I‘m about half way through this book and it is amazing. This book is really designed to connect with the readers and weaves in historical facts in a way that really does make an impact. I HIGHLY recommend reading this one, Litsy!

It‘s been a while, Litsy! A delayed flight means passing the time with this delightful book. Give me a book with loveable characters and a good story and I can sit in an airport without cursing the airport gods. So far, I am hooked. Perhaps one of my top three of the year!?

OKAY. So…I tried. And got to page 120. I don‘t know if I just have to power through and keep going…but this book had so much promise and thus far I am unimpressed. Does it get better, Litsy?

The second hand cringe is SO REAL. Kuang tackles toeing the line between cultural appropriation and amplifying voices - it‘s positively wild. It‘s actually really cool to see how the publishing world works behind the scenes, too. So bold - definitely a book I have to take breaks in between just to process ~the emotions~

I had this expectation, picking up this book, that I would feel real validated (because misery loves company), but instead…its like every time I read a new word, it would bring up a memory. Painful ones, fun ones, ones I had forgotten. Such a pleasant surprise!

My 16-year-old niece told me I HAD to read this book and I can totally see why it‘s so popular. Tragic, romantic, longing - all the emotions. But then I think, wow. I must be old - and I‘ve never experienced a love that broke my heart or made me want to drop everything and risk it all….not my cup of tea, but I appreciate it. My 16-year-old self would‘ve loved this, too.

To soothe my disappointed heart, I decided on a shorter book. This book is definitely one of those books you need to read again because you just can‘t catch everything the first time. I read it purely to feel it the first time and I plan to read it again for the structure of it. It‘s written quite brilliantly and I quite enjoyed it. (42)

To cure my book hangover I thought I‘d read this lovely YA book. I‘m not going to lie, I 100% picked this book because of the beautiful cover. I started reading it at 8PM and lo and behold I finished it in the AM. You want to know the worst part? I thought this was a lovely stand alone book which would have a wonderful ending, but NO!! Not stand alone!! There‘s more - I think!! My poor devastated heart. Loved the story though :) (21)

It‘s an understatement when I say I absolutely love this series. I loved it so much I bought the last book in hardcover when the other two are softcover y‘all. The character development, the intense and graphic war scenes, the way the author infused this book with Asia‘s history is *chef‘s kiss*. I got a serious book hangover after reading this series. (7)

I picked up this book without knowing anything about it. Just decided to give it a read - it had an intriguing title and a beautiful cover. Did I finish this book in one sitting? Yes. Did I cry a little bit? Yes. Did I develop an unhealthy attachment to the characters? Yes. A total tug-at-your-heartstrings kind of book. Chosen families, character development, and all kinds of magic! (18)

I‘m not done this book yet. But wooooh - does anyone else do this? You reach an intense moment mid story and you don‘t want your main characters to get hurt yet you want to know what happens, but you can FEEL the tense atmosphere and how scared they are and you just..gah! Just me? Cool cool (40)

I‘m not going to lie when I started this book I thought it was kind of slow and began to wonder what all the hype was about. I am so glad I pushed through my initial doubts because WOW did it pick up and the writing - THE WRITING is just.... okay I need sleep. Good night! (15)

Once we have agreed that true love exists, we may consider its nature. It is not, as many misguided poets would have you believe, an event in and of itself; it is not something that happens, but something that simply is and always has been. One does not fall in love; one discovers it.

But the rules were made by Lockes and Havemeyers, by wealthy men in private smoking rooms who pulled the world‘s riches to themselves like well-dressed spiders in the center of a golden web. People of significance; people who could never be locked away in small rooms and forgotten.

I had such high expectations for this book. Don‘t get me wrong - I love a sarcastic powerful heroine, but the story was almost slow for me. I get it‘s important to establish this totally foreign world and all its rules...but there was something...maybe it‘ll make more sense in the sequel. (34)

I think I‘m going to give this a go...
This may be ambitious, but I think it‘ll be fun!
Go go!

I would call this a love story for readers and storytellers. Like the feeling you get when the pages in your right hand are so few and you‘re not sure if you‘re ready to let go of the story quite yet. You‘re simply left with the feeling of nostalgia and the taste of honey. 🐝🗝🗡 (5)

But the world is strange and endings are not truly endings no matter how the stars might wish it so.

I was a bit hesitant to start this book, but my goodness am I glad I did! I totally get what all the hype is about. Beautifully written, an emotional rollercoaster, heartbreaking, empowering...just WOW! I love historical fiction and this book would probably be in my top 3!

What a lovely story. Seriously, such a wonderful pick me-up book. Especially with all the shitty things happening right now - it‘s so easy to disappear into this world of warm coffee, love, and some serious soul searching. It feels like a warm hug on a cold day with your most beloved friends.

I actually quite enjoyed this book. I mean there were definitely parts of the story that seemed off(?) but overall I liked it. The individual situations were really interesting and it was nice to see how our main doctors reacted to different situations - both in a personal and medical context.

I am determined to finish this book next. I‘ve been putting it off mostly because I don‘t want the series to end. But here we go!!

I‘m not sure how to feel about this book. I kind of impulse bought the book after seeing it on the shelf so many times. I frequent book stores a little bit more than I care to admit. I enjoyed the story, but I think it was the ending that just fell for me. There were some really beautiful moments and crafting of the story, don‘t get me wrong. But, it missed the mark just a bit for me.

We want to see with other eyes, to imagine with other imaginations, to feel with other hearts, as well as with our own.

You can let go only when your sense of self, your cohesion, no longer depends upon the idea of them, an idea that remains for a long time inextricable from the very idea of yourself. (Part 2)

In the absence of someone, even someone who has caused you great injury, the very idea of them can still be self-sustaining. You hold on because you are holding on to something that keeps your sense of self intact. You have come to know and understand yourself in relation to this person. (Part 1)

Finished Circe (which I absolutely loved!) and now on to Ali Wong‘s Dear Girls. I loved her in Always Be My Maybe. Looking forward to laughing, crying, and learning some life lessons!

But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.

First book of 2020 done. I always feel weird “reviewing” a memoir. For me, a memoir is the raw story that someone decides to share - the lows and highs of life, which this book has a LOT of...mostly lows. It is strangely intimate reading someone‘s pain and struggles so openly - finding some moments resound with you while other moments feel so foreign, but experiencing it all the same. It makes me wonder what my happy is and how I got there...

First two days back at work and I caught a cold. Booooooo. Starting to read one of my Christmas presents to lift my spirits! One of my closest friends gave me this book as a gift and I‘m super excited to start! She didn‘t want to hype it up too much, but this is one of her favourite series. Let the adventures begin!

Wow - such a heavy book, but did a wonderful job immersing the reader in the history of Korea and Japan. I can see how people might find it dry, but I feel you can‘t really understand the motive for a character or who the character is without understanding what happened to the land and its people as a whole. If that makes sense...Overall, really enjoyed this book!

Give me a book with letters and a character with anxiety and I‘m almost instantly sold. I loved this coming-of-age novel and how the character and story developed. Whimsical with a dash of magic and a pinch of romance = a very enjoyable story.

I‘ve read this book so many times I‘ve lost count. There‘s something about a grumpy old man bonding with a community of people that gets me. It‘s one of my go-to books when I‘m feeling pretty down. What are your go-to‘s??

I think I have the unpopular opinion of really liking this book. What I liked most about it was the atmosphere it created. I really felt I was in a quirky little town with all its eccentric residents each experiencing life in their own unique way. Reading this book - it felt like home: comfortable, warm, and kind of crazy.

“LOG ENTRY: SOL 37

I am fucked, and I‘m gonna die!
Okay, calm down. I‘m sure I can get around this.”

This story in a nutshell. I am just about halfway through and I haven‘t laughed this much in ages. Like genuine laugh out loud (even when I‘m reading on the train). I loved the movie, but man this book is FUNNY. So glad I picked it up to read.

This is a small part of a poem called Fire in this book. These words have given me so much strength over the last few years. It resounds so deeply in me and I just wanted to share it.

I cannot get over this series!! I have been holding off reading The Toll until Christmas break so I can read it in one go. It‘s such a refreshing story with some good discussion points that come up. When I worked in a school library, I pretty much recommended this book to any student who would listen!

Did anyone else want to brush up on their video gaming skills after reading this book?? I haven‘t had this much fun reading a book in a long time. Loved it!!