person who cannot, will not, love you back.]]> 304 Genevieve Wheeler 1250280842 Ica 4 3.5 stars<br /><br />" 3.93 2023
author: Genevieve Wheeler
name: Ica
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/03
date added: 2023/05/03
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars

"
]]> 61358644 208 Szilvia Molnar 0593316843 Ica 3
This book is quite similar to "The Yellow Wallpaper". It shows an unfiltered look at motherhood and PPD, but it reads like a very long monologue. At first, it was getting very repetitive, but then again, that's the whole point of the book, isn't it? It portrays how women new to motherhood are consumed by the same thoughts and actions, which can be very tiresome.

Although the book's repetitive nature may make it a challenging read, it effectively portrays the monotony and isolation experienced by women who suffer PPD.]]> 3.75 2023
author: Szilvia Molnar
name: Ica
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/27
date added: 2023/04/27
shelves:
review:
This book follows an unnamed narrator who has just given birth to her baby and has a complex relationship with motherhood. Suffering from postpartum depression, we see her spiral in and out of control. Having lost her own mother at a young age, she tries to do the best she can without much help from her workaholic husband. Feeling alone and scared, she befriends Peter, her elderly neighbor, who brings some sort of comfort to her.

This book is quite similar to "The Yellow Wallpaper". It shows an unfiltered look at motherhood and PPD, but it reads like a very long monologue. At first, it was getting very repetitive, but then again, that's the whole point of the book, isn't it? It portrays how women new to motherhood are consumed by the same thoughts and actions, which can be very tiresome.

Although the book's repetitive nature may make it a challenging read, it effectively portrays the monotony and isolation experienced by women who suffer PPD.
]]> 656876 135 Arto Paasilinna 0720612772 Ica 3 " 3.67 1975
author: Arto Paasilinna
name: Ica
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1975
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/17
date added: 2023/04/17
shelves:
review:
"
]]> 61242426
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success � not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.]]> 296 Travis Baldree Ica 5
Everytime I picked this book up to read, I envisioned myself in the cafe with Viv and Tandri, making coffee, sipping on hot cocoa and having warm conversations with the folks. I also saw myself in the kitchen with Thimble the ratkin, kneading dough and eating cinnamon rolls. Oh yesss, this book tempts your sweeth tooth. And we have a cat! Well...a dire-cat. But a cat nevertheless. A floofy.

I love the slow pace of the book and the characters. Everyone was just calm and relaxed. The book is about settling down and discovering your found family. It was so wholesome.

Let me stop blabbering. You get where I'm coming from. Cafe. Coffee. Pastries. Cat. What more can you ask for in this book?

P.S. Book 2, the prequel will be out in November! Can't wait!]]> 4.04 2022
author: Travis Baldree
name: Ica
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/09
date added: 2023/04/11
shelves:
review:
This is the coziest book I've ever read. I loved it so much! I don't read fantasy novels except for ASoiaF but this one.. this one is great! The definition of cozy fantasy. Just the right touch for me.

Everytime I picked this book up to read, I envisioned myself in the cafe with Viv and Tandri, making coffee, sipping on hot cocoa and having warm conversations with the folks. I also saw myself in the kitchen with Thimble the ratkin, kneading dough and eating cinnamon rolls. Oh yesss, this book tempts your sweeth tooth. And we have a cat! Well...a dire-cat. But a cat nevertheless. A floofy.

I love the slow pace of the book and the characters. Everyone was just calm and relaxed. The book is about settling down and discovering your found family. It was so wholesome.

Let me stop blabbering. You get where I'm coming from. Cafe. Coffee. Pastries. Cat. What more can you ask for in this book?

P.S. Book 2, the prequel will be out in November! Can't wait!
]]> 117564 Nos pensées se reportent alors vers ce monde où rien ne daignait s'actualiser, affecter une forme, choir dans un nom, et, où, toute détermination abolie, il était aisé d'accéder à une extase anonyme. Nous retrouvons cette expérience extatique lorsque, à la faveur de quelque état extrême, nous liquidons notre identité et brisons nos limites. Du coup, le temps qui nous précède, le temps d'avant le temps, nous appartient en propre, et nous rejoignons, non pas notre figure, qui n'est rien, mais cette virtualité bienheureuse où nous résistions à l'infâme tentation de nous incarner."]]> 224 Emil M. Cioran Ica 0 to-read 4.16
author: Emil M. Cioran
name: Ica
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 29102841
Astronomy-loving Calliope June has Tourette syndrome, so she sometimes makes faces or noises that she doesn't mean to make. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But it isn't long before the kids at her new school realize she's different. Only Calli's neighbor, who is also the popular student body president, sees her as she truly is—an interesting person and a good friend. But is he brave enough to take their friendship public?

As Calli navigates school, she must also face her mother's new relationship and the fact that she might be moving, again, just as she starts to make friends and finally accept her differences.]]> 336 Ellie Terry 1250096278 Ica 3 Quick and lovely read 3.90 2017
author: Ellie Terry
name: Ica
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2022/03/08
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves:
review:
Quick and lovely read
]]>