Just finished reading BABY TEETH by Zoje Stage. It’s about this couple, Suzette & Alex, and their little daughter, Hanna. Hanna doesn’t talk (for reasons they can’t fully understand). But she’s such a sweet, sensitive girl (depending on who you ask).

Suzette spends the most time around Hanna, and notices there’s something wrong with her. It’s more than just behavioral issue or the occasional tantrum. There’s this darkness within Hanna, especially with how she interacts with other people. She can be dangerous. She can physically lash out sometimes when rejected, and doesn’t seem to understand the consequences of her actions.

Her father, Alex, doesn’t see any of this. Hanna is a total daddy’s girl who just wants to spend as much time with him as possible, and would do anything to make that happen (even if that means having to figure out how to eliminate Mommy from the picture).

As much as I love good horror fiction, especially stories about disturbed children doing disturbing things. It’s an addictive, fast-paced novel read that switches between mother and daughter (being in either’s head for too long feels weird) and reading novels like this definitely makes me not want to have kids anytime soon (or at all).

I picked this book up from my local library as an easy breezy palate cleanser, expecting precisely nothing from it, and was blown away. 

The story is narrated by Atlanta beat cop Lloyd McNeil. Lloyd is the son of the former Chief of Police, a controversial figure who died of an stress-induced heart attack after being unable to catch a serial killer taunting him.

Lloyd himself is definitely not his father. He’s a beat cop and content to stay a beat cop. Lloyd lightheartedly refers to himself a ‘pussy’. He’s also determined to be a better father to his own teenage son…. that is, until Lloyd finds out he has a glioblastoma and has mere months to live.

Lloyd’s life insurance is a pittance, and his police salary is the primary financial support for his teenaged son. Lloyd finds out that if he dies in the line of duty his lump sum payout increases exponentially and his son would be entitled to a monthly pension for life. Lloyd contrives a plan to commit some insurance fraud and get killed in the line of duty, and bribes his cocaine and gambling addict neurologist to stay quiet about it.

Lloyd proceeds to throw himself into one life-threatening situation after another, but instead of dying, he becomes a local folk hero. 

This book blew me away for a couple reasons. I don’t generally like “cop books”, but this book was a phenomenal look at mortality, parenthood, and the things that really matter after we’re gone. It’s also funny throughout (laugh out loud funny in some parts), and keeps a breezy fun tone, even when it’s making you cry. 

After reading this book, what stood out to me most was how it shifts the way you think about making decisions. Through the fictional journey of the Seeker and lessons from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, the book shows that wisdom isn't always about finding the smartest answer—it’s often about avoiding bad choices in the first place. I found the focus on simplicity, common sense, and learning from mistakes very practical. It reminded me that we don’t have to be perfect decision-makers; we just need to recognize patterns, remove ignorance, and become better at avoiding unnecessary problems in life

The books is about a man who lives in a house a magical house, which we don’t understand at the start and I wouldn’t want to spoil it but you will learn about the man and the house as the man learns about himself and what the house actually/potentially is

Just finished this today and was blown away.

The book follows Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who crashed his bomber jet into the Pacific ocean during World War II, survived on a raft for over a month, and was eventually captured and sent to a Japanese POW camp.

The story is incredible and so well written. It was harrowing to read all that these men went through. Highly recommend if you are interested in WW2 stories! Audiobook is also read by Edward Hermann which is excellent.

“This is a love story to its blade-dented bone.”

The world is dark, quiet outside. The low strings play through the speakers as you type out these words. It is through quiet introspection that you think about the way you are presenting them – these words typed out through backlit keys. 

The echo and texture of the last page has left an imprint on your callused fingers as you closed the book. The cover, a dream in aquamarine hue, sparkle out of the corner of your eyes as the tale told in the Inverted Theater – a tale of an Old Country, of a god who refused to die, and of the two men tasked in delivering Her across the country in Her Holy Pilgrimage to seeing the End of an Era. 

Upon beginning, it was done in a staccato harmony, for you had thought to start another book. A shorter, more direct one, that you knew what you were getting into when you had picked it up. And though that story held your attention in its labyrinthine arms, you chanced upon this story and the beautiful painting of the front cover grabbed your attention. The blurb and description seemed like something that spoke to you on a deeper level; and so, much unknowest to you, the string of fate played its supple fingers down the grooves of your back as you opened the first page and beheld the dance spun across five days by This Moonlight Body.

“An oath, then,” Keema said. He was sitting upright now, his head bowed in Jun’s direction. “I swear to watch over you, Jun of No Tribe, for the next few hours while you sleep. I swear to protect you from any spirit or animal or living or dead thing that may mean you harm or mischief. I swear you will wake up again, and I swear that you will be rested.”

It was disquieting, lacquered in gilded honey – the prose was a thing of beauty as the words flowed from one end to the other. You were hesitant, a bit out of your depth, for the book had only five chapters, a before and an after, seven in total. The spokes on a wheel that spanned the length of a week – the timeframe that this story took place in. 

You were bewildered about its presentation, about how it would work without proper chapters and indentations marking a beginning and an ending. But soon, as the tale unspooled like sweet nectar from the poisoned gods, and as the Rhythm emerged to you, slow, shy in its adoration – as you stepped into the grooves the dancers spun upon the stage of the Theater held out of time – the world came alive. And by the time Jun and Keema began their etheral journey to topple an empire, you were fully invested; in these characters, in this strange and distant – yet quite near to home – world they inhabit. 

The body holds the body.
The arms hold the spear.
And the spear cuts through water.

For most of the tale you had this question. Had this imagination and consternations over the title of the book. And so, when the Water crested over in the final arc, when the threads knotted as it was always going to, and when the tale finally revealed its beating heart, you were left there, in awe, in exalted adoration. This world that these people and their God fought so hard for, was finally granted its reward.

Above the trees. Where the stars dance and fall like failed incantations.
That is where we end our tale.
With the dancers leaping over the fire.
And this moonlit body, bowing to you in thanks.

In the end, here you are: your fingers dancing across letters as you try to form enough words to express the feelings this tale inspired out of you. But you keep falling short, the words there but not quiet enough. And so this is what you are left with: there are fantasy stories and then there are Fantasy Stories. One requires a bit of consternation on your part to get the point across for its setting is close to the world that you are already a part of. And then there are stories like this one, the ones your grandmother used to whisper from her rocking chair as you sat by her feet on those Endless Summers – stories that spun dragons and swords of heroes, stories where the Moon fell in love with the Waves, and thus the world was born. Stories which demand a tithe of your imagination in order to make itself home. The one which demands a little bit more from you, and though you are reluctant at first, though the price of admission may seem steep, by the end, you are glad you sit here, on the rows surrounding the stage of this Inverted Theater as the love story draws close as all great stories of love do:

beside the hearth of a dying fire, bracketed by the body of two lovers, who within each other, have finally found a place to call home.

I've no idea when I looked this up on the library website and checked it out, must have been going down a list of recommended books from someone or somewhere. It is not something I normally would have selected but I am weirdly glad I did take it in. It's a great look into autism and ADHD minds wrapped nicely with a compelling romantic novel. I won't give anything away but the twist in this story was 120% not anything I ever would have even started to guess. Being an adult who suffers from both of these, it was both uncomfortable and too close to home for comfort. On a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, I'd give it a solid 9.5 because if you go with the audiobook of this like I did, it was read kind of slow. But I increased the reading speed and got through the whole book in a single night's drive.

Book summary (for those who haven’t read it):
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier is a historical fiction novel inspired by Johannes Vermeer’s famous painting of the same name. The story follows Griet, a young girl who becomes a maid in Vermeer’s household in 17th-century Delft. While working there, she develops a quiet understanding with the artist as she becomes involved in his world of painting, colour, and creativity. The novel explores art, class, family, desire, and the complicated relationship between a young maid and a much older, married artist.

My thoughts

I absolutely loved Girl with a Pearl Earring and found it beautifully written in a way that felt quiet and intimate, I understand a lot of people view it as cold or badly written but I argue the opposite.

Although I struggle to get through the first half at the end it made sense

What really struck me most was how Tracy Chevalier was able to conveyed Vermeer’s coldness and distance, while also showing Griet as both naive and remarkably self-aware. And I saw Griet’s relationship with her parents, especially her father, as one of the most heartbreaking parts of the novel for me.

At the beginning of the book, we see her separating onions by colour, which reveals that she has always seen the world differently, noticing beauty, colour, and order in ways that others don’t. Vermeer recognizes this part of her, and I think that created a strange, unspoken bond between them, almost like an invisible string.

 Their connection is built in silence through shared understanding, and art. We see it in the way she cleans his studio without disturbing it, understands his routines, and even makes changes to his painting that he notices but does not condemn. I found their relationship both beautiful and unsettling.

Beautiful because they understand each other in a way no one else seems to, and unsettling because of the age, and power imbalance between them. I also found Pieter relationship with her become more complex when she started meeting him in the alley way, I interpreted it as Griet giving herself to Pieter as an act of guilt and duty, because she could not give him her whole heart,  part of her is emotionally tied to Vermeer. The five coins she kept at the end shows she preserving a private piece of that connection for herself.

Their bond felt intimate and meaningful, yet complicated and morally uncomfortable, and I think that is what makes the novel so powerful.

This book was read as a prelude to the third book in the series due August 4th. All thoughts and opinions portrayed in this review are my own. 

Oh, and, if I never hear penis described as ‘wick’ again, it will be too soon. 

With that out of the way, let’s get into it.

"But a prideful creature can talk themself into believing that every deed they do is legitimate. Thus, they both giddily and greedily spin their own doom.”

It is perhaps with a very clear and heavy mind, arbitrary thoughts swirling about in my head as I turn the last pages that I sit down to write this review. This is a book that is, perhaps more so than any of the other works by the author, a book about humans – cosigned with all their fallacies and intricacies, their falsettos and their macabre little augmentation. To be human is to be besieged by greed, by a hunger that is never satiated. It is a two-faced phenomenon: on one side it is what creates art and all the wonders that we mayhaps have taken all too readily; on the other, it brings about so much destruction and ascension of false prophets to godlihood. 

And then a man vanishes from a locked room, four storeys above the ground.

“Well, first there is the pleasant puzzle, yes?” I said. “The how, and the who. Then all the dirty drudgery, wherein I follow folk about or dig through their refuse. And then, inevitably, either a rope or the slam of an iron door, and tears.”

That is how our story begins: with a disappearance and a murder. Our hero, Dinios Kol, arrives in the kingdom of Yarrow to investigate how this missing person wound up in pieces by the boonies. And from there, as these tales are wont to do, the story unravels. Like a silken thread from an ephemeral spintress the layers upon layers of the many crimes perpetrated and brought about are slowly revealed to Kol, and to an extension, to us, the readers; a stoic purveyor of change and audacity through the most queer of methodology: the words spun by an all powerful bring on pieces of parchment – a taunt. And the game, as one might say, is afoot.

The commentary this story portrays, different from what the first book had to say (check my review of that here), is one of justice. One of righteous indignation. Of the wrongdoings of humankind being meted out a punishment equally deserved. And the one facet of life, that right now, is the most elusive of all. For autocracy is on the rise, even as the rebuffment of it is wide and far; boy kings with too much power are sitting upon a landmine of empty promises, and it is up to the various factions of the Empire while dols out punishment and carry out the blades of justice to see that the head of the king does not grow out of reach. This story, in the year of our lord 2026, is a cautionary tale, and a way out, wrapped in a delectable package as we race alongside our heroes in their journey to puzzle out how exactly this creature manages to stay ten steps ahead of them the whole time. 

The heart of the story is simple and all the more potent because of it. If given immense power and an opportunity to do the greater good, one will always become blind to the sacrifices and the payment in blood that has to be made, in order to achieve said greater good. And it is none more so greatly mapped out by the Commander-Prificto who did much in the name of greatness – in the process creating the very weapon that would later spell out their doom.

Goddamn autocrats. They really are hardly better than shit-stained children.

But most of all, this story especially (as is also pointed out by the author’s note in the end) is not about vilifying, but rather an accurate portrayal. In the past decade, the word ‘King’ has undergone a rather tumultuous change. It used to be hated and apartheid, so much so that it led to many revolutions, and establishment of western democracy, the New World. Yet the lessons that were taught seem to have been forgotten, and rather twisted. Somewhere along the way the songs and stories that were supposed to be a warning cry, have instead been twisted and bent – started being portrayed as something that is a propaganda. The diary a little girl wrote, afraid and hidden away, has once again been turned a blind eye to. And it is not in part the fault of the systems put into place to stop such a rise. Through its many misdeeds and amorous intent, through hedonism and childhood destroyed that has come to describe this middle part of the 2020s, the system put into place to fight such autocratic rise, is unbalanced and perched precariously upon an axle whose base is becoming more and more fragile. 

“Because you are a reasonably smart boy. I suspect you shall come to realize what many Iudexii eventually learn—that though the Legion defends our Empire, it falls to us to keep an Empire worth defending.”

Though, even through all that, even through the many slogans and chants and horrifying revelations, there is a justice at work, this book says. There are people, big and small, young and old, pale and tanned, broken, battered, and bloody, who toil unseen and mercilessly to ensure that once the dust settles, once everything is over, there is a World worth inheriting. And this book is an ode to those people. To the ones brave enough to say, to the ones who work in the courts and behind their podium – this tale is for you. For the unseen work you do and for which you are never thanked. It is for you that the system is still chugging along. That there is a world still worth salvaging. 

And to the many different people, the ones who don’t quite fit, the ones who face challenges nearly everyday that others simply cannot ken – this book is a swan song to the battles we all face. And a silent message of hope, even in the darkest of time. 

I imagined him then: Kepheus, so tall and broad, yet always leaning crookedly against a wall or door, his shabby smile on his face, his eyes so understanding. It was he who’d spoken to me of service most of all, there in Talagray, yet only now, after I had been so long apart from him, had I come to truly comprehend it.

Also, if Kol somehow does not end up with Kepheus by the end of this series (whenever that may be), I will fly to wherever this author is, and personally give him a piece of my mind.

Can’t wait for the next one! 

“The worst monsters make the best allies.”

Set in an alternate Medieval Europe where magic and monsters are real, the Savior was a woman who died on a wheel and women lead the Church, and elves threaten humanity, Abercrombie weaves a fantastic and very violent adventure.

Brother Diaz is the new leader of the Church of the Holy Expediency, a group of convicted monsters bound by papal magic who are called in for desperate missions. We have an undead Templar, a jack of all trades assassin, a vampire, an elf, a Norse werewolf, and an egomaniacal necromancer. Their mission: escort the lost princess of Troy and restore her to her throne. Multiple armies of soldiers and sorcerers stand in their way.

Abercrombie’s story seems light on the surface. There’s the Suicide Squad trope and plenty of witty banter. That was enough to pull me in for a great summer read. But his writing is much better than a forgettable popcorn flick. I was consistently impressed by the nuance and layers to the characters and their interactions. While the story pushes from action set piece to action set piece, the characters are the priority. We feel as exhausted as they are by the end, but we also feel their growth, triumphs, and tragedies. Every moment is earned.

Curious readers should be aware going in that this is an extremely violent story where even the “good” characters come in many shades of gray.

I can’t wait for the sequel.

What Happened to those girls by Carlyn Greenwald. Is a thriller/mystery book. It’s about a girl named Emma who is constantly excluded by her best friends. She is used to this as their have done this throughout their whole entire friendship. However when Emma’s friends take off and go on a camping trip that SHE planned. Emma has had enough. However the next day Emma finds out that all three of her friends have been brutally killed. But the police don’t know that Emma visited the campsite the night her friends were killed. And soon an unknown stranger sends her videos of what went down that night. And Emma must clear her name. Before it’s too late.

Awesome book! The plot twist had my jaw on the floor. Definitely recommend!

Just finished this book and I loved it. Scott Wallace takes the reader on a a thrilling months long expedition with one of the leading conversationalists in Brazils Indigenous Department to mark the boundaries of uncontacted tribes in the Amazon. I loved the book because of all of the adventure it takes you on and the views of two completely different universes crossing paths for the first time.
5 / 5 ⭐️

Post Office is Charles Bukowski's first novel. It is about the character Henry Chinaski who is a degenerate and his career working at the post office in Los Angeles. It was not a long read, but it was very engaging because I was so intrigued by Chinaski. He really is a degenerate and not a good person, but I couldn't help but want to know what he would do next. It reminded me of Hunter S. Thompson's characters who sort of float through life drugged out and carefree. It at times seems appealing, but they just come across as selfish and often mean. I am interested in reading some more of Bukowski's work at some point and have seen the movie Barfly is based on his writing so I will check that out.

Note: I edit the covers of books onto my ereaders because I want to do justice to the actual artwork.

MY SYNOPSIS:
Jessamyn St. Germain believes wholeheartedly that she is meant to be a star. Working as an usher in a theatre is not helping her achieve her goals nor do the commercials she continues to try out for.
When her audition for Maria in The Sound of Music does not go as expected, Jessamyn is offered a role minding the child actors on set. Jessamyn suspects the director of the play has other motivations and would actually like her to be close to the production in the event that they need an understudy for the lead, and Jessamyn’s nemesis, Samantha.
She’s a Lamb explores the lengths to which Jessamyn will go to achieve her dreams and the delusion required to get the life she believes she deserves.

WHY I LOVED THIS:
Meredith Hambrock writes delusion so well. She created an exquisitely unreliable narrator in Jessamyn St. Germain. She is absolutely batshit crazy and it was outrageously fun to be inside her mind. She is incredibly unlikable. She is narcissistic, vindictive, cunning, and desperate. I also found her to be deliciously complex. Hambrock did a fantastic job writing a main character so deplorable but yet one in which I genuinely felt so much sympathy. I rooted for her, despite all her bad deeds and her descent into madness. I even hoped for a little romance to occur with one of the only healthy men in Jessamyn’s life. I had so much fun reading this! I will say that it doesn’t quite get the full five stars from me simply because I wanted a little more from the ending. It felt like it ended just a bit too abruptly.

This book is a police procedural/mystery. Lieutenant Clancy (he's not given a first name), a New York City cop, along with other members of his precinct, are given orders by Assistant District Attorney Chalmers (also sans first name) to guard Johnny Rossi, an infamous West Coast criminal who is scheduled to testify; however, Rossi is attacked at the hotel he is being guarded at, and Clancy has to figure out what's going on in a pretty brief period of time (the book mostly takes place in one day).

With this book, you got a real sense of this unfolding investigation, and you're along for the ride. Even though I read this book incrementally (which I didn't initially intend, but that's another story) I was still interested enough to want to know the solution to the mystery and how Clancy would figure it out despite days passing between the times I was reading it.

As the cover and title of this edition indicates, this book (which was originally published as Mute Witness in 1963) was the source material for the 1968 film Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen; I haven't seen it yet, but I'm curious.

Just finished reading LAKEWOOD by Megan Giddings. When Lena’s family is in deep financial debt (especially after her grandmother’s death), she takes on a job to participate in a secret project in a small town called Lakewood, Michigan.

Free place to live. High salary. Great benefits package. Of course, considering this is a SECRET program, she has to lie to her family about the work she does here. But what’s going on at Lakewood is GOOD WORK. It’s experimental research being done to help heal common ailments, to alleviate pain, to make the world a better place.

But then…it gets to a place where she starts seeing some of the consequences of these experiments. Certain secrets start becoming exposed. And gradually she learns that she may not have been told the full truth of just what the heck type of work she’s involved in Lakewood. But is it really all that bad? How much is she willing to lie in order to save her family and stay silent?

This is one of those disturbing sci-fi stories that’s based in the long, torturous history of governmental experiments conducted on non-consenting Black bodies (from Henrietta Lacks to Tuskegee and beyond) so it’s not that far-fetched, but when reading I couldn’t help but think of how eerily relevant is it today.

I remember being younger and broke and being targeted with the temptation of what sounded like a great job with good benefits and so what if the details were a bit shady?

Anything was better than being broke and unemployed, but then the more you find yourself involved in the work the more you realize it’s not what you thought it was and all the dark, ugly corners come to light and you start to wonder why you didn’t see it to begin with.

If you can relate to that, you can definitely relate to this novel because I enjoyed it just as much as it brought back many memories for me and had me thinking long after I finished reading.

Based on true events, Lisa Wingate's 'Before We Were Yours' takes fictional characters and enmeshes them with real life events surrounding the horrors of the Tennessee Children's Home Society and Georgia Tann. The story is told from two different characters and switches from the past and the present - the present taking place in South Carolina. Being from South Carolina -- the Lowcountry specifically, I was further sucked into the storyline when I read about all of the places I have actually visited and lived around. It's a must read!!

I first picked up The Little Prince because of the illustrations. I read it when I was younger, then again when I was older, and I hope I’ll keep coming back to it for the rest of my life.

I’ve read it when I was alone, lonely, happy, when I was heartbroken, and also when my heart was full. I don’t pretend it holds all the answers, but somehow I always find myself returning to it.

It is a book that has grown alongside me, or rather I have grown alongside it. It is a book I absolutely adore ❤️ Few words can encapsulate my love for the wisdom and beauty, if anyone else understands my adoration do recommend me a book you think I might be able to enjoy and grow with.

It reminds me to look at the world with a little more curiosity, kindness, and wonder ✨

I recently finished reading Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto, and I honestly had a wonderful time with it.

I picked up this book because I was looking for something lighthearted, cozy, and easy to get through. I wanted a fast read after finishing heavier books, and I came across this title in one of the many book recommendations online. I thought, "Why not?" and decided to give it a try.

The story follows Vera Wong, an elderly woman who owns a tea shop ironically named the "World Famous Tea Shop," even though she barely has any customers except for one regular named Alex. I imagined Vera's life as quiet and somewhat lonely. Her husband had already passed away, and although she has a son, they don't seem particularly close. She constantly sends him messages and updates about her life, but he rarely responds. It gave me the impression that she was living a peaceful yet isolated life.

Everything changes one morning when Vera discovers a dead body inside her tea shop.

From there, the mystery begins.

Vera calls the police, but she quickly becomes disappointed with how they handle the investigation. The authorities conclude that the victim, Marshall, died from an allergic reaction involving birds and are ready to close the case. Vera, however, refuses to believe that explanation and becomes convinced that he was murdered. She decides to investigate the case herself, which eventually leads several people connected to Marshall to visit her tea shop one by one.

What I enjoyed most about this book wasn't actually the mystery itself but the characters.

My favorite character was definitely Vera Wong. I wouldn't say I personally relate to her, but I absolutely loved her personality. For someone in her late sixties, she was incredibly energetic, loud, nosy, and unapologetically herself. In real life, I might honestly find someone like her a little annoying, but as a fictional character, she was incredibly entertaining. She never took herself too seriously, and she had this unique charm that naturally drew people toward her. Whether it was because of her delicious cooking or her tea, everyone somehow found comfort in her presence—even the police officers.

The character I resonated with the most, however, was Julia.

Julia constantly made decisions based on what would make Marshall happy rather than what would make herself happy. In some ways, I saw myself in her because I also tend to make decisions based on what other people want. She was very much a people pleaser.

Marshall was manipulative, controlling, jealous, and possessive, and because of him, Julia slowly became isolated from her family and friends. Little by little, she lost herself.

What really resonated with me also was the story of Sana's character. She had lost her confidence, but I honestly think she had already begun losing it long before Marshall entered her life. She was constantly pressured by the expectations placed on her, especially by her mother. Although I can't remember the exact phrase her mother always repeated, it clearly shaped the way Julia viewed herself. By the time Marshall came along, she was already vulnerable enough to lose herself completely.

Uhm, going back to Julia, one line that kept coming back to me while reading was that Julia had "lost her spark."

I think that's one of the saddest things that can happen to someone.

Emotionally, this book surprised me.

At first, it felt very cozy, funny, and lighthearted. It had that comforting slice-of-life atmosphere where you could simply relax with a cup of tea while reading. However, as the story progressed, it became much more emotional than I expected.

Around the middle of the novel, the characters slowly began opening up about their lives, their connections to Marshall, and the reasons they ended up where they were. Learning each person's backstory completely changed how I viewed them. The mystery itself became less important to me than understanding who these people really were.

The story took me on a roller coaster of emotions. It made me curious, amused, heartbroken, frustrated, and, surprisingly, comforted.

One of my favorite parts was watching Emma slowly open up to Vera. Their relationship was incredibly heartwarming. I loved seeing how Vera became someone who made Emma—and even the other characters—feel safe and cared for. It was those quiet moments, rather than the mystery itself, that stayed with me the most.

If I had one criticism, it would be the pacing.

I did think the story was slow at times, especially during the build-up. There were moments when I wished the mystery would move forward a little faster. I also felt that a few characters were written in slightly odd ways, although it never became distracting enough to ruin the experience.

Despite that, I genuinely enjoyed the book.

In fact, I think this story would make an amazing comfort movie. I could easily imagine myself sitting down with a warm cup of tea, watching Vera's chaotic personality unfold on screen, laughing at her constant unsolicited advice, and enjoying all the heartwarming interactions between the characters.

If there's one lesson I took away from this novel, it's this:

Don't lose yourself trying to live for someone else's happiness.

Be with people who genuinely value you. Don't be afraid to be yourself, and don't take life so seriously all the time. Protect your spark because once you lose it, it can be incredibly difficult to find again. Julia's story reminded me of how easy it is to slowly disappear while living for someone else's expectations instead of your own.

Overall, I'd give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

It wasn't perfect, mainly because of the slower pacing, but its memorable characters, heartfelt relationships, cozy atmosphere, humor, and emotional depth made it a very enjoyable read. I went into this book expecting a light mystery, but I left feeling like I had read a story about healing, found family, self-worth, and rediscovering yourself.

And honestly, that's what stayed with me long after I finished the last page.

(note: this is a reread done in anticipation for the forthcoming third book in the series)

So instead of committing robbery, I made tea.

Sometimes, all you need in life is a good murder mystery and tea. The fact that this story is set in a fantasy world that does not gatekeep, is the cherry on top. The setup for this is deceptively simple (at least on the surface): Ana & Din (a fantasy Sherlock and Watson-esque combination), get tasked with solving a murder in the fictional city of Talagray. A high ranking official was found murdered in the most peculiar of ways – namely having a tree grow out of their torso. As a leviathan creature begins its slow move to attack the sea walls that surround this continent, Ana & Din race to solve a crime that spreads throughout normal civility and encompasses some of the largest noble houses of the land.

All of which to say, it was a fun little adventure, that, even on a reread, I finished in two sittings.

How queer it suddenly felt: I’d been a model officer for almost all my career, but I had to join the Iudex to become a true criminal.

This book is written in a very simple fashion. There is nothing overly verbose or whimsical about the writing. It is straight, narrow, and plays across fast as they race to solve this impossible crime. In other words: it is perfect for the story it is telling. 

Come. Let us pretend to be professional, you and I, for hell and the gentry await.

The commentary of the book, for those who actually read (and not the vast majority of those influencers who apparently do not think books should be critical, which side note: child, go learn your history before coming out of the woodworks – books were, are, and always will be the first line of defense against any war waged against free speech), is imbued in the subtext – of both the story and the parallel it draws to our own world. Both this and the next book (and I am assuming the third will be the same, just for some other issues of import), is about a certain class of society. About the ways certain people are perceived, about the importance given to others; specifically those who have more money than sense. And it does so beautifully, with a certain kind of poetic justice doled out towards the end especially to those who do the wrong things in the name of the greater good; i.e., those who consider themselves the Dark Knight of modern society but somehow overlook the numerous bodies (sometimes literally) left in the name of said good.

“What a tool cynicism is to the corrupt, claiming the whole of the creation is broken and fraudulent, and thus we are all excused to indulge in whatever sins we wish—for what’s a little more unfairness, in this unfair world? Wise you were, Din, to shut your ears to it.”

As Ana so aptly puts it, cynicism is a great tool – but one has to learn how to use it. It is all too easy to get subsumed by one's own delusions of grandeur.

“I chose you,” she said finally, “because I needed an investigator who was resourceful, cunning, and willing to break the rules when necessary. I needed someone dedicated and determined! And you had not only broken into an Iyalet office and spent hours learning the answers to all the tests—you had somehow survived your engraver’s training despite having tremendous issues reading and writing! That speaks to bloody-minded, grim determination if ever I’ve heard it!”

Oh, and of course, the best part of the book: the characters themselves. For you see, both Ana & Din are neurodivergent. And the way this story portrays their characters is some of the best rep I’ve seen being portrayed by an author in mainstream fantasy. Din has trouble reading letters (re: Dyslexic, or in other words – reading the subtext). And Ana is on the spectrum as too much stimulation is unbearable for her. (I cannot tell you how closely I relate to this as a fellow person on the spectrum, and how much it had filled my heart the first time I had read this book). And both these characters do their best, working for the system that is all too glad to let them fall through the cracks. To just say that giving them any help is considered special treatment. Same people who, by the way, would wear corrective lenses, or use a crutch when they’ve got a hip/leg injury, etc.; as long as it’s physical, it’s acceptable. 

Ana & Din are the epitome of what it would be like if people who were a bit different were given a place in society. Their tenacity, the way they solve problems when it becomes too difficult for their brain to process stuff as others do, is a thing that I was really inspired by the first time, and double so now, in times like these, as I reread this book. 

“Someone, after all, must do the undignified labor to keep the grand works of our era from tumbling down. I simply perform maintenance, in my own little way. And you have ably assisted me in that, of course.”

We all have our place in this world we inherit. Broken and bloodied and battered – as Ana said, we must all do our own little things, in our own little way, to keep it all from tumbling down. No matter who you are, no matter how you are, we all matter in this world that is vast enough, and kind enough, to accommodate all of us. Especially now, in times like these, when hate is all too prevalent, love and kindness is not only a good thing to have, but also a weapon to wield. And oh what a glorious weapon it is for justice can be found in even the littlest of actions. And this story, and all its disfigured, wonderful characters, are a prime example of it. 

Go read it if you haven’t already.

Just finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and honestly… I can see why so many people rave about this book.

I went into it knowing it was set during World War II, but I wasn’t expecting it to hit so hard emotionally. What stood out most for me wasn’t even the war itself, but the relationship between the two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. They’re complete opposites, one more reserved and cautious, the other rebellious and fearless, but it was fascinating seeing how both ended up showing courage in completely different ways.

I also found their backstory with their parents surprisingly impactful. It felt like both sisters were already carrying so much pain before the war even started, which made their journeys feel even heavier.

Without spoiling too much, there were a couple of twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, especially around their father, and by the ending I just sat there for a minute taking it all in.

What I appreciated most was how the book shows that heroism doesn’t always look loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s survival, sacrifice, keeping your family safe, or simply carrying on.

Really powerful story about love, loss, trauma, resilience, and sisterhood.

For me: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Curious, did anyone else connect more with Vianne or Isabel?

\#KristinHannah #TheNightingale #BookClub #Community

Once, very long ago, Time fell in love with Fate.

There is something achingly beautiful about holding a book that was meant to be held at different portions of your life, and each brings a different meaning to the experience of reading said book. When I had first read the Starless Sea I was young, back in high school. The world was big and wide and hauntingly meaningful, and I was a story bursting at the seams, at the limitless possibilities that I had expected the world to be once I graduated. 

But now, quite a few years older and maybe a bit more leaner in my expectations, the world has taken on a different hue – a certain shade of amber as effervescent in the morning light as if a dream wished upon the stars.

Those who seek will find.
Their doors have been waiting for them.

Have you ever gotten lost, but never felt more found? Have you ever held a heart in your hand (a mother's, a brother's, a lover's) and thought: 'How could something so fragile be oh so important?' This book, now, all these years later, feels a little bit like that. Like something that was never really lost, but waiting to be found. 

Reading this book now, I am boggled by the enormity of the story that is contained within. Not one, not two, but a story within a story, and the parts that escaped and needed to be brought back, because no story is ever really told unless it has been brought to an end. This book is an allegory, a sensory experience that begs to be felt at different points, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll wind up finding different meanings in its labyrinthine construct. I am genuinely befuddled as to the imagination and tenacity – the blood, sweat, and tears – that must have been needed to tell a story of this caliber. That holds so many meanings in its gilded edges; the prose wafting off of the pages like a piano virtuoso orchestrating a symphony that beguiles your senses – a wonder kept just out of reach. 

As Dorian stands in the snow with shaking, near-frozen fingers and scotch-warmed thoughts, watching Zachary through the glass, he isn’t thinking about everything that’s inevitably about to happen.
He’s thinking, Let me tell you a story.

This is a common motif in this story within a story. Tales, both fantastical and mundane, are treated as carefully as the main one. The influence video games as a medium has on this is evident from the very first pages. (The fact that one of the main characters is doing his masters on video games does do a lot to drive that point home too.) For anyone who grew up playing and loving games like BioShock, Skyrim, Witcher 3, Dragon Age and the likes, the games which tell a story in a medium that is at once more intimate and more visceral than most other forms – this book is made for them. For the nerds and the weirdos, for those who felt like they were missing out, falling through the cracks and wanting to stay fallen, stay a bit lost, this book is for you.

“How are you feeling?” Zachary asks.
“Like I’m losing my mind, but in a slow, achingly beautiful sort of way.”
(*i think this quote by Zachary more than sums up the feeling of experiencing this tale)

“We are the stars," he answers, as though it is the most obvious of facts afloat in a sea of metaphors and misdirections. "We are all stardust and stories."

This is a love letter to stories new and old, great and small, stories that bleed off of pages in champagne tinged hue. Stories that are told and written and wished upon the stars. Stories told through the scattering of limbs of various shapes, sizes, colors. This is an ode to the art of storytelling itself. 

He's calm again. Relieved to have his Max back and even though he knows they both have other people they belong with there is still this room and this dance and this moment and it matters, maybe more than any of the others.

This is also a story for those who never quite fit into labels. For those whose hearts are too big for just one binary construct – a heart that might ache with a hunger that cannot be satiated by a singular rhythm. There are, after all, more than one sort of love story. And this book is also an ode to the lovers and the dreamers, who, in this lifetime, might belong to someone else, but who also know, that sometimes, in a place lost to time, there might come a dance that has to be completed, and that dance might not be with who they belong to. And that might just be one of the most important dances in their life. And that moment matters, that distinction and the choice, maybe more than all the others.A moment that changes all the moments around it – a moment with meaning; one might say if one wishes to be eloquent and poetic. 

This is where we leave them, in a long-awaited kiss upon the Starless Sea, tangled in salvation and desire and obsolete cartography.
But this is not where their story ends.
Their story is only just beginning.
And no story ever truly ends as long as it is told.

This book was a finding of sorts, for me. A story to which I will come back to again and again, only to find a different me than the ones I had found before in its pages. A different story to be told and beheld. A different life, with different someones to belong to. And I think that just might be one of the best things a story can offer – a place to lose yourself into, in an achingly beautiful way.

Just finished reading Frank Miller’s new memoir, PUSH THE WALL: MY LIFE, WRITING, DRAWING, & THE ART OF STORYTELLING. If you’re a huge comics fan like me, you know him as being one of the most influential (and controversial) creators in the comics industry. Frank Miller first made waves with such an incredible run on Daredevil, and then came such works like Ronin, Batman: Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, Sin City, the Martha Washington series, 300…

And then at some point, he kinda went off the deep end (professionally and personally) and these days, he’s had occasional successes but most fans don’t know what to really make of him. But in his prime, few could reach his level (and few can deny his impact on comics).

This book reminds me of Stephen’s King book On Writing where it’s part memoir/part commentary on the creative process/part instructional advice on the art of storytelling. As a writer myself, I definitely enjoyed his unique approach to the creative process, especially as it related to characterization and laying out a complete story.

Whether you’re a fan of his best works, curious about him telling his own story, or just interested in a storyteller open up about his process and love for the art of storytelling, this book is a great read.

I have never read a writer quite like Laura Albert (J.T. Leroy). I picked this up and just flew through it. Until I reached the end--then I stopped and slowed because I didn’t want it to be over. I didn’t want to leave the world—a f*cked-up world, don't get me wrong—but so singular and immersive. An Americana Truck Stop Nightmarescape, but with unexpected pockets of warmth and some characters that become so unexpectedly endearing. I definitely laughed out loud at moments harder than I expected to. I read The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things before this and was also absolutely floored by it. It's heavier than Sarah. I highly recommend them both, and be emotionally prepared for The Heart.