Ahhhh, I loved this so much more than I thought I would. This story is such a slow burn, but I really connected with the protagonist and the writing sAhhhh, I loved this so much more than I thought I would. This story is such a slow burn, but I really connected with the protagonist and the writing style and the concept is fascinating!!! The Centre is this mysteriously place where you can pay a price to learn a new language within 10 days, but it’s very private and hush hush and invite only. I love weird stories like this with a unique concept. The writing was so freaking good, there were so many great quotes about language and translation and why it matters so much. This book was also packed full of great social commentary like this:
“gratitude and admiration when a white person speaks a non-white language, and only contempt and indignation for non-white people who don’t speak English”
I loved the discussion about female friendships and how friendships can be just as important as romantic relationships even though they are never celebrated in the same way. This quote about friendships: “the slow burning love of female friendship keeps the world turning” just really meant a lot to me.
I was really moved by so many thought provoking quotes like this:
“There can be something quite devastating in feeling a comfort you can barely remember. It can make you grieve, if I’m honest, for something that you’d always felt a vague sense of loss over but never know for certain you were missing.”
This book was exactly the kind of weird I like in my horror books, it had great atmosphere. I think if you enjoyed Catherine House or Natural Beauty, I would put those in the same category as this book! ...more
Ahhhh, this story was so bizarre and unique and wonderful. I love stories that are thought provoking in this way, and I love anything related to memorAhhhh, this story was so bizarre and unique and wonderful. I love stories that are thought provoking in this way, and I love anything related to memories. Such a unique concept, an island where people start forgetting things, I was wondering just how far this author was going to take this concept, and they really went there!!! It was absolutely fascinating. The more I think about this book, the more I fall in love with it. It just had the best eerie weird vibe to it, and I really loved the writing too. Even though this book first published in the 90's, it feels like something that could've came out this year, the writing style is very simplistic but creates such a feeling of unease.
4.5 stars Ahhh, I freaking LOVED this. I would describe this book as Rainbow Rowell meets Fredrik Backman. I feel like Phoebe's character in this book 4.5 stars Ahhh, I freaking LOVED this. I would describe this book as Rainbow Rowell meets Fredrik Backman. I feel like Phoebe's character in this book was so relatable and I connected with her in the same way I've connected with characters from Rainbow Rowell books. She's darkly funny at times, and I just really enjoyed reading about her story. But then I feel like the writing in this book reminds me of Anxious People, where the story subject matter is actually very dark and depressing, but the writing manages to be really lighthearted and not so serious. I loved the writing style in this so much, there were so many great quotes I was underlining, and I really connected with these characters.
I feel like this book is one of those thought provoking books about human connection and the human experience, and I loved it. I love the relationships and friendships she developed with the wedding guests, and the romance in this book was unexpected for me but I also really enjoyed the romance too!
Wow, I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. This is exactly what I was looking for when I said I wanted to read weird literary fiction booWow, I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. This is exactly what I was looking for when I said I wanted to read weird literary fiction books. These characters are so awful and the way they treat each other was awful, but there was something about this reading experience that really worked for me? I don't know how to explain it, it was a story I devoured in a day because I couldn't put it down.
I loved how strange and bizarre this story was, and the writing style was so interesting. I love that this can all be seen as a metaphor for depression and wanting to 'sleep through your life', the overall tone of this book was really sad. I love that this story mostly took place in the year 2000 in New York City, it was kind of nostalgic to read. It was also weirdly refreshing to read a book that had such unlikable characters, and this author really doesn't hold back on that. The ending of this book absolutely shocked me, and I reread that final page a few times, like damn what a powerful and crazy end to this story.
This is by far the weirdest, most bizarre book I've ever read and even though I'm personally giving this book 5 stars, I wouldn't necessarily recommenThis is by far the weirdest, most bizarre book I've ever read and even though I'm personally giving this book 5 stars, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. This book is so f*cked up, I would strongly advise looking through trigger warnings before reading, as there are so many of them and this book is so bizarre and touches on so many uncomfortable topics. But damn, what a story. I am an avid reader who reads 200+ books a year and I can confidently say no story has ever shocked me and kept me guessing where it was going the way this one has.
For some of this story, we read from the perspective of a young girl who believes she is an alien who got left on Earth, and she has romantic feelings for her cousin. There are also some truly horrifying scenes with her teacher m*lesting her and gaslighting her, and that is just the start of the gruesome trigger warnings in this book. The story just continues to get more bizarre and more shocking every page. This author did such an incredible job writing from the perspective of a child, and her wild imagination and wonder about the world was really endearing. It reminded me of my childhood and how I was also so fascinated by space (I mean, I still am) but it's crazy how we start to lose our imagination as we age.
I can't deny there was something about this story that really worked for me, it was just so bizarre and strange, and I've never read anything like it. I know it's going to stay with me forever. I really connected to the protagonist, and being in her head was wildly fascinating, even thought it was very uncomfortable at the same time. I also love the message in this book about individuality and going against the "norms" of society and how each person should live the life that works for them instead of whatever society is telling us is the "right way" to live. I think there's also so many conversations you could have after reading this book about trauma itself, and what can happen to someone psychologically after they are sexually abused at such a young age.
I'm obsessed with this book, it's everything I love in horror, and it reminded me of so many of my favorite stories. This is one of those books that wI'm obsessed with this book, it's everything I love in horror, and it reminded me of so many of my favorite stories. This is one of those books that will pull on your heart strings, and make you emotionally connect with it. And then simultaneously, it's one of the most gruesome horror books ever - the gore is insane and so gross and disturbing. I loved this so much, read it all in one day! I need to read more form this author!!!
Ahhhhh, what the heck I loved this!!!! I would recommend going into this book knowing absolutely nothing about it, I just think it's better to experieAhhhhh, what the heck I loved this!!!! I would recommend going into this book knowing absolutely nothing about it, I just think it's better to experience it that way. I loved Sally's character, she was so interesting to read about and not only her perspective, but a second perspective in this book that got explored was my favorite. These characters were soooo fascinating and felt so real. There were so many shocking scenes, especially in the second half, I was GLUED to the page, I couldn't put it down.
I included this book and one other in a Patreon exclusive vlog, where I talk about spoilers for this one and get deep into my thoughts about it, you can see it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/106214157...more
Ahhh, I was not expecting to love this the way that I did. I read this for a video where my subscribers recommend me books, they think I'd give 5 starAhhh, I was not expecting to love this the way that I did. I read this for a video where my subscribers recommend me books, they think I'd give 5 stars, and I'm so glad I read this book for that video because they were right. This book is everything I love in a story -- it's so thought provoking and interesting, it has great characters, and we follow so many, but I felt so connected to all of them. It also mostly takes place in New York which I also love.
The concept in this book is wildly fascinating, I could read several books that take place in this world. Everyone gets a box with a string that determines how long they have left to live. I love how so many different and unique situations are explored, and anything you can think of that could happen is also explored. I love how it shows how it affects people in relationships and families and how it affects politics and different countries, it was all so interesting.
The ending was a little predictable and yet I still cried. It got me right in the feels. Here's the reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/ih5PqBZIseI...more
Ahhhh, this surprised the hell out of me. When I saw the synopsis said Schitts Creek meets The Bear, I got very excited and honestly, this book deliveAhhhh, this surprised the hell out of me. When I saw the synopsis said Schitts Creek meets The Bear, I got very excited and honestly, this book delivered on that. I LOVE that it takes place in a small town in Oregon in the PNW, I love that it's a next door neighbors kind of romance. I love that Fisher is a really well-respected chef from NYC, he definitely reminded me of Jeremy Allen White's character from The Bear, and the small town in Oregon was giving all the Schitts Creek vibes. I love how Fisher is taking care of his niece, and he's her guardian now, their relationship was insanely cute.
There were so many moments this book that actually made me laugh out loud, it was f*cking hilarious. I loved these two characters, Sage and Fisher had such great chemistry. It's rare that I actually enjoy reading the steamy scenes in romance books, but like low key some of these scenes had me blushing and shit like they were so hot together. I annotated and tabbed the hell out of my copy haha, like I can see myself rereading this in the future. My only *small* complaint is that I wanted even more scenes of Fisher actually cooking, I feel like I didn't get enough of that in this book haha but otherwise it's perfect!
I'll definitely have to check out more books from this author after loving this one as much as I did! ...more
Ahhhhhh this volume was so fun!!!! One of my favorite volumes in the entire series so far! Anya had so many great moments to shine in this volume and Ahhhhhh this volume was so fun!!!! One of my favorite volumes in the entire series so far! Anya had so many great moments to shine in this volume and the bus getting hijacked was such a fun and intense story to read! I love this series and I love these characters so much....more
"I've always preferred the first chpaters of a book, the first fifteen minutes of a film, the first act of a play. I like starting points.
4.5 stars
"I've always preferred the first chpaters of a book, the first fifteen minutes of a film, the first act of a play. I like starting points. When everyone is in their rightful place in a world that makes sense."
This book ahhhhhhhhh what the heck, the epilogue!! I love this. For me, I wouldn't consider this a mystery thriller at all, it's more of a kind of odd literary fiction style of writing where we really get in the head of this woman who is slightly unhinged and obsessed with her husband. I love books like this that dissect a marriage and the idea of marriage, and we follow a protagonist who is obsessive and offbeat.
"For years, my husband has called me 'sweetheart', while I yearn to be a femme fatale."
I listened to this audiobook in only 2 sittings, I thought it was so hard to put down. It just had this addictive style of writing, I couldn't get enough of it. I had the same feeling reading this book as I did when I read Big Swiss earlier this year. I need more weird lit fic with unhinged female characters in my life apparently haha.
There are so many great quotes in this! I was highlighting so many interesting and thought-provoking things, but I'll leave you with one of my favorites:
"It's easy to identify a first time, but we rarely know when something is happening for the last time. If we could identify our last times as easily as our first times, thousands of moments would be lived more intensely."
Ahhhh, I thought this was so terrifying and so creepy. This book felt very Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royale as the premise suggests. Humans are rAhhhh, I thought this was so terrifying and so creepy. This book felt very Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royale as the premise suggests. Humans are really scary and violence just for the sake of violence is a really scary thing to think about. It's scary to think about what humans are capable of doing to others. The audiobook is FANTASTIC by the way -- this book is told only in interviews from people who were there at the park when it happened, every chapter is told from a different person with a different audio narrator for each chapter, and the voice acting is incredible! I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
Ahhhhhh, I LOVED this!!! I was not expecting this to be a five-star favorite but here we are! This book was so fascinating and GROSS, but exactly the Ahhhhhh, I LOVED this!!! I was not expecting this to be a five-star favorite but here we are! This book was so fascinating and GROSS, but exactly the way I like horror to be gross. I love stories like this where we slowly watch a character unravel mentally and become more and more unhinged. Mostly due to the behavior of toxic white men. It's fantastic lol. I loved this protagonist too -- I love that she was morally gray and didn't always make the best choices, but it was absolutely fascinating to be in her head. This book was so well written too, I can't believe this was a debut! I will be reading everything this author publishes in the future!
Ahhhh, I loved everything about this. I love how subtle and creepy this book is. Some people might say it's a slow burn and I'd agree, but I love thatAhhhh, I loved everything about this. I love how subtle and creepy this book is. Some people might say it's a slow burn and I'd agree, but I love that about it! The way this book builds the tension is incredible! I also LOVED the Italy vibes ahhhh, I'm going to Italy for the first time this October, and this made me even more excited! The setting in Italy played such a huge part of this story, and I loved how easy it was to picture. I also just loved the writing in general and that we are following from the POV of a character who feels like an outsider in her own family. The ending just gets so unhinged and ridiculous in a way I absolutely LOVE in horror. I can't wait to discuss this book in my Book troop live show soon, it's so rare for me to give 5 stars for books in my own book club and I'm so glad it happened again!
I think this is my all-time favorite f/f romance. I absolutely ADORED these two. I'm not the biggest fan of friends to lovers usually, but apparently,I think this is my all-time favorite f/f romance. I absolutely ADORED these two. I'm not the biggest fan of friends to lovers usually, but apparently, I'm way more into this trope if it's gay lol. I love that we get two timelines, one in the present day and one ten years ago when they were roommates in college. I loved getting to see their friendship develop over time and how they didn't like each other at the beginning, because one of them was a total mean girl, but it created the best tension between them, and I was rooting for them from the start. I love the Riley works for a news station in Boston (so cool!) and that Gianna is an influencer who's been running her own business for 9 years (like how wild that I've also had my YouTube channel for 9 years this month!!!) I found Gianna to be really relatable the way she would talk about being an 'influencer' and what it can be like working for yourself.
I was GIDDY, screaming, kicking my feet and shit over them. It was the perfect amount of SLOW BURN too, like things don't happen right away and this book is lengthy, because it builds the tension between them, and I LOVED that.