I loved, loved, loved this!!!! It's been a few months since I read it, but I still occasionally think about it and that says heaps for me. And such aI loved, loved, loved this!!!! It's been a few months since I read it, but I still occasionally think about it and that says heaps for me. And such a shocker as well that I read a fantasy! Which I never do, let alone a young adult fantasy (btw, the cover drew me in, obviously). This review will just be all words that probably won't make sense but it was that good and I can't help it. Iris Winnow feels like she's in-between her mother who's always drinking, and her brother Forest, who is on the frontline, fighting on behalf of the Gods side. He's now missing, and Iris is worried but also has to worry about her mother, all while trying to compete to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. The newspapers are focusing on writing about Dacre, an underworld god (like Hades) and Enva, a sky god which has now turned into a type of war, which Forest is fighting in (these bits took a bit to get used to because I'm not used to reading about war and gods in a fantasy setting but I got there). There's also Roman Kitt (swoon, I'm in love), who is also fighting for the same promotion. A little rivalry ensues. Let's just say, the cute, competitive banter between Iris and Roman... ugh, I loved it. I could read it for days. Iris is writing to Forest to try and get some word on if he's okay. She never gets a response, but one day there's a letter written back, signed off with "-C". Looks like her letters have gone to the wrong hands. She's typing these letters on a magical typewriter that's one of a kind, given to Iris from her grandmother. Maybe her typewriter and "C's" typewriter are connected? What I liked most were Iris and Roman themselves. Both amazing characters with flaws, who in the beginning were proud of their abilities but also when around each other, shielded themselves from any true connections or feelings. The more they interacted, the more beautiful their friendship became and it was so heartwarming and I swooned. The first book left on a cliffhanger and probably deservedly so because I need to know what happens in the second book but also don't want this small, little series to end just yet. I unexpectedly loved it so much and I love that for me. I read it on kindle also but I had to get the physical copy because it's amazing and so beautiful....more
This was one cute, moving, sad little novel and I loved it. Set in Ireland in 1981, it follows a young girl who is sent to a couple's farm to live forThis was one cute, moving, sad little novel and I loved it. Set in Ireland in 1981, it follows a young girl who is sent to a couple's farm to live for the summer while her mother preparers to give birth to another sibling. The young girl at the time has no idea if she'll go back to her family and doesn't know much about the couple who has taken her in. While there, the young girl learns about true love, kindness and what caring feels like and grows to really love the couple as they buy her things, make her feel at home and care for her in all the ways that a young child needs and wants. The whole story was just bursting with emotion and feeling on each page and definitely didn't feel only 80 something pages. It was truly heartwarming and sad and brilliant and sweet, so carefully written and I could read this for days and days and not get tired of it. Literally no faults. A new favourite....more
Love love love. One of the best things I've ever read. There are too many words that I can use to describe just how good this was. Sam and Sadie see eaLove love love. One of the best things I've ever read. There are too many words that I can use to describe just how good this was. Sam and Sadie see each other for the first time in years at a train station when they're both at college, rekindling their friendship from their childhood. Their friendship started when they were both young, meeting in a hospital. Sam is sat there playing video games while he recovers from his foot injury, and Sadie is there for her sister, Alice. They strike up a friendship that lasts over the span of 30 years, bonding over friendship, video games, love and jealousy. Friendship is one of my favourite things to read in books and this was basically perfection. It makes my heart swell just thinking about it and everything this book is about. I was hooked from the beginning, obsessed with the two main characters, and everyone that came after (shout out to Marx). Everyone had their flaws which makes it all so much more authentic and real and at times I did want to shake some sense into them all. The concept is so clever and original and emotional, highlighting the importance of doing and pursuing things you love, and the meaning and importance of friendship. I loved reading every word and every chapter. Something new was offered every time, through the highs and lows and I was invested. It made me cry - it takes a really good book to make me care about the characters and be that invested to make me shed a tear. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is one I will never forget....more
Smashed this in two days - so good! This was my first YA in a long time, and it came at the perfect time. It follows Liz, who has lost her mum and trieSmashed this in two days - so good! This was my first YA in a long time, and it came at the perfect time. It follows Liz, who has lost her mum and tries to connect with her through their mutual love for rom-coms, the ones she grew up watching and wishing were her life. She's in senior year now and going through all the senior year things without her mum so it brings a little bit of sadness into her life. She's also navigating a relationship with her step-mum Helena and how Helena doesn't want to overstep any boundaries. Then one day, Michael Young, Liz's childhood crush, moves back to her hometown, she enlists the help of her next door neighbour and childhood nemesis, Wes, into helping her get closer to Michael because she's convinced that he is 'the one'. While they're hanging out and Wes gives advice on how Liz can get closer to Michael, you can see Wes slowly starting to show his feelings for Liz but Liz is a little bit oblivious because all she can see is Michael. Some things that Wes did and said - ugh I need a Wes in my life, he's just too cute. Lots of things happen and you can see that Liz actually enjoys spending time with her nemesis Wes. It makes her question a lot and question whether Michael is really the one as the universe is basically telling her otherwise. Liz and Wes' friendship just screams cute. I couldn't help but adore Wes from the very beginning. I flew through it and couldn't stop reading all the cuteness that was happening. It was tropey, adorable, and just so sweet. It's a story of friendship, family, and just all around good vibes. And the banter? So freakin' good. My first 5 star read for the year - give me more like this please.
One of the best books I read in 2022... and one of the best books I've read ever! When I tell you I don't ever really read fantasy, I really don't. SoOne of the best books I read in 2022... and one of the best books I've read ever! When I tell you I don't ever really read fantasy, I really don't. So it was a total surprise when I finished reading this and totally fell in love with it. This one follows Linus, who's a worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's been in the job for a while and knows all the rules and regulations and lives routinely, going to work, going home, feeds his cat, Calliope and repeat. Then one day he's summoned to the offices of Extremely Upper Management and is put to the task of visiting an orphanage on Marsyas Island. Linus has to observe the six magical and dangerous children who live there, as well as the main man in charge, Arthur. Linus has to submit honest reports to Extremely Upper Management on his monthly stay to see if the orphanage should still be up and running. Linus has heard interesting things about this orphanage and it requires him to go out of his comfort zone - for example, one of the children who live there is the son of the Antichrist... so Linus is already nervous about his stay. But he learns quickly that how others are perceived on the outside doesn't really matter, it's whats on the inside that counts. The characters are for sure the standouts. The seven magical youths in Lucy, Chauncey, Phee, Talia, Sal, Theodore and Zoe are all so unique and wonderful and I loved learning more about them and their stories. Arthur is also the charming and protective father figure at this orphanage and you could see how much he loves these children (and maybe Linus too?). There are small life messages throughout the book about kindness, uniqueness, prejudice, accepting and loving those for who they are, misconception, and letting your walls down. It's just a refreshing read that had me smiling and laughing and just feeling giddy because it was just THAT good. Everyone please read it!
One of my favourite romances ever. It lives up to the hype, great plot and characters... just a fun time of reading. Intelligent Ph.d. student Olive hOne of my favourite romances ever. It lives up to the hype, great plot and characters... just a fun time of reading. Intelligent Ph.d. student Olive has kissed professor Adam Carlson. But it's only to show her friend, Anh that she is over Jeremy, the guy she was sort of seeing, who is now dating Anh. To help push her case further, Olive and Adam start a fake dating relationship. Olive was so likeable! Sometimes I struggle with female mains in romances as they can be a bit too quirky for my liking but I found to be rooting for Olive and all that she had to achieve. Adam was next level swoon... tall, dark, handsome, broody, borderline rude... couldn't help but fall in love with him myself. I loved Olive and Adam's relationship - I was living for all their bants and inside jokes and Adam's smirks, their pairing was great. The fake dating trope, set in academia and focusing on women in STEM, with funny dialogue and great characters, swoon worthy moments and engaging writing makes for the perfect romance. I was hooked. I basically cannot fault it. I was just obsessed with everything, beginning, middle and end. Will re-read sometime in the future I think!...more
This was one of the easiest five star reads ever. Chanel Miller, known to the world as Emily Doe after being sexually assaulted on a Stanford campus aThis was one of the easiest five star reads ever. Chanel Miller, known to the world as Emily Doe after being sexually assaulted on a Stanford campus and it going to trial, recollects the night of the assault and the aftermath of traumatic struggles she had to face. In 2016, her victim impact statement was read by millions of people online and is so enthralling that it captivated the world. The statement was so hard hitting, it’s worth reading that just in itself. Chanel's writing is so empowering, unapologetic and brave. She really is a talent when it comes to crafting such an important memoir that (unfortunately) many people may relate to. She speaks not only for herself, where she claims her identity as Chanel Miller and not Emily Doe, but for many others. It's a voice that needs to be heard and the writing expertly captures many emotions. The pain that came along with the fight for justice and how it impacted Chanel and even her family was quite heavy at points. The justice system really failed. It was so frustrating to see how the system navigates sexual assault cases. Chanel is such a powerful and strong woman, very unapologetic for her story and her words used and some of the sentences really stuck with me. She, and many others, are more than just victims. Everything about this was so great just in terms of the expert writing, the telling, the feeling, the empowerment with the words, how strong and courageous Chanel is, and her care for telling her story so others can feel they are not alone. Everyone should read this....more
This book was too much. In a good way. I loved everything about it so it's a solid 5/5 stars for me. It was funny, hot, cute, steamy, beautiful, dreamThis book was too much. In a good way. I loved everything about it so it's a solid 5/5 stars for me. It was funny, hot, cute, steamy, beautiful, dreamy, adorable. I definitely loved Danika, she's an awesome character who's bold and unique and intelligent and sarcastic. Then there is Zafir. I'm not sure what it is about Talia Hibbert's writing and how she develops her characters, but she's really out here making me feel like Zaf is a real person, cause damn. He is something. Literally tall, dark and handsome, with a somewhat grumpy exterior but is a big softie on the inside (I fell in love). But honestly, the chemistry between Dani and Zaf was nuts, they're beautiful together. Both of them are driven and ambitious people, while one is afraid of sharing feelings and beginning a relationship with someone again, and the other only knowing how to love and be romantic. Also the steamy scenes... definitely hotter than the first book. Was all for that. Dani and Zaf had a great friendship, great banter and they actually supported each other through their real issues. I love how the author has represented POC as the main characters, as well as men with anxiety and how important it is for men to speak up about mental health. I just love this book so much. I love the characters, the story, the importance of representation and mental health and anxiety and friendship.. I could go on. This is a new fave romance of mine....more
This book was amazing! I loved following the stories and lives of two twin sisters in Desiree and Stella and how their lives basically started off theThis book was amazing! I loved following the stories and lives of two twin sisters in Desiree and Stella and how their lives basically started off the same, but then become very different due to personal choices. It was a journey that I was captivated and so engaged by. The writing was beautiful and how the lives and stories of Desiree and Stella and other characters were interwoven over a number of years was done very well. The themes that were touched upon in this novel were racism, colourism, domestic violence, LGBTQ and family. Because of the many different stories and aspects to each character all in the one book, I would literally be happy reading separate novels of their lives because they were all that interesting, especially Jude and Reese. At the end I was upset because I wanted to keep reading; I just felt so attached to this story and didn't want it to end. It's exciting though that it's now been picked up for a TV series. I love a good literary fiction, generational family story with interweaving storylines that are so character driven and this one was a big tick for me. It truly deserves all the hype it has been getting and I truly recommend it to everyone...more
I can't give this book anything less than 5 stars. It's such a good read that I'm finding it hard to fault it. Although it was 700 pages long, it realI can't give this book anything less than 5 stars. It's such a good read that I'm finding it hard to fault it. Although it was 700 pages long, it really didn't feel that way- it never felt slow or boring and the pacing was so well done. I like time jumps in books and this one has several, following Cyril Avery before his birth, to 7 years old, to 14 years old, to 21 years old, etc. The writing was really beautiful and emotional and flowed really nicely throughout each chapter. The characters were so unique and interesting and funny and they all had their own voice. Cyril is a main character I definitely won't forget. Sometimes though it was difficult to read about some of the circumstances, first starting with Cyril's mother, Catherine, being pregnant and unmarried in a super religious Ireland post World War II, and also following Cyril and his struggles with his sexuality in a society that frowns upon homosexuality. My heart broke for Cyril. This book had a bit of everything and it had the right amount of descriptions and surprising humour and heartfelt words. I was never bored once. There’s just something about it that is so special and I was honestly sad that it ended. It's so amazing and is now a favourite of mine....more
This is this first book I've rated 5 stars in a while! I loved it so much. It follows the story of Ove, a pretty grumpy, fifty-nine year old man who isThis is this first book I've rated 5 stars in a while! I loved it so much. It follows the story of Ove, a pretty grumpy, fifty-nine year old man who is battling grief and depression following the loss of his wife. Ove was a very interesting character to read about; he is very set in his ways, going about his small neighbourhood community acting as the 'neighbourhood watch', making sure everything is in order each morning. He doesn't really like people, gets angry and annoyed easily if things aren't done in certain ways and basically doesn't want to live anymore. A young family then moves in next door which throws more disruption to Ove's already planned out life. We learn so much about Ove and his past and why he is the way he is. I loved the past and present timelines, and reading them made me grow to like him a lot more. Ove learns many lessons as well and we ever so slightly see his walls breaking down and letting the people who truly care about him, in. I couldn't really fault this book, although for the majority of the time I was reading it, I was going to give it a 4 stars. It had me crying and laughing and really liking all the characters and seeing the growth in Ove. But then I got to the last 50 pages and it sold it for me. This book is an amazing one. It's one that gives off a lot of feel and emotion. A few lessons can be learnt from it too. A genuinely heartwarming and beautiful book. A new favourite....more
June 6th 2021: Fourth time reading this one and I will never, ever grow tired of this book. Every single word on every page is so important and meaninJune 6th 2021: Fourth time reading this one and I will never, ever grow tired of this book. Every single word on every page is so important and meaningful to the story. It’s like you’re watching Marianne and Connell’s life through a window, looking at and absorbing every little detail that’s placed in front of you. It’s beautiful. It will always have a lasting effect on me.
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October 21st 2020: Third time re-reading... once again another 5 star... once again one of my faves. I feel like this is a book I will be re-reading for many years to come because I honestly don't think I'd ever grow tried of it, which is kinda weird because this book can either be a hit or miss for many people.
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January 19th 2020: I connected with this book more the second time around. Very happy I read it again, one of my faves.
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January 17th 2019: I loved everything about this. Writing is just… Wow....more
Wasn’t sure what to expect from my first Murakami novel, but I didn’t expect this. I’m kinda blown away because it was so beautifully written and doneWasn’t sure what to expect from my first Murakami novel, but I didn’t expect this. I’m kinda blown away because it was so beautifully written and done in a poetic way that I was so immersed in everything about it. There were some things I disliked, but they were only very minor. The ending did leave me feeling a bit empty though, but that aside I definitely enjoyed almost everything about it. Can’t wait to try another of his.....more
An easy 5 stars for me. It was touching and heartbreaking, the characters all unique and great in their own ways. Was so beautifully and poetically wrAn easy 5 stars for me. It was touching and heartbreaking, the characters all unique and great in their own ways. Was so beautifully and poetically written, I can see why it’s such a hyped book and a favourite for many. It’s up there with a favourite read of mine now. If you haven’t read it yet, give it a shot. I highly recommend it...more
EDIT: Just over a week since I finished it and I'm still thinking about this book...
I honestly don't know where to begin apart from saying; this is onEDIT: Just over a week since I finished it and I'm still thinking about this book...
I honestly don't know where to begin apart from saying; this is one of the best books I have ever read.
This review will be a long one because there is so much to digest and put down that I don't know if it will make any sense. Firstly, I have never read anything like 'A Little Life' before. I've been wanting to read it for a while and have always been intrigued but have never had the courage to pick it up because I was intimidated by how many pages there were, but also because I was scared. I had heard many great and interesting things and the most being that it would be sad. Sad is literally an understatement. It's depressing. Exhausting. Draining. Heartbreaking. Brutal and graphic. But, also beautiful and raw. It's detailed and descriptive. Heavy and slow paced and very character driven, focusing on character relationships, and friendships in particular, spanning over decades. I didn't do a lot of research into the trigger warnings (which I definitely think now most people should do if they're struggling and are interested in reading this) and I was truly taken aback by them all. It had me crying, sobbing, putting the book down mid sentence just to gather myself, even, and that hasn't happened to me while reading a book in a long time. It had me squirming and cringing and there was a lot of 'head-in-my-hands' type of situations going on along with staring off into the distance with teary eyes trying to comprehend what I had just read. "I'm too scared to continue" was a phrase I used a whole lot during this. I felt empty some days, like it had sucked everything out of me.
I had so much patience with this book, it was insane. I didn't feel the need to read it quickly- I would read a chunk and then take a much needed breather. Then I would read a tiny portion of it and take another much needed breather. It's a slow burn of a book that had me interested the whole way through. I was never bored. The length of 'A Little Life' was not an issue for me, even thought at the beginning I thought it might've been. It had everything it needed for the reader to grow attached to each of these characters, and oh boy I sure was attached. It felt like I knew these characters personally in a sense.
I loved Hanya Yanagihara's writing style. It made you feel literally everything. I've seen reviews where people thought the writing style was over the top and a slog at times and I'm not sure what it was but I didn't feel that way at all; it was some of the best writing I have ever read. It was simple but also intelligent at the same time, and pretty? (not sure if that's the right word to use but hoping you get what I mean). I just wanted the story to keep going as weird as that sounds. The way the sentences and words were formed and used just put a more heightened perspective on mental illness and past traumas and how they never really leave you. It also shows how hard it is for important relationship figures to see someone dealing with mental health amongst other issues and see them struggling and feeling helpless. The flashbacks from past to present (my favourite), was done extremely well. The element of friendships and that being a central part of the novel was truly special and it's one of my favourite things to read about. Sometimes it didn't even feel like fiction. It felt that real and genuine to me.
The last book to have characters stay with me was 'The Goldfinch', where long after I had finished, I was still thinking about them. 'A Little Life' will be the same. I know Jude, Willem, Malcolm, JB, Harold, Julia, Andy (to name a few), will stay with me and I will be thinking about them for a long, long time.
After turning that last page, it killed me emotionally. I can't comprehend how this book exists. But I'm so glad it does because it's one of my favourites for so many different reasons. It takes you on this long, emotional and heartbreaking journey with these characters that are so unique and individual and beautiful and real, that reading this 814 page book was 100% worth every. Single. Bit of my time that I invested into it....more
It took my a little bit to get into this book, mainly because the writing is so different, but once I understood what was going on, I was hooked. I reIt took my a little bit to get into this book, mainly because the writing is so different, but once I understood what was going on, I was hooked. I really enjoyed the way it was told in the perspective of Kath and her reminiscing of her and her friends time in Hailsham, and learning and coming to terms with their harsh realities. Ruth, Tommy and Kath were all very flawed characters and I sympathised with them all, all at different stages of their life. I feel Ruth is portrayed worse than what she really is though. I’ve heard this book is considered “quasi-science fiction” which I’ve never heard of before but after looking into it, I do agree. This book was dark, creative, incredible and in some ways, a coming of age story, and I feel I will be thinking of this book for a while. It’s now definitely one of my favourites **update: just watched the movie and that was also real good!...more
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