#book ramblings

[mournersandfunerals]

Alice Oseman's Solitaire is a very important book and here's why:

A lot of the time when mental health is being depicted in fiction, it centres so much around the person struggling with it. Which, of course, makes sense. It's important to show what people go through when they suffer from mental illnesses, and it helps others in similar situations know that they're not alone in dealing with it. But it isn't very often you see something from the perspective of a friend or a relative and what they go through when someone they care about is struggling. Solitaire is a book that's so important for this specific reason.

Here, you have Tori. A teenage girl who spends 50% of her time worried about her brother, Charlie, and the other 50% of her time trying to convince herself that she isn't worried about him. She puts so much pressure on herself to keep everyone's heads above water that she doesn't realise that she, herself, is starting to drown. Their parents don't know how to handle everything that's going on with their son, so they act like everything is fine, relying on Tori to be the problem-free "normal" one. That's a lot of pressure to put on your 16/17 year old daughter. Tori takes on the responsibility of keeping her family happy and together, which ends up having the opposite effect and drives them further away from each other. So now you have two siblings that are so near but not within reaching distance when they need each other the most.

Which leads us on to the themes of guilt within the book. This is something that is so well executed and hard-hitting and absolutely crucial.

Tori is someone who feels a lot of guilt and regret when it comes to what Charlie is going through. She feels partially responsible for everything that happened to him. It's not her fault in the slightest, but when someone close to you is hurting and struggling, and you notice but don't do anything because you don't know how, it takes its toll. A lot of the pressure that Tori's under comes from the crippling guilt that she's trying to hold in. It manifests itself into something entirely different. She suffers with anxiety, she has negative thoughts, she hyperfixates entirely on solving the Solitaire mystery so she has something to do while her family is barely holding it together. She spirals.

And what's super interesting about this is how Charlie has a similar reaction at the end when he eventually comes to terms with the fact that his sister isn't okay, either. He mentions how he noticed but didn't do anything, and he feels awful about it. The Spring siblings have a remarkable way of avoiding what's right in front of them because who in the world would want to admit that their brother or sister is the opposite of okay?

And to add to this, I think we really need to note the importance of Michael Holden within this entire situation as well.

Michael is there for Tori consistently. He shows up when she doesn't even realise she needs him, he comes back whenever she pushes him away, and it's almost as though he's her only form of stability within the chaos. And that's exactly what she needs. She doesn't know how to handle what she's feeling about her family so she's pushed everyone else away. She needs someone.

Because it's so easy to ignore the state of your own mental health when someone you love is going through hell. So now we have Michael, a character who essentially says, "I'm here. Let me worry and look after you, while you unwittingly take on the weight of the world." Of course, Michael has problems of his own but if he and Tori can share their burdens between the two of them, maybe the weight of all of it won't feel so heavy.

Alice Oseman created something so underrated and special with Solitaire. It tackles things that can be difficult to talk about but need talking about. It reminds you that it's okay to not be okay. You shouldn't feel bad about feeling bad. And just because someone you love is struggling, it doesn't mean that you're entirely responsible for them. It doesn't mean that you're not allowed to grieve and be upset about it. And it doesn't mean that you're not allowed to struggle through your own issues either. But it does mean that you can find your own support system and let them pull you out of the metaphorical and, I guess in this instance, literal fire that's burning around you.

#this post is brought to you by yet another solitaire reread #it's so important to me #solitaire #solitaire alice oseman #alice oseman #tori spring #charlie spring #michael holden #sprolden #heartstopper #osemanverse #book ramblings #tw mental health

[nbwriteschaos]

i've come baring book rambles!

**spoilers? for wolfsong by tj klune even tho it's like 8 years old...**

i finished wolfsong in four days! i switched between the audio book and a kindle copy and it truly soothed my lack of motivation to read (maybe kindles aren't so bad?)

i got the vibe that it was very clearly self indulgent tumblr 2014-esque; with the writing style, the characters, and the a/b/o dynamic which i never have had much interest in before. but, honestly? i loved it. it satisfied my Adhd Brain™️ and my longing for more explicitly (and explicit😉) clear queer characters. it was really fun and easy to read, and i think the looseness of it helped push along the angst and slow burn.

which, btw, the childhood friends to lovers trope absolutely destroyed me and made me adore joe as a character. i wish there was more about him!!!

anyways, i love love LOVE joe and ox, but i'll admit i'm a little critical of the age gap their romance started in and it wasn't really of my interest to indulge in that, but later on i was more comfortable with it and found their relationship sweet. a little blood boiling, but sweet. i'll be thinking about them for too long.

i'm kind of hesitant about starting ravensong since i wasn't too interested in the side characters (besides rico, loved him sm), but i got the audiobook anyway and i'm gonna give it a chance!! excited to see how this plays out :)

#wolfsong #green creek series #tj klune #book reviews #book ramblings #<< not rlly tho #it's just #grace's ramblings

[acoraf]

A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Page 53:

"Her name is Feyre," said the one in charge - the beast. He must have learned my name at my cottage.

You dont say.. 🙃 Your family mentions your name every other sentence.... I'm pretty sure your dad says it 3 times(?!) In the time Tamlin was in the cottage! How are you surprised he knows your name???

I know i'm bringing this up again, but it really does annoy me how much her name is mentioned, at times where it really does not need to be.

#acotar #book rambles #book ramblings #book rant #book rating #bookblr #booklr #books #feyre archeron #reading #sjm books #sjmaas #sjm universe #book thoughts #tamlin #lucien vanserra

[onthewaytosomewhere]

10 Things That Never Happened

alright so in the last couple weeks I have now read and listened to the audiobook for this and I cannot get over how amazing they are!!!

I finished the book like a week and a half ago and was all oh I should reread this but then decided instead to listen to the audiobook and I cannot get over how freakin' amazing the audiobook was!!!!!

I loved the book so much it was truly an amazing work and just gave me all the feels - the book is just so lush and almost spellbinding while I was reading - definitely did not want to put it down

the audiobook took me to a whole other level - I had planned to just listen to it here and there while working out walking or just whatever no rush - but when I started listening yesterday I could just not stop for long - a few breaks here and there when needed to but otherwise I listened most of the day until completion - the audiobook was transcending - it sent me soaring through the stratosphere in ways I just did not expect but am so damn happy for now!!!!

I am so damn happy to have this story in my life in both forms ❤️❤️❤️❤️

#10 things that never happened #sam x jonathan #luv luv luv #luv this book so damn much #book ramblings #book rambles

[nabs-bookish-thoughts]

I did it. And I used up all of my tags for colonialism 🤭

That ending is going to stick with me. I can see myself going back to it occasionally.

*Spoilery thoughts*

The ambiguity of the ending is interesting. I do like that we never learn Robin's real name. And the immediate after effects of his actions and what they mean for the British Empire. Silver is set up as the engine of the empire but since Babel's world is almost one-to-one with real life, do events proceed how they did historically? Does the world just go on without silver?

Anyway, I think all the main characters' endings were fitting for them, except maybe Ramy's (he was gone too soon). I loved that translation is simultaneously violence and love. Is it a masterpiece? No, but I am glad that this book is fairly popular on booktok (one of the few books on that platform that deserve the hype frankly).

4/5 stars.

#book ramblings #rf kuang #babel #babel an arcane history #cw: spoilers

[nerdyfangirl23]

“lyra’s the most important thing to me right now”

yes i was one of those book readers who was screaming and crying every time there was a word for word book quote in the series’ dialogue. you didn’t want to see just how much of a mess i was when we got the atom speech.

#his dark materials #hdm spoilers #technically?? #will parry #lyra silvertongue #will x lyra #lyra x will #silverparry #panjava #pan: you en’t never left will really have you? #lyra: i think about him every day probably every hour he’s still the centre of my life #the secret commonwealth #the book of dust #book ramblings

[captainwaffles]

Okay Catcher and The Rye Vs Solitaire

These books are just same thing different font, let me explain.

The book follows a teen who hates school, most people and themselves. They have (various) mental health issues

Tori’s issues are out shinned by Charlie’s, Holden’s aren’t noticed due to the time period

They both hate themselves, but express it in different ways. Tori puts that dead inside feeling on the outside, Holden puts on a show

They both contemplate killing themselves and deal with suicidal thoughts throughout.

Solitaire defiantly has a more defined plot and matches the way stories are told today. Catcher is more just Holdens thoughts and wandering

But Tori frequently does the same, she rambles about things and the plot sometimes seems to disappear

Cause it’s not about that at the end of the day, it’s about the Charecters

It’s about how everyone interacts with eveyone, how everyone by the main charecters a perceived as fake or a phony. Everyone is one deminsional till Tori or Holden find them of importance. So this part

Really makes so much more sense, cause There are a a lot of similarities

Catcher in the Rye is the Blueprint, Solitaire flushed it out for the modern reader

#captainwaffles #solitaire #solitaire alice oseman #the catcher in the rye #holden caulfield #Tori springs #alice oseman #book analysis #book ramblings

[sealwithfeels]

Darrow has acquired yet another unintentionally homoerotic heated-rival-turned-intensely-loyal-'brother'

Truly a shounen manga

#books #bookblr #red rising #book ramblings

[kihaku-gato]

Today was rough but among the small silver linings was this; I read Ghost Hunter start to finish and with it, have finally read through the entirety of The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness book series.

I have had all the books for some time (years, definitely years), but back then only ever read as far as Outcast. I'm happy to finally go through this dark ancient magical world and see the characters reach the end of their overarching stories.

This book series is staying in the collection. Now the question is which book series I have will I read next; indulge in definitely-will-keep books, or sink my teeth into the various novels that have never been read before and be put to the test at their worth?

#book ramblings #chronicles of ancient darkness

[smol-stardust]

Don't feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that.

-Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

I have a lot of thoughts about this one. Like it reflects a perspective on self-pity that is assertive and unapologetic. Something about how dwelling in self-pity is linked to your actions and if you’ve done right by your actions you wouldn’t be in a place of self wallowing… and the association with negative judgement linking to self-pity as a counterproductive and potentially self-destructive behaviour. And maybe we should be more introspective of things (like his characters) instead of allowing ourselves to be dragged deeper into our wallowing and turning down a darker path

… anyways, quote is making me think too hard.

#book blogging #norwegian woods #quotes #sparky's brainrots #book ramblings

[katescorner]

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES by JENNIFER NIVEN

RATING 9 / 10

TRIGGER WARNING Heavy topics; mentions of suicide, death and harm / self-harm.

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!

I picked up Niven's novel after finishing the movie adaptation on Netflix. The movie tore me apart and cut through my heart with a clean rip. I cried an entire night over the story of Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, so I knew what I was getting into when I began to fall into the pages of this book.

"There's no rush of having survived, only emptiness, and lungs that need air, and wet hair sticking to my face." pg. 107

Chapters alternated between being told by Violet and Finch. Some chapters were long, coherent paragraphs and organized thoughts; others were short, erratic words like a frazzled mind. The writing was personable, like an actual high schooler had thought these very things. I took to heart how these characters felt, and maybe it's because I myself am emotional, but there was something so vivid and raw and relatable about the ways in which Violet experienced her traumas and how caged in Finch always felt.

"But does forever have a built-in ending . . . ?" pg. 215

Grief has been apparent since the very beginning of the novel with Eleanor's death rippling through Violet like a festering pool of guilt, shame and depression. It's odd but hopeful how quickly love (even young love) could blossom where water didn't fall and sun didn't shine — because that's exactly how Violet and Finch got together. They united under the chaos of Life's hurdles, and they fell fast. (I'm reminiscent of my own past loves.) It's easier to assume in a story like this that their love caused the fizzled embers of Finch's life to go out completely, but I think it's clear that Niven — with her own encounters with suicide — wanted to remind her readers that even though a reason might not be enough, there is still a life after for survivors, which Violet finds.

"It's only when you panic that you pull yourself under and sink." pg. 245

One of the most significant messages that Niven leaves her readers with is how the difference in Eleanor and Finch's passing can't have been more separate. Where Mrs. and Mr. Markey understand the grief of a parent losing a child, they're unforgiving to Finch's parents because more could have been done. But more could have always been done; it's not the point. This is not the time for blame and "what if's." Death isn't merciful per say in the way that both Finch and Eleanor left on equal footing. They're both gone and leave grief in their wake — grief that isn't told apart by the how's and why's. Why is Finch considered selfish when he felt like he had no choice? It's not up to us judge someone who's been fighting all their life; it's on us to figure out how to take preventative steps next time and learn to continue on after.

"Forever changed. I am forever changed." pg. 349

In her Author's Note, Niven reminds us that we're not alone and that help is just around the corner, so I leave you all on a similar note.

Take it from someone who's been there, in all the places Finch has been, things do get better. Even when the world feels like a black hole, don't let yourself sink in. Don't give up.

#katescorner #all the bright places #jennifer niven #theodore finch #violet markey #book review #book recs #book rating #bookish #book blog #bookworm #book ramblings #reading challenge #2 of 17

[mournersandfunerals]

Funny story, so I picked up the Inheritance Games and was like, this looks like a fun little YA series to get back into the swing of reading and I'm a hundred pages into the first book and the Hawthorne brothers have me in a choke hold, so shit me I guess

#this was the opposite of what i wanted really #you ever accidentally discover a new hyperfixation? #shit #book ramblings #the inheritance games #hawthorne brothers #jennifer lynn barnes #jameson hawthorne #grayson hawthorne #xander hawthorne #nash hawthorne #avery grambs

[acoraf]

A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Page 42:

*SPOILERS*

FINALLY, she is being taken away from her awful family.. Im having a really hard time reading this book again.. I really hate the family, and I don't understand in any way why she continues to care for them. When they have shown no signs, they care for her or their situation.. I guess it's the point that we don't like them, but if your readers get so angry in the first few chapters that they don't want to read on, wouldn't that be bad buisness? Maybe it's just a me issue, lol.

I just want to get through this book. ACOMAF was my favorite, and I'm looking very much forward to reading that, but first I have to fight my way through this...

Happy reading, y'all! 🥀

#acotar #book rambles #book ramblings #book rant #book rating #bookblr #booklr #books #feyre archeron #reading #sara j mass #sarah j maas #sjm books #sjmaas #frustation #book thoughts

[kathrinesadventures]

Day dreaming sucks a$$

So I had this super awesome idea for my book at night and my dumb ass was too exhausted to write it down. I even dreamt of my characters! Then I woke up and then made some coffee and then went "Hey brain, wouldn't it be cool if you gave me the idea I had yesterday night?" And my brain responded with "Yeah, it'd be cool." So naturally I said "Well where is it?" And this mf literally flashed me with

Like I sh*t you not, this exact image came into my head as I was trying to remember what my idea was 😭😭😭

#book ramblings #Why brain? #WHERE'S MY IDEA SH*T HEAD #bookblogging #Katherine's adventures

[nabs-bookish-thoughts]

Remembered that I made a book reading account, oh well. I picked up Poppy War and read half of it in 2 days. Damn I can't remember the last time I tore through a book that fast. I swear I'm reading books not written by RF Kuang.

#rf kuang #book ramblings #poppy war

[azurdlywisterious]

I’m starting to think I was too harsh on silver eyes back in high school.

(Putting this under a read more because it’s super long)

It’s weird going back and reading it and knowing that the main antagonist (and my favorite character) doesn’t show up till halfway through. Sure the pacing slow, but I think my problem was I was reading it like it was… how do I phrase this?

Before I started this reread, I would commonly quote/paraphrase a line I had heard about the Michael bay transformers movies to describe this book:

“I came for the robots. I don’t care about the boring human stuff.”

And I think that’s why (or part of why) the book got such a bad rap when it was first released. When I read it, I was nearly skipping through it trying to get to the parts with the animatronics. And that’s the problem. The book has some poignant things to say or ponder about grief and change, things I didn’t have the experiences for to understand it but do now.

Now Charlie felt a pang of guilt. To someone, those little girls and boys had been as vital as Michael. To someone. their losses had meant the end of the world. She closed her. eyes for a moment. I can't mourn everyone, she thought. No one can.

Charlie (the protagonist) has a lot to say about this world and the situation she’s in. She’s not “a FNaF character,” she (and the rest of the cast) are the logical extension of kids who weren’t murdered growing up and having to live with that being one of the most formative moments in their lives.

"I didn't know what I saw," John said. "It was all chaos. I didn't even think about it; I didn't make the connection; it was just another animal at Freddy's. I didn't think about who might have been inside it. I was… I was a kid, you know? You figure that the grown-ups already know everything you know."

The pacing is slow, sure, but it uses that to flesh out and humanize each member of the main cast. Because this time around I’m just reading it for the sake of reliving all of it, I can appreciate the setup and world building the novel is taking its time to do.

And maybe I’ll change my mind (I just got to chapter 4), but I’m starting to think that I was harder on this book in high school than I should have been.

I remember a while back seeing a comment someone had that it was kind of weird how the franchise focused on the serial killer and his family drama and not the victims at all. While I don’t fully agree with this sentiment (I like the Afton family drama and his own kids were also his victims), I do agree that it’s rather strange. Surprisingly, so far, silver eyes has done a great job of focusing on the victims. While he is only one of the five mentioned to have been killed, Michael (the main group’s childhood friend) haunts the narrative like no other. I’d hazard to say even more than Charlie’s father at points. They’re all in town to memorialize Michael via a scholarship. He gets brought up in almost every scene. They go to Freddy’s as their own memorial to him.

After the ceremony, they went to say hello to Michael's parents, hugging them and making sounds of condolence. What do you say to someone who has lost a child? Can it be any easier? Can ten years make a difference, or do they wake up each morning as fresh with grief as the day he died?

Unless something wild happens quality-wise, I’m going to continue to hazard that silver eyes is a good book that ended up being read wrong on release.

#five nights at freddy's #the silver eyes #FNaF #azurdly’s long book review #if none of this makes sense I’m sorry I wrote this at 1:30am #I looked at it again in the morning and added more to it #including quotes from the book #five nights at Freddy’s #book ramblings