Well the first book wasn't great, but then it only got better and better! This book was possibly the most unserious of the whole bunch, but also? I diWell the first book wasn't great, but then it only got better and better! This book was possibly the most unserious of the whole bunch, but also? I didn't hate it being like that. You understand that life doesn't really work like this, but who cares? This is fiction, and poetic justice is just SO satisfying. Great read. I don't know how anything's gonna follow this series for a while....more
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. It's so perfectly wistful How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. It's so perfectly wistful and the mood is just right. I don't usually even like reading essays, but this is different - it's like all these small stories about women's ghosts, the ghostliness of how we are perceived by society and the cultural impact of it. Some of those are based on existing ghost stories, some on imagined ones. The authors don't even skip fake ghost stories and their histories, which I really appreciated. What a great read.
Some of my other thoughts about it that I wrote down while reading it... I never thought of ghost stories like that, but as I was reading the preface to this book? It's so true. Ghost stories are so often women's stories. Women are often more interested in them, and have historically been more involved with dealing (and I mean, dealing as a chore) with death more often than men. A lot of ghost stories were written by women, and were the first feminist tales, where the angry wife gets to exact her revenge, because she's is no longer tied to societal norms or expectations. A lot of these ghosts are tragic, but that doesn't change the fascinating fact that ghost stories, at least old ones, are indeed more often about women, and interest women moreso than men. Fascinating.
This book may be more meant for those who believe in ghosts, as it's very sincere and sensitive about these matters. There is also a lot of respect and empathy towards the living people who turned into these ghosts, whether real or not - before the ghost, there was always a living person's story with its sufferings and complications. So I think it doesn't really matter if you believe ghosts or not, it's a good book to read - and even if you don't believe in them, the book explores a lot of cultural impacts and our beliefs that have shaped or have been shaped by these stories. It's an incredibly interesting exploration, and the authors have done an amazing job in assembling all those facts and the lore that comes with the locations and ghost stories involved.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
This was such a beautiful book. I stayed glued to the pages all day, and it's funny to admiHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
This was such a beautiful book. I stayed glued to the pages all day, and it's funny to admit I feel this way about a middle grade book, while being a grown woman, but I read this as a thriller and it kept my palms sweating quite a lot. Not a thriller-thriller, of course, the topics are still middle grade, but oh my gosh, was it, well... thrilling!
First of all, the title of the book is... Well, let me tell you, you'll only learn why it's like that when you finish the book. I was puzzled about it the whole time, but when I reached the end? I thought it was pretty brilliant.
Another thing I liked about this book is that it goes deep into several things that are important for a middle grader to know - when an adult is gaslighting you, and when an adult is manipulating people for their own gain. It's also tied into discrimination and judging people based on prejudice, which was a companion theme in the story. Why I say it's important, is because the story teaches children to RECOGNIZE the signs of gaslighting and manipulation.
If anyone had told me what it's like to be manipulated or gaslighted by an adult as a kid? I know for sure some situations would have appeared differently. But children, especially young girls, tend to believe that literally everyone else's word will be taken before theirs is, and they're probably not even wrong, considering how society treats it. Therefore, they don't speak up - worse, they often think it's them who are in the wrong.
This book has a teacher who is clearly manipulating people and gaslighting the main character. When I look at it from my current perspective as an adult, it's painfully obvious. But if I were to look at it from the child's perspective, I know I wouldn't notice it, because I'd just implicitly trust the adults, or think I just don't know something. Therefore, it's incredibly valuable to read this and know what it looks like - and why it's bad when people do it. The author doesn't go into explaining what gaslighting is, but it's not necessary - it's just labelled as a behavior that's not good, and one you should be able to recognize and believe yourself, not the manipulator, which I think is enough for a child to know without knowing much about the terminology. I think it would be even better for this story to be read or at least discussed with parents or guardians, because then the reasons could be explained to the child reading this. It's an important life lesson, one that could prove incredibly valuable if learned early.
But even aside from that - the story is brilliant in its own right. Jaclyn Moriarty is wonderful with children's stories, she's a truly masterful writer. The world is very well built, and it's so colorful and imaginative. The story delves into more serious themes of forgiveness, parenthood, empathy and more. It's just such a brilliant read. I definitely recommend it, no matter whether the reader is an adult or a child or teen. I think everyone can take away something from it.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Somehow you don't expect a story that's so largely about racism - in a book about Asia. Racism is mostly discussed in Western settings, and it's usualSomehow you don't expect a story that's so largely about racism - in a book about Asia. Racism is mostly discussed in Western settings, and it's usually between white and non-white groups. Not so here - it's not solely about it, but Pachinko is largely about how racism damages lives, and it's even scarier that this is racism of Asians against Asians - people who are, from a Westerner's perspective, often lumped together into one ethnicity, as opposed to white people.
In Pachinko though, we see how horribly the Japanese treat Koreans during WWII and in the decades after, and we understand how horrible and damaging racism and nationalism can be. I've always known that the Koreans and the Japanese have had a difficult history, and as I've loved both these cultures and studied their languages, I've met people on both sides who explained these things to me in their own way. And yet, knowing all this, it's still just as shocking to read about it, because it seems impossible that such things happened. It was also poignant for me, because my own country has had a similar history with another one, and I could relate to a lot of the things being said in this book. No matter what nationality or geography, people will act a certain way in these situations. Regrettably, as damaging as the labeling is, it's also incredibly human to act that way. This dark side of human nature is something I end up thinking about a lot.
Perhaps the most shocking facet of it all for me, and one that is rarely explored in Western literature, was that even if you're rich - racism against you is still racism, and it doesn't lose its power. Being rich is not armor against it. People judging you and labeling you is still stronger than money and the power it gives you. You know how we tend to think money can solve anything at all? Well, apparently not.
There is also a facet to this story where it's about belonging - kind of intersects with being mixed race/ethnicity, although most of the characters in this book are not. But what I mean is, most of these people, while being Korean, are not thought to belong in Korea anymore, neither by their compatriots, nor by themselves (not even starting with the fact that the country they left technically no longer exists and is now two separate countries which are at odds.) And yet, they do not belong in Japan either, they're loathed there as a minority. Were they to move away to the US or Europe, they would be nothing more than outsiders as well. Weirder than that, most of them can't even travel because they'd be stuck in limbo - like in that movie where Tom Hanks gets stuck in that airport - because Japan won't issue them a passport, and some of them have never been to Korea, because they were born in Japan. Were they to go visit, there would be no home to come back to. This situation is brutal and unimaginable. Having a foreigner husband myself, I have gone through some migration department trouble (the word itself often gives me panic attacks), so reading what these people have had to go through made me feel strangely... Understood. But at the same time, it made me immesurably sad, because I thought my troubles were so big they didn't let me sleep. As if appears, they were not troubles - not by a long shot. Thinking that while this story might be fictional, there were thousands if not millions of people who had this or worse happen to them, makes me sad. And even though this might not be the case in Japan right now (actually, I have no idea whether it still is or not), but it was at one point, and it was so for many decades. Perhaps it is so for other people in other countries as well, especially if they're refugees.
But Pachinko is not only about that. It's also a sprawling history of a family - one that has not had it easy. Histories of war, famine, illness - they're never easy to digest. But even more so, now that I'm reading it in early 2022, only a couple hundred kilometers away from an armed conflict that has shaken the world and that I know will be discussed even after I'm gone from this world, probably. Even only just a year ago, I think Pachinko would have read slightly differently for me. Now, everything is sharper, comes into focus more and prompts completely different ideas in my head.
This is a largely character driven story, and it doesn't attach itself to one character - more like it follows the family, sometimes a few characters at the time, and makes you wonder about how wild, unimaginable and unexpected life can truly be. I ended up being attached to most of them, and they're all so wonderfully distinct and unique. And while you know it's just a book, you also realize you're suddenly remembering all those stories your great grandmother told you that were just like this, but also happened to someone living, not fictional. This book read like life - no embellishments, sometimes even harsher than life seems to be, but... Then you think about it and wonder, maybe you've had it easier than you thought. And you shudder, not knowing what the future might bring, especially in today's context.
Pachinko was unbelievable, and white it's a very long book, I read more than a half of it in one sitting on a Saturday afternoon. I couldn't pry myself away - it's been a while since I've been sucked into a story like this. It's not an easy read, but it's certainly very worthwhile. And now I find myself wondering about the author's choice for the title of this book. Is it Pachinko because the families worked in Pachinko business? Or is it Pachinko because human lives are like those balls, dropped on the pins, where they fall wherever chances takes them, randomly, but with very different consequences for the rest of their lives?...more
How I read this: Free ebook copy received from author
I loved this book. It was fun, fast paced and full of action. It even broke my reading slump thatHow I read this: Free ebook copy received from author
I loved this book. It was fun, fast paced and full of action. It even broke my reading slump that I've had for a month or two. And not only that – I absolutely fell for the characters. What's more, this book is perfect for D&D lovers, cause there are just so many related Easter eggs for the reader.
There is something about getting attached to an imaginary universe, and I believe this is happening to me in regards to Arvia and its lore. Hazelhearth Hires Heroes is the third book set in this mythical place, and despite me not typically being overly fond of fantasy stories, I am head over heels for this series, because I just love returning there.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received for a blog tour from publicist and tour managers via NetGalley
WOW WOW WOW. Unforgettable story. A 560+ page How I read this: Free ebook copy received for a blog tour from publicist and tour managers via NetGalley
WOW WOW WOW. Unforgettable story. A 560+ page beast that I gobbled up IN TWO DAYS. Grand, looming and incredible. If you: - are a fan of Mass Effect - loved The Three-Body Problem - love not-only-human and not-only-able-bodied casts - love cool strong fighter women - love a dark story - are prepared for many pages and a whole series of that
THEN THIS IS YOUR BOOK.
I have a long review right here, so please come visit my post if you want to know more about why I absolutely loved Shards of Earth: https://avalinahsbooks.space/shards-o...
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Oh, I have so many thoughts about this book. Please read the long review for those. This isHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Oh, I have so many thoughts about this book. Please read the long review for those. This is the short version. The Startup Wife was an amazing book, and I find myself still thinking about it long after I’ve finished it. It was just one of those books where you start reading it, and you know it’s going to be an instant hit with you. I can only compare The Startup Wife with books like Daisy Jones & The Six, Oona Out of Order, maybe even The Oracle Year (although they’re all a completely different kind of story, there’s a mood and a vibe that matched for me.)
It’s hip, even a little hipster, but it’s also down to earth. You can somehow relate to it, even though your life isn’t even close to the one the characters are living. It’s serious, and yet has quite a lot of humor and easy going vibes, despite exploring some really dark, tough human relationship areas. All I can say is I wish I chanced upon more books like The Startup Wife, because these books are why I read in the first place – these are the kinds of books I’m always looking for.
For women who have worked in newer companies, or possibly engineering and IT, there will be a lot they can relate to. There were times when I had those “oh, girl” moments when I was reading it. It’s amazing to be able to read a book and know, with your heart and soul, what the author means, and yet, at the same time know that it’s something only another woman will understand. It’s sad and it makes you angry, but then again, it’s also good to know you’re not alone, and that other women also understand this. And especially – that you’re not making it up (a thing even I have heard, despite working with very nice men.) That’s why The Startup Wife is an absolute must-read!
Update: I have added FREE Printable Book Club Questions for Anxious People by Fredrik Backman to my review! Grab them and get everything set up for yoUpdate: I have added FREE Printable Book Club Questions for Anxious People by Fredrik Backman to my review! Grab them and get everything set up for your book club discussion.
How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
How can a book be both hilarious and also heart-rending at the same time? Well, Anxious People is exactly that kind of story. It somehow manages to talk about complex and painful issues such as suicide, insecurity in life and our daily struggles at adulting in such a quirky and funny, yet graceful way you wouldn’t believe it.
In the end… I was speechless. This book was EVERYTHING, it was deep, funny and wonderful. After I finished it, I sat wide-eyed for a while, not knowing what to even write in my review. Anxious People encompasses kindness, our fumbling humanity, community, loneliness and feeling like you’re so alone and desperate, you may not want to live anymore. It tackles heavy and painful subjects, but it does so in such a graceful manner that you want to quote it to everyone you know. It puts the pin right into the center of the matter, and with some things in this book, I truly felt that the author simply said what I wanted to say all along about things, about life – except I couldn’t find the words – and he did it for me. This was a truly unforgettable read.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
God, I loved this book... I loved it fiercely. I don't even know where to start?
First of alHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
God, I loved this book... I loved it fiercely. I don't even know where to start?
First of all, it's a book pretty much solely made up of women and nonbinary characters. I read all-male scifi too, and often like it all the same as any other scifi, but there is something, just that SOMETHING, about reading a book where everyone's... More or less like you. It's f...ing amazing. No other word for it.
And yeah, you're gonna ask - there WERE some men. But there were as many men as there are women in your typical 50s-60s scifi, and they're in the same unimportant, episodic roles. Robber. One-scene cute boyfriend. Guy who gets assassinated or the guy on the team who takes the shot. Guy who maintains the building. You're gonna say I'm petty, but HA. In your face, all-male scifi. You have all the scifis where we are but decorations and basically blinking, breathing furniture. So I'm going to gloat about one or two books where it's precisely the other way round.
But continuing with the characters. They're all tough, strong, smart, they've got character, they're gritty and interesting people. Most of them had really cool backstories, which always makes the book feel so much more real and multidimensional than just telling the "current story in question." They're tough and capable warriors, and this book feels a little like military-scifi even, with how much fighting we get to see. However... That's not to say that these characters don't have emotion. Oh no - they're fighting alongside those they love, so of course they care, and of course they hurt when something happens. The best part about the way the story was told for me was that it didn't feel the need to turn ex-military merc women into some muscular, feelingless fighting machines (which happens in scifi more often than you'd think, to juxtapose femininity with the ability to fight - as in, for some reason, you can't be both or something). They retain their emotional side and are not afraid of it, nor do they think it's any kind of weakness. It's the human bonds that keep them together.
I really liked the pacing of the story as well, because the start of the book was rather slow and definitely character-built, with a lot of detail on the backstories and world building. However, after the halfway mark it got so tense and INtense that i had to put away the book for brief breaks, because I thought my heart would leap out of my chest. It was definitely a lot of handle, and I mean that in the best way possible. What a wonderful book!
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
How I read this: borrowed through Bookmate subscription
This was one of the most honest Buddhist journey / progression stories I've read so far. It helHow I read this: borrowed through Bookmate subscription
This was one of the most honest Buddhist journey / progression stories I've read so far. It helped me loads with my own impostor syndrome - and the idea that if you're "for real", you can't have any setbacks, you can't have feelings and you can't be upset.
What makes it hard to be a Buddhist, especially in the West, is this idea that we have ingrained into our Western society - that if you're a Buddhist, basically you've got to be perfect. You can't have moods. You must be above all that. If you're not, well then, you're not for real! Well, the reality is very different, of course. But how many of us know that, and ACTUALLY know that? And how many of us constantly feel like we're only pretending, cause in reality, if we were ACTUALLY following the Dharma, we wouldn't be... Human. We'd be somehow better?
We so often like to imagine that as Buddhists, our path will be straight. That we will stay on it and never stray, not even on the bad days. (Sometimes we like to think there will be no bad days at all anymore, or if there are, we will ignore them..?) We think that meditation will bring us calm and bliss, and we will be filled with compassion at every injustice.
But guess what. We're people and there is no button to switch bad emotions off. As Buddhists, we're not supposed to 'not have' negative emotions. We're not supposed to 'dwell in bliss'. That's a lie and a very common misconception.
This book really stressed this for me. And it highlighted a real man's journey - one who couldn't 'focus on the positivity', cause there was none where he was. One who could not meditate on a lovely retreat with vegan meals surrounded by perfect nature. Because he couldn't even leave his tiny room. He went through calm as much as anger, and years into progressing through his journey, he experienced pain and anger - and this book TALKS about it. This book even talks about how meditation isn't supposed to just bring you bliss and calm. Meditation can bring you fear and anxiety. And it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's a lot to unpack, and it's something people don't like to talk about.
My point here is, I don't know, but it's like we never talk about our bad feelings. So when we practice and still feel them, we shove them under a rug. And then we feel guilty for them. We abandon our practices. We think, 'I must not be trying hard enough', or 'this isn't working out'.
There should be more books that talk about this journey like that - warts and all. If you have read any, please recommend! Meanwhile I can recommend this one whole-heartedly - and not only to Buddhists, but simply people who are struggling and want to find more peace and learn to live with themselves, whatever their circumstances.
How I read this: borrowed through Bookmate subscription
Omg this book was so AMAZING!!! I was in a book slump, but I gobbled this story up. It was hearHow I read this: borrowed through Bookmate subscription
Omg this book was so AMAZING!!! I was in a book slump, but I gobbled this story up. It was heartwarming and just what I needed during a truly shitty time. It's just one of those books that's definitely going into my all-time favorites shelf. I can't wait to read some other books by this author.
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
I wasn't a fan of Rammstein when I picked this book up, but I will never pass up an opportuHow I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
I wasn't a fan of Rammstein when I picked this book up, but I will never pass up an opportunity to read about a day on tour as a famous musician. And it turned out to be amazing! Check out the full review here: https://avalinahsbooks.space/its-the-...
The book is full of tidbits that were very interesting. Like the logistics of actually being in a band and doing gigs. But what I liked the best is how it just shows you that famous people are just people too. I loved the parts where Flake talks about how he'd take a taxi to his own concert because he was pressed for time, and the taxi driver wouldn't believe that he's in the band and wouldn't take him to the artists' entrance. Because people in a famous band just don't take taxis to their own concerts. As if that's unheard of. Because they're somehow not just people like we all are. It's always nice to see these myths about famous people deconstructed.
Flake's sense of humor is also very good, which makes reading the book fun. His stream of consciousness writing is very whimsical in just the right places. He carries on with such abandon and self-deprecating humor that you just can't peel yourself away from it. Like, don't you just love to hear that Flake reviews his own songs from Rammstein cover band recordings on YouTube, cause they happen to be the best quality? He's also constantly poking fun at things like "unfortunately, the skinheads like our music" - I mean, who could have figured? And things like how backstage life is actually much less glamorous than we're bound to think... Or how musicians sometimes have to board flights with essentially dwarf costumes and stage dirt on their faces just because they were filming a video late (you honestly have to read that one for yourself...) It's a wonderful book!
What I loved about this book the most was that while reading it, I felt like I actually know this guy. He was just so relatable, and there are quite a lot of little weird things that he and the band does that I could really relate to! Is it just that artsy people do this, or does nobody just talk about it? (Or are me, my family and all the Rammstein guys literally the only people in the world who use invented funny words as a regular thing..? Cause everyone I know claims they've never heard of this ridiculous practice. Which totally makes life better, by the way, you should try it.)
Flake describes both how the band was created and went through its history, as well as how the band is living now and what happens on tour. The tour part was nuts! Flake himself says something like, "I don't know what I'm doing here at an age when most people are getting ready for retirement, but it's fun." And indeed, what they're doing is, uh... Getting "cooked" in a pot, getting a flame thrower shot at you, getting your arm "put on fire" - all this wild stuff. Of course, it's stage pyrotechnics and all that, but if you think it's entirely safe, then you should read Flake's descriptions. I don't know how those guys manage to find this fun! I guess you have to be in a heavy rock band to feel that way. But reading about it was certainly very interesting - those were just some things I could have never imagined myself. It's a life that's incredibly remote from the way I live mine, and those experiences are always the most interesting to read about.
Another thing that's wonderful about this book is that, well, it's not full of itself. You know how band memoirs or documentaries will sometimes be all about how wonderful this or that was? How genius the songs are? Well, this book is not like that. It's very simple, and it discusses the songs in a very down to earth manner (with Flake's typical self-deprecating humor, of course). I really enjoyed this - especially when I looked up the songs later to see what it was all about.
And you know what, after I finished the book, I listened to a couple songs. And they're actually pretty good! I mean, that's got to be the first instance of someone reading a book and then starting to listen to someone's music because of the book. It's got to be the most ridiculous thing ever.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
This book was just so perfect. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, and I find myself completely unable to write a review, because the story, as This book was just so perfect. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, and I find myself completely unable to write a review, because the story, as well as everything in between the lines, was so much bigger than anything I could ever say about it. It's one of those unique books that will always stay with you. I read hundreds of books every year, but there are perhaps only ten that I'll still remember after years and years. And this one will definitely be one of them. I'm sure of it....more
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Ghostlove is one of those books I’m sure I’ll remember forever, and it’s one of those that How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Ghostlove is one of those books I’m sure I’ll remember forever, and it’s one of those that feel like they were secretly written for you. The experience was just uncanny, and it left me with so many thoughts and feelings, and now I’m struggling to put them in words. Ghostlove by Dennis Mahoney was both magical, wistful and sad, as it was odd, deep and meaningful. It reminded me a lot of The Library at Mount Char and will certainly appeal to those who liked it, but it didn’t have a dark presence – it just had the same sort of magical, uncanny world that some of us wish we might one day know. It was also so strangely beautiful and full of love, kind presence and just… Oh, when I finished it, it left a book shaped hole in my heart for sure. I can’t quite put my feelings into proper words, but I LOVED Ghostlove so much.
It was just so magical! Sad, but also very magical. The main character loses his mother in strange circumstances, or rather, his mother sort of loses her mind after visiting a dying man in a strange house. After which the young man becomes obsessed with ghosts, and trying to meet his mother to find out what happened to her back then, and maybe talk to her. He eventually finds the house in question and takes up residence in it. And the house is strange indeed.
You’d think this is a ghost book, but it’s not scary. On the contrary, it’s so magical and fascinating. The house is an otherworldly place – there is a tenant in the basement who pays his rent punctually, but nobody has ever seen him even once, and he’s lived there as long as anyone’s known. There’s a presence in the bedroom. It sometimes snows inside the house. There’s a three-winged pigeon that roosts near the house. I could go on – it’s all so very interesting and curious.
Ghostlove is very quotable, although I’m not a person that collects quotes, so I didn’t copy any. But there were many times when I was reading and a particular sentence would stick out and I’d think, maybe I should write that down. The book speaks in words, but at the same time – they’re somehow like pictures or symbols. They’re conceptual in a way where the words and sentences don’t always directly make sense, but when you read them, they make you feel something so deeply, you can’t describe why or how, but it’s so vivid, and it’s as if you’re reading something between the lines. I love books like that, and they’re incredibly rare.
Ghostlove made me ponder what was between the lines and it made me want to stop and think of the different meanings and possibilities. I rarely read books like that anymore, but this book made me pause a lot. Reading it was very enjoyable that way.
The evening I picked the book up, it was as if I was sucked into it and it just carried me away. It was so brilliant, I just got to like 91% and then it was 2 am and I had to sleep. And yet, before I did, I still retold my husband the entire plot (and I never do that), and he liked it too. I stopped on a cliffhanger and had to leave it till morning. In the end, I’m glad I paused there, because both me and my husband got to guess at how the story ends. It made it more meaningful when I picked it up first thing in the morning and finished it before I even got up.
One of the things I told my husband about the book was that it made me feel like… Like I’d been writing this book myself for a couple years, or as if it’s been written for me, somehow. It’s very rare that this happens. But it’s as if the thoughts I’d been having on and off for a few years now were somehow put together in this book, and articulated better than I could have ever done. And when I read them, it was like a bunch of small awakenings, each of them bringing a jolt of awareness, because those thoughts have been slowly solidifying in some corner of your mind for a while now. It was a very strange, and yet meaningful experience reading this.
Ultimately, the book was about loving and then also letting go of your pain and loss. It was beautiful. It may not be the story or the ending you expect, but it’s very symbolic and beautiful. I was stunned at the level of layers to the symbolism in it, and I thought it was brilliant.
Overall...
I think Ghostlove by Dennis Mahoney will stay with me for a long time, because there were so many hidden meanings and deep thoughts in it. It’s certainly one of the best thought-provoking books I’ve read in a long time. I don’t know if you would like it as much as I did, because it seems this book touched me very close and personally, but I hope you’ll still enjoy it and see how unique a story it is. It’s definitely worth a read!
I was absolutely in love with Julie of the Wolves – I finished this story in an evening, and I was so sorry it enHow I read this: free trial of Scribd
I was absolutely in love with Julie of the Wolves – I finished this story in an evening, and I was so sorry it ended so fast. This story is not only a celebration of the Inuit (Eskimo) culture, it’s also a lovesong to other, non-human cultures – I mean animals. The story focuses on wolves and how they adopt a girl who has got lost in the tundra because she was running away from a dangerous situation at home. The love for nature, for the natural (even if harsh) way of life really resonated with me – I’ll always love stories about how people take up the old ways of life instead of our polished, highly artificial lives of the 21st century.
The descriptions of the social lives of wolves are simply stunning! I could have never imagined these animals to have such a rich culture. We really don’t see animals in the light we should – that they’re just like us, but in their own way. It’s magical to look into their world and see both how similar and how different they are from us.
Julie of the Wolves also reveals the magic of nonverbal speech. We humans are so used to expressing ourselves pretty much only verbally that we even think only though speaking – at least surely most of us do. But in Julie of the Wolves, the main character is forced to learn another kind of language – one comprised pretty much only of movements, glances, snarls or positions of ears, or simply how things make you feel when you see them. It’s alien territory for a person of the 21st century, which is why it was a treat to read. It’s always so interesting to learn about other ways of life.
But reader, I must warn you – I cried. Triggers include (view spoiler)[animal death which I absolutely can’t handle. (hide spoiler)] And yet, the story was still worth it. It left my heart full of feelings and sadness for the ways of life the Western culture has erased.
How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I can’t believe it’s only February and I may have already found my favorite book of the How I read this: Free audiobook copy received through Libro.fm
I can’t believe it’s only February and I may have already found my favorite book of the whole year. Oona Out of Order has it all – it’s colorful, vibrant, twisty, the premise is quite surreal but you still want to run with it completely, and it both breaks and heals your heart. I never wanted it to end. I’m still sad I just finished it!! It should have just gone on forever.
The writing style of Oona Out of Order was simple, flowing and very natural. I feel like it was especially good as an audiobook, because a lot of it is dialogue – in that form, you just don’t want to stop listening! What’s also interesting – despite painful topics of loss, not being able to belong or control anything in your life, the book was still quite upbeat and not blue at all. There was just this deep longing and pain in it, and yet – it was still so vibrant, adventurous, bright and emotional. Despite her unsual condition, we see Oona living an interesting, colorful, vibrant life – even if it’s not a typical kind of life.
As for the audio, I loved it so much! The narrator did a stellar job. She’s just so talented – she does so many accents and voices, some of them just a little different from her normal speaking voice, but they give a story so much more feel (I would sometimes forget it’s the same person doing male and female voices even.) I loved what the narrator did with this book – it really gave it so much. More than that, she has such an amazing voice – it’s husky and kind of vaguely sexy, which really works in the setting of the book – fashionable places with quirky characters.
There is waaaaaaay more of this review up on my blog so if you want to read ALL the reasons I loved it check out the full review here:
Triggers include (view spoiler)[scenes of doing drugs, scenes with open sex (in public as well), losing loved ones to death, break ups, divorce, cheating on a loved one as well as being cheated on, being attacked and hit, mugged, parents dying to accidents and old age, as well as topics of adoption. (hide spoiler)]
I thank the publisher and libro.fm for giving me a free copy of the audiobook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
God, these books are so incredibly good!!! I haven't enjoyed a story this much for a long time. Although I have to admit, the humans in this particulaGod, these books are so incredibly good!!! I haven't enjoyed a story this much for a long time. Although I have to admit, the humans in this particular one are a solid pile of turds. Like you almost don't want them to survive as a species! Anyway, I can't wait to see how this story ends....more
Evelina | AvalinahsBooks
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