I just finished Jean Kwok's The Leftover Woman and feel utterly inadequate to write a review. I'm speechless. To say the book is brilliant is to barelI just finished Jean Kwok's The Leftover Woman and feel utterly inadequate to write a review. I'm speechless. To say the book is brilliant is to barely touch the surface. This book works on so many levels. From a plot that--I won't say keeps you guessing because the shocks and surprises come so fast and hard there's little time to sit and guess. At least, not at the speed I turned the pages.
It's a superb thriller, a heart-wrenching story of mother-love, a brutal expose of racial discrimination and gender bias, a social condemnation of the one-child policy in China, and for me, as a writer, a deeply satisfying peek into the publishing world. It's a master work of unintended consequences and a fast-paced emotional thrill ride.
Ok, I lied. Clearly I did have something to say.
Normally, at this point in my review, I'd say to read this book if...and list three reasons someone might like it. But truly, whoever you are, read this book....more
The entries in this book are drawn from five-minute timed exercises written in a safe community of women. They span a diversity of emotions and speak The entries in this book are drawn from five-minute timed exercises written in a safe community of women. They span a diversity of emotions and speak to everyone looking for connection in a world that can make us feel insulated and isolated.
The pieces have not been amended or embellished in any way, they are presented in their original, raw form, and invite kindred spirits to open the book at random and find comfort within.
I love this book, and am proud to have been a part of its creation. Full disclosure, I have three pieces in it and helped with the editing process.
Read this book: If you need reassurance that you're not alone; to find support with self-expression; for the joy and upliftment it offers.
I raced through The Roaring Days of Zora Lily and had to stop myself late one night and hold back the last thirty pages to prolong the fabulously immeI raced through The Roaring Days of Zora Lily and had to stop myself late one night and hold back the last thirty pages to prolong the fabulously immersive experience of Zora’s world.
Noelle Salazar’s stories pull you in from the first lines, with vivid settings peopled by characters you’ll want to invite into your closest circle of friends. She knows how to turn a phrase until it rolls around on your tongue like fine chocolate. I was privileged to read an advance copy of this book, and reading it was a treat I enjoyed with a cup of tea, in a comfy chair, pencil and page-flag stickers ready to mark my favorite passages.
Zora Lily is destined to become one of the most memorable characters in modern fiction. Like many of the women who live inside Noelle’s pages, you’ll admire Zora’s spirit, applaud her accomplishments, mourn her sorrows, and never be able to predict just how things will turn out.
This is a beautiful portrait of 1920s Seattle, complete with speakeasies, bootlegging, and marvelous, iconic fashions. Zora’s story is book-ended in modern day Washington D.C. What begins as a museum curator’s mystery, unfolds into a rich historical novel—a peek into the past we can trust Noelle to reveal in fully dimensional, vibrant, and meticulously researched detail. I’ve been a fan of her writing since I picked up her first book, and this, her third, leaves me eager for more.
Read this book: if you love a story with a complex female protagonist, want to immerse yourself in a luscious historical novel, have a love for fashion design, or are looking to learn about a fascinating period in American history.
JJ Elliott has given us a precious gift. This beautifully written book caused me to re-examine the nature of my friendships, my episodes with grief, aJJ Elliott has given us a precious gift. This beautifully written book caused me to re-examine the nature of my friendships, my episodes with grief, and the difference between acceptance and denial. The rhythm and structure of her chapters give us assurances that joy follows the hard parts, that our hope is justified, that her characters, too, will find solace and peace.
I found myself envying these fictional characters their love for each other. In reading about the grief of the remaining three women after the suicide of the fourth, I questioned whether I sustain my friendships sufficiently. And I became angry with Ali for pushing her husband away, because I want to believe I’d turn to my spouse for comfort. Was I angry at Ali, or was I just jealous? Maybe I was angry at JJ Elliott for using this literary device that called attention to my doubts.
Reading this book started me on a series of meditations. I don't recall any work of fiction causing me to look so deeply into myself, to examine the existential nature of my life. I'm profoundly grateful.
Amy Ferris has written a deceptively simple book that offers powerful reflections on life as a woman. From the slippery path we begin as little girls,Amy Ferris has written a deceptively simple book that offers powerful reflections on life as a woman. From the slippery path we begin as little girls, giving away pieces of ourselves in the search for love and validation, to the way we choose the wrong men—hoping for the same—to a dream that someone like Amy will enter our lives and show us how to honor our instincts, value ourselves, and be the source of all the love we'll ever need.
Like the Japanese concept of Kintsugi, Amy urges us to embrace our broken places. When read deeply, this "Little Book About Messy Love" offers insights toward a generous way to view our mistakes, poor choices, and damaging thoughts about ourselves. Amy Ferris has an amazing ability to turn the mundane into an opportunity for self-awareness and growth—as in a chapter from the middle of the book, where, in a matter of three pages, Amy takes us from the irritation and headache of a broken refrigerator to her sudden recognition that in this moment, we all are exactly as we need to be, and no one can tell us otherwise.
She makes me want to forgive more readily, understand more widely, and love more deeply. She makes me embrace the work of living a fuller, richer, and, yes, messier existence. With this book, Amy has set an alarm that can awaken us to the beauty of a fully realized life.
Read this book: if someone has stolen your self-worth; you need a dose of inspiration; you’re searching for your voice. ...more
Loading...
