Maria's bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:58:26 -0700 60 Maria's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World]]> 25614523 Originals the author addresses the challenge of improving the world from the perspective of becoming original: choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle conformity, and buck outdated traditions. How can we originate new ideas, policies, and practices without risking it all?

Using surprising studies and stories spanning business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant explores how to recognize a good idea, speak up without getting silenced, build a coalition of allies, choose the right time to act, and manage fear and doubt; how parents and teachers can nurture originality in children; and how leaders can build cultures that welcome dissent. Learn from an entrepreneur who pitches his start-ups by highlighting the reasons not to invest, a woman at Apple who challenged Steve Jobs from three levels below, an analyst who overturned the rule of secrecy at the CIA, a billionaire financial wizard who fires employees for failing to criticize him, and a TV executive who didn’t even work in comedy but saved Seinfeld from the cutting-room floor. The payoff is a set of groundbreaking insights about rejecting conformity and improving the status quo.
]]> 326 Adam M. Grant 0525429565 Maria 5 The author uses a plethora of anecdotes to showcase journeys faced by people known as Originals. So many.
You will find your perspective changing which might unsettle those faint of heart.
Grant gives too many solutions to those not knowing how to, or not willing to spark a change.

Now, of course, the above is satire but it is a wink to a portion of the book dedicated to starting from an alternative view. Imagine all of the persuasive presentations and conversations that begin with the overcooked "Reasons to [insert activity here]" as opposed to "Reasons to Not Invest in My Company" which one raises more eyebrows? Which one will leave more of an impression? Read the book to find out more about this topic in relation to kickstarter programs and the like.

"On matters of style, swim with the current... on matters of principle, stand like a rock." -Thomas Jefferson
Be firm on your beliefs, don't be that guy that's flippant or can go either way. Be that one that is known for standing up for what they believe in.

Here's another of my highlights:
"Radical thinking is often necessary to put an original stake in the ground." Yes there will be a disadvantage to being a pioneer but someone has to be the first! How else would we have any occupation today, or any hobby?

Lastly, I found this one most relatable as I have anxiety, and the author implores people to frame their fear as another state of arousal, like excitement or curiousity:
"rather than trying to suppress a strong emotion, it's easier to convert it into a different emotion--one that's equally intense, but propels us to step on the gas." Because how often are you told "Don't be nervous!" or "Calm down" when you're experiencing high stress or nervousness? It's in the framing of the situation that works wonders, which the author delves into more. It would benefit many people to read this book. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.93 2016 Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
author: Adam M. Grant
name: Maria
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves:
review:
Reasons to Not Read This book:
The author uses a plethora of anecdotes to showcase journeys faced by people known as Originals. So many.
You will find your perspective changing which might unsettle those faint of heart.
Grant gives too many solutions to those not knowing how to, or not willing to spark a change.

Now, of course, the above is satire but it is a wink to a portion of the book dedicated to starting from an alternative view. Imagine all of the persuasive presentations and conversations that begin with the overcooked "Reasons to [insert activity here]" as opposed to "Reasons to Not Invest in My Company" which one raises more eyebrows? Which one will leave more of an impression? Read the book to find out more about this topic in relation to kickstarter programs and the like.

"On matters of style, swim with the current... on matters of principle, stand like a rock." -Thomas Jefferson
Be firm on your beliefs, don't be that guy that's flippant or can go either way. Be that one that is known for standing up for what they believe in.

Here's another of my highlights:
"Radical thinking is often necessary to put an original stake in the ground." Yes there will be a disadvantage to being a pioneer but someone has to be the first! How else would we have any occupation today, or any hobby?

Lastly, I found this one most relatable as I have anxiety, and the author implores people to frame their fear as another state of arousal, like excitement or curiousity:
"rather than trying to suppress a strong emotion, it's easier to convert it into a different emotion--one that's equally intense, but propels us to step on the gas." Because how often are you told "Don't be nervous!" or "Calm down" when you're experiencing high stress or nervousness? It's in the framing of the situation that works wonders, which the author delves into more. It would benefit many people to read this book. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics]]> 53605067
As “perhaps the best popular economics writer in the world� (New Statesman), Tim Harford is an expert at taking complicated ideas and untangling them for millions of readers. In The Data Detective, he uses new research in science and psychology to set out ten strategies for using statistics to erase our biases and replace them with new ideas that use virtues like patience, curiosity, and good sense to better understand ourselves and the world. As a result, The Data Detective is a big-idea book about statistics and human behavior that is fresh, unexpected, and insightful.]]> 334 Tim Harford 0593084675 Maria 5
It begins with the story of how we discovered the causal link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. It was a rocky road leading to that conclusion with push back from the cigarette industry at the time. The challenge of convincing people of the facts seemed insurmountable. However, "Doctors became the first identifiable social group in the UK to give up smoking in large numbers", as listed in the book. It began with doctors and eventually consumers took it seriously. This was a huge victory.

Moreover, often times we see screaming headlines on social media passed around and our impulse is to share it with others without a second thought. Or it prompts us to interact with it in the replies. This book attempts to persuade you to think again. "When we encounter a statistical claim about the world and are thinking of sharing it on social media or typing a furious rebuttal, we should instead ask ourselves, "How does this make me feel?" Engage in your System 2 thinking... it's a slower process but it keeps your emotions in check and mitigates the spread of misinformation.

This will be my last quote "...what we count and what we fail to count is often the result of an unexamined choice, of subtle biases, and hidden assumptions that we haven't realized are leading us astray" question the data you see, question what you don't see (who is missing from this study? this diagram?) and be openminded, the author implores. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.10 2020 The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics
author: Tim Harford
name: Maria
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves:
review:
The Data Detective... a book about statistics, data and interpretation which seems on the surface to be a dull read, yet Tim Harford infuses life into these very themes. With each rule he dives into, the reader's eyes get opened as he sheds insight through vibrant anecdotes and facts.

It begins with the story of how we discovered the causal link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. It was a rocky road leading to that conclusion with push back from the cigarette industry at the time. The challenge of convincing people of the facts seemed insurmountable. However, "Doctors became the first identifiable social group in the UK to give up smoking in large numbers", as listed in the book. It began with doctors and eventually consumers took it seriously. This was a huge victory.

Moreover, often times we see screaming headlines on social media passed around and our impulse is to share it with others without a second thought. Or it prompts us to interact with it in the replies. This book attempts to persuade you to think again. "When we encounter a statistical claim about the world and are thinking of sharing it on social media or typing a furious rebuttal, we should instead ask ourselves, "How does this make me feel?" Engage in your System 2 thinking... it's a slower process but it keeps your emotions in check and mitigates the spread of misinformation.

This will be my last quote "...what we count and what we fail to count is often the result of an unexamined choice, of subtle biases, and hidden assumptions that we haven't realized are leading us astray" question the data you see, question what you don't see (who is missing from this study? this diagram?) and be openminded, the author implores. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Paris Apartment 58468990 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide�

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up � to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? � he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite � The nice guy � The alcoholic � The girl on the verge � The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.]]> 360 Lucy Foley 0063003058 Maria 4 3.63 2022 The Paris Apartment
author: Lucy Foley
name: Maria
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/11
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves:
review:
The Paris Apartment was a fun read, one that keeps you guessing from the start. You're swept along on the journey from the eyes of a rotating cast of multiple characters and the plot moves rather swiftly. I found myself enjoying it and devouring it as the plot thickened and twisted. I liked the writing style and the alternating perspectives, as the author found a groove right from the beginning. It's difficult to pinpoint anything I didn't like about this book, other than a bit of feeling as if the novel was dragging on in some parts. Other than that, I thought it was fantastic. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are]]> 59900650 Tired of guessing what they're really thinking? Read people in every situation--in person, on a screen, or in writing--using the new science of psycholinguistics, from a New York Times bestselling author and consultant to the FBI, CIA, and NSA.

What did your boss mean in that email? Is your mechanic stretching the truth? Whether you're engaged in a casual conversation or a high-stakes negotiation, it's critical to understand the subtext of a situation. But with so much interaction happening on screens--via email, texts, or video chat--we are losing the ability to interpret expressions and cues. Furthermore, since many are now savvy about the meaning of body language, it's become even harder to discern someone's true thoughts or intentions.

A leading lie-detection expert who instructs the FBI and other security agencies, noted psychotherapist David Lieberman, PhD, takes "people reading" to a whole new level. Drawing on the latest research in psycholinguistics--the cues embedded in spoken and written speech--he shows you how to apply his cutting-edge methods to countless everyday situations, including:

- Detecting the messaging behind passive language, personal or impersonal descriptions, and level of detail.
- Determining whether someone's account of any incident is the truth or a work of fiction.
- Finding out whether a potential hire, dating app match, or new babysitter is trustworthy or hiding something.

Nobody wants to be played a fool. Mindreader will help us identify who can be trusted, and who may be out to get us.]]> 240 David J. Lieberman 0593236181 Maria 4
This book read like a textbook from a psychology class and piqued my interest for a few minutes at a time. Towards the end it started picking up speed for me, I'm not sure if it was the material or my lack of full interest. However, it was insightful and gives those reading it a chance to analyze more of the interactions they have with other people around them. By looking into someone's speech patterns and behavior, we get a look at the invisible, the inner world. I found that to be quite interesting and I'm sure I picked a thing or two to take away from this book, as I hope you do too. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.85 2022 Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are
author: David J. Lieberman
name: Maria
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/03
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves:
review:
"Real power is the responsible application of knowledge." -The author, David J. Lieberman, PhD.

This book read like a textbook from a psychology class and piqued my interest for a few minutes at a time. Towards the end it started picking up speed for me, I'm not sure if it was the material or my lack of full interest. However, it was insightful and gives those reading it a chance to analyze more of the interactions they have with other people around them. By looking into someone's speech patterns and behavior, we get a look at the invisible, the inner world. I found that to be quite interesting and I'm sure I picked a thing or two to take away from this book, as I hope you do too. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Spectacular 62588481
New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion is over the moon to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s glamorous precision-dancing troupe. It’s an honor to perform in the world’s most spectacular theater, an art deco masterpiece. But with four shows a day as well as grueling rehearsals, not to mention exacting standards of perfection to live up to, Marion quickly realizes that the life of a Rockette has both extraordinary highs and devastating lows.

Then one night a bomb explodes in the theater. It’s only the latest in a string of explosions around the city orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the "Big Apple Bomber." They have been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police, at Marion’s urging, turn in desperation to a radical new technique: psychological profiling.

As Marion finds herself pulled deeper into the investigation, she realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. But she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.]]> 357 Fiona Davis 0593184041 Maria 5 4.04 2023 The Spectacular
author: Fiona Davis
name: Maria
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves:
review:
The spectacular spectacular ✨️... it actually was a dazzling novel to read yet had profound depth to it, much like our protagonist. We got to see the glitz, the glamor with a ton of girl power. Our leading lady, the showstopper, Marion Brooks recounts events from her past while jumping us forward to her present every so often to glue together her story for the reader. I really enjoyed it. She faces hardships such as barriers to what her idea of success looks like, what her future should look like vs what she wants out of life, along with trauma, but I won't get into specifics. Sounds enticing, right? You have to read this book, it held my attention and gives a fresh perspective on the bustling lifestyle of a Rockette, and so much more. Overall, a good read.
]]> El libro del cementerio 7024305 304 Neil Gaiman 8499180302 Maria 5 4.07 2008 El libro del cementerio
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Maria
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves:
review:
No me di cuenta que el autor tambien había escrito Coraline hasta que terminé el libro! Una sorpresa para mi.
]]> Lady Tan’s Circle of Women 62919732
According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,� but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.

From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus , they tell from adversity beauty can bloom.

But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.

How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? A captivating story of women helping each other, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a triumphant reimagining of the life of one person who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.]]> 352 Lisa See 1982117087 Maria 4 Lisa See wrote a fantastic novel depicting the role of women in 15th century China, an altogether time period and culture I wasn't too familiar with, which was fascinating to read about. Tan Yunxian as the protagonist (and female doctor!) felt like a trailblazer, and an independent thinker despite her obeisance to traditional values such as footbinding (which would secure a good marriage for her daughters in the future), buying her husband a concubine to name a few. As a trailblazer, she tended to women and girls as patients with exquisite knowledge of herbs and their medicinal effects (which is a huge plot point later on). She began in secret but then got the recognition she deserved to be able to practice on a larger scale and now her works are prized and well known as they should be.
Most of all, I adored her relationship with Meiling, the young midwife who would've been separated from her had her mother-in-law not intervened and decided for her and her midwife mother to be the midwifes for the Garden of Fragrant Delights. At times, Meiling showed feelings of inadequacy comparing herself to Yunxian but with her reassurance, the relationship felt stable and full of love. Themes that kept popping up were disturbing to me as a woman who rejects most traditional gender roles, but it was a product of the time, such as footbinding. I'm glad that it is no longer practiced in China, or anywhere for that matter, glad that it's banned. Women experience hardships that men know nothing about which is also discussed frequently throughout the book.
Towards the end, I loved Lady Kuo's words to Yunxian's daughter because it wraps up perfectly the dynamic between Yunxian and Lady Kuo all throughout the years where Yunxian was trying for a son. I will admit, at times this was a difficult read just because it mirrors reality in which I mean it felt like I stepped into another life and it kind of lulled me. I pushed through it though as the events would intrigue me again. Read this book, as you'll find it to be a blessing to your soul. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.31 2023 Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
author: Lisa See
name: Maria
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/07
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves:
review:
Women empowerment. Deep friendship love. Paving the way for women everywhere.
Lisa See wrote a fantastic novel depicting the role of women in 15th century China, an altogether time period and culture I wasn't too familiar with, which was fascinating to read about. Tan Yunxian as the protagonist (and female doctor!) felt like a trailblazer, and an independent thinker despite her obeisance to traditional values such as footbinding (which would secure a good marriage for her daughters in the future), buying her husband a concubine to name a few. As a trailblazer, she tended to women and girls as patients with exquisite knowledge of herbs and their medicinal effects (which is a huge plot point later on). She began in secret but then got the recognition she deserved to be able to practice on a larger scale and now her works are prized and well known as they should be.
Most of all, I adored her relationship with Meiling, the young midwife who would've been separated from her had her mother-in-law not intervened and decided for her and her midwife mother to be the midwifes for the Garden of Fragrant Delights. At times, Meiling showed feelings of inadequacy comparing herself to Yunxian but with her reassurance, the relationship felt stable and full of love. Themes that kept popping up were disturbing to me as a woman who rejects most traditional gender roles, but it was a product of the time, such as footbinding. I'm glad that it is no longer practiced in China, or anywhere for that matter, glad that it's banned. Women experience hardships that men know nothing about which is also discussed frequently throughout the book.
Towards the end, I loved Lady Kuo's words to Yunxian's daughter because it wraps up perfectly the dynamic between Yunxian and Lady Kuo all throughout the years where Yunxian was trying for a son. I will admit, at times this was a difficult read just because it mirrors reality in which I mean it felt like I stepped into another life and it kind of lulled me. I pushed through it though as the events would intrigue me again. Read this book, as you'll find it to be a blessing to your soul. Overall, a good read.
]]> Just the Nicest Couple 60666845 Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband�

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.]]> 320 Mary Kubica 0778333116 Maria 4 I was shocked at some points and even had to pause the part where I'm at and take a breath of surprise. It's a thriller of course, and it delivers. It twists the thriller knife even up until the end. Can't complain about it, I was surprised to also see the low rating but I enjoy books as they are so that might explain the discrepancy. I'd only rate it low if it was borderline unreadable or incredibly dull... which is why I stray from certain genres... this deserves a solid rating.
Overall, a good read.]]> 3.51 2023 Just the Nicest Couple
author: Mary Kubica
name: Maria
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves:
review:
The nicest couple with the not so nicest story... surprise, there's more to the couple than meets the eye. I enjoyed how this book grabbed my attention as I haven't read a book this quickly since I was in middle school. It grabs your attention and leads you on a mysterious ride. However, like others have noted and I observed as well at multiple points, the characters act rather irrationally.
I was shocked at some points and even had to pause the part where I'm at and take a breath of surprise. It's a thriller of course, and it delivers. It twists the thriller knife even up until the end. Can't complain about it, I was surprised to also see the low rating but I enjoy books as they are so that might explain the discrepancy. I'd only rate it low if it was borderline unreadable or incredibly dull... which is why I stray from certain genres... this deserves a solid rating.
Overall, a good read.
]]> The Life Impossible 198281740
“What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet…�

When retired math teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook and no plan.

Among the rugged hills and golden beaches of the island, Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life, and how it ended. What she uncovers is stranger than she could have dreamed. But to dive into this impossible truth, Grace must first come to terms with her past.

Filled with wonder and wild adventure, this is a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.]]> 324 Matt Haig 0593489276 Maria 4
Grace Winters is 72, believes she too old to change herself and mentally blocks herself from ridding her grief. She has been left alone, her husband and child gone. She is suddenly invited to Ibiza by a shocking twist of events she couldn't have predicted much like the events that follow. She, just like the reader, starts out with a myriad of questions, to which we find out answers over time. It's a shimmering tale, as the reader imagines La Presencia and its desire to protect through individuals. It's a cool concept and not too complicated.

I love how this book explores a meaning of life- connection, among others, as meaning is derived from your own perception, and I found it stunning how the author wrote about it, I often reread a few lines as I wanted to absorb them and carry them with me. I'll share them here:
(Regarding confusion) "The willingness to be confused, I now realize, is a prerequisite for a good life. Wanting things to be simple can become a kind of prison... because you end up staying trapped inside how you want things to be rather than embracing how they could be."
At the point when I was reading that, I admit, I was kind of confused but that excerpt came at just the right time as if La Presencia had written the book itself and could read my thoughts. I also found other coincidences through the book such as similarities here and there to a book I had just read previous to this one. It's truly beautiful. Confusion is par for the course as it arises when there are questions bouncing around in your head. Finding the answers, learning, leads to growth. Moving forward...

(Regarding loneliness) "We think we are lonely because we are often blind to the connections." This rings true. Any one of us could think we are alone, but if we zoom out, step outside of ourselves and panned around the world, you'd find someone going through the same thing. You can't see the connection at times, but it's there.

(Regarding appreciating the beauty of the present moment, our surroundings, the little things) "We should see ourselves as aliens, because to the rest of the universe, that is who we are." I love this line. He also mentions humans have a preconceived notion that aliens are predatory in nature, but that is a projection of the nature of humans which also rings true and is food for thought.

Oh, and the chapters are super short so you have no excuse to not read this book. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.45 2024 The Life Impossible
author: Matt Haig
name: Maria
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves:
review:
The Life Impossible, a charming universal self-actualizing tale from Matt Haig. I remember reading his other popular title, The Midnight Library, which read similar to this one. However, this book takes place on the island of Ibiza and feels like a mini vacation laced with a bit of supernatural occurrences.

Grace Winters is 72, believes she too old to change herself and mentally blocks herself from ridding her grief. She has been left alone, her husband and child gone. She is suddenly invited to Ibiza by a shocking twist of events she couldn't have predicted much like the events that follow. She, just like the reader, starts out with a myriad of questions, to which we find out answers over time. It's a shimmering tale, as the reader imagines La Presencia and its desire to protect through individuals. It's a cool concept and not too complicated.

I love how this book explores a meaning of life- connection, among others, as meaning is derived from your own perception, and I found it stunning how the author wrote about it, I often reread a few lines as I wanted to absorb them and carry them with me. I'll share them here:
(Regarding confusion) "The willingness to be confused, I now realize, is a prerequisite for a good life. Wanting things to be simple can become a kind of prison... because you end up staying trapped inside how you want things to be rather than embracing how they could be."
At the point when I was reading that, I admit, I was kind of confused but that excerpt came at just the right time as if La Presencia had written the book itself and could read my thoughts. I also found other coincidences through the book such as similarities here and there to a book I had just read previous to this one. It's truly beautiful. Confusion is par for the course as it arises when there are questions bouncing around in your head. Finding the answers, learning, leads to growth. Moving forward...

(Regarding loneliness) "We think we are lonely because we are often blind to the connections." This rings true. Any one of us could think we are alone, but if we zoom out, step outside of ourselves and panned around the world, you'd find someone going through the same thing. You can't see the connection at times, but it's there.

(Regarding appreciating the beauty of the present moment, our surroundings, the little things) "We should see ourselves as aliens, because to the rest of the universe, that is who we are." I love this line. He also mentions humans have a preconceived notion that aliens are predatory in nature, but that is a projection of the nature of humans which also rings true and is food for thought.

Oh, and the chapters are super short so you have no excuse to not read this book. Overall, a good read.
]]> Best House on the Block 209609630 Revealing a neighbor’s deep secrets and dark obsessions turns to murder in a shocking novel of psychological suspense by a New York Times bestselling author.

Aspiring investigative journalist Shannon Gibbons and her family have moved into a beautiful house in the Fabulous Forties of East Sacramento, where Shannon finds a fast connection with a new neighbor. Renowned journalist Rosella Marlow appears to have a genuine interest in giving Shannon’s own career a boost—as personal assistant on Rosella’s new project. Appearances are deceiving.

Bitter, resentful, and consumed by excruciating grief, Rosella is obsessed with wiping the smiles off her contented neighbors� faces. Now she’s watching closely, ready to expose their secrets. Secrets dark enough to destroy lives. In Shannon, Rosella has a trusting and unwitting accomplice. But Rosella is being watched, too. And when someone is found murdered, everyone on this quiet block is a suspect. Because everyone has a motive.

With the help of a friend, Shannon begins an investigation into the death of a person she just met. As neighbor is pitted against neighbor, the truth is much scarier than anything they imagined.]]> 282 T.R. Ragan 1662517319 Maria 4
Best House on the Block follows our protagonist Shannon and her new neighbor Chloe as they search for clues leading to the truth behind the murder of former neighbor Rosella Marlow. The investigation brings the neighborhood closer yet sinister vibes nestle in. You never really know who did it until well into the book which made for an intriguing read, as all the characters would have a motive technically.

I will admit, the opening chapter is an abrupt start to the book but it strangely simmers down yet packs a punch yet again. Like slamming on the brake. The pacing to me felt a bit off and I struggled to focus my attention for too long at a time but when it is an action packed chapter, you can't do anything else but read it in its entirety.

Give it a go! Overall, a good read.]]> 3.73 2024 Best House on the Block
author: T.R. Ragan
name: Maria
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves:
review:
A thriller yet full of heartwarming moments...

Best House on the Block follows our protagonist Shannon and her new neighbor Chloe as they search for clues leading to the truth behind the murder of former neighbor Rosella Marlow. The investigation brings the neighborhood closer yet sinister vibes nestle in. You never really know who did it until well into the book which made for an intriguing read, as all the characters would have a motive technically.

I will admit, the opening chapter is an abrupt start to the book but it strangely simmers down yet packs a punch yet again. Like slamming on the brake. The pacing to me felt a bit off and I struggled to focus my attention for too long at a time but when it is an action packed chapter, you can't do anything else but read it in its entirety.

Give it a go! Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop]]> 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 Maria 5 A book about a bookshop 3.94 2022 Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
author: Hwang Bo-Reum
name: Maria
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/15
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves:
review:
A book about a bookshop
]]> The Big Door Prize 51834227 A mysterious machine upends a small Louisiana town, asking us all to wonder if who we truly are is who we truly could be.

What would you do if you knew your life's potential? That's the question facing the residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, when the DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. It's nothing to look at, really—it resembles a plain photo booth. But its promise is With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. With enough credibility to make the townspeople curious, soon the former teachers, nurses, and shopkeepers of Deerfield are abruptly changing course to pursue their destinies as magicians, cowboys, and athletes—including the novel's main characters, Douglas Hubbard and his wife, Cherilyn, who both believed they were perfectly happy until they realized they could dream for more....Written with linguistic grace and a sense of wonder, The Big Door Prize sparkles with keen observations about what it might mean to stay true to oneself while honoring the bonds of marriage, friendship, and community, and how the glimmer of possibility can pull these bonds apart, bring them back together, and make second chances possible, even under the strangest of circumstances.]]> 382 M.O. Walsh Maria 3 3.43 2020 The Big Door Prize
author: M.O. Walsh
name: Maria
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves:
review:
On this book, I have mixed reviews. It seemed to have a strong start and ~potential~ to build to a great storyline and depth with its characters but eventually fell rather flat. Or uninteresting. It had me hooked at the beginning and held my attention until I got lost and bored around almost halfway through the book. It took a while to actually make sense or meaning of what was going on and even then it didn't have the pizazz it deserved. To me it also felt like there were a lot of ends left untied or questions not answered. I feel like it was a half baked story, which I wouldn't write unless I truly felt that way, because I love books and normally don't stumble upon ones I don't like. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Twelve Months of Christmas]]> 75294617 Three women. Three terrible Christmases. Can they finally perfect the holiday by celebrating every month?

From USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts comes a story of family, second chances and holiday do-overs, brimming with warmth and Christmas charm.

Sunny, Arianna and Molly are having three very different but equally terrible Christmases. Sunny is a newlywed with two new stepkids who want nothing to do with her; Arianna is newly divorced and hates having to send her daughter off to spend the holiday with her dad; for Molly, nothing is new, but her job at the post office is getting very, very old.

The whole Christmas season has been a bust all around. But Sunny and Arianna have a wild idea: What if they had a Christmas do-over in January? February? On Saint Patrick’s Day?

Christmas all year long—what could that look like? As these three determined women chase the perfect holiday through twelve months of cooking disasters, over-the-top festivity, and lots of laughter and tears, they’ll discover perfection is way overrated.]]> 408 Sheila Roberts Maria 4
It's around the time of year where families get together, cheer is spread all around, and stress can sometimes be found in the air. All of that is encapsulated within the confines of the covers. I did get lost for a good portion of the book trying to figure out who was who, as their names are very close together. Also, they didn't really seem different from each other enough to tell them apart. Like I couldn't describe to you any of their personalities or what they would be more likely to do in a certain scenario. With that being said, the actual content was almost redeeming. This group of women decide to celebrate Christmas each to month to make up for the lousy Christmas they got, for various reasons. I like the comradery (did I spell that right? it doesn't look right) among them and their efforts to make each month special. They made memories for their children and memories of their own along the way. It's beautiful, not as shallow as one might think, and perfect for the Christmas season. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.84 2023 The Twelve Months of Christmas
author: Sheila Roberts
name: Maria
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/20
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves:
review:
A heartwarming Christmas story of a year of Christmases. A slightly nutty plotline but somehow the author makes it work.

It's around the time of year where families get together, cheer is spread all around, and stress can sometimes be found in the air. All of that is encapsulated within the confines of the covers. I did get lost for a good portion of the book trying to figure out who was who, as their names are very close together. Also, they didn't really seem different from each other enough to tell them apart. Like I couldn't describe to you any of their personalities or what they would be more likely to do in a certain scenario. With that being said, the actual content was almost redeeming. This group of women decide to celebrate Christmas each to month to make up for the lousy Christmas they got, for various reasons. I like the comradery (did I spell that right? it doesn't look right) among them and their efforts to make each month special. They made memories for their children and memories of their own along the way. It's beautiful, not as shallow as one might think, and perfect for the Christmas season. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Head in the Cloud: Why Knowing Things Still Matters When Facts Are So Easy to Look Up]]> 27415359
More people know who Khloe Kardashian is than who Rene Descartes was. Most can't find Delaware on a map, correctly spell the word occurrence, or name the largest ocean on the planet. But how important is it to fill our heads with facts? A few keystrokes can summon almost any information in seconds. Why should we bother learning facts at all?

Bestselling author William Poundstone confronts that timely question in Head in the Cloud. He shows that many areas of knowledge correlate with the quality of our lives -- wealth, health, and happiness -- and even with politics and behavior. Combining Big Data survey techniques with eye-opening anecdotes, Poundstone examines what Americans know (and don't know) on topics ranging from quantum physics to pop culture.

Head in the Cloud asks why we're okay with spelling errors on menus but not on resumes; why Fox News viewers don't know which party controls Congress; why people who know "trivia" make more money than those who don't; how individuals can navigate clickbait and media spin to stay informed about what really matters.

Hilarious, humbling, and wildly entertaining, Head in the Cloud is a must-read for anyone who doesn't know everything.]]> 352 William Poundstone 0316256544 Maria 4 In "Head in the Cloud," the author, Poundstone, shares facts and studies surrounding knowledge and recall of facts. When it came to wanting to study memory recall, it turns out people perform worse when they use a phone to snap a picture of something memorable in their environment (like at a museum), or when they expect to be able to search up a fact (the fact is available online, 24/7, so why should my brain have to hold on to such information?) However, the startling issue was the realization most people do not take the time to critically research facts or information they do not know. Yet, we hold beliefs so strongly, most without knowing exactly what they are about. Crazy right? It was refreshing to see this printed and the reader is more inclined to want to critically analyze new information and prove they are not part of that meta-ignorant crowd. Hopefully more people go this route. Because the crowd is not always the wise way to go. On some general knowledge questions proposed by the author, the majority was wrong, and far off in some questions asking for a numerical estimation.
We need more people to read this book and gleam insight to foster better critical thinking skills and cultivate more curiosity. We should be curious about why we believe what we believe and learn more about the world. Sure, facts are easy to look up but it's more rewarding and engaging to have a conversation among people who are already knowledgeable, it's more humane. Even if one of the people does not know a fact the others do, we can teach and learn from each other and break down those beliefs and pursue research after the fact and go from there. Read it! Your brain will certainly thank you. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.43 2016 Head in the Cloud: Why Knowing Things Still Matters When Facts Are So Easy to Look Up
author: William Poundstone
name: Maria
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/12
date added: 2024/12/12
shelves:
review:
I was searching for this book yet I had no idea it actually existed. Even though this book was written around a decade ago, it still seems poignant and has the same alarming effect when it shares how ignorant we as a population were. As relevant as it was back then, we are still ignorant. It's to the point where the term "meta-ignorant" in the book becomes a more apt way to describe what's going on with our knowledge bank.
In "Head in the Cloud," the author, Poundstone, shares facts and studies surrounding knowledge and recall of facts. When it came to wanting to study memory recall, it turns out people perform worse when they use a phone to snap a picture of something memorable in their environment (like at a museum), or when they expect to be able to search up a fact (the fact is available online, 24/7, so why should my brain have to hold on to such information?) However, the startling issue was the realization most people do not take the time to critically research facts or information they do not know. Yet, we hold beliefs so strongly, most without knowing exactly what they are about. Crazy right? It was refreshing to see this printed and the reader is more inclined to want to critically analyze new information and prove they are not part of that meta-ignorant crowd. Hopefully more people go this route. Because the crowd is not always the wise way to go. On some general knowledge questions proposed by the author, the majority was wrong, and far off in some questions asking for a numerical estimation.
We need more people to read this book and gleam insight to foster better critical thinking skills and cultivate more curiosity. We should be curious about why we believe what we believe and learn more about the world. Sure, facts are easy to look up but it's more rewarding and engaging to have a conversation among people who are already knowledgeable, it's more humane. Even if one of the people does not know a fact the others do, we can teach and learn from each other and break down those beliefs and pursue research after the fact and go from there. Read it! Your brain will certainly thank you. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again]]> 40915762 A Science Friday pick for book of the year, 2019


One of America's top doctors reveals how AI will empower physicians and revolutionize patient care


Medicine has become inhuman, to disastrous effect. The doctor-patient relationship--the heart of medicine--is broken: doctors are too distracted and overwhelmed to truly connect with their patients, and medical errors and misdiagnoses abound. In Deep Medicine, leading physician Eric Topol reveals how artificial intelligence can help. AI has the potential to transform everything doctors do, from notetaking and medical scans to diagnosis and treatment, greatly cutting down the cost of medicine and reducing human mortality. By freeing physicians from the tasks that interfere with human connection, AI will create space for the real healing that takes place between a doctor who can listen and a patient who needs to be heard.


Innovative, provocative, and hopeful, Deep Medicine shows us how the awesome power of AI can make medicine better, for all the humans involved.]]> 400 Eric J. Topol 1541644638 Maria 4
A.I. isn't going anywhere, and it's dominating spaces one at a time. One of those spaces it's inching into is the healthcare industry. It has the potential to be the *perfect* doctor, but what would that look like? It wouldn't be someone you want as your doctor, as the book argues. A.I. is a tool for progress and offletting some human tasks and it has shown potential in the healthcare industry already through comparisons to radiologists and its efforts to diagnose (often with much higher accuracy!) Yes it has access to all of a patient's medical history and answers to what questions doctors would need to know, but it misses the humanist element. That's where it truly falls short. It's a shine of optomism in a world where A.I. is the subject of thrillers and sci-fi hits. It's a beacon of hope, that humans can embrace what A.I. can do for us, and where we can provide what it can't, and exist simultaneously successfuly. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.01 2019 Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again
author: Eric J. Topol
name: Maria
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/03
date added: 2024/12/03
shelves:
review:
I didn't know what this book was going to be like going into but it definitely felt like reading a lengthy research paper. It didn't scare me away though, and it had some interesting, retain-worthy information in it. I do think it could've had more brevity based on what it simmers down to, but the author clearly has a passion for the medical field he's worked decades in... so I let it cook.

A.I. isn't going anywhere, and it's dominating spaces one at a time. One of those spaces it's inching into is the healthcare industry. It has the potential to be the *perfect* doctor, but what would that look like? It wouldn't be someone you want as your doctor, as the book argues. A.I. is a tool for progress and offletting some human tasks and it has shown potential in the healthcare industry already through comparisons to radiologists and its efforts to diagnose (often with much higher accuracy!) Yes it has access to all of a patient's medical history and answers to what questions doctors would need to know, but it misses the humanist element. That's where it truly falls short. It's a shine of optomism in a world where A.I. is the subject of thrillers and sci-fi hits. It's a beacon of hope, that humans can embrace what A.I. can do for us, and where we can provide what it can't, and exist simultaneously successfuly. Overall, a good read.
]]> Hermanas 34810287 208 Raina Telgemeier 841636396X Maria 4 Durante la historia, vemos la relación entre sus padres, la estrés y chaos. Se siente real y no era un cuento de hadas. Era una pedaza de vida, en realidad. La única cosa no me gustó mucho era los flashbacks, me confusé varios veces. Eso siendo dicho, me gustaba el resto de la cuenta, especialmente porque soy la mayor de mis primos, y Raina es la mayor hermana. Algunas cosas mejores en la vida incluyen las relaciones entre hermanos o primos, si no se tiene hermano, como yo. De todo, era un goodread.]]> 4.12 2014 Hermanas
author: Raina Telgemeier
name: Maria
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves:
review:
Hablo inglés y quería leer un libro en español que ha escrito para niños para practicar mi español. Este libro era comico, y disfruté el arte que estaba en las paginas. La cuenta empecó con una chica y nos dijo cuando era mas joven, esperaba tener una hermanita. Les preguntaba y preguntaba a sus padres y al fín, tuvo una hermanita! Pero no salió como lo esperaba. Como las mayoría de cosas en la vida. Disfruté el cuento porque pasaron una semana en el carro en un viaje por varios estados.
Durante la historia, vemos la relación entre sus padres, la estrés y chaos. Se siente real y no era un cuento de hadas. Era una pedaza de vida, en realidad. La única cosa no me gustó mucho era los flashbacks, me confusé varios veces. Eso siendo dicho, me gustaba el resto de la cuenta, especialmente porque soy la mayor de mis primos, y Raina es la mayor hermana. Algunas cosas mejores en la vida incluyen las relaciones entre hermanos o primos, si no se tiene hermano, como yo. De todo, era un goodread.
]]> <![CDATA[The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid, #2)]]> 157062582
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?

As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.]]> 293 Nita Prose 0593356187 Maria 5 I guess people weren't such a fan of Molly as is reflected by the ratings but I believe her to be stellar. She remains the Molly that we knew in the first book but is somehow transformed in tiny ways. It's wonderful to see growth in her as well as other characters, such as Detective Stark and Lily.
My only gripe with this book and the first is that it seems a bit on the nose, which I'm not sure if its intentional or not. I would love more substance. The characters and lessons are great and complex but I can't help but feel there is something missing. But what it lacks, it makes up for in twists, moments that make a mystery a certified mystery.
When it comes to twists, Prose has a way of throwing them in your face like confetti as you turn the pages which was delightful to read as Molly would say. The plot from the beginning grips the reader and promises a swift pull into an adventure across time as Molly reveals she knew the recently deceased writer, a plot-thickener in itself.
All in all, it's an engaging read if you want a bite-sized mystery. Give it a read, see what the hype is about. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.75 2023 The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid, #2)
author: Nita Prose
name: Maria
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/11/23
shelves:
review:
Molly the maid returns to us 5 years later after her first encounter with tragedy befalling the Regency Grand Hotel. Over the course of those 5 years she has proven the teachings of her Gran true. She would learn much more about the world, especially when it comes to social interactions. She is more confident, willing to lead, and shows us change can happen at any time for any reason.
I guess people weren't such a fan of Molly as is reflected by the ratings but I believe her to be stellar. She remains the Molly that we knew in the first book but is somehow transformed in tiny ways. It's wonderful to see growth in her as well as other characters, such as Detective Stark and Lily.
My only gripe with this book and the first is that it seems a bit on the nose, which I'm not sure if its intentional or not. I would love more substance. The characters and lessons are great and complex but I can't help but feel there is something missing. But what it lacks, it makes up for in twists, moments that make a mystery a certified mystery.
When it comes to twists, Prose has a way of throwing them in your face like confetti as you turn the pages which was delightful to read as Molly would say. The plot from the beginning grips the reader and promises a swift pull into an adventure across time as Molly reveals she knew the recently deceased writer, a plot-thickener in itself.
All in all, it's an engaging read if you want a bite-sized mystery. Give it a read, see what the hype is about. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Maid (Molly the Maid, #1) 55196813
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.]]> 304 Nita Prose 0593356152 Maria 5 It's been a while since I was able to finish a book so fast, this one truly had me hooked. The mystery also remains a mystery until the very end. If you wanna know more about Molly the maid and who killed the rich guy, what are you still reading my review for?? Overall, a good read. ]]> 3.71 2022 The Maid (Molly the Maid, #1)
author: Nita Prose
name: Maria
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves:
review:
A page-turning who-dunnit mystery told from the perspective of Miss Molly the maid. What she says throughout the story is often true... some people are invisible to others simply because of status. But we all tend to have ears that overhear things, interests, and people we are close to. These do not change. As the story unfolds, we get to know Molly the maid along with what she hears (or is told), her interests, and see who she surrounds herself with. One quickly realizes Molly is rather unique and honestly seems neurodivergent. This proves to be a strength not a weakness for her and the representation is great. It's the first novel I've read where the protagonist is evidently neurodivergent. She has her quirks, like counting her steps on the way somewhere, using old-fashioned language she learned from her beloved Gran (who seems like a fantastic teacher of life by the way) the way she calls some men a "bad egg", and the eloquent way she speaks "what a delightful day." She treats everyone fairly which I marveled at, as well. Along the ride, she has questions about motives and truth but the writer composes this in such a way that the reader is not confused because it'll be clarified within the next sentence. We get to see situations through Molly's eyes, empathize with her, and watch as she learns, grows, and adapts as her late grandmother once believed she could do. I didn't fancy some of the people around Molly especially the ones that didn't like her, but more so the ones that showed fake interest in her. (You know who I'm referring to if you've read it...).
It's been a while since I was able to finish a book so fast, this one truly had me hooked. The mystery also remains a mystery until the very end. If you wanna know more about Molly the maid and who killed the rich guy, what are you still reading my review for?? Overall, a good read.
]]> Project Hail Mary 54493401
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 476 Andy Weir 0593135202 Maria 5
First off, I'm not much of a sci-fi person, I don't seek out sci-fi media, but occasionally a book will come along (Michael Crichton... Douglas Adams...) and blow my mind. This was definitely one of those. I love how our protagonist is a teacher as I myself work with children and found his optimism to be warm and radiate from the book. Now, I did get lost at times when physics and base six and rocket science appeared throughout the sentences but you get the gist of it. My biggest pet peeve is spoilers so I won't spoil this read for anyone... but you're in for a treat. I can't get enough of this book. I'll be listening to podcast episodes discussing it to get even more from the book. That's how phenomenal this novel was. Can't wait for the movie to come out! Overall, a good read.]]> 4.49 2021 Project Hail Mary
author: Andy Weir
name: Maria
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/11
date added: 2024/11/11
shelves:
review:
If I could give this book **ten** stars, I would. What a masterpiece it is.

First off, I'm not much of a sci-fi person, I don't seek out sci-fi media, but occasionally a book will come along (Michael Crichton... Douglas Adams...) and blow my mind. This was definitely one of those. I love how our protagonist is a teacher as I myself work with children and found his optimism to be warm and radiate from the book. Now, I did get lost at times when physics and base six and rocket science appeared throughout the sentences but you get the gist of it. My biggest pet peeve is spoilers so I won't spoil this read for anyone... but you're in for a treat. I can't get enough of this book. I'll be listening to podcast episodes discussing it to get even more from the book. That's how phenomenal this novel was. Can't wait for the movie to come out! Overall, a good read.
]]> The Once and Future Fling 65211961
Time travel is now legal, and matchmaking agency Kairos lets clients travel through time in search of love.

Ada Blum has always been “an old soul.� She’s convinced that she was born at the wrong time, and after a series of break-ins at her apartment and threatening messages, she’s determined to figure out where she really belongs. She thinks she wants to go to Regency England, meet her Mr. Darcy, and settle down. However, a disastrous date ends with Ada covered in rancid chicken stock and rethinking her plans.

She returns to The Kairos Agency and agrees to try an entirely different era. She travels to 1920s New York where she meets Henry Levison, a small-time hood. After yet another horrible experience, she’s about to give up on the whole matchmaking, time traveling adventure when she bumps into her first love, Samson St. Laurent, a State Senator with whom she had an affair that resulted in a major PR scandal for him and ruined Ada’s life.

Sam is on the run through time, trying to use his knowledge of the future to make a fortune. He says he wants to win Ada back, but she’s not sure that he’s entirely trustworthy. In some ways, she’s drawn to Henry, and when she discovers that he is going to be murdered, she decides to go back and save his life by bringing him to the present day―even if it violates every single Kairos rule.

As Ada jumps back and forth from the present to the past, she’ll have to decide where her heart truly lies and which man she wants in her future.]]> 320 Leigh Heasley 1990778488 Maria 4
I joke, but I did have this question as most readers probably did, why use time travel to have people find love instead of I don't know... curing diseases in a certain era?! The author mentions through the dialogue of her characters, that it is illegal to tamper with technology of the era you're traveling to, which makes sense... how would they go about inventing a cure if they already have it? Where did they get it from? Who researched the cure? The list goes on. I honestly don't understand the low rating for this book, it's a silly wattpad book, but it's not. It can be taken lightly or seriously and I think it has merit.

I'm satisfied with the pace of the story, I found myself flipping page after page, which is noteworthy because I haven't been like this with reading (so quickly!) in months or even years.

Ada, Henry, Teddy, Sam, Ms. Little... they all are quite interesting characters if a tad bit one dimensional. And I gotta say, I didn't see much change on Ada's part through the book but c'est la vie. Additionally, I was confused with the repetitive saying "What is to be, will be, even if it never happens." I found myself at times understanding it and then returning the book and realizing I don't have a dang clue what it means. Those were my only qualms with the book.

I think the writing was excellent, no typos, great pacing, I'd recommend it to others. Overall, a good read.]]> 2.78 2023 The Once and Future Fling
author: Leigh Heasley
name: Maria
average rating: 2.78
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:
A matchmaking service but with a twist. You can date a man from the 1800s, the 80s or anywhere in between. Because why use time travel for anything else!

I joke, but I did have this question as most readers probably did, why use time travel to have people find love instead of I don't know... curing diseases in a certain era?! The author mentions through the dialogue of her characters, that it is illegal to tamper with technology of the era you're traveling to, which makes sense... how would they go about inventing a cure if they already have it? Where did they get it from? Who researched the cure? The list goes on. I honestly don't understand the low rating for this book, it's a silly wattpad book, but it's not. It can be taken lightly or seriously and I think it has merit.

I'm satisfied with the pace of the story, I found myself flipping page after page, which is noteworthy because I haven't been like this with reading (so quickly!) in months or even years.

Ada, Henry, Teddy, Sam, Ms. Little... they all are quite interesting characters if a tad bit one dimensional. And I gotta say, I didn't see much change on Ada's part through the book but c'est la vie. Additionally, I was confused with the repetitive saying "What is to be, will be, even if it never happens." I found myself at times understanding it and then returning the book and realizing I don't have a dang clue what it means. Those were my only qualms with the book.

I think the writing was excellent, no typos, great pacing, I'd recommend it to others. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Incredible Events in Women's Cell Number Three]]> 60726092
The Incredible Events in Women’s Cell Number 3 is the debut novel by Kira Yarmysh that follows a young woman, Anya, who is arrested at a Moscow anti-corruption rally, and, under false charges, sentenced to a ten-day stretch at a special detention center.

In a large barren room furnished only by communal bunkbeds, Anya meets her cellmates: five ordinary Russian women arrested on petty charges. They come from all strata and experiences of Russian society, and as they pass the long hours waiting to be released, they slowly build trust and companionship while sipping lukewarm tea in plastic cups and playing games. Above all, they talk: about politics, feminism, their families, their sexualities, and how to make the most of prison life. Yet as the waking days stretch listlessly before Anya, soon she is plagued by strange nightmarish visions and begins to wonder if her cellmates might not actually be as ordinary as they seem. Will the façade of everyday life ultimately crack for good?

A brilliant exploration of what it means to be marginalized both as an independent woman and in an increasingly intolerant Russia in particular, and a powerful prison story that renews a grand Russian tradition, The Incredible Events in Women’s Cell Number 3 introduces one of the most urgent and gripping new voices in international literature.]]> 368 Kira Yarmysh 0802160735 Maria 4
Anya's story both past and present strikes the reader as entertaining and keeps the plot moving forward. As it moves forward, we begin to lose some of the characters as they have served some time before Anya got there. With her being the last one there, we're found rather full circle by being introduced to our protagonist and closing up the story with her and reflecting on the whole journey. And there is a lot to reflect on.

Throughout the duration of her stay in the detention center, Anya begins to hallucinate rather connected ideas and struggles to grasp what meaning it has for her and changes in identity.

She also recalls her interactions with men that lead the reader to understand she doesn't have the healthiest relationship with men in large part because of the one she has with her father. She idolized him growinf up, validating the distance he placed between them and it's evident this has traumatized her as we see the story with her and one of her company's top executives.

I wish there were more to the book as questions still remain such as those that emerge at the very end. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.04 2023 The Incredible Events in Women's Cell Number Three
author: Kira Yarmysh
name: Maria
average rating: 3.04
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/11
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves:
review:
Orange is the new black but make it Russian. As a fan of the Netflix show OITNB, I was eager to pluck this book from the library bookshelf because I wanted to know exactly what were the incredible events author Yarmysh alluding to. And I will tell you, I wasn't disappointed! This felt like a realistic depiction of what being detained for 10 days with five other women for more trivial reasons would be like. Anya kind of takes on an observational role when surrounded by these women and soon begins to witness some strange events.

Anya's story both past and present strikes the reader as entertaining and keeps the plot moving forward. As it moves forward, we begin to lose some of the characters as they have served some time before Anya got there. With her being the last one there, we're found rather full circle by being introduced to our protagonist and closing up the story with her and reflecting on the whole journey. And there is a lot to reflect on.

Throughout the duration of her stay in the detention center, Anya begins to hallucinate rather connected ideas and struggles to grasp what meaning it has for her and changes in identity.

She also recalls her interactions with men that lead the reader to understand she doesn't have the healthiest relationship with men in large part because of the one she has with her father. She idolized him growinf up, validating the distance he placed between them and it's evident this has traumatized her as we see the story with her and one of her company's top executives.

I wish there were more to the book as questions still remain such as those that emerge at the very end. Overall, a good read.
]]> Anyone 44013666
Inside a barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a scientist searching for an Alzheimer’s cure throws a switch—and finds herself mysteriously transported into her husband’s body. What begins as a botched experiment will change her life—and the world—forever�

Over two decades later, all across the planet, “flash� technology allows individuals the ability to transfer their consciousness into other bodies for specified periods, paid, registered and legal. Society has been utterly transformed by the process, from travel to warfare to entertainment; “Be anyone with Anyone� the tagline of the company offering this ultimate out-of-body experience. But beyond the reach of the law and government regulators is a sordid black market called the darkshare, where desperate “vessels� anonymously rent out their bodies, no questions asked for any purpose - sex, drugs, crime... or worse.

Anyone masterfully interweaves the present-day story of the discovery and development of the flash with the gritty tale of one woman’s crusade to put an end to the darkness it has brought to the world twenty-five years after its creation. Like Blade Runner crossed with Get Out, Charles Soule’s thought-provoking work of speculative fiction takes us to a world where identity, morality, and technology collide.]]> 400 Charles Soule 0062890638 Maria 5 After a quick skimming through what the book summary I was hooked. Who doesn't love a sci-fi book that's easy to follow (no time travel thank god) with body snatching? I found this book highly entertaining.

This novel follows multiple people but mostly Annami, a woman on the run in search of how to right the wrongs presented around the origins of the flash. Can't say too much about that without having to flag this as a spoiler review.

The plot twists continue to thrill you even past the end of the novel. Plot twists, female lead, innovative technology where you can be anyone with Anyone... it's bound to be fascinating. Throughout the book, we see themes of corruption, betrayal, hatred, and those trying to be heroes with villainous intentions. It will startle you, provoke your thoughts and beg you to read further.

I had so many questions about the character Annami and one by one they were answered. Of course not all of your questions will be answered about the flash technology though, the book would be 10,000 pages. I did however wish they explored it more, but plot!

I also wondered about Stephen Hauser and his gang up in space, why even bring that up just to never mention it again, haha. But I digress. There's much more to love about this book than meets the eye. I can't recommend it enough, read it for yourself! If you could be anyone, be someone that has read this book! Overall, a good read.]]> 3.89 2019 Anyone
author: Charles Soule
name: Maria
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/28
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:
BETTER than 3.9 stars!
After a quick skimming through what the book summary I was hooked. Who doesn't love a sci-fi book that's easy to follow (no time travel thank god) with body snatching? I found this book highly entertaining.

This novel follows multiple people but mostly Annami, a woman on the run in search of how to right the wrongs presented around the origins of the flash. Can't say too much about that without having to flag this as a spoiler review.

The plot twists continue to thrill you even past the end of the novel. Plot twists, female lead, innovative technology where you can be anyone with Anyone... it's bound to be fascinating. Throughout the book, we see themes of corruption, betrayal, hatred, and those trying to be heroes with villainous intentions. It will startle you, provoke your thoughts and beg you to read further.

I had so many questions about the character Annami and one by one they were answered. Of course not all of your questions will be answered about the flash technology though, the book would be 10,000 pages. I did however wish they explored it more, but plot!

I also wondered about Stephen Hauser and his gang up in space, why even bring that up just to never mention it again, haha. But I digress. There's much more to love about this book than meets the eye. I can't recommend it enough, read it for yourself! If you could be anyone, be someone that has read this book! Overall, a good read.
]]> The How & the Why 38251238
Today Melly had us writing letters to our babies�

Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for. They’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—except maybe the one thing she wants. Like, to know who she is. Where she came from. Questions her adoptive parents can’t answer, no matter how much they love her.

But eighteen years ago, someone wrote Cass a series of letters. And they may just hold the answers Cass has been searching for.

Alternating between Cass’s search for answers and letters from the pregnant teen who gave her up for adoption, this voice-driven narrative is the perfect read for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.]]> 464 Cynthia Hand 0062693182 Maria 4 Fantastic

I loved this book! We get to see two perspectives which are paralleled in the book where the characters discuss how the moon connects us even across time. The letters and modern day accounts seem part of the same time yet they aren't. It was neat seeing how the author tied tried everything together and the title seems very fitting for this book. I love the cast of characters in this story as well, full of personality and hopes, dreams, and some broken hearts. The ending was a huge twist and put a smile on my face. Read this book!! Overall, a great read.]]> 4.21 2019 The How & the Why
author: Cynthia Hand
name: Maria
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/23
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:
Fantastic

I loved this book! We get to see two perspectives which are paralleled in the book where the characters discuss how the moon connects us even across time. The letters and modern day accounts seem part of the same time yet they aren't. It was neat seeing how the author tied tried everything together and the title seems very fitting for this book. I love the cast of characters in this story as well, full of personality and hopes, dreams, and some broken hearts. The ending was a huge twist and put a smile on my face. Read this book!! Overall, a great read.
]]> Here One Moment 208516656 If you knew your future, would you try to fight fate?

Aside from a delay, there will be no problems. The flight will be smooth, it will land safely. Everyone who gets on the plane will get off. But almost all of them will be forever changed.

Because on this ordinary, short, domestic flight, something extraordinary happens. People learn how and when they are going to die. For some, their death is far in the future—age 103!—and they laugh. But for six passengers, their predicted deaths are not far away at all.

How do they know this? There were ostensibly more interesting people on the flight (the bride and groom, the jittery, possibly famous woman, the giant Hemsworth-esque guy who looks like an off-duty superhero, the frazzled, gorgeous flight attendant) but none would become as famous as “The Death Lady.�

Not a single passenger or crew member will later recall noticing her board the plane. She wasn’t exceptionally old or young, rude or polite. She wasn’t drunk or nervous or pregnant. Her appearance and demeanor were unremarkable. But what she did on that flight was truly remarkable.

A few months later, one passenger dies exactly as she predicted. Then two more passengers die, again, as she said they would. Soon no one is thinking this is simply an entertaining story at a cocktail party.

If you were told you only had a certain amount of time left to live, would you do things differently? Would you try to dodge your destiny?

Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment is a brilliantly constructed tale that looks at free will and destiny, grief and love, and the endless struggle to maintain certainty and control in an uncertain world. A modern-day Jane Austen who humorously skewers social mores while spinning a web of mystery, Moriarty asks profound questions in her newest I-can’t-wait-to-find-out-what-happens novel.]]> 512 Liane Moriarty 0593798600 Maria 0 to-read 3.98 2024 Here One Moment
author: Liane Moriarty
name: Maria
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Resort 136276889
Welcome to paradise. We hope you survive your stay...

There are three rules to follow during a vacation at the famous Koh Sang Resort

1 � Leave the past behind.

When Cass sets foot on the coast of Thailand's world-famous party island, she's searching for an escape. With dark secrets following her every move, Koh Sang becomes the perfect place to hide.

2 - Always be careful of who you trust.

Now, years later, Cass is a local dive instructor alongside the Permanents, a group of expats who have claimed the island as their own. The Permanents don't linger on who they were before the island. Simply because, like Cass, they all have something to outrun.

3 � If someone discovers who you really are, run.

But suddenly, a dive student is found dead and paradise comes crashing down. Because this isn't the first mysterious death on the island, and it won't be the last. Someone knows who Cass is and they're ready to make sure justice is finally served.]]> 384 Sara Ochs 1728279550 Maria 4 Our main characters Brooke and Cass give us the rundown of the plot with alternate chapters of their perspectives. Both have a tragic past and some if it is intertwined. We find out that the others also have their own set of traumas.
Alongside our two main leading ladies, we have our cast of essential side characters known as the Permanents and there sure is a lot to unpack with them. Read this book if you need your thriller fix, it was very well written and paced beautifully. I felt like I was near the characters as this was all unfolding... but a safe distance away... for this to be the author's debut novel it's shocking. She did a phenomenal job with this one. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.51 2023 The Resort
author: Sara Ochs
name: Maria
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/12
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves:
review:
A vacation like no other... with twists that will continue to jolt you until the very end. Everyone has their own reason for traveling and living on a basically remote island away from 99% of the population. Some reasons can be sinister. What are they running from? Are they hiding from something? Are they seeking something or someone? These are themes explored throughout the novel.
Our main characters Brooke and Cass give us the rundown of the plot with alternate chapters of their perspectives. Both have a tragic past and some if it is intertwined. We find out that the others also have their own set of traumas.
Alongside our two main leading ladies, we have our cast of essential side characters known as the Permanents and there sure is a lot to unpack with them. Read this book if you need your thriller fix, it was very well written and paced beautifully. I felt like I was near the characters as this was all unfolding... but a safe distance away... for this to be the author's debut novel it's shocking. She did a phenomenal job with this one. Overall, a good read.
]]> Such a Fun Age 43923951 Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.

Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone family, and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times.]]> 310 Kiley Reid 052554190X Maria 4 Emira, our protagonist, is a babysitter of adorable yapper Briar Chamberlain. Emira is a proud Black woman and is surrounded by friends that are also women of color which was wonderful to see. I loved Emira and her friends, they felt like the vibrancy of the book in the midst of a borderline cringy love interest arc and critically selfish employer arc. Alix is our white, critically selfish employer and she came across like her relationship with her sitter Emira was not entirely genuine. She described at one point being overcome with feelings similar to having a crush on her yet encouraging her to wear a "uniform" when at her house. It was odd and really made me believe she was subconsciously trying to right her past wrongs with what happened when she called the cops on Robbie and his friends, which led to the termination of his scholarship and commencement of hatred towards her at her high school.
Alix is so unserious in the worst way, she literally changes her name from Alex to Alix because of high school drama and moves to New York and has a questionable source of income. At times I confused my dislike for her for dislike of the book because it gives her so much screen time for lack of a better term. I couldn't relate to her and it saddened me as it saddened Emira to see the strained relationship between Alix and her curious toddler Briar.
Throughout the book, Emira faces pressure socially through different avenues. Pressure on her having to find health insurance before she gets kicked off her parents plan... pressure to get a "real job" like her friends, hoping to find satisfaction... and pressure placed on her in the Market Depot grocery store. She fears losing Briar and stood up for herself against the racial profiler security guard guy and in doing so, gets recorded on video by Kelley Copeland. Who ties Alix and Emira together and becomes a raging fire. A fire that was necessary to grow new opportunities and vitality into Emira's life.
Overall, a good read. ]]> 3.76 2019 Such a Fun Age
author: Kiley Reid
name: Maria
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/27
date added: 2024/08/27
shelves:
review:
Such a Fun Age shines a light on key differences between a babysitter and mother but it's also so much more.
Emira, our protagonist, is a babysitter of adorable yapper Briar Chamberlain. Emira is a proud Black woman and is surrounded by friends that are also women of color which was wonderful to see. I loved Emira and her friends, they felt like the vibrancy of the book in the midst of a borderline cringy love interest arc and critically selfish employer arc. Alix is our white, critically selfish employer and she came across like her relationship with her sitter Emira was not entirely genuine. She described at one point being overcome with feelings similar to having a crush on her yet encouraging her to wear a "uniform" when at her house. It was odd and really made me believe she was subconsciously trying to right her past wrongs with what happened when she called the cops on Robbie and his friends, which led to the termination of his scholarship and commencement of hatred towards her at her high school.
Alix is so unserious in the worst way, she literally changes her name from Alex to Alix because of high school drama and moves to New York and has a questionable source of income. At times I confused my dislike for her for dislike of the book because it gives her so much screen time for lack of a better term. I couldn't relate to her and it saddened me as it saddened Emira to see the strained relationship between Alix and her curious toddler Briar.
Throughout the book, Emira faces pressure socially through different avenues. Pressure on her having to find health insurance before she gets kicked off her parents plan... pressure to get a "real job" like her friends, hoping to find satisfaction... and pressure placed on her in the Market Depot grocery store. She fears losing Briar and stood up for herself against the racial profiler security guard guy and in doing so, gets recorded on video by Kelley Copeland. Who ties Alix and Emira together and becomes a raging fire. A fire that was necessary to grow new opportunities and vitality into Emira's life.
Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)]]> 50659468
Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she's now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people.

As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre's hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future-and the future of a world in turmoil.

Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her dazzling, sexy, action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas 1635575583 Maria 5
At first I felt doomed trying to finish a book this large (600 pages!) but it really does grip you as the world building unfolds around you and the characters draw you in with their glamor and allure. It's breathtaking, and I'm not even a fantasy reader primarily. I love fiction and this was the best book I've read in a while. I can't give enough high praise for this book. Read and find out for yourself the next tale of Feyre's adventure in love, and whimsical discovery of her powers, along with the looming threat of war... Overall, a good read.]]> 4.65 2016 A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Maria
average rating: 4.65
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/24
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves:
review:
The second installment of the ACOTAR series... I found it better than the first. The love between the main two characters in this one was mind blowing and unlike any other duo I've read in previous books, easily. Rhysand is such a heartthrob in a gentle, dreamy, if-starry-night-was-a-person kind of way. I was drawn to him. Rhysand and his entourage all had me invested, and readers can't get enough of Azriel, which I've heard we get more of him in the third book.

At first I felt doomed trying to finish a book this large (600 pages!) but it really does grip you as the world building unfolds around you and the characters draw you in with their glamor and allure. It's breathtaking, and I'm not even a fantasy reader primarily. I love fiction and this was the best book I've read in a while. I can't give enough high praise for this book. Read and find out for yourself the next tale of Feyre's adventure in love, and whimsical discovery of her powers, along with the looming threat of war... Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe (John Dies at the End, #4)]]> 59808251 New York Times bestselling author Jason Pargin’s hilarious and horrifying John Dies at the End series continues with If This Book Exists, You’re in the Wrong Universe.

If the broken neon signs, shuttered storefronts, and sub-standard housing didn’t tip you off, you’ve just wandered into the city of “Undisclosed�. You don’t want to be caught dead here, because odds are you just might find yourself rising from the grave. That hasn’t stopped tourists from visiting to check out the unusual phenomena that hangs around our town like radioactive fallout. Interdimensional parasites feeding on human hosts, paranormal cults worshipping demonic entities, vengeful teenage sorcerers, we’ve got it all.

Did I mention the possessed toy? It’s a plastic football-sized egg that’s supposed to hatch an adorable, colorful stuffed bird when a child “feeds� it through a synchronized smartphone app. What’s actually inside is an otherworldly monstrosity that’s enticing impressionable wayward youth into murdering folks and depositing their body parts inside the egg as if it’s a hungry piggy bank to trigger the end of the world.

That’s where Dave, John, and Amy come in. They face supernatural threats so the rest of us don’t have to—and sometimes even earn a couple of bucks to so do. But between the bloody ritual sacrifices and soul-crushing nightmares, our trio realizes this apocalypse is way above their pay grade.]]> 432 Jason Pargin 1250195829 Maria 5
The title alone is alluring, and the story continues to keep you in its grasp. Dave, Amy and John as a group are wacky, slightly incompetent but the ones to call when you've got the brink of an apocalypse on your hands. It's neat to see the plot come to life and develop, as it is highly entertaining and not as confusing as you'd think, with time travel involved.

I figure Dr. Marconi plays a bigger role in the previous books but I'd have liked to see more of him as he seemed like a pensive, warm character. However, you see why he didn't play such a prominent role. They managed to find their footing with his advice and they have the chance to prove themselves.

Bas had me fuming internally along with his group of hive minded incel-leaning friends. I feel like I watched a movie with all of the vivid imagery and villainous descriptions. This book is a gem and reminded me of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in its casual yet intellectual writing. Cleverly written and enjoyed thoroughly by me for sure.

It is one of those books that you would benefit from reading twice for reasons you'll see when you finish it. I however do not have the patience and a stack of books has been rather demanding of my attention, haha. So maybe another time. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.44 2022 If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe (John Dies at the End, #4)
author: Jason Pargin
name: Maria
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/11
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves:
review:
A first time reader here of this series, starting with this book. I can confirm it can be read stand alone, which I learned after the fact, haha.

The title alone is alluring, and the story continues to keep you in its grasp. Dave, Amy and John as a group are wacky, slightly incompetent but the ones to call when you've got the brink of an apocalypse on your hands. It's neat to see the plot come to life and develop, as it is highly entertaining and not as confusing as you'd think, with time travel involved.

I figure Dr. Marconi plays a bigger role in the previous books but I'd have liked to see more of him as he seemed like a pensive, warm character. However, you see why he didn't play such a prominent role. They managed to find their footing with his advice and they have the chance to prove themselves.

Bas had me fuming internally along with his group of hive minded incel-leaning friends. I feel like I watched a movie with all of the vivid imagery and villainous descriptions. This book is a gem and reminded me of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in its casual yet intellectual writing. Cleverly written and enjoyed thoroughly by me for sure.

It is one of those books that you would benefit from reading twice for reasons you'll see when you finish it. I however do not have the patience and a stack of books has been rather demanding of my attention, haha. So maybe another time. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 50659467
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1635575567 Maria 4 4.16 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Maria
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/19
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves:
review:
The enemies to lovers trope of the century- a much revered booktok staple. After months of my friends and family asking me to read this book, I finally read it.
]]> People We Meet on Vacation 55076069 Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations.

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?]]> 382 Emily Henry Maria 4 Our main character Poppy was cute but this book goes out of its way to remind you, she's tiny! Tiny which contrasts with wide shouldered tall Alex, her best friend who she definitely isn't secretly in love with. It felt a bit clichéd at times (and at other times ultra cliché...) but the plot sorta made up for it. I liked the adventures the pair went on and people they met-- on vacation. Especially the one where they met Buck and didn't hear a word he was saying as he traversed with them in the water taxi. They made up dialogue for him and it was actually funny, unlike other times where they force jokes, but then again some people are cheesy so I won't dissuade it.
The time they danced in New Orleans, had to work around a hotel with a broken AC, when Poppy was sick and Alex took care of her... these moments were golden for me and surely turning points in helping them realize their attraction to each other. I liked it overall, read it during the summer! Overall, a good read.]]> 4.03 2021 People We Meet on Vacation
author: Emily Henry
name: Maria
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/24
date added: 2024/05/24
shelves:
review:
First of all, it took me way too long to finish this book, I miss when I could start and finish a book in 3 days haha. But on to the review!
Our main character Poppy was cute but this book goes out of its way to remind you, she's tiny! Tiny which contrasts with wide shouldered tall Alex, her best friend who she definitely isn't secretly in love with. It felt a bit clichéd at times (and at other times ultra cliché...) but the plot sorta made up for it. I liked the adventures the pair went on and people they met-- on vacation. Especially the one where they met Buck and didn't hear a word he was saying as he traversed with them in the water taxi. They made up dialogue for him and it was actually funny, unlike other times where they force jokes, but then again some people are cheesy so I won't dissuade it.
The time they danced in New Orleans, had to work around a hotel with a broken AC, when Poppy was sick and Alex took care of her... these moments were golden for me and surely turning points in helping them realize their attraction to each other. I liked it overall, read it during the summer! Overall, a good read.
]]> Happy Place 61718053
They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends� hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week� in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.]]> 400 Emily Henry 0593441273 Maria 0 to-read 3.95 2023 Happy Place
author: Emily Henry
name: Maria
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Everything I Know About Love 46041465
When it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming an adult, journalist and former Sunday Times columnist Dolly Alderton has seen and tried it all. In her memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, finding a job, getting drunk, getting dumped, realizing that Ivan from the corner shop might just be the only reliable man in her life, and that absolutely no one can ever compare to her best girlfriends. Everything I Know About Love is about bad dates, good friends and—above all else� realizing that you are enough.

Glittering with wit and insight, heart and humor, Dolly Alderton’s unforgettable debut weaves together personal stories, satirical observations, a series of lists, recipes, and other vignettes that will strike a chord of recognition with women of every age—making you want to pick up the phone and tell your best friends all about it. Like Bridget Jones� Diary but all true, Everything I Know About Love is about the struggles of early adulthood in all its terrifying and hopeful uncertainty.]]> 368 Dolly Alderton 0062968785 Maria 4 It was lighthearted to me to see Dolly enjoying her post-grad life as she was living it up every opportunity she got, but most of the time, she went overboard. Because of these experiences, she'll have a lot of fun retelling these stories for years to come. I, for one, wasn't into the drinking scene but valued my friends the way she valued them, too. I saw myself in her when reading about how her best friend found a partner and how she began to feel behind because she denied that part of herself, the part that wanted a boyfriend. Despite her efforts, the dating life went chaotically off balance, throwing her into scenarios she could've never imagined yet held herself to a certain standard. For instance, denying a stranger a threesome, she didn't feel comfortable with it, and so she announced she was leaving, with no phone and a hazy future in front of her.
This book brought negative emotions to the surface to me about the time I compared myself to others in my college years as I surfboarded my way across the words, hoping not to fall under. Her beautiful realization towards the end was beautifully wrapped and received, and I felt the same relief as golden rays wash over me as the time I made the same realization in my own life.
When it comes to things I didn't like as much about this book, I'd say some chapters didn't make much sense to me like unfamiliar names and satirical letters. Were they real? Who is Emily? Who the heck is Karen? They were witty but left the reader wanting to frantically turn back the pages and search for these characters. I don't remember them as they weren't central to the story, so why are they included? Who knows.
I feel like this is a pivotal book for the author as well as readers in their twenties, too. That's how I found this book, a recommendation online, and I thoroughly liked it. I also really enjoyed the touches of commentary on the life of a woman. A man can look like your average man at the gas station, doesn't need to be glammed up at all, but the standard for women is to look like Victoria Secret models who are paid to look like that, but rather than existing on a runway they are working at the office! It's a circus.
Overall, a good read.]]> 3.98 2018 Everything I Know About Love
author: Dolly Alderton
name: Maria
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/01
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves:
review:
As a twenty-something, this book reached into my mind and commanded all my attention as I found myself relating so much to the narrator.
It was lighthearted to me to see Dolly enjoying her post-grad life as she was living it up every opportunity she got, but most of the time, she went overboard. Because of these experiences, she'll have a lot of fun retelling these stories for years to come. I, for one, wasn't into the drinking scene but valued my friends the way she valued them, too. I saw myself in her when reading about how her best friend found a partner and how she began to feel behind because she denied that part of herself, the part that wanted a boyfriend. Despite her efforts, the dating life went chaotically off balance, throwing her into scenarios she could've never imagined yet held herself to a certain standard. For instance, denying a stranger a threesome, she didn't feel comfortable with it, and so she announced she was leaving, with no phone and a hazy future in front of her.
This book brought negative emotions to the surface to me about the time I compared myself to others in my college years as I surfboarded my way across the words, hoping not to fall under. Her beautiful realization towards the end was beautifully wrapped and received, and I felt the same relief as golden rays wash over me as the time I made the same realization in my own life.
When it comes to things I didn't like as much about this book, I'd say some chapters didn't make much sense to me like unfamiliar names and satirical letters. Were they real? Who is Emily? Who the heck is Karen? They were witty but left the reader wanting to frantically turn back the pages and search for these characters. I don't remember them as they weren't central to the story, so why are they included? Who knows.
I feel like this is a pivotal book for the author as well as readers in their twenties, too. That's how I found this book, a recommendation online, and I thoroughly liked it. I also really enjoyed the touches of commentary on the life of a woman. A man can look like your average man at the gas station, doesn't need to be glammed up at all, but the standard for women is to look like Victoria Secret models who are paid to look like that, but rather than existing on a runway they are working at the office! It's a circus.
Overall, a good read.
]]> Strange Weather in Tokyo 18283207 176 Hiromi Kawakami 1846275083 Maria 3 3.63 2001 Strange Weather in Tokyo
author: Hiromi Kawakami
name: Maria
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/23
date added: 2024/04/23
shelves:
review:
Strange, strange indeed. This story is unlike other love stories as we see an age gap between Tsukiko and Sensei, who share a special bond the second time they see each other. The first being... when he was her teacher in school. I failed to relate to this book as much because of that connection they found in each other, but throughout the novel, I found glittering gems. The writing is spectacular and poetic, I feel like the translation came alive even though I'm sure it doesn't do it justice to the original. Read this short book if you want to hear about a traveling tale, one of a premise of love, hope, determination, and whimsy. Overall, a good read.
]]> Icebreaker (UCMH, #1) 61767292
Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried . . . because she could never like a hockey player, right?]]> 447 Hannah Grace Maria 4 3.75 2022 Icebreaker (UCMH, #1)
author: Hannah Grace
name: Maria
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/07
date added: 2024/04/07
shelves:
review:
Smut central, smut central, smut central
]]> The Psychology of Money 51181015 224 Morgan Housel 085719769X Maria 4 I enjoyed reading this book as much as I'd imagine reading other books about money. I found this book not to talk down to its readers. Rather, it meets you where you are speaking to you in language that doesn't fly over your head, making the messages lost. It's completely understandable! Which is great.

What is truly important I gleamed from this book is the power of saving for the unprecedented, the unpredictable. It's your safety net, your room for error, your hedge against whatever life throws at you. It's your area of control amidst against uncontrollable outcomes coming your way. I myself liked the message and can say I live by this philosophy, but it's nice to see it articulated and praised publicly. By saving money, people can become wealthy, but caring about appearances like buying a big house, a fancy watch, and three cars... they're spending money they could've had if they didn't care about other's perception of them. I am also a person that doesn't care to have the flashiest things like a brand new phone or a new car, I go for what's useful for me and customize it to my liking within my means! I think that's fair.

What works for one individual doesn't always apply to someone else because newsflash we're all living different lives with differing frameworks we've built about the world as we grow and learn. What stocks to buy and how much and how often are determined by you, for example. You can't always take money advice from someone who doesn't understand your background at all. I'm glad the author included this because people definitely need to know this, and I'm grateful for the insight he shared with us, the readers.

The last point I want to touch on is how the outcomes of tails (the tiny below-zero probability-of-happening events) control most of other outcomes. Like the world wars, the first one being unprecedented led to innovations, transformations, and new ways of looking at the economy and relationships with other countries. The monumental impacts of historical figures throughout centuries are factored into this phenomenon as well. The odds of them existing and going on to become the people we knew them as were also incredibly low. And yet! So the takeaway here is don't underestimate the tails, as they have a way of molding our experiences in a manner of which we'd never think possible. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.50 2020 The Psychology of Money
author: Morgan Housel
name: Maria
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/31
date added: 2024/03/31
shelves:
review:
No one's decisions when it comes to money are crazy... that's the key takeaway. Among others, I think this is a point that will stick with you, despite it seeming trivial.
I enjoyed reading this book as much as I'd imagine reading other books about money. I found this book not to talk down to its readers. Rather, it meets you where you are speaking to you in language that doesn't fly over your head, making the messages lost. It's completely understandable! Which is great.

What is truly important I gleamed from this book is the power of saving for the unprecedented, the unpredictable. It's your safety net, your room for error, your hedge against whatever life throws at you. It's your area of control amidst against uncontrollable outcomes coming your way. I myself liked the message and can say I live by this philosophy, but it's nice to see it articulated and praised publicly. By saving money, people can become wealthy, but caring about appearances like buying a big house, a fancy watch, and three cars... they're spending money they could've had if they didn't care about other's perception of them. I am also a person that doesn't care to have the flashiest things like a brand new phone or a new car, I go for what's useful for me and customize it to my liking within my means! I think that's fair.

What works for one individual doesn't always apply to someone else because newsflash we're all living different lives with differing frameworks we've built about the world as we grow and learn. What stocks to buy and how much and how often are determined by you, for example. You can't always take money advice from someone who doesn't understand your background at all. I'm glad the author included this because people definitely need to know this, and I'm grateful for the insight he shared with us, the readers.

The last point I want to touch on is how the outcomes of tails (the tiny below-zero probability-of-happening events) control most of other outcomes. Like the world wars, the first one being unprecedented led to innovations, transformations, and new ways of looking at the economy and relationships with other countries. The monumental impacts of historical figures throughout centuries are factored into this phenomenon as well. The odds of them existing and going on to become the people we knew them as were also incredibly low. And yet! So the takeaway here is don't underestimate the tails, as they have a way of molding our experiences in a manner of which we'd never think possible. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Silent Patient 40097951
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.]]> 336 Alex Michaelides 1250301696 Maria 5 I listened to the audiobook version, and the story came to life even more than reading a physical copy (which is my preference usually). The cover drew me in and the details of it magnify the events throughout the story as you discover more.
As soon as you think you understand one thing, the plot twists it around and gives you even more to think about, to consider, and wonder how Alicia got to be where she was with her insistent silence.
From what the media and crime scene told us, Alicia murdered her husband Gabriel and she ended up in a mental institution. Drugged and not having her freedom to paint like she used to, Alicia sunk deeper and deeper.
I found the psychotherapist Theo to also sink deeper and deeper within the discoveries of his own life, revealing curtains behind which rested unbelievable acts. What love and lack of it can do to a person is mind blowing... we see parallels between both Theo's and Alicia's lives as they progress with her therapy sessions. It felt like watching a bullet train near the end of the novel because the events unfolded rapidly with clarity finally emerging. If you think you know, this book will challenge you and thrill you. Even up until the very end. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.17 2019 The Silent Patient
author: Alex Michaelides
name: Maria
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/17
date added: 2024/03/17
shelves:
review:
Gripping!! You can't put this book down.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the story came to life even more than reading a physical copy (which is my preference usually). The cover drew me in and the details of it magnify the events throughout the story as you discover more.
As soon as you think you understand one thing, the plot twists it around and gives you even more to think about, to consider, and wonder how Alicia got to be where she was with her insistent silence.
From what the media and crime scene told us, Alicia murdered her husband Gabriel and she ended up in a mental institution. Drugged and not having her freedom to paint like she used to, Alicia sunk deeper and deeper.
I found the psychotherapist Theo to also sink deeper and deeper within the discoveries of his own life, revealing curtains behind which rested unbelievable acts. What love and lack of it can do to a person is mind blowing... we see parallels between both Theo's and Alicia's lives as they progress with her therapy sessions. It felt like watching a bullet train near the end of the novel because the events unfolded rapidly with clarity finally emerging. If you think you know, this book will challenge you and thrill you. Even up until the very end. Overall, a good read.
]]> A Fine Balance 5211
The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.

As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.]]> 603 Rohinton Mistry 140003065X Maria 5
A key part of this story involves politics and the demise of the government our characters witness as the story unfolds during a period of Emergency enacted by a corrupt Prime Minister. The caste system is also mentioned and described accurately in a brutal way through the eyes of those within the Untouchable caste. It's truly unfortunate. However, an opportunity is granted to Narayan to elevate his son Om's status and learn tailoring, which really gets the wheels turning on the plot.

Ishvar and Om are lovable from the start, an iconic uncle and nephew pairing. Maneck is also dear to my heart. Dina is a stubborn, witty, independent woman who lost her love super young. Life isn't always pretty. Life isn't always fair. This book really drives home that point. It hurts to read, yet you have to go on. Life can hurt sometimes, but we still have to go on.

I really loved the moments when Ishvar, Om, Dina, and Maneck were together. You see the evolution of all of their relationships, and it seems unlikely they'd be great matches. Besides our main characters, we have side characters that surprise us from time to time with their news reaching us from the perspective of our main characters. You never really know what the next page is going to entail when it comes to these characters. It's funny, a slice of life pie, romantic, dark, clever, and poignant. The messages in this book still hold up today, even 27 years later. Read this book. What are you waiting for? Don't let the page count scare you. It took me a while to finish it, but it's definitely worth the read. It's a story that sticks with you beyond the pages like a companion wherever you go. That's how you know it's good. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.38 1995 A Fine Balance
author: Rohinton Mistry
name: Maria
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/10
date added: 2024/03/10
shelves:
review:
A fine balance of hope and despair is the prevalent theme embedded throughout this novel. In a way, this book draws inspiration from life in a realistic way, rather than romanticism, where the fate of our beloved characters can be changed at any time, such as in life. Anything can happen.

A key part of this story involves politics and the demise of the government our characters witness as the story unfolds during a period of Emergency enacted by a corrupt Prime Minister. The caste system is also mentioned and described accurately in a brutal way through the eyes of those within the Untouchable caste. It's truly unfortunate. However, an opportunity is granted to Narayan to elevate his son Om's status and learn tailoring, which really gets the wheels turning on the plot.

Ishvar and Om are lovable from the start, an iconic uncle and nephew pairing. Maneck is also dear to my heart. Dina is a stubborn, witty, independent woman who lost her love super young. Life isn't always pretty. Life isn't always fair. This book really drives home that point. It hurts to read, yet you have to go on. Life can hurt sometimes, but we still have to go on.

I really loved the moments when Ishvar, Om, Dina, and Maneck were together. You see the evolution of all of their relationships, and it seems unlikely they'd be great matches. Besides our main characters, we have side characters that surprise us from time to time with their news reaching us from the perspective of our main characters. You never really know what the next page is going to entail when it comes to these characters. It's funny, a slice of life pie, romantic, dark, clever, and poignant. The messages in this book still hold up today, even 27 years later. Read this book. What are you waiting for? Don't let the page count scare you. It took me a while to finish it, but it's definitely worth the read. It's a story that sticks with you beyond the pages like a companion wherever you go. That's how you know it's good. Overall, a good read.
]]> Almond 52219386 This story is, in short, about a monster meeting another monster.

One of the monsters is me.

Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He does not have friends—the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to that—but his devoted mother and grandmother aren’t fazed by his condition. Their little home above his mother’s used bookstore is decorated with colorful post-it notes that remind him when to smile, when to say "thank you," and when to laugh. Yunjae grows up content, even happy, with his small family in this quiet, peaceful space.

Then on Christmas Eve—Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday—everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss, Yunjae retreats into silent isolation, until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school and begins to bully Yunjae.

Against all odds, tormentor and victim learn they have more in common than they realized. Gon is stumped by Yunjae’s impassive calm, while Yunjae thinks if he gets to know the hotheaded Gon, he might learn how to experience true feelings. Drawn by curiosity, the two strike up a surprising friendship. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people—including a girl at school—something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life in danger, it is Yunjae who will step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become a most unlikely hero.

The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever.]]> 272 Sohn Won-Pyung 0062961373 Maria 5
Alexithymia is the name of the condition our protagonist Yunjae was born with. With considerably smaller than average amygdalae, he experiences the world a very different way from most people. It was interesting seeing the way he spoke to people, especially when delivering urgent information such as seeking help for someone who was in an alleyway dying after receiving blows in a fight. Because of this condition, kids in school quickly label him as weird and he experiences a lot of disconnection.

The tragedies that happen in the book as well are shocking. The way they unfold and how we witness them happening through the eyes of someone who doesn't feel emotions makes it seem even more twisted.

Later, he becomes friends with Gon who is a rambunctious troublemaker with a secret heart. I love the friendship Yunjae and Gon have in this book, as will you when you read this book. They both teach each other what their perspective is like, with Gon envying Yunjae's lack of emotions like fear. Gon has an abundance of that but wants to assert dominance through shows of strength.

As you read this book, you'll ask yourself, wow, what would it be like if I didn't feel emotions? Would I be the same person I am? Who would my friends be? It is thought-provoking.

The ending of the book is a whole spiral of its own, set apart from the previous chapters and plot. It's like a literary whiplash. I think the author wrote it specifically that way so we can go on our own tour of our emotions because one thing happens after another. Read this book! It's highly recommended and highly rated for a reason! Overall, a good read.]]> 4.16 2017 Almond
author: Sohn Won-Pyung
name: Maria
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/03
date added: 2024/02/03
shelves:
review:
We're all guilty of it, judging a book by its cover and I found myself half heartedly starting to read this book. However, there was a snowball effect I found myself tangled in right from the first page, I couldn't put the book down!

Alexithymia is the name of the condition our protagonist Yunjae was born with. With considerably smaller than average amygdalae, he experiences the world a very different way from most people. It was interesting seeing the way he spoke to people, especially when delivering urgent information such as seeking help for someone who was in an alleyway dying after receiving blows in a fight. Because of this condition, kids in school quickly label him as weird and he experiences a lot of disconnection.

The tragedies that happen in the book as well are shocking. The way they unfold and how we witness them happening through the eyes of someone who doesn't feel emotions makes it seem even more twisted.

Later, he becomes friends with Gon who is a rambunctious troublemaker with a secret heart. I love the friendship Yunjae and Gon have in this book, as will you when you read this book. They both teach each other what their perspective is like, with Gon envying Yunjae's lack of emotions like fear. Gon has an abundance of that but wants to assert dominance through shows of strength.

As you read this book, you'll ask yourself, wow, what would it be like if I didn't feel emotions? Would I be the same person I am? Who would my friends be? It is thought-provoking.

The ending of the book is a whole spiral of its own, set apart from the previous chapters and plot. It's like a literary whiplash. I think the author wrote it specifically that way so we can go on our own tour of our emotions because one thing happens after another. Read this book! It's highly recommended and highly rated for a reason! Overall, a good read.
]]> One Christmas Morning 81087990
Overwhelmed by her friend’s news and the bittersweet memories of past Christmases, Eva tries to sneak back to London in the middle of the night. But as the clock strikes midnight, she is visited by the ghost of her beloved grandmother. Gran tells Eva that if she doesn’t face her ghosts head-on and stop shutting out her loved ones, she risks losing them all forever.

When Eva wakes on Christmas morning, she finds herself living not her own life, but that of her hardworking assistant, Diana, whose overflowing inbox isn’t the only secret she’s been keeping. The next day, she wakes on Christmas morning again, this time in the body of Hallie’s sister, Natalie. As Eva lives Christmas Day again and again through the perspectives of her friends, she is offered a glimpse into the lives of those she has been pushing away. With each Christmas Day comes a new lesson—and an insight into the secrets and struggles her loved ones have been hiding. To move forward, Eva must let go of the past. But is it too late to fix her future?]]> 325 Rachel Greenlaw 0063288478 Maria 4
I've recently started reading novels about body-swapping and I think it has interesting elements to it. I find as readers we body-swap every time we open a book so there's a sense of meta going on, haha.
Our protagonist Eva's world crumbled down and it was hard to watch as she continued to pave her way towards complete demolition and isolation. And yet, she plunged on. The woman had two traumatic incidents happening closely in time and shut down completely. It makes you feel for her.
Her Gran appears and acts as a sort of guide around the mystical place of Penhallow which she loved as a child. It was thrilling to read and you felt what she was going through along with the internal struggles and strengths of the person she inhabited at a time. I found it interesting and heart-warming.
You also have to read this book around christmas time to really get the message and have your emotions resonate even more deeply.
I like how standard the message is but how it was presented in a different little gift box. I also like how aware she became of her own realm of control down the line. It does get sad and you might feel jumpy, wanting to take the reigns from Eva but alas you gotta let it unfold, as she does. I'll let you read more about it :). Overall, a good read.]]> 3.48 2023 One Christmas Morning
author: Rachel Greenlaw
name: Maria
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/20
date added: 2024/01/20
shelves:
review:
Body-swapping on Christmas morning... not half bad!

I've recently started reading novels about body-swapping and I think it has interesting elements to it. I find as readers we body-swap every time we open a book so there's a sense of meta going on, haha.
Our protagonist Eva's world crumbled down and it was hard to watch as she continued to pave her way towards complete demolition and isolation. And yet, she plunged on. The woman had two traumatic incidents happening closely in time and shut down completely. It makes you feel for her.
Her Gran appears and acts as a sort of guide around the mystical place of Penhallow which she loved as a child. It was thrilling to read and you felt what she was going through along with the internal struggles and strengths of the person she inhabited at a time. I found it interesting and heart-warming.
You also have to read this book around christmas time to really get the message and have your emotions resonate even more deeply.
I like how standard the message is but how it was presented in a different little gift box. I also like how aware she became of her own realm of control down the line. It does get sad and you might feel jumpy, wanting to take the reigns from Eva but alas you gotta let it unfold, as she does. I'll let you read more about it :). Overall, a good read.
]]> Standard Deviation 34257841 The celebrated author ofSingle, Carefree, Mellow, returns with her debut novel--a rueful, funny examination of love, marriage, infidelity, and origami.

Graham Cavanaugh’s second wife, Audra, is everything his first wife was not. Audra is charming and spontaneous and fun, but life with her can be exhausting, constantly interrupted by phone calls, burdened by houseguests, and populated by old men with backpacks full of origami paper. As Graham and Audra struggle to define their marriage and raise a child with Asperger's, they decide to establish a friendship with his first wife, Elspeth. But former spouses are hard to categorize--are they friends, enemies, old flames, or just people who know you really, really well? Graham starts to wonder: How can anyone love two such different women? Did he make the right choice?Isthere a right choice? A novel as poignant as it is hilarious,Standard Deviationnever deviates from superb.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 336 Katherine Heiny 0385353820 Maria 3
Another note here, why does everyone in this novel (a few exceptions...) have a loyalty issue? It's so common and prevalent throughout this story. Even with Graham and Elspeth.

This book will teach you a thing or two about life if you're in your twenties reading from the perspective of Graham, a man who's made mistakes and is highly introspective and close to 60. Especially when it comes to Graham and Audra's son Matthew. Most of the story revolves around him and his activities as he's a character with ASD. Graham speaks about the difficulties his son has faced so far, writing about the early years denoting how he showed characterized differences from his peers. This is where the title comes into play, Standard Deviation. How Matthew's behaviors/developmental milestones are a standard deviation away from where they should be... I thought it was interesting. You have to read this novel to explore this family's universe because it's one surprise unwrapped after another. There are many metaphors for life hidden throughout the book, take a look for yourself. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.58 2017 Standard Deviation
author: Katherine Heiny
name: Maria
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/03
date added: 2024/01/03
shelves:
review:
Two people in a marriage that could not be more different... Audra Daltry (whose name sounds like adultery! how fitting) and Graham. I found Audra to be the character I disliked the most because if I had a friend like her in real life, I think she'd start a lot of trouble. She's blind to boundaries and makes light of things that maybe should hold more gravity.

Another note here, why does everyone in this novel (a few exceptions...) have a loyalty issue? It's so common and prevalent throughout this story. Even with Graham and Elspeth.

This book will teach you a thing or two about life if you're in your twenties reading from the perspective of Graham, a man who's made mistakes and is highly introspective and close to 60. Especially when it comes to Graham and Audra's son Matthew. Most of the story revolves around him and his activities as he's a character with ASD. Graham speaks about the difficulties his son has faced so far, writing about the early years denoting how he showed characterized differences from his peers. This is where the title comes into play, Standard Deviation. How Matthew's behaviors/developmental milestones are a standard deviation away from where they should be... I thought it was interesting. You have to read this novel to explore this family's universe because it's one surprise unwrapped after another. There are many metaphors for life hidden throughout the book, take a look for yourself. Overall, a good read.
]]> Americanah 15796700 477 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Maria 4
Reading this book felt a lot like reading a love letter between a couple split apart by time, circumstance, and choice. I really admired Ifemelu's observations and ambition. It keeps the reader afloat and interested in her and Obinze's story. Even as she is consciously pushing him further and further away, as a result of a traumatic event...
The author Adichie has a character say it, and it feels important enough to put it again here. A story doesn't have to be about one thing. And this one certainly isn't.

We see time bent, rewinded, fast forwarded, and seen from different viewpoints throughout the novel. I found Ifemelu's blog to be pertinent as race evidently is an American concept and a standard for how you will be treated, based on your appearance. She contrasts this experience with her experience in Nigeria, her home country. It is eye-opening. She's a witty character, and I love how when she realized she nailed the American accent, alarm bells went off, and she once again spoke with a Nigerian accent.
Her relationship with Dike, her younger cousin, was one of my favorite elements of the story. She keeps in touch with him, visiting whenever she can. Especially after his attempt. She is there for him and seeks to make sure he is okay. He's family, family is all we got.

On to what I brazenly did not enjoy... the cheating. Was I surprised? No. Every book on this reading list that I've read so far has had cheating involved. It's like it's required and I'm not sure why. I understand the nuance to where Ifemelu was Obinze's first love but he was a grown man who married a woman he didn't actually want to be with. Obinze is a starkingly intelligent man but he really dropped the ball with that one.

There's a lot for everyone to learn from this book, I urge you, if you're reading this, to dive on in. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.32 2013 Americanah
author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
name: Maria
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/24
date added: 2023/12/24
shelves:
review:
Fourth book in the reading list curated by Sara Nisha Adams!

Reading this book felt a lot like reading a love letter between a couple split apart by time, circumstance, and choice. I really admired Ifemelu's observations and ambition. It keeps the reader afloat and interested in her and Obinze's story. Even as she is consciously pushing him further and further away, as a result of a traumatic event...
The author Adichie has a character say it, and it feels important enough to put it again here. A story doesn't have to be about one thing. And this one certainly isn't.

We see time bent, rewinded, fast forwarded, and seen from different viewpoints throughout the novel. I found Ifemelu's blog to be pertinent as race evidently is an American concept and a standard for how you will be treated, based on your appearance. She contrasts this experience with her experience in Nigeria, her home country. It is eye-opening. She's a witty character, and I love how when she realized she nailed the American accent, alarm bells went off, and she once again spoke with a Nigerian accent.
Her relationship with Dike, her younger cousin, was one of my favorite elements of the story. She keeps in touch with him, visiting whenever she can. Especially after his attempt. She is there for him and seeks to make sure he is okay. He's family, family is all we got.

On to what I brazenly did not enjoy... the cheating. Was I surprised? No. Every book on this reading list that I've read so far has had cheating involved. It's like it's required and I'm not sure why. I understand the nuance to where Ifemelu was Obinze's first love but he was a grown man who married a woman he didn't actually want to be with. Obinze is a starkingly intelligent man but he really dropped the ball with that one.

There's a lot for everyone to learn from this book, I urge you, if you're reading this, to dive on in. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Village Healer’s Book of Cures]]> 112985714
Mary Fawcett refines the healing recipes she’s inherited from generations of Fawcett women before her—an uncanny and moral calling to empathize with the sick. When witchfinder Matthew Hopkins arrives in her small village, stoking the fires of hate, he sees not healing but the devil at work. Mary’s benevolent skills have now cast her and her young brother under suspicion of witchery.

Soon, the husband of one of Mary’s patients is found murdered, his body carved with strange symbols. For Hopkins, it’s further evidence of dark arts. When the whispering village turns against her, Mary dares to trust a stranger: an enigmatic alchemist, scarred body and soul, who knows the dead man’s secrets.

As Hopkins’s fervor escalates, Mary must outsmart the devil himself to save her life and the lives of those she loves. Unfolding the true potential of her gifts could make Mary a more empowered adversary than a witchfinder ever feared.]]> 282 Jennifer Sherman Roberts 1662511752 Maria 0 to-read 3.78 2023 The Village Healer’s Book of Cures
author: Jennifer Sherman Roberts
name: Maria
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle]]> 36337550
There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit.

We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.

Understood? Then let's begin . . .

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others . . .

The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity it will leave listeners guessing until the very last second.]]> 432 Stuart Turton Maria 5
While at a bookstore I saw this book prominently showcased on one of those bookstore tables. The title and cover art jumped out at me. I did a double take and had to purchase this book. I'm proud of that decision because this novel transports you in ways I haven't read about for some time.

Our protagonist switches among hosts living a full day in each of them, switching when the current host falls asleep or is knocked out by something or someone. These hosts are all witnesses in some way to the murder, and are keys to his escape. However, he is attempting to alter fate to save someone despite his mission being to solve a murder. He does this due to kindness he receives while inhabiting his first host. This changes the trajectory of his course in ways he's not aware of until later on.

I admired the main character and his sanity because I, for one, would lose my mind with all the resets, the footman perpetually hunting you following your every move, and the question of trust. Each host he played to their strengths and used them once he learned what was actually going on. I imagine it would be difficult to hold on to the person you are outside of Blackheath after having 8 different people's characters and motives jostling around in your head. Yet he grapples with it and we see the winding course of his evolution and glimpses into the man he is outside the walls.

He quickly realizes Blackheath's power to corrupt those within and the facade of both. Luckily, he does have a reliable guiding force that helps keep his absolute uncertainty at bay. The Plague Doctor is on his side, and he nudges him in directions that allow him to get closer to escaping, if possible.

In this book, there are twists sprinkled throughout the first 300 or so pages, but it gets even more entangled and detangled towards the latter portion. My jaw dropped a few times reading this story and I love when a book can affect me in that way. That's how you know the writing is special and written with immense forethought.

It can be a confusing read, but hey, it involves time travel, and that's a goopy mess. For this reason, I won't dock it a star because the story holds up. I appreciate a talented writer as he took 3 years to write this novel, providing every character their own depth and giving readers a new perspective on time travel and what the future of justice might look like (wink wink). Overall, a good read.]]> 3.78 2018 The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
author: Stuart Turton
name: Maria
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/22
date added: 2023/11/22
shelves:
review:
A time-travelling, mind-melding, freaky Friday-esque, murder mystery novel... you in?

While at a bookstore I saw this book prominently showcased on one of those bookstore tables. The title and cover art jumped out at me. I did a double take and had to purchase this book. I'm proud of that decision because this novel transports you in ways I haven't read about for some time.

Our protagonist switches among hosts living a full day in each of them, switching when the current host falls asleep or is knocked out by something or someone. These hosts are all witnesses in some way to the murder, and are keys to his escape. However, he is attempting to alter fate to save someone despite his mission being to solve a murder. He does this due to kindness he receives while inhabiting his first host. This changes the trajectory of his course in ways he's not aware of until later on.

I admired the main character and his sanity because I, for one, would lose my mind with all the resets, the footman perpetually hunting you following your every move, and the question of trust. Each host he played to their strengths and used them once he learned what was actually going on. I imagine it would be difficult to hold on to the person you are outside of Blackheath after having 8 different people's characters and motives jostling around in your head. Yet he grapples with it and we see the winding course of his evolution and glimpses into the man he is outside the walls.

He quickly realizes Blackheath's power to corrupt those within and the facade of both. Luckily, he does have a reliable guiding force that helps keep his absolute uncertainty at bay. The Plague Doctor is on his side, and he nudges him in directions that allow him to get closer to escaping, if possible.

In this book, there are twists sprinkled throughout the first 300 or so pages, but it gets even more entangled and detangled towards the latter portion. My jaw dropped a few times reading this story and I love when a book can affect me in that way. That's how you know the writing is special and written with immense forethought.

It can be a confusing read, but hey, it involves time travel, and that's a goopy mess. For this reason, I won't dock it a star because the story holds up. I appreciate a talented writer as he took 3 years to write this novel, providing every character their own depth and giving readers a new perspective on time travel and what the future of justice might look like (wink wink). Overall, a good read.
]]> The Summer After You and Me 25361152
For Lucy, the Jersey Shore isn't just the perfect summer escape, it's home. As a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in during Memorial Day weekend, crowding her coastal town and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Still, she can't help but crush on charming Connor Malloy. His family spends every summer next door, and she longs for their friendship to turn into something deeper.

Then Superstorm Sandy sweeps up the coast, bringing Lucy and Connor together for a few intense hours. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm, and Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and her broken home. Time may heal all wounds, but with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, Lucy's summer is sure to be filled with fireworks.]]> 284 Jennifer Salvato Doktorski 1492619043 Maria 3 3.74 2013 The Summer After You and Me
author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
name: Maria
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2019/10/04
date added: 2023/11/07
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1)]]> 43448 Such wonderful children. Such a beautiful mother. Such a lovely house. Such endless terror! It wasn't that she didn't love her children. She did. But there was a fortune at stake—a fortune that would assure their later happiness if she could keep the children a secret from her dying father. So she and her mother hid her darlings away in an unused attic. Just for a little while. But the brutal days swelled into agonizing years. Now Cathy, Chris, and the twins wait in their cramped and helpless world, stirred by adult dreams, adult desires, served a meager sustenance by an angry, superstitious grandmother who knows that the Devil works in dark and devious ways. Sometimes he sends children to do his work—children who—one by one—must be destroyed.... 'Way upstairs there are four secrets hidden. Blond, beautiful, innocent struggling to stay alive....']]> 389 V.C. Andrews 0743496310 Maria 4
Reading this during the month of October really heightened the twisted and dark themes this book exposes. Themes explored such as greed, betrayal, lust, religion, truth, lies... they all come to light as their respective times. Cathy, our protagonist, speaks to us about what's happening but also in a manner of hindsight from time to time. This provides some foreshadowing which I always enjoy when I read novels. Little sprinkles of spoilers that you wouldn't notice unless you had some prior knowledge of what happens or if you're reading it through a second time.

The glaringly obvious qualm I have with this novel, is the insane amount of incestual relations or close enough to call it by the same name. The parents being related for starters... the growing attraction between Cathy and Chris... Cathy kissing her stepfather... the stepfather saying a beautiful young girl came to kiss him... what twisted fantasy is this. People that aren't related to you are also a fine choice, ya know. I digress on this, and am happy to move past it.

I would also like to point out the changing view of the children towards their mother. She appears to be this perfect, flawless, wondrous human being at the start and gradually that image withers away towards one of disgust and complete unfamiliarity. Meanwhile, the children are losing life everyday because of that stifling air they get from one, max two rooms and less desire to eat by the day. They had to get out of there, with the realization there could be no other way- they wouldn't be let out. It's heartbreaking to see how the end unfolds and with it, shocking held-back secrets that Chris shares with Cathy.

I liked this book, and would only go that far because if there was no incest it would be a great book. But then would it be as well known is another question haha. I would hope so, because it is well written and explored topics in a fascinating way. It's a car crash you can't look away from. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.84 1979 Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1)
author: V.C. Andrews
name: Maria
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1979
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/19
date added: 2023/10/19
shelves:
review:
Captivating plot and tactfully written to make even the reader feel a sense of cabin fever.

Reading this during the month of October really heightened the twisted and dark themes this book exposes. Themes explored such as greed, betrayal, lust, religion, truth, lies... they all come to light as their respective times. Cathy, our protagonist, speaks to us about what's happening but also in a manner of hindsight from time to time. This provides some foreshadowing which I always enjoy when I read novels. Little sprinkles of spoilers that you wouldn't notice unless you had some prior knowledge of what happens or if you're reading it through a second time.

The glaringly obvious qualm I have with this novel, is the insane amount of incestual relations or close enough to call it by the same name. The parents being related for starters... the growing attraction between Cathy and Chris... Cathy kissing her stepfather... the stepfather saying a beautiful young girl came to kiss him... what twisted fantasy is this. People that aren't related to you are also a fine choice, ya know. I digress on this, and am happy to move past it.

I would also like to point out the changing view of the children towards their mother. She appears to be this perfect, flawless, wondrous human being at the start and gradually that image withers away towards one of disgust and complete unfamiliarity. Meanwhile, the children are losing life everyday because of that stifling air they get from one, max two rooms and less desire to eat by the day. They had to get out of there, with the realization there could be no other way- they wouldn't be let out. It's heartbreaking to see how the end unfolds and with it, shocking held-back secrets that Chris shares with Cathy.

I liked this book, and would only go that far because if there was no incest it would be a great book. But then would it be as well known is another question haha. I would hope so, because it is well written and explored topics in a fascinating way. It's a car crash you can't look away from. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse, #1)]]> 58763686
I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don't affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He's always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.


The Shadow

I didn't mean to fall in love.
But now that I have, I can't stay away.
I'm mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses...
I'll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I'll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.]]> 583 H.D. Carlton Maria 2 I didn't enjoy it much because the love interest Zade is a self-proclaimed stalker and murderer... he also commits SA against the main character, Addie. Hard to read that she's falling for him when he forces himself on her without her consent. She literally admits it was not consensual. Not my cup of tea. Zade does good for the world with what he does for a living, but the fact that he treats Addie like that, it wasn't sitting right with me.
The only thing I did like was Addie's love for horror movies and a secret desire to be in one. Little did she know, she'd be the girl getting chased. Then again, that's what she wants, due to the thrill. I'm all for the thrill. However, Zade needs to ask for her consent rather than make 7,000 references to his friend downstairs, and it would've been a better book. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.95 2021 Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse, #1)
author: H.D. Carlton
name: Maria
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves:
review:
I only read this book because my friend made a bet I wouldn't be able to finish it. Well, I did.
I didn't enjoy it much because the love interest Zade is a self-proclaimed stalker and murderer... he also commits SA against the main character, Addie. Hard to read that she's falling for him when he forces himself on her without her consent. She literally admits it was not consensual. Not my cup of tea. Zade does good for the world with what he does for a living, but the fact that he treats Addie like that, it wasn't sitting right with me.
The only thing I did like was Addie's love for horror movies and a secret desire to be in one. Little did she know, she'd be the girl getting chased. Then again, that's what she wants, due to the thrill. I'm all for the thrill. However, Zade needs to ask for her consent rather than make 7,000 references to his friend downstairs, and it would've been a better book. Overall, a good read.
]]> White Teeth 3711 White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily existence.]]> 448 Zadie Smith 0375703861 Maria 3
Archie was saved at the beginning of the book, by a raging butcher, which evidently served as a gripping event to initiate the following plot. We've all felt like Archie at some point, the mediocrity and search for purpose felt real. He folds paper for a living, it wasn't his first choice but he does it well. We then find out his war background and we get to learn about Samad later on.

Clara was a fascinating character as she was described descending a staircase at a commune Archie found himself at, under the assumption the world was ending. Yes, an end of the world party. Anywho, Clara isn't your picture perfect gal, she's missing her teeth thanks to Mr. Eeerrrrhhhmmm (you'll get the reference later). She's dashing, Jamaican, and marries Archie oddly enough. The two begin a life together in a fairly stable house which is good enough for her.

Samad and Alsana... they are a fiery couple. I loved Alsana, I loved Samad, but them together is a match made from below. They are abusive to each other and are not at all on the same page when it comes to parenting... a gap of 8 years or so without one child due to Samad's actions. Alsana's response to that was creative and I aspire to have the same level of witty retorts that she dishes to people. She's brilliant.

The Chalfens are a whole other ballgame. Too perfect of a family. Imagine the suffocation. That's Joyce's deal. I didn't enjoy her ogling of Millat, Samad and Alsana's son, but an interesting family nonetheless that leads us to the major plot point of the book. FutureMouse!

FutureMouse felt ahead of its time. I thought up until this point that this book was published maybe in the 2010s because of the discussion surrounding the experiment on FutureMouse but no! June of 2001! Wild. Modern science has come such a long way and to see it part of this narrative was thrilling to read. I wish there was more of it talked about at the actual exhibition.

To not keep this review super lengthy, I will also note some more vague aspects of the novel that I liked. The author's way of introducing a character by using their backstory, is phenomenal. You get to go at least a few years back or you're provided substantial info to get a read on this character and then boom! Dropped back into the present. It's careful, crafty, and wonderfully written. The ending threw me for a loop and I wish it continued a bit more. Like it was said in the book, an ending can also be seen as the start of a long story. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.80 2000 White Teeth
author: Zadie Smith
name: Maria
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/03
date added: 2023/09/03
shelves:
review:
While reading this book, I was equal parts intrigued, charmed, and along for the ride amidst the chaos. Where do you even begin with this book? Archie and Samad, best friends since their teenage years during war. With tensions high between people of Bengali, and Middle Eastern backgrounds and the English, we see the unlikely duo form between the two men. I enjoyed seeing their friendship persist the span of half a century, and the families they brought with them along the way. But! It's not just about a friendship. It's not just about family.

Archie was saved at the beginning of the book, by a raging butcher, which evidently served as a gripping event to initiate the following plot. We've all felt like Archie at some point, the mediocrity and search for purpose felt real. He folds paper for a living, it wasn't his first choice but he does it well. We then find out his war background and we get to learn about Samad later on.

Clara was a fascinating character as she was described descending a staircase at a commune Archie found himself at, under the assumption the world was ending. Yes, an end of the world party. Anywho, Clara isn't your picture perfect gal, she's missing her teeth thanks to Mr. Eeerrrrhhhmmm (you'll get the reference later). She's dashing, Jamaican, and marries Archie oddly enough. The two begin a life together in a fairly stable house which is good enough for her.

Samad and Alsana... they are a fiery couple. I loved Alsana, I loved Samad, but them together is a match made from below. They are abusive to each other and are not at all on the same page when it comes to parenting... a gap of 8 years or so without one child due to Samad's actions. Alsana's response to that was creative and I aspire to have the same level of witty retorts that she dishes to people. She's brilliant.

The Chalfens are a whole other ballgame. Too perfect of a family. Imagine the suffocation. That's Joyce's deal. I didn't enjoy her ogling of Millat, Samad and Alsana's son, but an interesting family nonetheless that leads us to the major plot point of the book. FutureMouse!

FutureMouse felt ahead of its time. I thought up until this point that this book was published maybe in the 2010s because of the discussion surrounding the experiment on FutureMouse but no! June of 2001! Wild. Modern science has come such a long way and to see it part of this narrative was thrilling to read. I wish there was more of it talked about at the actual exhibition.

To not keep this review super lengthy, I will also note some more vague aspects of the novel that I liked. The author's way of introducing a character by using their backstory, is phenomenal. You get to go at least a few years back or you're provided substantial info to get a read on this character and then boom! Dropped back into the present. It's careful, crafty, and wonderfully written. The ending threw me for a loop and I wish it continued a bit more. Like it was said in the book, an ending can also be seen as the start of a long story. Overall, a good read.
]]> The God of Small Things 9777
Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family—their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu (who loves by night the man her children love by day), their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt), and the ghost of an imperial entomologist's moth (with unusually dense dorsal tufts).

When their English cousin, Sophie Mol, and her mother, Margaret Kochamma, arrive on a Christmas visit, Esthappen and Rahel learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever, beside their river "graygreen." With fish in it. With the sky and trees in it. And at night, the broken yellow moon in it.

The brilliantly plotted story uncoils with an agonizing sense of foreboding and inevitability. Yet nothing prepares you for what lies at the heart of it.

The God of Small Things takes on the Big Themes—Love. Madness. Hope. Infinite Joy. Here is a writer who dares to break the rules. To dislocate received rhythms and create the language she requires, a language that is at once classical and unprecedented. Arundhati Roy has given us a book that is anchored to anguish, but fueled by wit and magic.]]> 321 Arundhati Roy 0679457313 Maria 4
To start off on a side note, I read the audiobook version so it might have impacted my perspective differently. I'm used to reading ebooks or physical copies of books. In saying this, I found it sort of difficult to navigate the When of events happening in the book especially towards the beginning. But as I adjusted to the pacing and whirring around through time the author curated, I found it more understandable. Still slightly confusing though. There was an overarching storyline however, with wisps of memories and future events intertwining and stealing the spotlight every so often. It felt like recounting a story that someone lived which felt genuine. There are roads you have to go down to explain some backstory, along with some foreshadowing to add intrigue.

The author, the god of small things in my eyes, describes landscapes, minute environmental creatures, with such precision and childlike wonder. I found it breathtaking at times, other times funny, as they would be reoccurring throughout the story such as Rahel and her fountain, and Esther with his puff. Mentions of time being 10 to 2. Trauma being a sleeping dog. Two thoughts. It was very immersive.

In this novel, there is such complexity to the characters in their pasts and presents, you are drawn to them, like it or not. The motives behind these characters, some plagued by their caste, will shock readers. It's a wild ride. A wild ride that puts on display trauma, forbidden love, jealousy, and adventure.

You can clearly envision the events being written about, and feelings that arise really pull you into the story, making you a witness to them.

This was the second book in a reading list by the author of The Reading List and so far, its been sobering as my perspective while reading this book was one of terror and fascination. Themes discussed in this book don't hold back. It's unapologetic and you can't look away from it. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.97 1997 The God of Small Things
author: Arundhati Roy
name: Maria
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/12
date added: 2023/08/12
shelves:
review:
Astounding details about the fictional lives of two twins, one shared soul, embassadors Stick Insect and Elvis Pelvis.

To start off on a side note, I read the audiobook version so it might have impacted my perspective differently. I'm used to reading ebooks or physical copies of books. In saying this, I found it sort of difficult to navigate the When of events happening in the book especially towards the beginning. But as I adjusted to the pacing and whirring around through time the author curated, I found it more understandable. Still slightly confusing though. There was an overarching storyline however, with wisps of memories and future events intertwining and stealing the spotlight every so often. It felt like recounting a story that someone lived which felt genuine. There are roads you have to go down to explain some backstory, along with some foreshadowing to add intrigue.

The author, the god of small things in my eyes, describes landscapes, minute environmental creatures, with such precision and childlike wonder. I found it breathtaking at times, other times funny, as they would be reoccurring throughout the story such as Rahel and her fountain, and Esther with his puff. Mentions of time being 10 to 2. Trauma being a sleeping dog. Two thoughts. It was very immersive.

In this novel, there is such complexity to the characters in their pasts and presents, you are drawn to them, like it or not. The motives behind these characters, some plagued by their caste, will shock readers. It's a wild ride. A wild ride that puts on display trauma, forbidden love, jealousy, and adventure.

You can clearly envision the events being written about, and feelings that arise really pull you into the story, making you a witness to them.

This was the second book in a reading list by the author of The Reading List and so far, its been sobering as my perspective while reading this book was one of terror and fascination. Themes discussed in this book don't hold back. It's unapologetic and you can't look away from it. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Namesake 33917 Interpreter of Maladies established this young writer as one the most brilliant of her generation. Her stories are one of the very few debut works -- and only a handful of collections -- to have won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Among the many other awards and honors it received were the New Yorker Debut of the Year award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, and the highest critical praise for its grace, acuity, and compassion in detailing lives transported from India to America.

In The Namesake, Lahiri enriches the themes that made her collection an international bestseller: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the conflicts of assimilation, and, most poignantly, the tangled ties between generations. Here again Lahiri displays her deft touch for the perfect detail � the fleeting moment, the turn of phrase � that opens whole worlds of emotion.

The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. When their son is born, the task of naming him betrays the vexed results of bringing old ways to the new world. Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name.

Lahiri brings great empathy to Gogol as he stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs. With penetrating insight, she reveals not only the defining power of the names and expectations bestowed upon us by our parents, but also the means by which we slowly, sometimes painfully, come to define ourselves.]]> 304 Jhumpa Lahiri 0618485228 Maria 0
First, we learn about his mom, Ashima, and her eagerness to be married to this man her parents chose for her. Ashoke, he carries with him a physical reminder of a sudden tragedy taking the life of someone he had spoken to hours before. Together, they bring an ambitious, humble, intelligent little boy into the world thousands of miles away from the lives they've known.
Ashima admits the hardships she faces, being away from her family, and bustling city, stability essentially, while trying to raise this child. In their Bengali culture, it is imperative to have both a pet name (a nickname of sorts, that people in your family refer to you as) and a "good" name used in more formal settings like school and onwards. While attempting to name their child with a good name for the hospital to release her with him, it takes too long and they settle on legally naming him his pet name Gogol which was originally supposed to be a placeholder until his good name came in the mail. It never arrived.

So, Gogol carries that name with him. The one his father gave him because of the book he held with him while his life was saved by slim chance. He goes to school, and the principal wants to know his good name. We know he doesn't have one. The principal struggles to understand what a good name is. His mom offers Nikhil as a good name, in reference to Nicolai Gogol. However, Gogol doesn't respond to Nikhil, choosing to be called Gogol instead. Later on, he would flip the two permanently.

The main character grinded my gears a bit because of his complete 180 after college. He doesn't visit his parents, his name is changed, and he's turning his back on everything for girls and their families. It broke my heart to see the turn of events, but it was done tactfully. Ashoke taught Ashima a lesson that she would be eternally grateful for even though it would hurt.

I admit the ending of the book weighed on my heart as well. I haven't read a book with a stale, deflated ending, or one that turned sour in a while. I couldn't believe what Moushumi did. I wanted happiness for him.

This is the first book in the reading list curated by an author I read from recently. I'm excited to see what else is in store! Overall, a good read and a thrilling reading journey is on the horizon.]]> 4.01 2003 The Namesake
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Maria
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/28
shelves:
review:
It's a story about a boy growing up with some Russian author's strange last name... I was hooked.

First, we learn about his mom, Ashima, and her eagerness to be married to this man her parents chose for her. Ashoke, he carries with him a physical reminder of a sudden tragedy taking the life of someone he had spoken to hours before. Together, they bring an ambitious, humble, intelligent little boy into the world thousands of miles away from the lives they've known.
Ashima admits the hardships she faces, being away from her family, and bustling city, stability essentially, while trying to raise this child. In their Bengali culture, it is imperative to have both a pet name (a nickname of sorts, that people in your family refer to you as) and a "good" name used in more formal settings like school and onwards. While attempting to name their child with a good name for the hospital to release her with him, it takes too long and they settle on legally naming him his pet name Gogol which was originally supposed to be a placeholder until his good name came in the mail. It never arrived.

So, Gogol carries that name with him. The one his father gave him because of the book he held with him while his life was saved by slim chance. He goes to school, and the principal wants to know his good name. We know he doesn't have one. The principal struggles to understand what a good name is. His mom offers Nikhil as a good name, in reference to Nicolai Gogol. However, Gogol doesn't respond to Nikhil, choosing to be called Gogol instead. Later on, he would flip the two permanently.

The main character grinded my gears a bit because of his complete 180 after college. He doesn't visit his parents, his name is changed, and he's turning his back on everything for girls and their families. It broke my heart to see the turn of events, but it was done tactfully. Ashoke taught Ashima a lesson that she would be eternally grateful for even though it would hurt.

I admit the ending of the book weighed on my heart as well. I haven't read a book with a stale, deflated ending, or one that turned sour in a while. I couldn't believe what Moushumi did. I wanted happiness for him.

This is the first book in the reading list curated by an author I read from recently. I'm excited to see what else is in store! Overall, a good read and a thrilling reading journey is on the horizon.
]]> The Namesake 11214027 The Namesake, Lahiri enriches the themes that made her collection an international bestseller: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the conflicts of assimilation, and, most poignantly, the tangled ties between generations. Here again Lahiri displays her deft touch for the perfect detail -- the fleeting moment, the turn of phrase -- that opens whole worlds of emotion.
The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. When their son is born, the task of naming him betrays the vexed results of bringing old ways to the new world. Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name. Lahiri brings great empathy to Gogol as he stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs. With penetrating insight, she reveals not only the defining power of the names and expectations bestowed upon us by our parents, but also the means by which we slowly, sometimes painfully, come to define ourselves. The New York Times has praised Lahiri as "a writer of uncommon elegance and poise." The Namesake is a fine-tuned, intimate, and deeply felt novel of identity.]]> 305 Jhumpa Lahiri 0547429312 Maria 4 4.19 2003 The Namesake
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Maria
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/28
date added: 2023/07/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters]]> 16200
*pangram: a sentence or phrase that includes all the letters of the alphabet]]> 208 Mark Dunn 0385722435 Maria 5 To begin, the vocabulary that the characters use to express themselves is like reading a Shakespearean play. It was stunning. A festival of word usage, employed by an island renowned for its adoration of language. However, there's more to it than that.

An island of people immortalized this one perfectly human person and twist reality to fit their belief of why their worshipped letters were falling. They attributed the falling of the letter tiles to a wish of their deity to limit their language by taking away letters they can use to communicate. It's fascinating to see even as time goes on, the inhabitants way of speaking through letters continues to sound poetic, until a certain point.

The mission that arises in the novel is one that is tantalizing yet seems difficult, so it makes for an interesting journey. It can be hard at times to figure out what is going on one event after another because of the layout, determining who is talking, but they recap it from time to time.

If this were to happen in real life, I could see the events unfolding in a similar fashion. People would be fearful to write and speak because of a chance of slipping up. The slippery slope you witness, the decline of their livelihood, is a crash you can't look away from. When people lose the ability to communicate in a way they've known all their life, it can prove difficult and life-altering for sure. Can't help but also see how this type of story holds up to modern day too. Words are powerful, they are tools we use to connect with others. It can also be what tears us apart. We have to use words wisely but also feel at ease sharing our opinions. I feel a sense of freedom typing these words; a freedom I enjoy because I can speak my mind freely, as can you.

I really enjoyed the ending of the story too which I won't discuss, but it is rather funny. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.93 2001 Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
author: Mark Dunn
name: Maria
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/04
date added: 2023/07/04
shelves:
review:
Epistolary... lipogrammatic... this story felt like a glorious bowl of yummy word soup.
To begin, the vocabulary that the characters use to express themselves is like reading a Shakespearean play. It was stunning. A festival of word usage, employed by an island renowned for its adoration of language. However, there's more to it than that.

An island of people immortalized this one perfectly human person and twist reality to fit their belief of why their worshipped letters were falling. They attributed the falling of the letter tiles to a wish of their deity to limit their language by taking away letters they can use to communicate. It's fascinating to see even as time goes on, the inhabitants way of speaking through letters continues to sound poetic, until a certain point.

The mission that arises in the novel is one that is tantalizing yet seems difficult, so it makes for an interesting journey. It can be hard at times to figure out what is going on one event after another because of the layout, determining who is talking, but they recap it from time to time.

If this were to happen in real life, I could see the events unfolding in a similar fashion. People would be fearful to write and speak because of a chance of slipping up. The slippery slope you witness, the decline of their livelihood, is a crash you can't look away from. When people lose the ability to communicate in a way they've known all their life, it can prove difficult and life-altering for sure. Can't help but also see how this type of story holds up to modern day too. Words are powerful, they are tools we use to connect with others. It can also be what tears us apart. We have to use words wisely but also feel at ease sharing our opinions. I feel a sense of freedom typing these words; a freedom I enjoy because I can speak my mind freely, as can you.

I really enjoyed the ending of the story too which I won't discuss, but it is rather funny. Overall, a good read.
]]> Most Likely (Most Likely, #1) 51197236 From the creator of the hit TV series The Bold Type comes an empowering and heartfelt novel about a future female president's senior year of high school.

Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha (listed in alphabetical order out of fairness) have been friends since kindergarten. Now they're in their senior year, facing their biggest fears about growing up and growing apart. But there's more than just college on the horizon. One of these girls is destined to become the president of the United States. The mystery, of course, is which girl gets the gig.

Is it Ava, the picture-perfect artist who's secretly struggling to figure out where she belongs? Or could it be CJ, the one who's got everything figured out...except how to fix her terrible SAT scores? Maybe it's Jordan, the group's resident journalist, who knows she's ready for more than their small Ohio suburb can offer. And don't overlook Martha, who will have to overcome all the obstacles that stand in the way of her dreams.

This is the story of four best friends who have one another's backs through every new love, breakup, stumble, and success--proving that great friendships can help young women achieve anything...even a seat in the Oval Office.

]]> 384 Sarah Watson 0316454834 Maria 4 The author does a great job of making it seem like it could be several of them or at least not making it obvious who it's gonna be.
I loved the characters and found each of their backgrounds unique and successfully made them likable. There have been some books where I don't like the characters at all, but with this one, wasn't the case! They're all on different paths yet find deep connection with each other. I think it's beautiful. I saw myself and my friendships through these girls' stories, and I think that's what drew me in even more. Read this book!
I saw that the woman who created The Bold Type wrote this book, and I gotta say... I was obsessed with that show when it came out. I'm not sure if it's still on air, but I loved that show, and the book holds up too. Nonetheless, it was a great little summer read. Teaches you some lessons and shows you different perspectives you might not consider as much. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.90 2020 Most Likely (Most Likely, #1)
author: Sarah Watson
name: Maria
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/29
date added: 2023/06/29
shelves:
review:
I really liked this book! It follows four best friends in their senior year of high school and you wonder... hmmm, which one will be the future madame president?
The author does a great job of making it seem like it could be several of them or at least not making it obvious who it's gonna be.
I loved the characters and found each of their backgrounds unique and successfully made them likable. There have been some books where I don't like the characters at all, but with this one, wasn't the case! They're all on different paths yet find deep connection with each other. I think it's beautiful. I saw myself and my friendships through these girls' stories, and I think that's what drew me in even more. Read this book!
I saw that the woman who created The Bold Type wrote this book, and I gotta say... I was obsessed with that show when it came out. I'm not sure if it's still on air, but I loved that show, and the book holds up too. Nonetheless, it was a great little summer read. Teaches you some lessons and shows you different perspectives you might not consider as much. Overall, a good read.
]]> Sociable 35628567 The Assistants meets The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. in this exuberant comedy of manners set in the world of Internet media, a brilliantly irreverent novel about what it means to be young, broke, dumped, and scarily good at creating viral content.

When Elinor Tomlinson moved to New York with a degree in journalism she had visions of writing witty opinion pieces, marrying her journalist boyfriend, and attending glamorous parties with famously perverted writers. Instead, Elinor finds herself nannying for two small children who speak in short, high screams, sleeping on a foam pad in a weird apartment, and attending terrible parties with Harper's interns wearing shapeless smocks. So when Elinor is offered a job at Journalism.ly, the digital media brainchild of a Silicon Valley celebrity, she jumps at the chance. Sure, her boyfriend is writing long think pieces about the electoral college for a real website while Elinor writes lists about sneakers and people at parties give her pitying glances when she reveals her employer, but at Journalism.ly Elinor discovers her true gift: She has a preternatural ability for writing sharable content. She is an overnight viral sensation! But Elinor's success is not without cost. Elinor's boyfriend dumps her, two male colleagues insist on "mentoring" her, and a piece she writes about her personal life lands her on local television. Broke, single, and consigned to move to a fifth-floor walkup, Elinor must ask herself: Is this the creative life she dreamed of? Can new love be found on Coffee Meets Bagel? And should she start wearing a smock? With wry humor and sharp intelligence, Sociable is a hilarious tale of one young woman's search for happiness--and an inside look at life in the wild world of Internet media.]]> 256 Rebecca Harrington 0385542828 Maria 3 This book was a fling read, with little interesting story or attachments to the characters. The main character was difficult to like. I thought it was hard to root for any of the characters. I couldn't stand Mike either, and it annoyed me that Elinor was blinded to how one-sided her relationship was. However, that is a reality for many people, so readers might see themselves in Elinor and learn how to cope with that or how not to.
The pace was very quick but not attention-grabbing. It would have my attention for a few minutes at a time.
There was a lot going on, yet felt dull to read at the same time. Especially the character's dialogues with each other. There were small moments of insight that I got from this book, but the dialogue was like reading text messages.
Reading this book made me feel sad at times because of the state of everything. I wish there was more I liked about this book but honestly it wasn't anything I'd read again. I understand it was supposed to be satire as mentioned on the back of the book somewhere, but it doesn't even hold up that much when looked through that lens because it wasn't very comedic either. Usually, I end my reviews with a "overall, it's a good read" but I have to modify it for this one.
Overall, it's a book to read.]]> 2.31 2018 Sociable
author: Rebecca Harrington
name: Maria
average rating: 2.31
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/13
date added: 2023/06/13
shelves:
review:
One feminist Elinor has aspirations of being a top journalist while navigating troubled waters in her relationship. I could take it or leave it.
This book was a fling read, with little interesting story or attachments to the characters. The main character was difficult to like. I thought it was hard to root for any of the characters. I couldn't stand Mike either, and it annoyed me that Elinor was blinded to how one-sided her relationship was. However, that is a reality for many people, so readers might see themselves in Elinor and learn how to cope with that or how not to.
The pace was very quick but not attention-grabbing. It would have my attention for a few minutes at a time.
There was a lot going on, yet felt dull to read at the same time. Especially the character's dialogues with each other. There were small moments of insight that I got from this book, but the dialogue was like reading text messages.
Reading this book made me feel sad at times because of the state of everything. I wish there was more I liked about this book but honestly it wasn't anything I'd read again. I understand it was supposed to be satire as mentioned on the back of the book somewhere, but it doesn't even hold up that much when looked through that lens because it wasn't very comedic either. Usually, I end my reviews with a "overall, it's a good read" but I have to modify it for this one.
Overall, it's a book to read.
]]> The Reading List 55276648 An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list� hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.]]> 368 Sara Nisha Adams 0063025280 Maria 5
Mukesh has lost his wife and he feels like he missed out on connecting with her through reading. Naina, his wife, loved books as if they were her close friends. It saddens Mukesh to realize he never asked her what she was reading, her thoughts on the books, allowing her to share her passion. Because of this, he feels regret and a deeper sense of loss. Then, he decides to go to his local library which begins the next chapter of his life.

Aleisha the librarian didn't give a single heck about books and only claimed to stay there to make money during the summer. Her brother Aidan loved the library so she tried to see the charm and allure in it but failed for a while until she had a purpose there. She had her own struggles with her mom, who found it immensely difficult to leave her room, especially the house. Her and Aidan had to work as a team- on mom duty shifts. It's tragic what happened to that family, it's not what you would expect to happen. Although there are some lines that stand out. This book will amaze you, take your breath away, and make you close the book entirely out of sadness or excitement for what comes next.

Mukesh and Aleisha, despite their huge gap in age, find friendship and belonging. They teach each other the value the books neither of them noticed before. Books aren't always an escape from reality, they help to understand and share different realities. I think the insight gleamed in this book is a treasure and I enjoyed reading it. The development of the main characters in this book was also fun to watch. It leaves you guessing in some parts too, so not everything is given to you. I loved it.

The author even includes her own curated reading list at the end of the book and I look forward to reading those because she's a stunning writer. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.02 2021 The Reading List
author: Sara Nisha Adams
name: Maria
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/21
date added: 2023/05/21
shelves:
review:
A fantastic story about grief, connections and what books are really all about.

Mukesh has lost his wife and he feels like he missed out on connecting with her through reading. Naina, his wife, loved books as if they were her close friends. It saddens Mukesh to realize he never asked her what she was reading, her thoughts on the books, allowing her to share her passion. Because of this, he feels regret and a deeper sense of loss. Then, he decides to go to his local library which begins the next chapter of his life.

Aleisha the librarian didn't give a single heck about books and only claimed to stay there to make money during the summer. Her brother Aidan loved the library so she tried to see the charm and allure in it but failed for a while until she had a purpose there. She had her own struggles with her mom, who found it immensely difficult to leave her room, especially the house. Her and Aidan had to work as a team- on mom duty shifts. It's tragic what happened to that family, it's not what you would expect to happen. Although there are some lines that stand out. This book will amaze you, take your breath away, and make you close the book entirely out of sadness or excitement for what comes next.

Mukesh and Aleisha, despite their huge gap in age, find friendship and belonging. They teach each other the value the books neither of them noticed before. Books aren't always an escape from reality, they help to understand and share different realities. I think the insight gleamed in this book is a treasure and I enjoyed reading it. The development of the main characters in this book was also fun to watch. It leaves you guessing in some parts too, so not everything is given to you. I loved it.

The author even includes her own curated reading list at the end of the book and I look forward to reading those because she's a stunning writer. Overall, a good read.
]]> Little Fires Everywhere 51704136 Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned--from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren--an enigmatic artist and single mother--who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood--and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.

Named a Best Book of the Year by: People, The Washington Post, Bustle, Esquire, Southern Living, The Daily Beast, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Audible, ŷ, Library Reads, Book of the Month, Paste, Kirkus Reviews, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and many more...

Perfect for book clubs! Visit celesteng.com for discussion guides and more. ]]> 368 Celeste Ng 0143135163 Maria 4 4.06 2017 Little Fires Everywhere
author: Celeste Ng
name: Maria
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/02
date added: 2023/05/17
shelves:
review:
Amazing book. It's a refreshing twisted tale full of complex characters. A lot of different perspectives were displayed and explained throughout the story. I love how the author setup the story to have it start with the ending and show the events leading up to the chaos that ensued. Every little step towards the ending was a petal of a flower being pulled back to reveal a center that was captivating and interesting that will put you in a pensive state for some time. I recommend this book to everyone. Parenthood, childhood, friendships, heartbreaks, journeys, racism, hardships women face, it talks about it all. I devoured this story and gave it a rightfully deserved 4 star rating. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Pretenders (The Similars, #2)]]> 40495060 In this conclusion to The Similars duology, Emma must figure out who she really is, decide between two boys with the same face, and stop a dangerous plan based on revenge.

Emma is still reeling from the events of her junior year at Darkwood. Not only is her best friend, Oliver, shockingly alive, but the boy she loves—his Similar, Levi—is still on the island where he grew up, stranded with his deranged creator.

More importantly, she is grappling with who she really is. Emma can't accept the hard truths she learned last year and refuses to share her secrets with anyone, isolating herself from her friends and Ollie.

But when more of the Similars' creator's plot is revealed, Emma and her friends will have to try to stop him from putting a plan into motion that could destroy everyone she loves.]]> 400 Rebecca Hanover Maria 4 3.84 2019 The Pretenders (The Similars, #2)
author: Rebecca Hanover
name: Maria
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/26
date added: 2023/04/26
shelves:
review:
There aren't many times where the second book in a series is better than the first but I think in this case it's true. I ended up really liking how this story developed and was eager to see what was around the corner. Our protagonist faces a hard truth, alliances form, and the final boss looms in the hazy distance. While reading the book I felt like I was there because the writing was stellar. Although this book was a little young for me, I still found enjoyment from it just like I did with the first book. Emma and her friends are fighting a new, more threatening enemy and they'll die trying. I really liked the theme exploration of mythology, sci-fi and human rights. I could take or leave the romance. It wasn't my favorite. Be prepared for the wild ride this book will take you on! Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Similars (The Similars, #1)]]> 39109661 When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class.

The Similars are all anyone can talk about at the elite Darkwood Academy. Who are these six clones? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? Who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emma couldn't care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and all she can think about is how to get through her junior year without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi—Oliver's exact DNA replica and one of the Similars.

Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper into their clique, uncovering dark truths about the clones and her prestigious school along the way. But no one can be trusted…not even the boy she is falling for who has Oliver's face.]]> 386 Rebecca Hanover 149266510X Maria 3 I like the descriptions of technology they have and how immersed you feel in the school environment and alternate world. It also has mysterious elements to it too, warranting the need for the second book which I have too, and I will be reading asap. Thanks for reading this review! Do yourself a favor and read this book. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.85 2019 The Similars (The Similars, #1)
author: Rebecca Hanover
name: Maria
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/03/04
date added: 2023/03/04
shelves:
review:
When I first saw this book a while ago, I knew I had to read it. I added it to my list and received it as a christmas gift last year! The premise itself drew me in, as I tend to not read the back of a book, I want to know as little as possible. The pacing is fantastic, I love the main character and how she interacts with the other characters, she often seems to be in the right place at the wrong time. The twists and turns in the story are a great adventure but at times I knew the twists before they were the cliff hanger of a chapter. Disclaimer I am not a teenager so this isn't written for me exactly but I enjoyed the book anyway! It has sci-fi, a strange romance, and drama that keeps you coming back for more.
I like the descriptions of technology they have and how immersed you feel in the school environment and alternate world. It also has mysterious elements to it too, warranting the need for the second book which I have too, and I will be reading asap. Thanks for reading this review! Do yourself a favor and read this book. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Things I Should Have Said (Heartlanders #1)]]> 62990615
Skye Canton is focused on her goals: Make it as an artist in New York, quit her day job, finally prove herself to her family back in Oklahoma. Noise canceling headphones on, brush in hand, #livingherbestintrovertlife.

All of which gets blown to bits by a gorgeous, smart, magnetic Texas boy turned Manhattan man-about-town.

Matthew James is full of surprises, tempting Skye to give in and reveal her own secrets. Her bestie, her sisters and even her grumpy cat are on TeamMatt. But he doesn’t fit into her well-drawn plans.

Plus, he’s so smooth and so hot…he reminds her of her past, where she learned the hard way - when there’s this much heat, she’s bound to get burned.

This standalone is a smart, steamy, full-length lovers to enemies to lovers, contemporary romance. It’s a reverse grumpy-sunshine with surprise twists, laugh-out-loud banter, a happily ever after, and a sisters group text thread you’ll wish you could join. This is the first book in the Heartlanders Series.]]> 370 Kelsey Humphreys Maria 0 to-read 4.13 2022 Things I Should Have Said (Heartlanders #1)
author: Kelsey Humphreys
name: Maria
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas]]> 57190803 Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be" ... or are they?

Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams -- if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. Finkelstein for a different -- albeit gilded -- cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare]]> 315 Shea Ernshaw 1368069606 Maria 5 Sally with her new role as pumpkin queen is navigating a new life alongside Jack. Just like her husband, she has a hunger for adventure and it takes her places some could only *dream* of.
I really enjoyed getting to imagine the scenery of the other holiday towns Sally visits. The author brings to life the holidays from the page to all around the reader. You are immersed and it is truly wonderful. Conflict arises and you wonder, along with the other characters, how it will be resolved. I found myself more fascinated as I kept reading along and loving it even more than i initially thought I would. A great book and a must-read for any and all fans of TNBC. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.84 2022 Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
author: Shea Ernshaw
name: Maria
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/06
date added: 2023/02/06
shelves:
review:
Sally Skellington gets her own story! We didn't get to learn much about Sally from TNBC besides her love story with Jack, so it was intriguing to find this book.
Sally with her new role as pumpkin queen is navigating a new life alongside Jack. Just like her husband, she has a hunger for adventure and it takes her places some could only *dream* of.
I really enjoyed getting to imagine the scenery of the other holiday towns Sally visits. The author brings to life the holidays from the page to all around the reader. You are immersed and it is truly wonderful. Conflict arises and you wonder, along with the other characters, how it will be resolved. I found myself more fascinated as I kept reading along and loving it even more than i initially thought I would. A great book and a must-read for any and all fans of TNBC. Overall, a good read.
]]> An Anonymous Girl 39863515
Dr. Shields seems to know what Jess is thinking� and what she’s hiding.

Jessica’s behavior will not only be monitored, but manipulated.

Caught in a web of attraction, deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, An Anonymous Girl will keep you riveted through the last shocking twist.]]> 375 Greer Hendricks 1250133734 Maria 4 I enjoyed this story start to finish as it had perfect pacing and mind games; definitely could be likened to a game of cat and mouse.
The main character and antagonist are more alike than they initially realize and it is fun for the reader as we don't really know what move will be made next.
Who knows what? Who is deceiving someone else? What are their reasons?
At times it was a touch predictable but it was satisfying having suspicions confirmed. Speaks many volumes and I loved the question of morality all throughout the novel. A beautiful work of fiction with tragedy, renewal, backstabbing, mystery, and love. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.79 2019 An Anonymous Girl
author: Greer Hendricks
name: Maria
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/24
date added: 2023/01/24
shelves:
review:
A thrilling chase! First book of the new year and it really was a show stopper.
I enjoyed this story start to finish as it had perfect pacing and mind games; definitely could be likened to a game of cat and mouse.
The main character and antagonist are more alike than they initially realize and it is fun for the reader as we don't really know what move will be made next.
Who knows what? Who is deceiving someone else? What are their reasons?
At times it was a touch predictable but it was satisfying having suspicions confirmed. Speaks many volumes and I loved the question of morality all throughout the novel. A beautiful work of fiction with tragedy, renewal, backstabbing, mystery, and love. Overall, a good read.
]]> We Should All Be Feminists 22738563 We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun.

With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike.

Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.]]> 52 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Maria 0 to-read 4.42 2012 We Should All Be Feminists
author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
name: Maria
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Seven Days of Us 33357622
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity—and even decent Wi-Fi—and forced into each other’s orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.

As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.

In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who’s about to arrive…]]> 368 Francesca Hornak Maria 5 I thoroughly enjoyed this book, warranting my giving it 5 stars. The author catches your attention with her brilliant writing and I found every twist enthralling. I also admired how the perspective was entirely 3rd person, alternating among the characters. They all have their own backstories, biases, and ways of thinking about the other characters that comes to light when they have their spotlight. It is comedic and dramatic at times too, when a secret is spilled, or someone knows something another person doesn't, you feel let in on a secret as well.
The pace was perfection and I loved the characters (well except for Phoebe due to her shallowness, but that was intentional and for a reason, along with a character I won't mention but you'll know once you read it). I also admired the effort the characters made to understand each other more, through talking with the other characters and insights they share at the end of some chapters. A novel like this is a gem, it's genuine, and raw. As you will come to find when delving into the story. The reader feels like they are spending seven days with this wacky family. The transformations in this book are intriguing to read and I'm sure you'll enjoy this book as much as I did, or you'll learn something from it. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.57 2017 Seven Days of Us
author: Francesca Hornak
name: Maria
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/06
date added: 2023/01/06
shelves:
review:
Every family has its problems. Moreover, usually during the holidays is peak family time, add a quarantine in the mix and things are about to get messy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, warranting my giving it 5 stars. The author catches your attention with her brilliant writing and I found every twist enthralling. I also admired how the perspective was entirely 3rd person, alternating among the characters. They all have their own backstories, biases, and ways of thinking about the other characters that comes to light when they have their spotlight. It is comedic and dramatic at times too, when a secret is spilled, or someone knows something another person doesn't, you feel let in on a secret as well.
The pace was perfection and I loved the characters (well except for Phoebe due to her shallowness, but that was intentional and for a reason, along with a character I won't mention but you'll know once you read it). I also admired the effort the characters made to understand each other more, through talking with the other characters and insights they share at the end of some chapters. A novel like this is a gem, it's genuine, and raw. As you will come to find when delving into the story. The reader feels like they are spending seven days with this wacky family. The transformations in this book are intriguing to read and I'm sure you'll enjoy this book as much as I did, or you'll learn something from it. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments]]> 48615751
As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplanted--no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape--she was able to turn to our world's fierce and funny creatures for guidance.

"What the peacock can do," she tells us, "is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life." The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world's gifts.

Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy.]]> 165 Aimee Nezhukumatathil 1571313656 Maria 4
I haven't read many books like this. Poetry without being explicitly poetry, it's written in such an elegant, appreciative way that gives you a renewed perception of the world around you.
She speaks of trees, lovable little bugs like fireflies, butterflies, birds, and the like. Every new chapter she sings sweetly to you through every word she writes when she talks about her experiences with each piece of the earth's ecosystem. We get to learn about the author's life through the background of her narratives of nature instead of having nature being the background. I found it so interesting her heightened focus when it comes to animals that I might stop and pay more attention to the trees around me and what critters come sauntering by when I'm outside.
With the looming crimate crisis and endangered status of animals fresh in our minds, reading this beautiful book reminds us all we have to lose. We need to learn the names of trees, become acquainted with them, feel that innate connection, because we are tied to them and that's how it should be. Rather than spending countless hours indoors as we are accustomed to, she rightfully shines a light on the need for going outside and exploring what it has to offer. I remember doing that as a kid, riding my bike with friends, and not coming home until it was dark and dinner was ready. Getting to read her childhood experiences had me feel nostalgic for mine, it felt comforting. I would recommend this book, it's stunning, and contains many powerful messages. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.05 2020 World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
author: Aimee Nezhukumatathil
name: Maria
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/19
date added: 2022/12/19
shelves:
review:
Makes you want to spend more time outdoors!

I haven't read many books like this. Poetry without being explicitly poetry, it's written in such an elegant, appreciative way that gives you a renewed perception of the world around you.
She speaks of trees, lovable little bugs like fireflies, butterflies, birds, and the like. Every new chapter she sings sweetly to you through every word she writes when she talks about her experiences with each piece of the earth's ecosystem. We get to learn about the author's life through the background of her narratives of nature instead of having nature being the background. I found it so interesting her heightened focus when it comes to animals that I might stop and pay more attention to the trees around me and what critters come sauntering by when I'm outside.
With the looming crimate crisis and endangered status of animals fresh in our minds, reading this beautiful book reminds us all we have to lose. We need to learn the names of trees, become acquainted with them, feel that innate connection, because we are tied to them and that's how it should be. Rather than spending countless hours indoors as we are accustomed to, she rightfully shines a light on the need for going outside and exploring what it has to offer. I remember doing that as a kid, riding my bike with friends, and not coming home until it was dark and dinner was ready. Getting to read her childhood experiences had me feel nostalgic for mine, it felt comforting. I would recommend this book, it's stunning, and contains many powerful messages. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Kindest Lie 50209372 A promise could betray you.

It’s 2008, and the inauguration of President Barack Obama ushers in a new kind of hope. In Chicago, Ruth Tuttle, an Ivy-League educated Black engineer, is married to a kind and successful man. He’s eager to start a family, but Ruth is uncertain. She has never gotten over the baby she gave birth to—and was forced to leave behind—when she was a teenager. She had promised her family she’d never look back, but Ruth knows that to move forward, she must make peace with the past.

Returning home, Ruth discovers the Indiana factory town of her youth is plagued by unemployment, racism, and despair. As she begins digging into the past, she unexpectedly befriends Midnight, a young white boy who is also adrift and looking for connection. Just as Ruth is about to uncover a burning secret her family desperately wants to keep hidden, a traumatic incident strains the town’s already searing racial tensions, sending Ruth and Midnight on a collision course that could upend both their lives.

Powerful and revealing, The Kindest Lie capturesthe heartbreaking divide between Black and white communities and offers both an unflinching view of motherhood in contemporary America and the never-ending quest to achieve the American Dream.

]]> 336 Nancy Johnson 0063005654 Maria 4
Right away, this book catches your attention. An opening about new life in the world, thanks to our main character, Ruth. Shockingly, she is still very young herself, having a child at 17. Her being from a small town, and being a black woman, this could pose some issues in her personal life and would be viewed as a roadblock preventing her dreams from becoming real. So what does she do? She hands the child over to her grandma to be adopted by a loving family. A sacrifice that would haunt her for years to come, and is highlighted time and time again when her husband hints at starting a family.

She goes to Yale, being the smartie that she is. The sacrifice her grandmother and brother made for her by keeping the baby situation hush hush allowed her to flourish without any scandal. She was living in a totally different world now. Obama had just been elected (woo!!) and her husband and her threw a party to celebrate. Following the party, sometime later, her and her husband had a talk that led to her following her curiosities back to her hometown of Ganton.

While back in town trying to mold herself back into a place she used to call home, she stumbles across an 11 year old boy who shows interest in science like she did, is snappy, and has a mom-shaped hole in his heart. Ruth being a kind, understanding, bright woman intrigues him and he silently wishes she were his mom. I love the bond that Ruth and Midnight create, they have so much in common. And Midnight would later be a link to someone she will meet but does not know yet.

Through the events in this story, you see different realities people face. Hard times, abundance, tragedies, hope, success, rekindled friendships, these are all themes brought to the forefront. Even topics a lot of people are uncomfortable with, such as racism. It is prevalent in this book and primarily with Midnight's dad. We see that he isn't blatantly racist but we see his indirect racism through Midnight's perspective.

The book oscillates between Ruth's pov and Midnight's pov. These two perspectives are radically different. Ruth is an adult on a quest to tactfully find out answers, and Midnight is a child navigating a difficult home life and dodging life-threatening gang recruitment on the streets where he hangs out with his friends. Ruth and Midnight both know what it's like to be frequently exposed to danger and how it can be tough to find out who is really on your team, who your family is.

I would definitely recommend reading this book. It's relevant, eye-opening, and feels nourishing to read. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.51 2021 The Kindest Lie
author: Nancy Johnson
name: Maria
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/15
date added: 2022/12/15
shelves:
review:
A heartwarming and sobering way to look at sacrifices and our own aspirations.

Right away, this book catches your attention. An opening about new life in the world, thanks to our main character, Ruth. Shockingly, she is still very young herself, having a child at 17. Her being from a small town, and being a black woman, this could pose some issues in her personal life and would be viewed as a roadblock preventing her dreams from becoming real. So what does she do? She hands the child over to her grandma to be adopted by a loving family. A sacrifice that would haunt her for years to come, and is highlighted time and time again when her husband hints at starting a family.

She goes to Yale, being the smartie that she is. The sacrifice her grandmother and brother made for her by keeping the baby situation hush hush allowed her to flourish without any scandal. She was living in a totally different world now. Obama had just been elected (woo!!) and her husband and her threw a party to celebrate. Following the party, sometime later, her and her husband had a talk that led to her following her curiosities back to her hometown of Ganton.

While back in town trying to mold herself back into a place she used to call home, she stumbles across an 11 year old boy who shows interest in science like she did, is snappy, and has a mom-shaped hole in his heart. Ruth being a kind, understanding, bright woman intrigues him and he silently wishes she were his mom. I love the bond that Ruth and Midnight create, they have so much in common. And Midnight would later be a link to someone she will meet but does not know yet.

Through the events in this story, you see different realities people face. Hard times, abundance, tragedies, hope, success, rekindled friendships, these are all themes brought to the forefront. Even topics a lot of people are uncomfortable with, such as racism. It is prevalent in this book and primarily with Midnight's dad. We see that he isn't blatantly racist but we see his indirect racism through Midnight's perspective.

The book oscillates between Ruth's pov and Midnight's pov. These two perspectives are radically different. Ruth is an adult on a quest to tactfully find out answers, and Midnight is a child navigating a difficult home life and dodging life-threatening gang recruitment on the streets where he hangs out with his friends. Ruth and Midnight both know what it's like to be frequently exposed to danger and how it can be tough to find out who is really on your team, who your family is.

I would definitely recommend reading this book. It's relevant, eye-opening, and feels nourishing to read. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know]]> 43848929 Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast Revisionist History and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Outliers, offers a powerful examination of our interactions with strangers -- and why they often go wrong.

How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to each other that isn't true?

While tackling these questions, Malcolm Gladwell was not solely writing a book for the page. He was also producing for the ear. In the audiobook version of Talking to Strangers, you'll hear the voices of people he interviewed--scientists, criminologists, military psychologists. Court transcripts are brought to life with re-enactments. You actually hear the contentious arrest of Sandra Bland by the side of the road in Texas. As Gladwell revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the suicide of Sylvia Plath, you hear directly from many of the players in these real-life tragedies. There's even a theme song - Janelle Monae's "Hell You Talmbout."

Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don't know. And because we don't know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.]]> 388 Malcolm Gladwell 0316478520 Maria 5 I read this book via audiobook and was surprised to find that this book opened with historical examples of interactions gone awry between people with accounts starting in the 16th century. I'm not a history fan, or a nonfiction fan, but this book blew me away and enriched me with a ton of valuable insights. I often rewound and relistened to what the author said because it was such profound imagery and revelations and the series of events taking place was interesting.
I took notes during this book and I will share some of the contents with you. There was the tragic occurrence with Sandra Bland and an officer on duty pulling over for infractions such as speeding, license plate issues, things of that nature. He did this, we find out later in the book because of the training he received, and it led to disastrous consequences, alarmingly because he failed to realize this was a stranger that he knew nothing about.
Espionage finds itself in this book, yes, shockingly even the most brilliant minds (CIA) get deceived because we are, as humans, not equipped evolutionarily to know for certain when we are being told a lie. It wouldn't be beneficial for us to probe others without enough doubt, or live in a culture with pervasive suspicion and distrust of others. Trust comes at a cost, it gets broken sometimes but that is the price we have to pay.
Folk psychology, the example in the book was Friends, tells us someone looks a certain way to reveal their internal state, but this is not accurate either. We don't perfectly show our emotions so evidently on our faces. These topics being explored in depth is fascinating brain food and I will surely be thinking about this book for many years to come.
Sexual assault cases which we hear about way too often, like college students at a party getting drunk, consent being misunderstood, and men taking advantage. How we can prevent more victims, hear the impacts that were made on the lives of victims, and the problem with the lack of consensus on what equals consent is further explained by Gladwell. More awareness needs to be implemented, education systems need to serve their students better. The author also dives into the issue alcohol poses in Western culture and its effects, how it changes us, shifts our focus to the immediate environment, and an even shocking truth- being blackout drunk can prevent activity in the hippocampus, and your memory gets impaired.
Judges performing worse than computers when it comes to bail decisions even though humans are exposed to more factors? We find out the possible reason why, according to the author as well.
Its intriguing, direct, entertaining and talks about a variety of issues spanning the globe that prove we have some work to do when it comes to talking to strangers, assumptions leading us astray. I enjoyed that the author himself read his story to us, and included voices from others when possible, it felt genuine, credible, and informative. Overall, a good read. ]]> 4.00 2019 Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: Maria
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/29
date added: 2022/11/29
shelves:
review:
Eye-opening to the way we interact with other people.
I read this book via audiobook and was surprised to find that this book opened with historical examples of interactions gone awry between people with accounts starting in the 16th century. I'm not a history fan, or a nonfiction fan, but this book blew me away and enriched me with a ton of valuable insights. I often rewound and relistened to what the author said because it was such profound imagery and revelations and the series of events taking place was interesting.
I took notes during this book and I will share some of the contents with you. There was the tragic occurrence with Sandra Bland and an officer on duty pulling over for infractions such as speeding, license plate issues, things of that nature. He did this, we find out later in the book because of the training he received, and it led to disastrous consequences, alarmingly because he failed to realize this was a stranger that he knew nothing about.
Espionage finds itself in this book, yes, shockingly even the most brilliant minds (CIA) get deceived because we are, as humans, not equipped evolutionarily to know for certain when we are being told a lie. It wouldn't be beneficial for us to probe others without enough doubt, or live in a culture with pervasive suspicion and distrust of others. Trust comes at a cost, it gets broken sometimes but that is the price we have to pay.
Folk psychology, the example in the book was Friends, tells us someone looks a certain way to reveal their internal state, but this is not accurate either. We don't perfectly show our emotions so evidently on our faces. These topics being explored in depth is fascinating brain food and I will surely be thinking about this book for many years to come.
Sexual assault cases which we hear about way too often, like college students at a party getting drunk, consent being misunderstood, and men taking advantage. How we can prevent more victims, hear the impacts that were made on the lives of victims, and the problem with the lack of consensus on what equals consent is further explained by Gladwell. More awareness needs to be implemented, education systems need to serve their students better. The author also dives into the issue alcohol poses in Western culture and its effects, how it changes us, shifts our focus to the immediate environment, and an even shocking truth- being blackout drunk can prevent activity in the hippocampus, and your memory gets impaired.
Judges performing worse than computers when it comes to bail decisions even though humans are exposed to more factors? We find out the possible reason why, according to the author as well.
Its intriguing, direct, entertaining and talks about a variety of issues spanning the globe that prove we have some work to do when it comes to talking to strangers, assumptions leading us astray. I enjoyed that the author himself read his story to us, and included voices from others when possible, it felt genuine, credible, and informative. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Midnight Library 52578297
When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?]]> 288 Matt Haig 0525559477 Maria 5
I loved this book, the pacing is perfect, the characters enjoyable and Nora's entire journey unfolding before her is a ride of a lifetime. It's unlike any other book I've read before.
The lessons Nora, our protagonist learns, while in this Library so to speak, are lessons applicable to all of our lives. It's a revelation in many respects.
Potential, baby! Even when there appears to be no hope there is always a seed (maybe that's why her name is Nora Seed?) to be found and where there is hope there are many directions one's can branch out into. You just have to start with what you've got and a willingness to move forward.
I think the author diving into the subject of regrets and having the main character explore those regrets is a beautiful concept and would seem like an exposure therapy. It almost creates a new saying, grass isn't always greener in another life haha.
The author writes about the events in this story in such a clever, digestible way. I mean, quantum physics in a fiction book? If it's wrapped up in a way I can understand and visualize with ease, then yes please.
Read this book! It will possibly give you a new perspective on life which is a gift itself. I think I needed the reminders this book brought to light as well. Life is a miracle that we often take for granted and one we don't truly understand for its own sake, just what our limited perception tells us. Shifting our perception to be open to more ideas is delicious for the mind and this book is full of thought provoking ideas. Bravo. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.96 2020 The Midnight Library
author: Matt Haig
name: Maria
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/25
date added: 2022/11/25
shelves:
review:
Everyone has been raving about this book and the hype is well deserved.

I loved this book, the pacing is perfect, the characters enjoyable and Nora's entire journey unfolding before her is a ride of a lifetime. It's unlike any other book I've read before.
The lessons Nora, our protagonist learns, while in this Library so to speak, are lessons applicable to all of our lives. It's a revelation in many respects.
Potential, baby! Even when there appears to be no hope there is always a seed (maybe that's why her name is Nora Seed?) to be found and where there is hope there are many directions one's can branch out into. You just have to start with what you've got and a willingness to move forward.
I think the author diving into the subject of regrets and having the main character explore those regrets is a beautiful concept and would seem like an exposure therapy. It almost creates a new saying, grass isn't always greener in another life haha.
The author writes about the events in this story in such a clever, digestible way. I mean, quantum physics in a fiction book? If it's wrapped up in a way I can understand and visualize with ease, then yes please.
Read this book! It will possibly give you a new perspective on life which is a gift itself. I think I needed the reminders this book brought to light as well. Life is a miracle that we often take for granted and one we don't truly understand for its own sake, just what our limited perception tells us. Shifting our perception to be open to more ideas is delicious for the mind and this book is full of thought provoking ideas. Bravo. Overall, a good read.
]]> Walden Two (Hackett Classics) 55990 320 B.F. Skinner 0872207781 Maria 0 to-read 3.52 1948 Walden Two (Hackett Classics)
author: B.F. Skinner
name: Maria
average rating: 3.52
book published: 1948
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic (The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic, #1)]]> 16158565 The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic is sure to capture the imaginations of readers everywhere.

During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding, eager to forget about her disastrous breakup and stalled dissertation, Nora Fischer wanders off and somehow finds herself in another realm. There, she meets glamorous Ilissa—who introduces Nora to a decadent new world—and her gorgeous son Raclin. But when the elegant veneer of this dreamland shatters, Nora finds herself in a fairy tale gone incredibly wrong. And the only way she can survive is by learning real magic herself.]]> 563 Emily Croy Barker 0670023663 Maria 4 At first, I thought, sure I wouldn't mind an Alice in Wonderland take on a magical fantasy world. But it took me by surprise and went a different route and I found the story so layered and full of romance as well. Usually I'm not one to comment on the romance in books, because I find it's blatantly obvious the chemistry between the main character and their love interest, but here it is not center stage, rather hinted and it makes it even more appealing. You think it might be an odd pairing and you're absolutely right. But what works, works, I guess haha.
Speaking of the main character! As a woman who loves women empowerment, Nora gave us strong women a place in this book and showed the many men she encountered in the story that she is not inferior to them and she will not change her speech or behaviors to make them feel superior. I felt so drawn to her and was even more intrigued by her actions because of certain plot points.
I found this to be a realistic fantastical book and everything isn't spelled out for you, you figure it out as you go along and the adventure is thrilling. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.51 2013 The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic (The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic, #1)
author: Emily Croy Barker
name: Maria
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2022/11/11
date added: 2022/11/11
shelves:
review:
What a monumental novel, this beast is 563 pages long! I do love a thick book because it's chock-full of plot, interesting characters, and surprises along the way, and this did not disappoint.
At first, I thought, sure I wouldn't mind an Alice in Wonderland take on a magical fantasy world. But it took me by surprise and went a different route and I found the story so layered and full of romance as well. Usually I'm not one to comment on the romance in books, because I find it's blatantly obvious the chemistry between the main character and their love interest, but here it is not center stage, rather hinted and it makes it even more appealing. You think it might be an odd pairing and you're absolutely right. But what works, works, I guess haha.
Speaking of the main character! As a woman who loves women empowerment, Nora gave us strong women a place in this book and showed the many men she encountered in the story that she is not inferior to them and she will not change her speech or behaviors to make them feel superior. I felt so drawn to her and was even more intrigued by her actions because of certain plot points.
I found this to be a realistic fantastical book and everything isn't spelled out for you, you figure it out as you go along and the adventure is thrilling. Overall, a good read.
]]> Just Get Home 53288449 When a devastating earthquake - the Big One - hits Los Angeles, two strangers are brought together by an act of violence and must help each other survive the wrecked city.

Beegie is riding the bus when the quake hits. The teenager was heading back to her unhappy foster home, but then she’s thrown into a broken world. Roads crumble, storefronts shatter and people run wild.

Dessa, a single mom, is enjoying a rare night out when it strikes. Cell towers are down, so without even knowing if her 3-three-year-old daughter is dead or alive, she races to get back across town.

As danger escalates in the chaotic streets, Beegie and Dessa meet by a twist of fate. The two form a fragile partnership, relying on each other in ways they never thought possible, and learn who they really are when there’s only one goal: Just get home.]]> 352 Bridget Foley 0778331598 Maria 4 An earthquake strikes a popular city and we follow the stories of Beegie and Dessa as they navigate the aftermath.
It wasn't a convenient time for anyone as natural disasters happen sometimes without warning. What happens next is finding out your limits on what you'll do to survive. I think it's interesting the complexities of human nature explored in this novel. The duality of the main characters from contrasting backgrounds is also a nuanced discussion they have in the book which I found to be realistic and noteworthy.
The obstacles the girls face are terrifying and often not daily occurrences, like the zoo scenes for example. We witness tragedy, trauma, togetherness, confusion, disgust, and formulate questions while accompanying Beegie and Dessa on their journey home, where they discover is not in the literal sense.
I feel like I related to Beegie in the respect where I want to find belonging but for her it's been a lifelong struggle moving from foster home to foster home after once living with her mom and then losing her. With Dessa, you constantly see references to her childhood and soured relationship with her mother. I love how the author includes these backstories because they give the characters more depth than simply attributing them as victims.
Another inclusion by the author I found beautiful was that before any major event in the story, the author will go back in time to a similary faced incident to show how the character reacted and then snaps back to current reality. It adds more to the scene then simply describing what is going on at the moment. A person can change, and these characters do fundamentally change as a result of this disaster. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.60 2021 Just Get Home
author: Bridget Foley
name: Maria
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/10/01
date added: 2022/10/01
shelves:
review:
Marvelous storytelling.
An earthquake strikes a popular city and we follow the stories of Beegie and Dessa as they navigate the aftermath.
It wasn't a convenient time for anyone as natural disasters happen sometimes without warning. What happens next is finding out your limits on what you'll do to survive. I think it's interesting the complexities of human nature explored in this novel. The duality of the main characters from contrasting backgrounds is also a nuanced discussion they have in the book which I found to be realistic and noteworthy.
The obstacles the girls face are terrifying and often not daily occurrences, like the zoo scenes for example. We witness tragedy, trauma, togetherness, confusion, disgust, and formulate questions while accompanying Beegie and Dessa on their journey home, where they discover is not in the literal sense.
I feel like I related to Beegie in the respect where I want to find belonging but for her it's been a lifelong struggle moving from foster home to foster home after once living with her mom and then losing her. With Dessa, you constantly see references to her childhood and soured relationship with her mother. I love how the author includes these backstories because they give the characters more depth than simply attributing them as victims.
Another inclusion by the author I found beautiful was that before any major event in the story, the author will go back in time to a similary faced incident to show how the character reacted and then snaps back to current reality. It adds more to the scene then simply describing what is going on at the moment. A person can change, and these characters do fundamentally change as a result of this disaster. Overall, a good read.
]]> Parasite (Parasitology, #1) 13641105 A decade in the future, humanity thrives in the absence of sickness and disease.

We owe our good health to a humble parasite -- a genetically engineered tapeworm developed by the pioneering SymboGen Corporation. When implanted, the Intestinal Bodyguard worm protects us from illness, boosts our immune system -- even secretes designer drugs.

It's been successful beyond the scientists' wildest dreams. Now, years on, almost every human being has a SymboGen tapeworm living within them.

But these parasites are getting restless.
They want their own lives
. . . and will do anything to get them.

Related books (by series)
Parasitology
Parasite
Symbiont
Chimera

Newsflesh
Feed
Deadline
Blackout

Newsflesh Short Fiction (e-only novellas)
Apocalypse Scenario #683: The BoxCountdown
San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea
The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell
Please Do Not Taunt the Octopus ]]> 504 Mira Grant 0316218952 Maria 4 I went to my local public library for the first time since moving to the city I'm in and found this gem!
A tragedy leaves behind a family re-meeting their daughter who had technically died in an accident. How does this work exactly, and what is going on with this new worm everyone wants to aid their health necessities? This book explores the what ifs, surrounding a large corporation, advertising spins, and hidden operations. A revolutionary take on medical procedures the likes of which their world has never seen with exciting characters and juicy twists and turns.
A thrilling read, makes you want to discuss it with your friends and those you're close to. It can't help but spark conversation of a morbid nature, it's so tragically twisted. It adds to the alluring reputation of fiction.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Who can be trusted? Can you trust a recommended implant to do the work for you to undo what is talked about in the book from time to time called the hygiene hypothesis? Read this book! It's the first book in a series so I'll definitely grab the next one asap. Overall, a good read. ]]> 3.65 2013 Parasite (Parasitology, #1)
author: Mira Grant
name: Maria
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2022/09/04
date added: 2022/09/04
shelves:
review:
Buckle up, this is one crazy biological ride of a novel.
I went to my local public library for the first time since moving to the city I'm in and found this gem!
A tragedy leaves behind a family re-meeting their daughter who had technically died in an accident. How does this work exactly, and what is going on with this new worm everyone wants to aid their health necessities? This book explores the what ifs, surrounding a large corporation, advertising spins, and hidden operations. A revolutionary take on medical procedures the likes of which their world has never seen with exciting characters and juicy twists and turns.
A thrilling read, makes you want to discuss it with your friends and those you're close to. It can't help but spark conversation of a morbid nature, it's so tragically twisted. It adds to the alluring reputation of fiction.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Who can be trusted? Can you trust a recommended implant to do the work for you to undo what is talked about in the book from time to time called the hygiene hypothesis? Read this book! It's the first book in a series so I'll definitely grab the next one asap. Overall, a good read.
]]> What Once Was Mine 56623541 What if Rapunzel's mother drank a potion from the wrong flower?

Desperate to save the life of their queen and her unborn child, the good people of Corona search for the all-healing Sundrop flower to cure her—but mistakenly acquire the shimmering Moondrop flower instead. Nonetheless it heals the queen, and she delivers a healthy baby girl with hair as silver and gray as the moon. With it comes dangerous magical powers: the power to hurt, not heal. For her safety and the safety of the kingdom, Rapunzel is locked in a tower and put under the care of powerful goodwife, Mother Gothel.

For eighteen years Rapunzel stays locked away, knowing she must protect others from her magical hair. But when she leaves the only home she's ever known, wanting only to see the floating lights that appear on her birthday, she gets caught up in an adventure across the kingdom with two thieves—a young woman named Gina, and Flynn Rider, a rogue on the run. Before she can reach her happy ending, Rapunzel learns that there may be more to her story, and her magical tresses, than she ever knew.]]> 496 Liz Braswell 1368063829 Maria 4 My best friend got me this book because Tangled is my favorite disney movie so I was eager to read this "what if...?" book that changes the story around. I thought it was going to be much darker than it was, but it was only mildly, as would be expected of a disney series. However, it has some disturbing characters we didn't get to meet in the original, if you've read this one you know who I'm talking about.
Gothel seems even more dislikable in this book I have to say. What she does and the power she holds over others is so menacing and interesting to watch as it happens more so in the background while Rapunzel is traversing with new friends. More action packed, slightly less focused on love and more seeing what life holds for you outside tower walls.
Another added feature is the author's inclusion of the story being told by a brother and his sister who is battling an intense illness. Seeing the parallels towards the end of the book adds even more of a certain emotional depth because the author also had this experience with her younger sister.
I loved this book and will get my hands on more of these twisted novels in the series. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.92 2021 What Once Was Mine
author: Liz Braswell
name: Maria
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/24
date added: 2022/07/24
shelves:
review:
A twist on the story we know and love.
My best friend got me this book because Tangled is my favorite disney movie so I was eager to read this "what if...?" book that changes the story around. I thought it was going to be much darker than it was, but it was only mildly, as would be expected of a disney series. However, it has some disturbing characters we didn't get to meet in the original, if you've read this one you know who I'm talking about.
Gothel seems even more dislikable in this book I have to say. What she does and the power she holds over others is so menacing and interesting to watch as it happens more so in the background while Rapunzel is traversing with new friends. More action packed, slightly less focused on love and more seeing what life holds for you outside tower walls.
Another added feature is the author's inclusion of the story being told by a brother and his sister who is battling an intense illness. Seeing the parallels towards the end of the book adds even more of a certain emotional depth because the author also had this experience with her younger sister.
I loved this book and will get my hands on more of these twisted novels in the series. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma]]> 18693771 A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing.

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.]]> 464 Bessel van der Kolk 0670785938 Maria 5 This book opened my eyes to various traumatic experiences and the lingering effects they have on a person well into their adulthood. Coping with drugs, unsafe practices, or harming oneself can be ways these experiences have manifested themselves. Adverse childhood experiences lend their hand in creating more chaos in the mind and perception of the world around them. The author clearly has expertise in the area of treating trauma and it shows through these pages. He covers what we know now about how we go about trauma and temporary fixes we employ but are not the route we should continue.
EMDR and neurofeedback seemed especially fascinating solutions to me, they seem wondrous in the way they work and yet still find medication to be their competition in this country.
What I learned was early abuse can actually wire your brain networks to react differently to stimuli and therefore produce more inappropriate effects that make it more difficult to be part of a group and function well. Is it a lost cause if the person is an adult and is withdrawn and hopeless due to early abuse? Absolutely not. In the book, he explains various effective methods at alternative realities that settle in and help the person feel more at ease with their life. For example, the integration of mental structures to a physical room by using furniture to represent parents, caretakers, friends, or whoever else, can bring to light a scenario where an acting scene almost takes place. They can visualize their mental structures in front of them and patterns can emerge, questions can be dealt with and answered. Furthermore, I learned how important being part of a group truly is. Being on a team, singing with people, putting together a show, it involves understanding yourself as a physical person, and other people who are safe to be around and care for you.
A therapist's role in treating trauma is integral. Being by this individual while they battle these scenes in their minds, moments they are stuck in a loop on, guiding them to comprehension of their body and their purpose, it is all covered here. I love this book, and I recently graduated with my bachelor's in psychology so this added to my knowledge of where the field is expanding. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.36 2014 The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
author: Bessel van der Kolk
name: Maria
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/15
date added: 2022/06/15
shelves:
review:
Topics beautifully explored and written.
This book opened my eyes to various traumatic experiences and the lingering effects they have on a person well into their adulthood. Coping with drugs, unsafe practices, or harming oneself can be ways these experiences have manifested themselves. Adverse childhood experiences lend their hand in creating more chaos in the mind and perception of the world around them. The author clearly has expertise in the area of treating trauma and it shows through these pages. He covers what we know now about how we go about trauma and temporary fixes we employ but are not the route we should continue.
EMDR and neurofeedback seemed especially fascinating solutions to me, they seem wondrous in the way they work and yet still find medication to be their competition in this country.
What I learned was early abuse can actually wire your brain networks to react differently to stimuli and therefore produce more inappropriate effects that make it more difficult to be part of a group and function well. Is it a lost cause if the person is an adult and is withdrawn and hopeless due to early abuse? Absolutely not. In the book, he explains various effective methods at alternative realities that settle in and help the person feel more at ease with their life. For example, the integration of mental structures to a physical room by using furniture to represent parents, caretakers, friends, or whoever else, can bring to light a scenario where an acting scene almost takes place. They can visualize their mental structures in front of them and patterns can emerge, questions can be dealt with and answered. Furthermore, I learned how important being part of a group truly is. Being on a team, singing with people, putting together a show, it involves understanding yourself as a physical person, and other people who are safe to be around and care for you.
A therapist's role in treating trauma is integral. Being by this individual while they battle these scenes in their minds, moments they are stuck in a loop on, guiding them to comprehension of their body and their purpose, it is all covered here. I love this book, and I recently graduated with my bachelor's in psychology so this added to my knowledge of where the field is expanding. Overall, a good read.
]]> Night Film 18770398
For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Though much has been written about Cordova's dark and unsettling films, very little is known about the man himself.

Driven by revenge, curiosity, and a need for the truth, McGrath, with the aid of two strangers, is drawn deeper and deeper into Cordova's eerie, hypnotic world. The last time he got close to exposing the director, McGrath lost his marriage and his career. This time he might lose even more.]]> 640 Marisha Pessl 0812979788 Maria 4 But! I finally finished it!
Allow me to introduce you to Cordova and the series of events that stem from this man throughout the entire novel.
We have our protagonist Scott who is witty, hung up on a few issues, rational guy. He is charmed by this director's shroud of mystery after a shocking event unfolds at the beginning of the book.
He proves his dedication to following the string to it's owner and meets and greets various circumstances and characters along the way. A little detective group forms as well as friendships.
Secrets are hidden and exposed left, right, and upside down. We see logic turned on its head, imploring us to believe the impossible, the unexplainable.
I really enjoyed this book, especially with its immersive images sprinkled in like we were also in the city and happened to pick up a newspaper to see these current events. A great recommendation for horror fans and lovers of thrill. Be sure to check this one out. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.78 2013 Night Film
author: Marisha Pessl
name: Maria
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/09
date added: 2022/03/09
shelves:
review:
First and foremost, this book takes some commitment, it took me several months to finish it due to college and life.
But! I finally finished it!
Allow me to introduce you to Cordova and the series of events that stem from this man throughout the entire novel.
We have our protagonist Scott who is witty, hung up on a few issues, rational guy. He is charmed by this director's shroud of mystery after a shocking event unfolds at the beginning of the book.
He proves his dedication to following the string to it's owner and meets and greets various circumstances and characters along the way. A little detective group forms as well as friendships.
Secrets are hidden and exposed left, right, and upside down. We see logic turned on its head, imploring us to believe the impossible, the unexplainable.
I really enjoyed this book, especially with its immersive images sprinkled in like we were also in the city and happened to pick up a newspaper to see these current events. A great recommendation for horror fans and lovers of thrill. Be sure to check this one out. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Mother Knows Best (Villains #5)]]> 36244423
And yet this is only half the story. So what of the old witch, Mother Gothel? Where does she come from? And how does she come across the magical golden flower? Here is one account that recounts a version of the story that has remained untold for centuries . . . until now. It is a tale of mothers and daughters, of youth and dark magic. It is a tale of the old witch.]]> 400 Serena Valentino 1368009026 Maria 4 We learn about the course of events that transpired in the life of Gothel from rather joyful beginnings to loneliness. Tangled is my favorite disney movie and I often wondered what Gothel's backstory was, it's cleverly written and dark as expected. It also ties in a few scenes from the movie which was a nice addition, adding a familiar story among strange circumstances. It gives you behind the scenes that you wouldn't know otherwise from the movie. If you're also a curious person, give this book a read! You won't be disappointed. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.98 2018 Mother Knows Best (Villains #5)
author: Serena Valentino
name: Maria
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/22
date added: 2021/12/22
shelves:
review:
As you can see from the cover itself, it depicts a twisted witch that looks rather young on the outside but underneath she is a weathered old woman with cruel, selfish intentions.
We learn about the course of events that transpired in the life of Gothel from rather joyful beginnings to loneliness. Tangled is my favorite disney movie and I often wondered what Gothel's backstory was, it's cleverly written and dark as expected. It also ties in a few scenes from the movie which was a nice addition, adding a familiar story among strange circumstances. It gives you behind the scenes that you wouldn't know otherwise from the movie. If you're also a curious person, give this book a read! You won't be disappointed. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Introduction to Criminology: Why Do They Do It?]]> 53591347 552 Pamela J Schram 154437576X Maria 3 3.50 Introduction to Criminology: Why Do They Do It?
author: Pamela J Schram
name: Maria
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/22
date added: 2021/12/22
shelves:
review:
I had to read this book for an intro to criminology college course, it was alright. As far as textbooks go, this one had its interesting case study sections but when it came to definitions and explanations it would get repetitive. We don't need two different terms to study that are generally the same thing, it got annoying. It was a good introduction though, besides it being confusing. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett]]> 31775995 Hawthorn wasn't trying to insert herself into a missing person's investigation. Or maybe she was. But that's only because Lizzie Lovett's disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don't happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she'll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.

So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie's disappearance. A theory way too absurd to take seriously...at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie's life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie's boyfriend. After all, it's not as if he killed her-or did he?

Told with a unique voice that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, Hawthorn's quest for proof may uncover the greatest truth is within herself.

]]> 418 Chelsea Sedoti 1492636096 Maria 3 3.33 2017 The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
author: Chelsea Sedoti
name: Maria
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2019/08/16
date added: 2021/12/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life]]> 39281471 321 Henry Cloud Maria 5 I happened upon a recommendation of this book on Pinterest and was so glad I decided to read it. It is practical advice to learning what in life is under your area of control and things that aren't. A lot of times we don't get the chance to develop healthy boundaries due to many of life's courses but through following advice in this book detailed in every situation, it is possible.
"Setting boundaries is mature, proactive, initiative taking. It's being in control of our lives." While reading this and also reflected on this book after having read it, I realized boundaries are to be treasured. They show you where you begin and to where your limits are. When other people place poorly timed responsibilities on your shoulders, you become preoccupied with that then it starts bleeding over into your responsibilities and mixing into an out of control mess. One needs to examine critically the decisions they make when in relation to others no matter the relationship. Boundaries exist in all forms and are healthy to have in place. Too many times we allow more than we can take on and it can stress us out and spiral out of control fast. It's because those tasks were delegated to someone else, not our problem. Boundaries make things so much clearer. I think I have firm boundaries in place and it allows me to love others freely and treasure myself as a person too throughout my own development. Overall, a good read. :)]]> 4.22 1992 Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
author: Henry Cloud
name: Maria
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1992
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/09
date added: 2021/11/04
shelves:
review:
Absolutely brilliant.
I happened upon a recommendation of this book on Pinterest and was so glad I decided to read it. It is practical advice to learning what in life is under your area of control and things that aren't. A lot of times we don't get the chance to develop healthy boundaries due to many of life's courses but through following advice in this book detailed in every situation, it is possible.
"Setting boundaries is mature, proactive, initiative taking. It's being in control of our lives." While reading this and also reflected on this book after having read it, I realized boundaries are to be treasured. They show you where you begin and to where your limits are. When other people place poorly timed responsibilities on your shoulders, you become preoccupied with that then it starts bleeding over into your responsibilities and mixing into an out of control mess. One needs to examine critically the decisions they make when in relation to others no matter the relationship. Boundaries exist in all forms and are healthy to have in place. Too many times we allow more than we can take on and it can stress us out and spiral out of control fast. It's because those tasks were delegated to someone else, not our problem. Boundaries make things so much clearer. I think I have firm boundaries in place and it allows me to love others freely and treasure myself as a person too throughout my own development. Overall, a good read. :)
]]> <![CDATA[You Are a Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life]]> 18961495 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � MORE THAN 4 MILLION COPIES SOLD The first ever self-development book to help millions of people around the globe transform their lives using humor, irreverence, and the occasional curse word—now updated and expanded for its 10th anniversary with a brand-new foreword, reader's guide, and more! In this refreshingly entertaining guide to reshaping your mindset and your life, mega-bestselling author and world-traveling success coach Jen Sincero serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilarious and inspiring stories, sage advice, loving yet firm kicks in the rear, and easy-to-implement exercises to help



Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want. Shift your energy and attract what you desire. Create a life you totally love. And start creating it NOW. Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.

By the end of You Are a Badass, you’ll understand how to blast past what’s holding you back, make some serious changes, and start living the kind of life that once seemed impossible.]]> 258 Jen Sincero 0762448318 Maria 3
I had rather high expectations for this book but was rather disappointed and often felt lulled during the reading. The author mentions obtaining a "high frequency" a lot and manifesting practices but I felt lost. What is a high frequency, what does that mean? Everything is operating at a certain frequency which includes us, but what am I to do with that information?
I am a believer that things happen for a reason and we can manifest things but manifesting every single thing? Just seemed a bit far fetched of an idea. Think of all the details, feel it, see it, the like. I guess it didn't seem as practical of uses to me. Don't like the circumstance you're in? Manifest a new one, it's all in your reality and entirely up to you and your actions if you feel like a loser. A lot of that same message throughout the book. I felt as though I was not the intended audience for this book as one of her solutions to time management is to hire people to do the stuff you hate doing, haha.
There are a few nuggets of wisdom here and there in the book and I follow most of her reasoning. I'm happy that she found success the way she did but I am not sure all of us can follow the same path. Go after better things, make your mind a relaxing place to be are central ideas I found helpful. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.10 2013 You Are a Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
author: Jen Sincero
name: Maria
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/23
date added: 2021/08/23
shelves:
review:
Chasing the High Frequency

I had rather high expectations for this book but was rather disappointed and often felt lulled during the reading. The author mentions obtaining a "high frequency" a lot and manifesting practices but I felt lost. What is a high frequency, what does that mean? Everything is operating at a certain frequency which includes us, but what am I to do with that information?
I am a believer that things happen for a reason and we can manifest things but manifesting every single thing? Just seemed a bit far fetched of an idea. Think of all the details, feel it, see it, the like. I guess it didn't seem as practical of uses to me. Don't like the circumstance you're in? Manifest a new one, it's all in your reality and entirely up to you and your actions if you feel like a loser. A lot of that same message throughout the book. I felt as though I was not the intended audience for this book as one of her solutions to time management is to hire people to do the stuff you hate doing, haha.
There are a few nuggets of wisdom here and there in the book and I follow most of her reasoning. I'm happy that she found success the way she did but I am not sure all of us can follow the same path. Go after better things, make your mind a relaxing place to be are central ideas I found helpful. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush]]> 909794 240 Ann Gerhart 074327699X Maria 4 A few thoughts though... the lady seems pleasantly proper and eager to please those around her. It's clear to see by the author's storytelling that Laura is admirable and yet holds onto her opinions and private life like treasures. In an age where most in the public eye feel the need to share most of their thoughts and daily lives on screens, it felt like drinking a crisp glass of water on a 109 degree day reading about someone in the opposite direction. We should all infuse a bit of her essence into ourselves for mental health's sake.
Toward the beginning of the book I found a tidbit that I wanted to expand upon. The author goes to say, "People who look uncomplicated may instead be preternaturally disciplined, or disinclined to reveal their complications in public." The truth this holds is rather interesting because why do we feel the need to hide the complications we face? Or is it something not under our conscious control? I find I often present a more calm demeanor when in reality I get stressed easily by the smallest inconveniences a lot. I feel like I do it under the pretense of "I got it, Don't worry about me when there are thousands of other things to worry about!!" Holding back one's emotions and everything that makes us us seems tiring on it's own, I couldn't imagine how she did that when in the spotlighted position she was in. Then again, it seemed to be her disposition. I don't think it was an act or that difficult of a thing to do for her, she didn't say otherwise. The woman fiercely loved books and showed that time and time again so in a way she was sharing that large part of herself with the public.
In the book, the author discusses the small town of Midland that Laura is from and how in that time segregation still remained, straining and limiting contacts between the races. The racism was blatant and interactions between black people and white people were few and far between. Laura however never held racist beliefs and instead devoted ample time teaching kids of races other than her own and intensely loved and enjoyed doing so. A central theme can be found in the book, she gravitated towards kids and showed them education has the power to take a person to places beyond limits. It's beautiful to read her accounts of teaching children, you can tell she prioritized them. After all, she had shown an inclination toward becoming a teacher even from second grade. She had a passion for it from the start.
Furthermore, touching on the role she played as First Lady, she was determined to stay the same Laura as before her transition to the White House. She was in the most public arena and yet remained her reserved genuine self, not allowing the spotlight or political figures surrounding her to change her essence. She didn't even outwardly express any contradictory beliefs that weren't necessarily in line with her husband's policies and motives. If she disagreed on a topic with the president, you were not going to know about it, which is sassy when you think about it and admittedly selective. She kept the public from intruding on her marriage and her core beliefs, it wasn't for prying eyes or opportunists. She wasn't the president, why do you need to know where she stands on all key issues? "And that's just how she is. She is only revealed over time, and with some thought on your part." She's not an open book but what she enjoys most is open books! It's beautifully ironic. (I feel like I'm writing an essay at this point, I regrettably took notes and needed to share em.) When feeling constricted in the role of first lady or the life that came with that title, she created little spaces of freedom. Places where she could reflect and simply be. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity through her actions and these spaces allow her to flourish. Laura seems to be a fascinating, strikingly attentive, quietly confident woman who does not flail through tough times, or if she does she doesn't show it. She guards her emotions and a lot of herself from those not included in her inner circles so its a privilege to get to know her personally, which must be a profound experience. She seems steadying, meditative, grounding and a pleasure to be around.
Concluding this lengthy review is my final thought that through and through, Laura believed education and learning experiences could provide solutions to problems nationally, globally and personally. This is a wisdom that deserves to be shared and that's why I felt moved to expand upon this idea. Education, we see it now, is undervalued and our teachers don't get paid enough. (Which, is it because it's a dominantly female career choice or something else... besides the point...) We need to give more attention to the education field and uplift students for excelling in academics and giving them time and spaces to feel inspired to learn, that's where it all begins. We all have creative, curious minds tuned to thinking up new ideas, let's put them to use.]]> 3.41 2004 The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush
author: Ann Gerhart
name: Maria
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/10
date added: 2021/08/10
shelves:
review:
From seeing the title of this book my grandmother had, I sure hoped it was satirical. Come to find out, it sure was one that did not allude to a traditional 1950s wife- checkpoint passed!
A few thoughts though... the lady seems pleasantly proper and eager to please those around her. It's clear to see by the author's storytelling that Laura is admirable and yet holds onto her opinions and private life like treasures. In an age where most in the public eye feel the need to share most of their thoughts and daily lives on screens, it felt like drinking a crisp glass of water on a 109 degree day reading about someone in the opposite direction. We should all infuse a bit of her essence into ourselves for mental health's sake.
Toward the beginning of the book I found a tidbit that I wanted to expand upon. The author goes to say, "People who look uncomplicated may instead be preternaturally disciplined, or disinclined to reveal their complications in public." The truth this holds is rather interesting because why do we feel the need to hide the complications we face? Or is it something not under our conscious control? I find I often present a more calm demeanor when in reality I get stressed easily by the smallest inconveniences a lot. I feel like I do it under the pretense of "I got it, Don't worry about me when there are thousands of other things to worry about!!" Holding back one's emotions and everything that makes us us seems tiring on it's own, I couldn't imagine how she did that when in the spotlighted position she was in. Then again, it seemed to be her disposition. I don't think it was an act or that difficult of a thing to do for her, she didn't say otherwise. The woman fiercely loved books and showed that time and time again so in a way she was sharing that large part of herself with the public.
In the book, the author discusses the small town of Midland that Laura is from and how in that time segregation still remained, straining and limiting contacts between the races. The racism was blatant and interactions between black people and white people were few and far between. Laura however never held racist beliefs and instead devoted ample time teaching kids of races other than her own and intensely loved and enjoyed doing so. A central theme can be found in the book, she gravitated towards kids and showed them education has the power to take a person to places beyond limits. It's beautiful to read her accounts of teaching children, you can tell she prioritized them. After all, she had shown an inclination toward becoming a teacher even from second grade. She had a passion for it from the start.
Furthermore, touching on the role she played as First Lady, she was determined to stay the same Laura as before her transition to the White House. She was in the most public arena and yet remained her reserved genuine self, not allowing the spotlight or political figures surrounding her to change her essence. She didn't even outwardly express any contradictory beliefs that weren't necessarily in line with her husband's policies and motives. If she disagreed on a topic with the president, you were not going to know about it, which is sassy when you think about it and admittedly selective. She kept the public from intruding on her marriage and her core beliefs, it wasn't for prying eyes or opportunists. She wasn't the president, why do you need to know where she stands on all key issues? "And that's just how she is. She is only revealed over time, and with some thought on your part." She's not an open book but what she enjoys most is open books! It's beautifully ironic. (I feel like I'm writing an essay at this point, I regrettably took notes and needed to share em.) When feeling constricted in the role of first lady or the life that came with that title, she created little spaces of freedom. Places where she could reflect and simply be. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity through her actions and these spaces allow her to flourish. Laura seems to be a fascinating, strikingly attentive, quietly confident woman who does not flail through tough times, or if she does she doesn't show it. She guards her emotions and a lot of herself from those not included in her inner circles so its a privilege to get to know her personally, which must be a profound experience. She seems steadying, meditative, grounding and a pleasure to be around.
Concluding this lengthy review is my final thought that through and through, Laura believed education and learning experiences could provide solutions to problems nationally, globally and personally. This is a wisdom that deserves to be shared and that's why I felt moved to expand upon this idea. Education, we see it now, is undervalued and our teachers don't get paid enough. (Which, is it because it's a dominantly female career choice or something else... besides the point...) We need to give more attention to the education field and uplift students for excelling in academics and giving them time and spaces to feel inspired to learn, that's where it all begins. We all have creative, curious minds tuned to thinking up new ideas, let's put them to use.
]]> The Birthday Girl 38216157 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex & Eliza comes a return to adult fiction, centered around a mysterious woman's birthday celebration—and what it reveals about her past.

Ellie de Florent-Stinson is celebrating her fortieth birthday with a grand celebration in her fabulous house in Palm Springs.

At forty, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; two adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career as a well-known fashion designer of casual women's wear; and a glamorous circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. This isn’t the first of her birthday parties that hasn't gone as planned. Something happened on the night of her sweet sixteenth. Something she’s tried hard to forget.

But hiding the skeletons of her past comes at a cost, and all of Ellie’s secrets come to light on the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new, friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of her life crumbles in one eventful night.

Beautifully paced and full of surprises, The Birthday Girl is an enthralling tale of a life lived in shadow, and its unavoidable consequences.]]> 352 Melissa de la Cruz 1524743771 Maria 3 Most interesting I find is the backstory where she discusses adventures with her best friend and boyfriend as a power trio of sorts. Jealousy, drugs, parties it's all here. It's written so tastefully and you feel like if you put the book down you're missing the action!
The Birthday Girl has a mysterious quality to it in that believing you truly know what is going on, you really don't. The author throws a few curveballs to where you might have to flip through previous pages to put the puzzle pieces in a comprehensible fashion, I love when an author does this and does it right. Amazing! I put it at three stars though because it felt a bit drawn out to get to the dark part of it, but that's just me. I'm a horror/thriller enthusiast so I just blame that on my expectation from the cover and skimming over the synopsis on the back of the front cover. Did not disappoint! It was a fun read, with lively characters and gripping. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.16 2019 The Birthday Girl
author: Melissa de la Cruz
name: Maria
average rating: 3.16
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/03
date added: 2021/08/03
shelves:
review:
Aaaahhh the horror of turning forty! (I was shocked to see that on the first page of the story it was set on my birthday too! How cool is that?!) Our protagonist enjoys her birthday party while also giving us ample backstory of being a teen before her seven-figure status. Sounds casual and light, but it is far from it.
Most interesting I find is the backstory where she discusses adventures with her best friend and boyfriend as a power trio of sorts. Jealousy, drugs, parties it's all here. It's written so tastefully and you feel like if you put the book down you're missing the action!
The Birthday Girl has a mysterious quality to it in that believing you truly know what is going on, you really don't. The author throws a few curveballs to where you might have to flip through previous pages to put the puzzle pieces in a comprehensible fashion, I love when an author does this and does it right. Amazing! I put it at three stars though because it felt a bit drawn out to get to the dark part of it, but that's just me. I'm a horror/thriller enthusiast so I just blame that on my expectation from the cover and skimming over the synopsis on the back of the front cover. Did not disappoint! It was a fun read, with lively characters and gripping. Overall, a good read.
]]> Star-Crossed 42379025
As Nick continues tonotfall headlong in love with her,Justine decides to take Nick’s horoscope, and Fate itself, into her own hands.But, of course, Nick is not the only Aquarius making important life choices according to what is written in the stars.

Charting the ripple effects of Justine’s astrological meddling, STAR-CROSSED is a delicious, intelligent, andaffecting love story about friendship, chance, and how we all navigate the kinds of choices that are hard to face alone.]]> 368 Minnie Darke 1984822845 Maria 4 Moving on, the author's writing style matches the otherwordly topic she writes about. She transports us really to a place where words captive your attention and give monumental detail that you can follow but still be awestruck by. You can see this from the first page, honestly. It sets the tone for the entire novel and gives the story a lovely hue.
However, I do admit it was, at times, tough to remember who the heck a character was because we are introduced to so many. But without the inclusion of all those characters I think an element of the big scale picture would be missing. The stars' effects, watching events unfold in succession through multiple perspectives is really a cool thing. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.45 2019 Star-Crossed
author: Minnie Darke
name: Maria
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/29
date added: 2021/07/29
shelves:
review:
"There are choices within choices within chances. It's all so complicated and tangled." This bit pretty much encapsulates the idea here. There's a tangible matrix connecting the characters and the events in their lives seem to coincide on more than a few occasions. That innocent little coincidence, could it possibly be hinting at more? Could astrology be built on any reasonable foundation? We look to the skies in this book for answers in a story unlike one I've read before. Our protagonist takes fate into her own hands. Or does she? Inevitably, it starts to spiral out of her control. I love how it raises some questions about fate working in such an intricate path that might even take weird happenstances to get there. Was it all part of the plan?
Moving on, the author's writing style matches the otherwordly topic she writes about. She transports us really to a place where words captive your attention and give monumental detail that you can follow but still be awestruck by. You can see this from the first page, honestly. It sets the tone for the entire novel and gives the story a lovely hue.
However, I do admit it was, at times, tough to remember who the heck a character was because we are introduced to so many. But without the inclusion of all those characters I think an element of the big scale picture would be missing. The stars' effects, watching events unfold in succession through multiple perspectives is really a cool thing. Overall, a good read.
]]> Bossypants 9418327
She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon—from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.]]> 283 Tina Fey Maria 3 I rated this one a 3 starrer because at times it was a slow read but Tina Fey is amazing and surely knows how to tell a story. I enjoyed her recounts of time spent improving and personalities at SNL and what the environment was like.
She gives the reader some advice here and there but it comes off as randomly placed for me. However, it was funny to see the progression of steps she talks about when attending a photoshoot as if we are going to one next week and need urgent guidance.
We do love women in leadership roles, as Tina is and was. She tells it how it is, the hardships one faces on their journey to the top. It's wonderful to hear about her life story and inclusions of SNL skits. I actually looked up her Sarah Palin impressions after reading the section where she talks about it. When someone writes about being unsure about a certain role or when they're about to perform and you watch that performance, it feels as if you are somehow more connected to that person. You see more vulnerability and relatability there because of the insight into her feelings about the role and how she prepared for it.
This is the second book I've read written by a well-known person in comedy. I will say that the jokes come across differently in written format, especially for the common readers. It's interesting to see the different dynamics at play.
I wished it had been written more recently because of the rise of the internet and media in general. It would have provided engaging discourse especially from Tina and her hilarious commentary. I would've loved to see that! Let's tell her to write another book, and we can see what she's learned from the biz during the past 10 years. Overall, a good read!]]> 3.97 2011 Bossypants
author: Tina Fey
name: Maria
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/05
date added: 2021/07/05
shelves:
review:
First of all, that cover!
I rated this one a 3 starrer because at times it was a slow read but Tina Fey is amazing and surely knows how to tell a story. I enjoyed her recounts of time spent improving and personalities at SNL and what the environment was like.
She gives the reader some advice here and there but it comes off as randomly placed for me. However, it was funny to see the progression of steps she talks about when attending a photoshoot as if we are going to one next week and need urgent guidance.
We do love women in leadership roles, as Tina is and was. She tells it how it is, the hardships one faces on their journey to the top. It's wonderful to hear about her life story and inclusions of SNL skits. I actually looked up her Sarah Palin impressions after reading the section where she talks about it. When someone writes about being unsure about a certain role or when they're about to perform and you watch that performance, it feels as if you are somehow more connected to that person. You see more vulnerability and relatability there because of the insight into her feelings about the role and how she prepared for it.
This is the second book I've read written by a well-known person in comedy. I will say that the jokes come across differently in written format, especially for the common readers. It's interesting to see the different dynamics at play.
I wished it had been written more recently because of the rise of the internet and media in general. It would have provided engaging discourse especially from Tina and her hilarious commentary. I would've loved to see that! Let's tell her to write another book, and we can see what she's learned from the biz during the past 10 years. Overall, a good read!
]]> Modern Romance 23453112
Some of our problems are unique to our time.“Why did this guy just text me an emoji of a pizza?”“Should I go out with this girl even though shelisted Combos as one of her favorite snack foods?Combos?!� “My girlfriend just got a message fromsome dude named Nathan. Who’s Nathan? Did hejust send her a photo of his penis? Should I checkjust to be sure?”�

But the transformation of our romantic livescan’t be explained by technology alone. In a shortperiod of time, the whole culture of finding lovehas changed dramatically. A few decades ago,people would find a decent person who lived intheir neighborhood. Their families would meetand, after deciding neither party seemed like amurderer, they would get married and soon havea kid, all by the time they were twenty-four. Today,people marry later than ever and spend years oftheir lives on a quest to find the perfect person, asoul mate.

For years, Aziz Ansari has been aiming hiscomic insight at modern romance, but for ModernRomance, the book, he decided he needed to takethings to another level. He teamed up with NYUsociologist Eric Klinenberg and designed a massiveresearch project, including hundreds of interviewsand focus groups conducted everywhere fromTokyo to Buenos Aires to Wichita. They analyzedbehavioral data and surveys and created their ownonline research forum on Reddit, which drewthousands of messages. They enlisted the world’sleading social scientists, including Andrew Cherlin, Eli Finkel, HelenFisher, Sheena Iyengar, Barry Schwartz, SherryTurkle, and Robb Willer. The result is unlike anysocial science or humor book we’ve seen before.

In Modern Romance, Ansari combines hisirreverent humor with cutting-edge social scienceto give us an unforgettable tour of our newromantic world.]]> 279 Aziz Ansari 1594206279 Maria 4 3.79 2015 Modern Romance
author: Aziz Ansari
name: Maria
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/20
date added: 2021/06/20
shelves:
review:
Comedic encounters with a scientific twist. There's a lot of research focused ideas included in this book and it peaks the interest of the reader. I know it did for me. Living in the time where technology revolutionizes every act of our daily lives, romance included, is fascinating upon delving into the topic. The way we do things involving meeting potential love interests has vastly changed. Accounts from different generations were included to see just how much things have changed. Sure it may seem bleak in some aspects where we may be overwhelmed by options and the introduction to the idea that the best version of something exists, but I think the authors cleverly covered alternative perspectives on it, for better and worse. Some takeaways can be applicable to one's own life, and others are just ridiculously funny and not at all realistic, it's a fun time. As a young adult not involved in online dating, it was interesting to see how our American culture is very much intrigued by it whereas other cultures stray away from it. Informative and entertaining, Aziz proves successful in the book-writing realm. Loved it. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Ones We've Been Waiting for: How a New Generation of Leaders Will Transform America]]> 52026333 An optimistic look at the future of American leadership by a brilliant young reporter

A new generation is stepping up. There are now twenty-six millennials in Congress--a fivefold increase gained in the 2018 midterms. They are governing Midwestern cities and college towns, running for city councils, and serving in state legislatures. They are acting urgently on climate change because they are going to live it. They care deeply about student debt because they have it. They are utilizing big tech but still want to regulate it because they understand how it works. In The Ones We've been Waiting For, Time correspondent Charlotte Alter defines the class of young leaders who are remaking the nation--how grappling with 9/11 as teens, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, occupying Wall Street, protesting with Black Lives Matter, and shouldering their way into a financially rigged political system has informed the perspectives of the people who will govern the future.

Through the experiences of millennial leaders--from firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttiegieg to Elise Stefanik, the youngest Republican woman ever elected to Congress--Charlotte Alter gives the big-picture look at how this generation governs differently than their elders, and how they may drag us out of our current political despair. Millennials have already revolutionized technology, commerce, and media and have powered the major social movements of our time. Now government is ripe for disruption. The Ones We've Been Waiting For is a hopeful glimpse into the newer, younger, brighter political generation, and what America might look like when they are in charge.]]> 368 Charlotte Alter 0525561501 Maria 4 The author delves into the way our formative experiences mold our political views and our beliefs in a way that is well versed and comprehensible. I enjoyed reading this and learning about the millennial leaders we have in place today and their individual journeys to their place in leadership over this country. Some of the book was hard to grasp with terms I had not been familiar with as a newbie in political literature but the overall message I was able to take away. Tragic events truly have an impact for years to come and I find it fascinating how she implemented them and what the country thought as the events occurred in between the other accounts. Great book. I see how disastrous events witnessed first hand can intensify emotions about them and how it can make our generation passionate about correcting our country's course. The ones who came before have not much intention on righting their wrongs, that is where we come in. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.21 2020 The Ones We've Been Waiting for: How a New Generation of Leaders Will Transform America
author: Charlotte Alter
name: Maria
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/16
date added: 2021/06/16
shelves:
review:
Political prediction based on the chaos we have seen from the past and what we are observing in our very lives today.
The author delves into the way our formative experiences mold our political views and our beliefs in a way that is well versed and comprehensible. I enjoyed reading this and learning about the millennial leaders we have in place today and their individual journeys to their place in leadership over this country. Some of the book was hard to grasp with terms I had not been familiar with as a newbie in political literature but the overall message I was able to take away. Tragic events truly have an impact for years to come and I find it fascinating how she implemented them and what the country thought as the events occurred in between the other accounts. Great book. I see how disastrous events witnessed first hand can intensify emotions about them and how it can make our generation passionate about correcting our country's course. The ones who came before have not much intention on righting their wrongs, that is where we come in. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Vanishing Half 51791252
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.]]> 343 Brit Bennett 0525536299 Maria 4 When one twin decides to change her life's course, it has a tangible impact on everyone else. The beautiful mystery around the story is wonderful and carefully written. I loved it. I liked how there was also LGBTQ+ themes in it, more inclusivity and representation. Give it a read! It'll make you smile, cry, and indulge in reveries. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.11 2020 The Vanishing Half
author: Brit Bennett
name: Maria
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/01
date added: 2021/06/01
shelves:
review:
Twins set on intentional separate paths. It's emotionally wrenching and the plot winds seamlessly through times connecting the characters together. Past and present still feel attached yet separate as the women explore different facets of who they are and where they come from as the years progress. Lovable characters in this story while also some not so likable ones.
When one twin decides to change her life's course, it has a tangible impact on everyone else. The beautiful mystery around the story is wonderful and carefully written. I loved it. I liked how there was also LGBTQ+ themes in it, more inclusivity and representation. Give it a read! It'll make you smile, cry, and indulge in reveries. Overall, a good read.
]]> And Then There Were None 46265792
"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.]]> 258 Agatha Christie Maria 4 4.14 1939 And Then There Were None
author: Agatha Christie
name: Maria
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1939
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/10
date added: 2021/05/10
shelves:
review:
Captivating, mysterious and a thrill ride to read from cover to cover. A book about strangers united for a common purpose and pasts that intend to haunt them. The journey the reader goes on throughout the book is fraught with questions and pointing fingers. Christie is a remarkable writer and I'm glad this book was recommended to me, she is the queen of thrilling novels. She begins with an unusual story layout, character introductions and then throws us in the deep end. It's fantastic really and demands your full attention. If you have not already, read this book! The island is waiting for you. Overall, a good read.
]]> The One 40670312 How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.� They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after� isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others�

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.]]> 418 John Marrs Maria 4 Letting Genes Decide?

For all of human history, it's been up to us and our decisions on our life partners. In this work of fiction, genes get introduced to the mix and liven things up. I thought it was an interesting nod to the nature-nurture debate and how nature didn't really have a seat at the table when it came to relationships, just nurture; our environment, friends, networks, etc. determined them. It doesn't need to be said but I'll say what most people often say when finishing this book, it was like a black mirror/twilight zone lover's fantasy. Amazing. Cleverly written. Each chapter gives you enough but teases you, increasing your attention, then swiftly changes perspective to another character's viewpoint which continues on alternatively. Fantastic story. I'm glad there's a show about it, I'm eagerly awaiting watching it. Highly recommend this book! I was inspired to read it because my college book club had it as the book for the month of May. Stellar! It has something for everyone. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.09 2016 The One
author: John Marrs
name: Maria
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/02
date added: 2021/05/02
shelves:
review:
Letting Genes Decide?

For all of human history, it's been up to us and our decisions on our life partners. In this work of fiction, genes get introduced to the mix and liven things up. I thought it was an interesting nod to the nature-nurture debate and how nature didn't really have a seat at the table when it came to relationships, just nurture; our environment, friends, networks, etc. determined them. It doesn't need to be said but I'll say what most people often say when finishing this book, it was like a black mirror/twilight zone lover's fantasy. Amazing. Cleverly written. Each chapter gives you enough but teases you, increasing your attention, then swiftly changes perspective to another character's viewpoint which continues on alternatively. Fantastic story. I'm glad there's a show about it, I'm eagerly awaiting watching it. Highly recommend this book! I was inspired to read it because my college book club had it as the book for the month of May. Stellar! It has something for everyone. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]]> 32620332
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the �80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.]]> 389 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1501139231 Maria 4 4.39 2017 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Maria
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/12
date added: 2021/04/12
shelves:
review:
Bombshell actress armed with wit and grit fights her way to earning the title of most famous woman in hollywood. Evelyn Hugo, the inspiration, the bravery, the stunning good looks... the lady with how many failed marriages? With eyes and publications analyzing your every move, to stay sane, one needs to decide what your priorities are. Family, time, and love are shown to be precious in this novel, things we need to hold close. It's a dazzling page-turner that is raw, enticing, inclusive, and heartbreaking. Evelyn learns new integral parts of who she is and what she wants from life. She fights so the truth prevails and is stubborn about what she wants, making her a force to be reckoned with. She pushes herself, and pushes others. This novel discusses such themes as domestic violence, LGBTQ+ struggles in early Hollywood, and traumatic events. It felt like a refreshing read and there was not a dull moment. Genuine, complex characters with inner conflict as well as outer conflict also make it more appealing. There's love, loss, and everything in between. I would recommend this book. Overall, a good read.
]]> Anxious People 49127718 A poignant, charming novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined

Looking at real estate isn't usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can't fix up their own marriage. There's a wealthy banker who has been too busy making money to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can't seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment's only bathroom, and you've got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in a motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.

Humorous, compassionate, and wise, Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious of times.

Includes short story - The Last Round of Golf]]> 336 Fredrik Backman 198216963X Maria 5 This novel has such complex characters with backstories you could not predict even if you tried. You cannot take the characters at face value. The way they all interact and how the plot plays out will have you laughing and wanting to hug someone. The pacing of the story was perfect. Events were broken up in parts to give even more context and the author cleverly made us a part of some inside jokes. For example, the constant reference to Stockholm and the various meanings that word has to anyone. And the author lives in Stockholm! I thought that was a neat fact.
It's hilarious, a perfect sized novel, and definitely one you should read and reread. It has so many curveballs you'll never know what will happen next. It's unpredictable and satisfying.
How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time. The author gives us bits of the story at a time and we piece it together into a beautiful cacophony of overarching messages and themes. Overall, a good read.]]> 4.17 2019 Anxious People
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Maria
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/02
date added: 2021/04/02
shelves:
review:
My new favorite book.
This novel has such complex characters with backstories you could not predict even if you tried. You cannot take the characters at face value. The way they all interact and how the plot plays out will have you laughing and wanting to hug someone. The pacing of the story was perfect. Events were broken up in parts to give even more context and the author cleverly made us a part of some inside jokes. For example, the constant reference to Stockholm and the various meanings that word has to anyone. And the author lives in Stockholm! I thought that was a neat fact.
It's hilarious, a perfect sized novel, and definitely one you should read and reread. It has so many curveballs you'll never know what will happen next. It's unpredictable and satisfying.
How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time. The author gives us bits of the story at a time and we piece it together into a beautiful cacophony of overarching messages and themes. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Windfall 32569560
The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters..]]> Diksha Basu 1524774111 Maria 4 3.47 2017 The Windfall
author: Diksha Basu
name: Maria
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/24
date added: 2021/03/24
shelves:
review:
It takes a great author to make a reader feel the strong emotions I felt while reading this book. The different characters in this book obsessed with appearances and one-upping each other irked me to my very soul. I wish I could see more of the character's development and what happened next though. The story ended kind of early in my opinion. Other characters got what they deserved which was awesome to see. It has a Black Mirror feel to it, slightly disturbing. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Girls in the Picture 34748722
Hollywood, 1914. Frances Marion, a young writer desperate for a break, meets “America’s Sweetheart,� Mary Pickford, already making a name for herself both on and off the screen with her golden curls and lively spirit. Together, these two women will take the movie business by storm.

Mary Pickford becomes known as the “Queen of the Movies”—the first actor to have her name on a movie marquee, and the first to become a truly international celebrity. Mary and her husband, Douglas Fairbanks, were America’s first Royal Couple, living in a home more famous that Buckingham Palace. Mary won the first Academy Award for Best Actress in a Talkie and was the first to put her hand and footprints in Grauman’s theater sidewalk. Her annual salary in 1919 was $625,000—at a time when women’s salaries peaked at $10 a week. Frances Marion is widely considered one of the most important female screenwriters of the 20th century, and was the first writer to win multiple Academy Awards. The close personal friendship between the two stars was closely linked to their professional collaboration and success.

This is a novel about power: the power of women during the exhilarating early years of Hollywood, and the power of forgiveness. It’s also about the imbalance of power, then and now, and the sacrifices and compromises women must make in order to succeed. And at its heart, it’s a novel about the power of female friendship.]]> 448 Melanie Benjamin 1101886803 Maria 3
The Girls in the Picture takes us on a trip to the time of glamorous classic Hollywood. The starlet actress and her screenwriter friend experience fame, fate encounters, and some downfalls. I didn't like how Frances put her friend Mary's needs above her own and was so clearly used when Mary felt it was convenient. I wish Frances would stand up for herself and set boundaries with Mary. Communication is very important. We see Mary battling things in her own mind which she could've sought help for if only she asked for it.
The men in the stories were mostly sexist, because in that time it was a reality that women were seen as less capable. Fame really gets to some people's heads and it can be especially detrimental for women. Hollywood puts you on a pedestal for good looks and talents to match. But when looks inevitably fade where do you go? Into the shadows. We see two different lives depicted throughout the years and friendship torn apart and mended several times. The glossy screen has many untold secrets, lies, and heartbreak. This novel will make you feel it all. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.60 2018 The Girls in the Picture
author: Melanie Benjamin
name: Maria
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/15
date added: 2021/03/15
shelves:
review:
*"...everywhere I turned another man scowling at me in disapproval, asking me why I was there, in a man's world."*

The Girls in the Picture takes us on a trip to the time of glamorous classic Hollywood. The starlet actress and her screenwriter friend experience fame, fate encounters, and some downfalls. I didn't like how Frances put her friend Mary's needs above her own and was so clearly used when Mary felt it was convenient. I wish Frances would stand up for herself and set boundaries with Mary. Communication is very important. We see Mary battling things in her own mind which she could've sought help for if only she asked for it.
The men in the stories were mostly sexist, because in that time it was a reality that women were seen as less capable. Fame really gets to some people's heads and it can be especially detrimental for women. Hollywood puts you on a pedestal for good looks and talents to match. But when looks inevitably fade where do you go? Into the shadows. We see two different lives depicted throughout the years and friendship torn apart and mended several times. The glossy screen has many untold secrets, lies, and heartbreak. This novel will make you feel it all. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls]]> 52593294 "Reviving Ophelia is a cultural touchstone" --NPR

"An important book...Pipher shines high-beam headlights on the world of teenage girls." --Los Angeles Times

First published in 1994, Reviving Ophelia illuminated the problems faced by adolescent women. From depression and anxiety to addiction and suicide, Mary Pipher, PhD showed us how our look-obsessed ‘girl-poisoning culture� was seriously damaging young women. The book became iconic � a No.1 New York Times bestseller for 27 weeks � and transformed how we talk about female adolescence.

Fast forward to today and teenage girls still face with many of the challenges Pipher identified. However, the digital world of the 21st century has also brought new obstacles and opportunities as social media means teens are more connected and more isolated than ever before.

In this revised and updated 25th anniversary edition, Pipher and her daughter, Sara (who was a teenager at the time of the book's original publication), address this new landscape and provide insights and ideas on how to help the latest generation of teenage girls.

A timely combination of thorough research, real life stories and practical guidance, Reviving Ophelia is an essential handbook for anyone who wants to support and empower today’s young women.

]]> 438 Mary Pipher Maria 4 I had to read this book for my Women's Mental Health class and I enjoyed the chapters and the author's input. The experiences of so many girls through adolescence find it to be a tumultuous ride and the authors finally explain why and what happens to cause the horrible experience. Girls need to be the most themselves they can be in a world telling them to compare to others and be ultimately unsatisfied. Authentic people need to experience the authentic, the real world! We are in a digital age but find it doesn't bring as much satisfaction as having a face to face conversation with someone as we talk to someone online. We are social beings we deeply desire connection. Connection online is okay but being with someone in the same space has changed. We need to raise girls to be wholesome and embrace their identity. They need to hold on to who they are and receive support throughout their life. It's all about giving them love, support, independence, and encouraging the good things. Setting rules is important too. Reading this book made me realize how universal the experience was of going through adolescence as a girl. It's world ending, tears, frustration, a need for consistency, respect and understanding. With time we can raise girls to be resilient, honest, and encourage them to be trailblazers.]]> 4.00 1994 Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls
author: Mary Pipher
name: Maria
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/27
date added: 2021/02/27
shelves:
review:
Brilliant.
I had to read this book for my Women's Mental Health class and I enjoyed the chapters and the author's input. The experiences of so many girls through adolescence find it to be a tumultuous ride and the authors finally explain why and what happens to cause the horrible experience. Girls need to be the most themselves they can be in a world telling them to compare to others and be ultimately unsatisfied. Authentic people need to experience the authentic, the real world! We are in a digital age but find it doesn't bring as much satisfaction as having a face to face conversation with someone as we talk to someone online. We are social beings we deeply desire connection. Connection online is okay but being with someone in the same space has changed. We need to raise girls to be wholesome and embrace their identity. They need to hold on to who they are and receive support throughout their life. It's all about giving them love, support, independence, and encouraging the good things. Setting rules is important too. Reading this book made me realize how universal the experience was of going through adolescence as a girl. It's world ending, tears, frustration, a need for consistency, respect and understanding. With time we can raise girls to be resilient, honest, and encourage them to be trailblazers.
]]> A Spark of Light 39072210
After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.

But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester disguised as a patient, who now stands in the cross hairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.

Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.

Jodi Picoult—one of the most fearless writers of our time—tackles a complicated issue in this gripping and nuanced novel. How do we balance the rights of pregnant women with the rights of the unborn they carry? What does it mean to be a good parent? A Spark of Light will inspire debate, conversation . . . and, hopefully, understanding.]]> 381 Jodi Picoult 0345544994 Maria 5 A quote from the Author's Note.

This book blew me away. Fantastic imagery; it paints relationships in such an intimate way and you feel the depth of the characters. Depth to the characters and their connection to one place are ingredients to a fantastic story.
The exploration of both sides of the controversy surrounding abortion are shared, without bias. The way the author and her team shared this story was necessary, relevant, and extremely well written. I love the unique timing and pace of the story as well. Some characters got on my very last nerve while others had such compassion and humanity that it gave you hope for change in the real world. It describes a reality many women face. It asks questions and makes you think. I admired the scene where characters from opposing sides sit down to interact briefly and have a civil conversation, person to person. And the plot twist was shocking, I didn't see it coming. Beautifully written and I highly recommend people of various beliefs to read this book. It opens a conversation and contributes to the present one. Overall, a good read.]]> 3.75 2018 A Spark of Light
author: Jodi Picoult
name: Maria
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/24
date added: 2021/02/24
shelves:
review:
"Laws are black and white. The lives of women are a thousand shades of gray."
A quote from the Author's Note.

This book blew me away. Fantastic imagery; it paints relationships in such an intimate way and you feel the depth of the characters. Depth to the characters and their connection to one place are ingredients to a fantastic story.
The exploration of both sides of the controversy surrounding abortion are shared, without bias. The way the author and her team shared this story was necessary, relevant, and extremely well written. I love the unique timing and pace of the story as well. Some characters got on my very last nerve while others had such compassion and humanity that it gave you hope for change in the real world. It describes a reality many women face. It asks questions and makes you think. I admired the scene where characters from opposing sides sit down to interact briefly and have a civil conversation, person to person. And the plot twist was shocking, I didn't see it coming. Beautifully written and I highly recommend people of various beliefs to read this book. It opens a conversation and contributes to the present one. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life.]]> 41016993 Feeling your best is about far more than deciding what color to paint your accent wall or how to apply nightly moisturizer. It's also about creating a life that's well-rounded, filled with humor and understanding—and most importantly, that suits you. At a cultural moment when we are all craving people to admire, Queer Eye offers hope and acceptance. After you get to know the Fab Five, together they will guide you through five practical chapters that go beyond their designated areas of expertise (food & wine, fashion, grooming, home decor, and culture), touching on topics like wellness, entertaining, and defining your personal brand, and complete with bite-sized Hip Tips for your everyday quandaries. Above all else, Queer Eye aims to help you create a happy and healthy life, rooted in self-love and authenticity.]]> 256 Antoni Porowski 1984823930 Maria 5 3.98 2018 Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life.
author: Antoni Porowski
name: Maria
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/14
date added: 2021/02/14
shelves:
review:
The Fab Five! I've loved the show Queer Eye for years so when I saw this book at my college library I had to check it out! If you're a fan of the show or you just want have to have a little life makeover, this is the book for you. You learn about the guys, they teach you what they know about their specialties and then you get to implement their advice. It's a fun experience where you feel their personality through the pages.
]]> Catherine House 51934838 A story about a dangerously curious young undergraduate whose rebelliousness leads her to discover a shocking secret involving an exclusive circle of students . . . and the dark truth beneath her school’s promise of prestige.

You are in the house and the house is in the woods.
You are in the house and the house is in you . . .

Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world’s best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises its graduates a future of sublime power and prestige, and that they can become anything or anyone they desire.

Among this year’s incoming class is Ines, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, pills, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. The school’s enigmatic director, Viktória, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves and their place within the formidable black iron gates of Catherine.

For Ines, Catherine is the closest thing to a home she’s ever had, and her serious, timid roommate, Baby, soon becomes an unlikely friend. Yet the House’s strange protocols make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when Baby’s obsessive desire for acceptance ends in tragedy, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—might be hiding a dangerous agenda that is connected to a secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.]]> 311 Elisabeth Thomas 0062905651 Maria 4 3.10 2020 Catherine House
author: Elisabeth Thomas
name: Maria
average rating: 3.10
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/09
date added: 2021/02/09
shelves:
review:
Ah-mazing. It's been a while since I read a book that held my attention for so long at one time. Full of mystery. Full of secrets. Full of pain. Full of beauty. I loved the author's choice of using such glowing vocabulary to describe even the smallest details. She brings the story to life from the pages. I've never read anything like this book, I was entranced. Entrancement is a key theme in this book, if you've read it, you know what I mean. I wanted more of this book and yet it's a satisfying whole experience. I felt like I myself was in the world of Catherine. Through the eyes of the protagonist, I saw the connections of everything. Stunningly written. Overall, a good read.
]]> <![CDATA[Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon]]> 36742964
Marilyn Monroe. Her beauty still captivates. Her love life still fascinates. Her story still dominates popular culture. Now, drawing on years of research and dozens of new interviews, this biography cuts through decades of lies and secrets and introduces you to the Marilyn Monroe you always wanted to a living, breathing, complex woman, bewitching and maddening, brilliant yet flawed.

Charles Casillo studies Monroe’s life through the context of her times―in the days before feminism. Before there was adequate treatment for Marilyn’s struggle with bipolar disorder. Starting with her abusive childhood, this biography exposes how―in spite of her fractured psyche―Marilyn’s extreme ambition inspired her to transform each celebrated love affair and each tragedy into another step in her journey towards immortality. Casillo fully explores the last two years of her life, including her involvement with both John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, and the mystery of her last day.

Just a few of Casillo's
*Despite reports of their bitter rivalry, Elizabeth Taylor secretly reached out and tried to help Marilyn during one of her darkest moments.

*The existence of Marilyn’s semi-nude love scene with Clark Gable―long thought to be lost.

*A few nights before she died, Marilyn encountered Warren Beatty at a party and disclosed some of the reasons for her final despair.

*A meticulously detailed account of the events of her last day, revealing how a series of miscommunications and misjudgments contributed to her death.]]> 368 Charles Casillo 1250096863 Maria 4 4.11 2018 Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon
author: Charles Casillo
name: Maria
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/01
date added: 2021/02/01
shelves:
review:
Great historical account with vivid language to describe the goddess, the icon, Ms. Monroe. It was interesting to see how her childhood experiences shaped a lot of how she saw the world as an adult. She seemed like a much loved starlet who had it all yet she was lonely often times. She struggled and the author tells her story in such an intriguing way. Captivating from beginning to end. I also enjoyed the inclusion of some pictures of her throughout the years. May her beautiful soul find peace.
]]> These Ghosts Are Family 51780160 A transporting debut novel that reveals the ways in which a Jamaican family forms and fractures over generations, in the tradition of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

Stanford Solomon has a shocking, thirty-year-old secret. And it’s about to change the lives of everyone around him. Stanford Solomon is actually Abel Paisley, a man who faked his own death and stole the identity of his best friend.

And now, nearing the end of his life, Stanford is about to meet his firstborn daughter, Irene Paisley, a home health aide who has unwittingly shown up for her first day of work to tend to the father she thought was dead.

These Ghosts Are Family revolves around the consequences of Abel’s decision and tells the story of the Paisley family from colonial Jamaica to present day Harlem. There is Vera, whose widowhood forced her into the role of single mother. There are two daughters and a granddaughter who have never known they are related. And there are others, like the house boy who loved Vera, whose lives might have taken different courses if not for Abel Paisley’s actions.

These Ghosts Are Family explores the ways each character wrestles with their ghosts and struggles to forge independent identities outside of the family and their trauma. The result is an engrossing portrait of a family and individuals caught in the sweep of history, slavery, migration, and the more personal dramas of infidelity, lost love, and regret. This electric and luminous family saga announces the arrival of a new American talent.]]> 271 Maisy Card 1982117435 Maria 4 3.65 2020 These Ghosts Are Family
author: Maisy Card
name: Maria
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/23
date added: 2021/01/23
shelves:
review:
Beautifully written. It captures the complexities and lies of a family, and families torn apart. The tale is richly infused with culture and a history some chose to turn away from. Some parts were hard to read but you cannot look away, you must listen to the story the author is conveying to her readers. I loved the journey this book takes you on and how it goes forward and backward in time, oscillating between perspectives. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Guest Book 41138424 A novel about past mistakes and betrayals that ripple throughout generations, The Guest Book examines not just a privileged American family, but a privileged America. It is a literary triumph.

The Guest Book follows three generations of a powerful American family, a family that “used to run the world.�

And when the novel begins in 1935, they still do. Kitty and Ogden Milton appear to have everything—perfect children, good looks, a love everyone envies. But after a tragedy befalls them, Ogden tries to bring Kitty back to life by purchasing an island in Maine. That island, and its house, come to define and burnish the Milton family, year after year after year. And it is there that Kitty issues a refusal that will haunt her till the day she dies.

In 1959 a young Jewish man, Len Levy, will get a job in Ogden’s bank and earn the admiration of Ogden and one of his daughters, but the scorn of everyone else. Len’s best friend, Reg Pauling, has always been the only black man in the room—at Harvard, at work, and finally at the Miltons� island in Maine.

An island that, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, this last generation doesn’t have the money to keep. When Kitty’s granddaughter hears that she and her cousins might be forced to sell it, and when her husband brings back disturbing evidence about her grandfather’s past, she realizes she is on the verge of finally understanding the silences that seemed to hover just below the surface of her family all her life.

An ambitious novel that weaves the American past with its present, The Guest Book looks at the racism and power that has been systemically embedded in the U.S. for generations.]]> 484 Sarah Blake 1250110262 Maria 4 3.62 2019 The Guest Book
author: Sarah Blake
name: Maria
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/14
date added: 2021/01/14
shelves:
review:
Gripping and fantastic. Each character imploring another to dive deep into the meaning of their words and seeing how each feels about the state of the world affairs opens the reader's eyes. A lot of talk of talking with little action at some points, when some characters want to change the subject to a less argumentative one but others wish to delve into such crucial topics. It angers you as well because some characters cannot see the privilege they have and think they are above another. We oscillate between the past and present and see how lives change but with some consistency so as not to confuse the reader. It discusses the human experience and relevance of the past or history and the complexity of human relationships. I was intrigued by all the different viewpoints showcased in this novel and I enjoyed it. The writing style was lyrical; I fell in love with some of the characters and their mannerisms. The truths uncovered in the past perspective still desire change in the present world as well, with some progress being made. This book will break your heart a few times but that is part of the journey. Overall, a good read.
]]> The Two Lives of Lydia Bird 46225061
But she was wrong. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident.

So now it's just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob until her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to try to live fully, happily, even without him. So, enlisting the help of his best friend, Jonah, and her sister, Elle, she takes her first tentative steps into the world, open to life--and perhaps even love--again.

But then something inexplicable happens that gives her another chance at her old life with Freddie. A life where none of the tragic events of the past few months have happened.

Lydia is pulled again and again across the doorway of her past, living two lives, impossibly, at once. But there's an emotional toll to returning to a world where Freddie, alive, still owns her heart. Because there's someone in her new life, her real life, who wants her to stay.

Written with Josie Silver's trademark warmth and wit, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a powerful and thrilling love story about the what-ifs that arise at life's crossroads, and what happens when one woman is given a miraculous chance to answer them.]]> 369 Josie Silver 0593135237 Maria 4 3.71 2020 The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
author: Josie Silver
name: Maria
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/25
date added: 2020/12/25
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this book. I loved the sweet descriptions of everything, the author's style is a bit predictable but makes for an easy read that transports you to the life of an appetizingly tale. I haven't read anything that reminds me of what Lydia went through so I felt deeply connected to her grounding words and empathized with her and her journey to loving her life and herself. I had a few questions but I feel it all tied together in a sweet way. She has to force herself to make seemingly agonizing decisions but she goes through the emotions and all the while introducing us to those around her. The people she's close to are enjoyable characters with their own things going on as well. I was enthralled by this story and felt swept up in a wind of sadness and carried softly back to the reality of ever-changing life with light along with Lydia. Overall, a good read.
]]> North of Beautiful 3238153
It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

Written in lively, artful prose, award-winning author Justina Chen Headley has woven together a powerful novel about a fractured family, falling in love, travel, and the meaning of true beauty.]]> 373 Justina Chen 0316025054 Maria 4 3.92 2009 North of Beautiful
author: Justina Chen
name: Maria
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/18
date added: 2020/12/18
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this book! The characters are complex and you find yourself rooting for them. I love the author's connection to maps throughout the story and traveling related scenes and events. The messages and characters go beyond the surface, as beauty is. It's realistic and heartwarming. There were a few times I disagreed with and raged at something the protagonist was doing but she has her reasons. Lovable characters, cartography, artists, dark pasts, and beauty are all key themes in this book. Overall, a good read.
]]>