Hannah

I gave the fanfic that this was based on five stars last year. I still thought the writing here was so so funny and enjoyable to sink into. It made me laugh and was lighthearted with good writing that didn't take me out of the story. I felt the romantic tension and loved the slow burn. What fell apart here was the world building. The fan fiction was propped up on the existing world building of Harry Potter so it already had the strong characterization. Here, the world building doesn't quite cut it and the love interest here is a straight up murderer with no morals, who was much harder for me to root for versus the reformed Draco who I loved.

This was beautiful. The Smell of Other People's Houses follows four teenagers leading intersected lives connected by the setting of the wild Alaska towns of the 1970s. Their stories were heartbreaking and tragic at times, but by the time the author had connected and tied up the stories, I was left with hope and an appreciation for the resiliency of humanity amidst all the messes we tend to make of our lives.

This was at times interesting and entertaining, but mostly felt like a voyeuristic explanation of how much a rich New Yorker fashionista spends on wellness trends.

Another of my favorite tropes where the man fundamentally misunderstands the protagonist due to some preconceived notions and slowly learns overtime why she should be valued. It got a bit overly angsty near the end, but otherwise the perfect fluffy read.

So much respect for the work Jessica did to heal and educate herself after a childhood with so much trauma. Not only was this memoir well-written and clear, she provides deep insight into her journey to heal and the struggles and setbacks involved in healing.

The opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty