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my big book haul for the week! I haven’t wandered around the aisles of a book store in so long, lately I’ve been ordering whatever is popular or getting the most hype. I’m so glad I let my intuition guide me around Barnes and Noble and bring me to books that truly interest me.

I picked out two nonfiction (Columbine and The Radium Girls), two of my morbid obsessions that I can’t wait to dive into. I picked up a couple of fiction stories (This Mournable Body and Sorry to Disrupt the Peace). These plots sounded lovely and interesting and I hadn’t heard of these titles before so I’m taking a chance on them. I found out that This Mournable Body is actually the third installment in a series so now I’m tempted to buy the first two! I also picked out three thrillers because The Silent Patient really turned me on to the genre. Im so excited to dive in but I need to finish my current read first!

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #thriller #nonfiction #fiction #bookmail #bookstore #new books

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OUTLAWED - By Anna North 🌟🌟🌟💫

Handmaid’s Tale meets Westworld in this historical dystopian feminist Wild West story. Outlawed is a story about Ada, the 17 year old daughter of a midwife who happens to be infertile. In an alternate American history, a flu wiped out 80% of the population, leaving a community that honors and reveres fertile women and children above everything. Praising Baby Jesus, this community accuses any infertile woman of being a witch and sentences her to death or exile. Ada is determined to evade this destiny by joining the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang led by the non-binary, mysterious, and revered leader, The Kid. Ada uses her midwifery and medical skills to assist the gang in their adventures.

This novel was an exciting break from my usual read. It was January’s Book of the Month and labelled a historical fiction; it was completely and unexpectedly different from what I thought it would be. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed it. What I liked: I love an alternative history or future that is only slightly different from reality - it’s always fun to see that subtle world-building and figure it out along the way. I thought this book did a fantastic job at that, although the reviews seem mixed. I also can always appreciate a novel that attempts to discuss and integrate difficult and heavy topics. North weaved elements of LGBTQ+, mental health, race, intersectionality, gender norms, and fertility. I breezed through this book, and the ending was hopeful and sweet, leaving me happy and satisfied.

Why this novel didn’t receive 5 stars: I think North may have attempted to do too much with this book. There were a lot of elements squeezed into only 250 pages, and this left much to be desired in terms of character development, detailed adventures, and effective discussion of important topics. I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if it was twice as long. In my opinion, when a novel attempts to include important topics (LGBTQ, feminism, race) but doesn’t fully dive into it - seems only to gloss over it once or twice - it does a disservice to that topic. It felt that at times, North was checking a box off for “mental health” or “race” instead of truly addressing the topic and serving that community. I also love a good heist story, and this book had many opportunities for adventure, crime, and plotting. However, every section about the heists seemed rushed and basic. Lastly, the characters seemed relatively shallow and I did not connect with them as much as I typically do in the other novels I read.

I did enjoy reading this novel, and I sped through it pretty quickly. Upon finishing it, however, I realized there were many elements left to be desired, expanded upon, or simply left out. That being said, it is a wonderful take on an old west story and I’m all for a mostly-female cast of characters.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #wild west #anna north #outlawed #feminist literature

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Book mail!

I got these beauties early today, and it brightened my day :) I’m really excited to sit down and read through Home Body - I need to be fully relaxed and calm to really enjoy poetry so I’ll need to brew some tea and burn some candles. Also I didn’t know that Brokeback Mountain was such a little novella! I’ve loved the story since I saw the movie and I’m so glad I finally picked up a copy. I’ve been hearing things about Circe forever, and now my mom is reading it for her book group, so I thought it would be a good idea to have it on hand when I’m in the mood for a mythology tale :)

What new books have you recently picked up?

#bookmail #book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classic books #classics #classic novels #poetry #rupi kaur #home body #Circe #madeline miller #brokeback mountain #Annie proulx

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NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US - by Stephanie Powell Watts 🌟🌟🌟

Based in a decrepit North Carolina town, No One is Coming to Save Us details a year in the life of a black family coping with generational poverty, loss and grief, mental health struggles, infertility, infidelity, and small-town gossip. JJ Ferguson - now going by Jay - returns to his hometown to build his dream home and win back his high school sweetheart Ava. Ava is battling infertility, infidelity, and an uncertain future. Ava’s mother Sylvia is attempting to resolve the problems in her family’s life and deal with the uncertainties in her own.

This novel was a slow-building character-driven story that allowed the reader to glimpse into the hearts and minds of each flawed and lovable character. I love a story that jumps around between the voices, and allows each person to speak their own truth. Not only does this give depth to the story but it allows to reader to sympathize with every character, even the ‘bad guys.’ This was billed as a modern take on The Great Gatsby, and after reading reviews (before starting the book) I realized I should just go into it as it’s own wonderful story. I think you should, too. The similarities aren’t really there, unless you really stretch, and I think that gives the book itself a disservice. A wonderfully tragic story with a hopeful ending that is universally relevant and resonant - and the debut novel written by a female black author. This one fell short of four stars for me only because there were so many typos it was hard to concentrate. Also - although the writing was poetic and beautiful at times, at other times it seemed too vague and cloudy to really understand what was happening (taking away from the overall experience). However, I would read more from Watts!

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #contemporary literature #black authors #woc authors

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A FAREWELL TO ARMS - by Ernest Hemingway

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Based on the Italian front during World War I, A Farewell to Arms chronicles the life of an American ambulance driver and his love for an English nurse. Capturing the horrific (and sometimes mundane) realities of war, retreat, loss, desertion, love, and grief, this story brings its readers along for a tragic and very Hemingway-esque ride.

Oh this novel. I have so many thoughts about this novel. Does Hemingway deserve the title of ‘classic author’? Is his writing even that great? Yes - and no. Hear me out. When it comes to classic authors and novels, I have the strongly opinion that it is a classic for a reason. It may not be a good reason, but a reason nonetheless. Hemingway, for example, has an incredible interesting style of writing. Whether he is stringing together ridiculous train-of-thought, run-on sentences that seem to never end, or crafting dull and dry dialogue that seems completely dry and plain - you have to admit it’s a style. His characters (mostly the female ones) are typically shallow, vapid, and completely uninspired. Charlotte, in this particular novel, seems to have no personality other than the desire to be like the male protagonist. You can take all of this information and say that there is no point to reading Hemingway. I take this information and read Hemingway still - but with a grain of salt. His books are classic because they were unlike anything else at the time and I think there is always something to learn from that. Not to mention, the story is a wonderful tragedy and I will always enjoy a tragedy. If you’re planning on reading this one, don’t go into it thinking you are going to read the most beautiful novel (although the scenery is entirely picturesque), but rather you are going to read an interesting novel written by an interesting man.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #classic books #classic novels #classics #historical fiction #Ernest Hemingway #a farewell to arms #wwi novel

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CALL ME BY YOUR NAME - by Andre Aciman 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Based in the Italian Riviera in the 1980s, Call Me By Your Name follows the yearning love of adolescent Elio for his parent’s summer guest, 24 year old Oliver. Inexperienced in love and unprepared for the reality of his attraction, Elio deals with the consequences of a restless infatuation, and eventually a burning passion for Oliver. What grows between these two during their short romance is intensely intimate and unforgettable.

This book left me on my knees. This book had me crawling into my boyfriend’s lap with tears in my eyes and a pit in my stomach. This book had me daydreaming about the Italian Riviera. This book had me feeling hot and bothered more than a few times. This book taught me more than I thought I needed to know about an adolescent boy’s sexual fantasies. I was impressed by this novel. The prose was more poetic than any other novel I’d read this year (or last year). I could picture this one like a movie (and I wanted to wait as long as possible after reading this before watching the actual movie, just to postpone the inevitable replacement of mental images - although I only lasted a few hours). The diary-esque story-telling, the vulnerable and unashamed sexuality (gay!! we love it), and the slow-build was intimate and real. What’s not to love!

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #modern classic #romance novel #Italian riviera #call me by your name #best books #andre aciman

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THE SILENT PATIENT - by Alex Michaelides

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A shocking psychological thriller, a suspenseful murder mystery, a fictional crime story - or all three? The Silent Patient tells the story of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter married to a fashion photographer, who shoots her husband in the face and then never speaks again. This story follows Alicia’s psychotherapist, Theo Faber, as he tries to uncover her reasons for ending her seemingly perfect marriage and upending her peaceful and charming life.

This book left my jaw on the floor. No seriously. I finished it in twelve hours. I read the last page at one am, laying next to my boyfriend in bed, my jaw completely open, staring at the ceiling. I told him as soon as I finished the last page, “I feel like I just watched a movie.” Now I’m usually pretty good about imagining what I’m reading, I can always see the characters and setting (especially if it’s a well-written novel). This, however, was on a whole other level. The plot twist, the suspense, the twists and turns left me on the edge of my seat. In fact, I had to set the book down a few times just to register what was going on. After I finished, I gave my boyfriend a full recap of the entire plot (he’s not a big reader and would rather have my spoilers then read it himself). Now - this is just shy of five stars for a few reasons. I think at some point I gauged what was going on and the ending seemed only slightly predictable. Also - I have not read enough psychological thrillers to know what constitutes a great one. So I may come back after reading some more and say ‘hey, this was the best one ever written’ and bump it up to five stars. But for now, I’m keeping it at a hefty four. Read this one - not by yourself in the dark. It’s spooky.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #psychological thriller #the silent patient #Alex michaelides #best books

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THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ - by Antonio G. Iturbe 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Based on the experience of true historical figure Dita Kraus, The Librarian of Auschwitz follows the story of a girl who was tasked with the honored job of keeping the few books in Auschwitz safe and secret. Dita chronicles her journey as a Czechoslovakian Jew, taken at first to a ghetto in Terezin, and eventually to Auschwitz. As she experiences the horror that is the holocaust, she somehow manages to maintain her hope and courage.

This book was sobering, inspirational, and raw. I have read an army of books based during World War II, and a handful of books detailing the lives of those imprisoned in concentration camps. However, this story reminded me of the very real horror and tragic reality that was Hitler’s final solution. This story felt much more personal and real - probably because of the host of true characters. What I loved about this book: I found it incredibly inspirational, especially considering it was based on a true story (of a living woman!) I had to put the book down and really think multiple times during the course of reading this one. Each chapter ended with a sobering fact that really put the events into context and reminded you that this is not a story, it’s history. I loved that most of the characters in this book were based on real people - and I especially loved that the book ended with a historical description of “where are they now” and “what was real, what was dramatized.” Only the best historical fiction novels will do that. Read this now! But have some tissues on hand!

#book review #bookish #bookshelf #booklr #best seller books #books #historical fiction #wwii #wwii novel #biography #best books #the librarian of auschwitz #antonio g. iturbe #dita kraus

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THE GREAT ALONE - by Kristin Hannah 🌟🌟🌟

Based in the 1970’s, The Great Alone follows a dysfunctional family’s attempt to start over in the Alaskan Wilderness. With no experience of the darkness and remoteness of rural Alaska, Ernt Albright leads his daughter, thirteen-year-old Leni, and his wife Cora to the edge of civilization, where they must find ways to fit in with the locals, prepare for winter, and survive a tense familial situation.

If you know me, you know I love a family saga. I also love a historical fiction novel. I also love stories about the wilderness. This book has all three, and therefore I should have absolutely adored it! However, I found it lacking in many ways. Here’s what I think this book did right: The Great Alone discussed a variety of heavy topics including domestic violence, politics, disabilities, loss, grief, mental health, and war. Hannah did an incredible job of letting the reader into these private moments with raw vulnerability and honesty. The depictions of young love were very real and all too familiar. I love that. Here’s what I didn’t love: I felt there was too much book, too little story. Don’t get me wrong, I love a ‘slice of life’, slow build, character-driven story. However, this wasn’t that. It felt very dragged out, the whole beginning section seemed unimportant and better off left out. Technically, a lot happened in the story, but I feel the story could have been told even better in a more concise manner. Sometimes less is more! I’ve read a lot of incredibly moving, heart-wrenching tales. I’ve read a lot of reviews that said this book was one of those for a lot of people. In my opinion, it just wasn’t. That being said, if you love a wilderness tale, family sagas, and historical fiction - you will like this one.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #the great alone #Alaska wildnerness #Kristin Hannah

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I just left a review for NAKED TRUTH by Carrie Hayes over on onlinebookclub.org - click to find out how many stars I gave it! An inspiring, untold herstory based in late 1800s New York - doesn’t that sound RIGHT up my alley??

If anybody is interested in a cool side gig - writing book reviews for money is something I've always wanted to do and never knew was an actual thing!

Also - it'll help me AND the author out if you check out this review, maybe leave a comment, and come back for other reviews that are to come! (I'm pretty sure just a click to the link will help though, if you're feeling low effort).

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classic books #classic novels #classics #book club #onlinebookclub

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ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST by Ken Kesey 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book is on my ‘100 classics to read before I turn 25’ list - and it’s five star rating is so well deserved. Based in my home state of Oregon, in the 1960s, this novel follows the misadventures of RP McMurphy and the friends he makes at a mental hospital. Told through the eyes of the supposed mute and deaf Chief Bromden, you fall in love with these characters and their purpose.

What I loved about this book: nearly everything. Every character comes to life throughout the course of the novel, and you learn to sympathize with each one (except Nurse Ratched of course). You develop a crush on McMurphy, you cry for Billy Bibbit, and you cheer on Chief Bromden. By the end of the novel, I was dying to watch the movie just so that this experience didn’t have to end. The writing was superb, as most classic writing is, and made me think (which is always what I want in a novel). By the time I finish it, I had to set it down and cry a little.

What I didn’t love: nearly nothing. It was difficult to get into at first, although I’m blaming that on extraneous circumstances and don’t fault the book for that. The use of the N word and interesting choice of adjectives to describe the three black workers reminded me of the cultural differences between now and 1962. However, I prefer to see these minorly cringey moments as a way of observing either how the author thought when writing the book, how the author decided to portray society, or simply how society was at the time. A learning experience, shall we say.

A five star read all around, so happy I chose this for my last year, and now onto something lighter, longer, and potentially more romantic? What’s your next read?

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classic books #classic novels #classics #one flew over the cuckoos nest #ken Kesey #novels #tbr #BOTM

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Okay okay I might have gone overboard - BUT each of these was under 3$ so I had to.

I checked off quite a few books from my “classics to buy” list this weekend at Vintage Books in Vancouver, Washington. The sweet old book tender brought me a basket after an hour of me browsing and told me to take my time. I love used book stores so much.

My favorite of these finds is I, Claudius in the lower left. A 1965 copy, in near perfect condition, with the most beautiful cover and back cover art. Close up coming soon once I read it! I also love love love the Lady Chatterly’s Lover copy by DH Lawrence, published in 1962. The cover art is this perfectly sixties nude woman, and it should be on my coffee table but I’m a sucker for well organized bookshelves.

Which one is your favorite? And how many of these have you read?

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classics #classic novels #classic books #vintage classics #vintage books #vintage paperbacks #book collection

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I killed some time in Barnes and Noble yesterday - I have such fond childhood memories of spending hours in that bookstore and leaving with an armful of books, a smile on my face, holding hands with my dad who could not help but indulge his little reader daughter.

As you might have seen, I made a list of my 100 classic novels to read before I turn 25. My goal is to own all 100 of these books eventually. However, I’m going to be very picky about which editions I purchase. I am either going to splurge and buy a beautiful modern publication with gorgeous cover art like these four beauties. Or I’m going to find a vintage copy for very cheap at a used book store (also with gorgeous cover art). I refuse to buy those boring black penguin editions (although I have few already), or the cheap mass market paperbacks that have “now a major motion picture” stickered to the front. Yes I am a book snob, yes I pride myself on it 😂

I’m happy to check these four off the list - and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is my next read!

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classics #classic books #classic novels #one flew over the cuckoos nest #lord of the flies #1984 #the trial #kafka #george orwell #william golding #ken kesey

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LOST GIRLS by Robert Kolker

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This novel focuses on the lives and families of the five victims of the Oak Beach serial killer. An unsolved crime, with victims who were all part of the sex worker industry, and with lower income families, this crime was well publicized - however the lives of the victims were widely unknown. Kolker attempts to shine a light on these lives and show that they were more than simply their profession.

What I liked: I love a true crime story, especially one that has to do with serial killers and the sex worker industry. Not only does it fascinate me, but I appreciate that it shines a light on a lesser known area of crime. The victims became unforgettable as their stories were revealed. I also loved the way this was written, the author did a fantastic job of inserting himself into the lives of these families and suspects so subtly and without disturbing the story. Great journalism!

What I didn’t love: I genuinely cannot stand unsolved mysteries. That isn’t the book’s fault or the author’s fault but it did make this a less satisfying book than I was hoping for (although it does tell you it is unsolved on the front cover, so no spoilers). I did have to do quite a bit of shifting back and forth to make sure I had the names of the victims and family members straight - lots of M names - again, nobody’s fault, just made it less of a cohesive read).

Overall - it was a great example of true crime journalism in a novel form and kept me interested until the end. I feel like I can’t give it four stars just because of the other books I’ve given four stars, it isn’t quite at that caliber in my mind.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #true crime #true crime novel #lost girls #robert kolker #long island serial killer

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Classic Books to Read before I turn 25

(Plus a few I’ve already read and need a decent reread)

1. Moby dick - Herman Melville 1851 American

2. Lolita - Nabokov 1955 Russian/American

3. The catcher in the rye - JD Salinger 1951 American

4. Crime and punishment - Dostoyevsky 1866 Russian

5. Wuthering heights - Emily Brontë 1847 English

6. Catch 22 - Joseph heller 1961 American

7. Anna Karenina - Leo tolstoy 1878 Russian

8. The grapes of wrath - John Steinbeck 1939 American

9. Beloved - Toni Morrison 1987 American

10. The trial - Kafka 1925 German

11. The sun also rises - Hemingway 1926 American

12. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo 1862 French

13. The color purple - Alice Walker 1982 American

14. Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell 1936 American

15. Lord of the Flies - William Golding 1954 English

16. Emma - Jane Austen 1815 English

17. 1984 - George Orwell 1949 English

18. Slaughterhouse-five - Kurt Vonnegut 1969 American

19. The handmaids tale - Margaret Atwood 1985 Canadian

20. Rebecca - daphne de maurier 1938 english

21. In cold blood - Truman capote 1966 American

22. The great Gatsby - f Scott Fitzgerald 1925 American

23. Jane eyre - Charlotte Brontë 1847 English

24. To kill a mockingbird - Harper Lee 1960 American

25. The call of the wild - Jack London 1903 American

26. Persuasion - Jane Austen 1817 English

27. To the lighthouse - Virginia woolf 1927 English

28. One flew over the cuckoos nest - ken Kesey 1962 American

29. The lord of the rings - JRR Tolkien 1954 English

30. The age of innocence - Edith Wharton 1920 American

31. Middle March - George Eliot 1871 English

32. The count of monte Cristo - Dumas 1844 French

33. Ulysses - James Joyce 1922 Irish

34. Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand 1957 Russian/American

35. The time machine - HG Wells 1895 English

36. Women in love - DH Lawrence 1920 English

37. Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia wolf 1925 English

38. Little women - Louisa May Alcott 1868 American

39. The Godfather - mario Puzo 1969 American

40. I, Claudius - Richard graves 1934 English

41. Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance - Robert Pirsig 1974 American

42. The awakening - Kate Chopin 1899 American

43. The sound and the fury - William Faulkner 1929 American

44. On the road - Jack kerouac 1957 American

45. Doctor zhivago - Boris Pasternak 1957 Russian

46. The picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde 1890 Irish

47. Invisible man - Ralph Ellison 1952 American

48. The bell jar - Sylvia Plath 1963 American

49. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson 1886 Scottish

50. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury 1953 American

51. Vanity fair - Thackeray 1848 English

52. The diary of a nobody - George grossmith 1892 English

53. Sense and sensibility - Jane Austen 1811 English

54. The old man and the sea - Hemingway 1952 American

55. The importance of being Ernest - Oscar Wilde 1895 Irish

56. A clockwork orange - Anthony Burgess 1962 English

57. All quiet on the western front - Remarque 1929 German

58. Paradise lost - John Milton 1667 English

59. A room with a view - Forster 1908 English

60. Love in the time of cholera - Márquez 1985 Colombian

61. The jungle - upton Sinclair 1906 American

62. Wives and daughters - Elizabeth Gaskell 1864 English

63. Mary Barton - Gaskell 1848 English

64. Tess of D’ubervilles - Thomas Hardy 1891 English

65. A tale of two cities - dickens 1859 English

66. A tree grows in Brooklyn - betty Smith 1943 American

67. Cats Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut 1963 American

68. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston 1937 American

69. Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov 1962 Russian/American

70. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert 1856 French

71. The Metamorphosis - Frank Kafka 1915 German

72. The Stranger - Albert Camus 1942 French

73. A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway 1964 American

74. Pincher Martin - William Golding 1956 English

75. Down and Out in Paris and London - George Orwell 1933 English

76. Keep The Aspidistra Flying - George Orwell 1936 English

77. The House on the Strand - Daphne de Maurier 1969 English

78. The 42nd Parallel - John dos Passos 1930 American (part of a trilogy)

79. The Day of the Locust - Nathanael West 1939 American

80. Everything that rises must converge - Flannery O’Connor 1965 American

81. The Optimist’s Daughter - Eudora Welty 1972 American

82. Orlando - Virginia Woolf 1928 English

83. Earthly Powers - Anthony Burgess 1980 English

84. Lady Chatterly’s Lover - DH Lawrence 1928 English

85. The Lost Girl - DH Lawrence 1920 English

86. The House of the Spirits - Isabel Allende 1982 Chilean

87. Sugar and Rum - Barry Unsworth 1988 English

88. The Quiet American - Graham Greene 1955 English

89. Suttree - Cormac McCarthy 1979 American

90. Hawksmoor - Peter Ackroyd 1985 English

91. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen 1813 English

92. Wise Blood - Flannery O’Connor 1952 American

93. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch 1978 Irish/English

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams 1972 English

95. Sons and Lovers - DH Lawrence 1913 English

96. East of Eden - John Steinbeck 1952 American

97. 100 Years Of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez 1967 Colombian

98. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer 1996 American

99. Jim Harrison - Dalva 1988 American

100. Tales of the Jazz Age - F Scott Fitzgerald 1922 American

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #classics #classic books #classic books to read #tbr #literary bucket list #classic novels #classic book list #top 100 classic books

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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

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Everytime I pick up a classic, I feel entirely daunted by it and worried that I’ll slug through it and finish with only the satisfaction of checking another classic off my list. I fear it’ll be too dense to truly appreciate, and the language too removed to be relatable. And every time I am entirely mistaken. East of Eden by John Steinbeck was a five star read for me. Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence was a little tougher to get through but beautifully written and had unforgettable characters. F Scott Fitzgerald has always delighted me with his writing (or Zelda’s, we’ll never know!). Pride and Prejudice is just one more that has pleasantly surprised me.

Inspired by the fact that Netflix has Keira Knightly’s Pride and Prejudice available, I decided to pick up this book and read it this last week. I came to realize it was the original enemies-to-lovers book (correct me if I’m wrong there, but it seems like a total origin story). The characters were layered and deep, there was humor that made me actually laugh out loud, and of course the tame and innocent romance was delightful.

What I liked: I love Georgiana and Victorian era ANYTHING. Whether it was written during this period, or based off of this period, I love it. The fashion, the language, the formality of courting, the incredibly exciting political climate, everything is so interesting. The characters in this novel are famously unforgettable, especially Mr. Bennett. And I can’t help but fall in love with the original brooding, intimidating male love interest Mr. Darcy (does his story remind anyone of Draco Malfoy?? Just me?? Okay.)

What I didn’t love: with any ‘origin story’ — as I like to call classics like this (ones that set the basis for any modern love story. For this one it seems to be enemies-to-lovers) — the plot can seem somewhat dull or predictable. But that must be forgiven because Jane Austen invented this plot, and if she hadn’t written it in the first place, it wouldn’t be so darn familiar to us. Isn’t that amazing? So by the end, I was somewhat disappointed that it was such a dull and happy ending, although I may just be used to endings where ~somebody~ has to die. Lol.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #pride and prejudice #jane austen #classic books #classics #classic novels

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THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI by Akwaeke Emezi

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I can’t put into words how much I loved this novel. Thank you to Book of the Month for recommending this one for my August read! After finishing this heart wrenching novel, I went on a walk with my boyfriend and ended up talking his ear off about it the whole time. If you like contemporary fiction based in another country, LGBTQ stories, and immigrant experiences, this book is right up your alley.

What I liked: the writing in this novel was impeccable. Beautifully written poetic prose that perfectly emulated the feelings of the characters, so much so that I felt the feelings myself as I was reading it. The characters themselves were beautifully developed, the friendships felt so real, and the relationship between mother and son was so compelling. Writing about LGBTQ issues is hard to do, but the author did it beautifully, and brought up some really interesting questions about trans lives and family acceptance. The plot was extremely interesting and kept me reading day and night, and since it’s a short book I had to really force myself to take my time with it. With a little air of mystery, family saga, and even some immigrant experience (the mothers in this novel were from different countries), this was a five star read all the way.

#book review #bookish #booklr #books #bookshelf #best seller books #historical fiction #akwaeke emezi #the death of vivek oji #botm #august botm