Emira
I have no words.
Well, that's not entirely true. In fact, I have many words. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo took me on a wild ride– the ride being her life, that is.
We follow Evelyn Hugo (formerly known as Evelyn Herrera) on her journey navigating relationships, friendships, and stardom. The lengths she went through to reach her goals was truly something to marvel at. It was a joy to see her struggle and later succeed. I love Evelyn as a character. She's strong and calculating but also soft in many ways.
However, there were some heartbreaking moments scattered throughout the book. So much so, I had to put the book down to brace myself for what was about to happen.
When I started reading, I had said that it's nice to see how the lucky few who happen to find themselves in a place of wealth and fame live. But in the final few pages, call me an empath but all I could think was “If they all have to go through this, I feel terrible for the rich and famous.”
The characters were engaging and much like Daisy Jones and the Six, they felt so real. I couldn't (and didn't want to) put this book down.
TJR is possibly my new favourite author.
5 Stars
“You'll be silent forever, and I'll be gone in the dark,” you threatened a victim once. Open the door. Show us your face. Walk into the light. - Michelle McNamara, I'll Be Gone in the Dark
This book hit me hard. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the Golden State Killer was arrested. I was in the library, working on an assignment at the time. I decided to take a short break and it was all over twitter— “Golden State Killer caught after 25 years” My heart was in my throat— I was elated. In fact, I remember making a noise quite loudly and saying something like “ohmygodnowaynowaynoway” Yes, people turned to stare.
And then I cried for about fifteen minutes. Full on sobbed. Mind you, I live half a world away and I wasn't alive when his crimes took place. So, I have no personal connection to this case. Yet, I couldn't help but feel an immense amount of relief and a sense of justice for the victims and their families.
I have nothing but good things to say about this book. It was written in a way that was accessible and informative at the same time. McNamara's writing style was great and often chilling. A really good read for fans of true crime.
I haven't completed a series in a really long time so I'm really happy to start off the year with the end of the Percy Jackson series.
The Last Olympian had callbacks to previous books, classic Percy Jackson humour, and a great message about a sense belonging.
I'm generally not the biggest fan of war-based books but I think The Last Olympian balanced out the war-plot with the character arcs really well.
My favourite scene from the book:
“I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?”
“You're the last Olympian,” I said.
“And the most important.”
“And why is that, Percy Jackson?”
“Because Hope survives best at the hearth,”
The series concluded well and the prophecy at the end of the book made me want to read the next series.
I'm sure you've heard this in countless other reviews but it has to be said! The characters felt so real. I kept having to resist the urge to google the songs or the characters. All the while fully knowing that they were fictional. (Don't look at my search history because I may or may not have succeeded in my venture to resist-the-urge-to-google)
Daisy Jones & The Six captured the nostalgia of the 70s brilliantly. I'm not old enough to attest to that though so if you were alive in the 70s, I'm sure you'd have a more accurate idea of this.
I loved the use of the oral history format. It was wonderfully written. There were moments where I had to put the book down because I was angry at a character, or couldn't stop reading because I was just so engrossed in the story.
All in all, I think Daisy Jones & The Six can be summed up with just a few words: sex, drugs, rock&roll, and heartbreak.
This graphic novel was beautifully done. The art by Brenna Thummler was lovely. There were a few pages where the whole page was full of colour and the art was gorgeous, it looked like it should've been hung on a wall. I've been a fan of Anne's story since watching Anne with an E on Netflix. But this graphic novel solidified my love for it. Anne, the Cuthberts, and (of course) Gilbert Blythe.
Next up: The original text itself.
This was a difficult read. There were moments where I just wanted to fling my e-reader across the room and stop reading all together. But I knew I had to get through it. At first, it was because of the pay off— I wanted Strane to be brought to justice. I wanted her to let go of the pain and abuse he had caused her. But in the second to last chapter, I let go of all of that. She doesn't need to be happy in the end, this isn't a fairytale. She just needed to start healing. The first step is always the hardest.
Throughout the book, we had to see Vanessa go through abuse and gaslighting by someone she thought loved her. As she grew older, she truly believed that Strane was the only one who could love her the way she needed to be loved. He had made her believe that.
“To be groomed is to be loved and handled like a precious, delicate thing.”
Later in the book, “He worshipped me. I was lucky.”
When we see her in the “present”, her life becomes increasingly messy. I was angry at her constant avoidance and the excuses she made for Strane. “The longer I talk, the more confident I become, blaming myself, absolving Strane.” But she was just a child. She didn't know any better. In some ways, even in her 30s — she was stuck at fifteen.
The topic of victimhood and self-flagellation becomes this entangled mess throughout. Vanessa didn't see herself as a victim but a willing participant in what had happened. Which lead to her self-destruction over the years. “I'm not a victim because I've never wanted to be, and if I don't want to be, then I'm not. That's how it works. THe difference between rape and sex is a state of mind. You can't rape the willing, right?” The abuse and gaslighting she had gone through was just so ingrained in her being by then.
In the end, I didn't really need her to bring him to justice. I just wanted her to start healing from the abuse she endured. “There must be a point where you're allowed to be defined by something other than what he did to you. [...] I can imagine how it might feel to not be his, not to be him. To feel that maybe I could be good”
This book made me sick to my stomach. But I knew, from the very beginning, that I needed to see it all the way through. If there is anything to be gained from reading this book, it's this; Believe women.
oh WOW. Act Your Age, Eve Brown was just so sweet and wholesome with a sprinkle of spice. definitely my favourite out of the brown sisters trilogy. eve brown is hilarious, adorable and so charming. i loved reading about someone in their twenties not knowing what they want to do– i often feel that way myself.
jacob calling eve “sunshine” when he's the grumpy hero made my little heart swoon!
learning to accept each other and oneself was a recurring topic and i really enjoyed how it was resolved. i thought it was brilliantly done.
five stars.
Such a fun book! I loved that the illustrations added to the story. The pace of the book moved rather quickly. Hugo is a great character to follow– stuck in a life of sadness and nightmares, he found a way to dream. The Invention of Hugo Cabret was a story full of hope and about young people growing up.
Most of all, it was a wonderful tribute to the film industry.
