Tag Archives: book reviews

Review- Milk and Honey

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Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

 

23513349“if you were born with
the weakness to fall
you were born with
the strength to rise”

 

5/5 stars

 

Self-worth, break-ups and make-ups, sexual assault, and a father’s absence are some of the many deep and emotional topics found in Milk and Honey. Rupi Kaur is very honest throughout the book and it truly shows in the quality of her work. Sometimes graphic, these poems articulate so many of the struggles that women and women of color can experience in only their first 21 years of life. The collection of works is split into four different parts: The Hurting, The Loving, The Breaking, and The Healing, and each is its own masterpiece.

I was afraid that this book was over-hyped because almost every bookworm I know absolutely LOVES Milk and Honey. I took it upon myself to go through the book’s tag (#milkandhoney) on Instagram and I found thousands of photographs of Rupi Kaur’s selected poems. As soon as I read a few of them, I knew I must get my hands on this book as soon as possible. The crazy thing is that it seems like everyone can relate to at least one poem in Milk and Honey. This collection speaks to so many different people who have gone through their own unique experiences. Rupi Kaur figured out how to unite hundreds of thousands of women around the world with her words.

Milk and Honey made me cry. Period. Many of the poems resonate so deeply with me that I know Rupi Kaur and I have felt the same way at certain points in our lives. It’s powerful to realize that another human being has been in the same emotional spot as you, even in times when you felt so utterly alone. The experiences that we have, as women, are not isolated events;  many of us go through similar things and can connect with one another through common feelings and reactions after them. It feels good to know that Rupi Kaur, myself, and so many other women are healing and growing together.

I’ve never liked poetry. It was always my least favorite unit in English class and I avoided poetry books at all costs. Now, I have 3 more poetry books on order at my local bookstore. I want to thank Rupi Kaur for reminding me that books and language can bring us together as readers and listeners. I hope she publishes more collections in the future; I’ll be the first in line to get a copy. Please, poetry fan or not, pick up a copy of this book.

Review: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

51zzix78yrl5/5 stars

Rosemary must escape her human life on Mars, for reasons she keeps to herself, and discovers that working on a traveling spaceship is the perfect opportunity to get away. She finds herself aboard The Wayfarer, a multi-species ship with a human captain. The Wayfarer’s crew is trained in tunneling wormholes through the fabric of space and welcomes Rosemary with open arms. They embark on a journey to a small planet in need of a wormhole and, thus, the adventures begin.

I didn’t realize I needed this book until I was 25 pages into it. I’m so glad The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet found its way to me.

To begin with, this is the best science fiction book I’ve read all year (and I read A LOT of science fiction). If you’re a fan of Star Wars or Star Trek, I’m positive that you’ll fall in love with this book just as I did. Becky Chambers truly does the genre justice; she lays out a universe in which humans travel through space alongside other species from neighboring planets. What more could you want?

To answer my own question, what I want to see in science fiction books is not only different species getting along, but different species setting up a dialogue for ideas that reflect on humanity today. Becky Chambers did just that. Rosemary and The Wayfarer‘s crew don’t just interact, as that’s the bare minimum for science fiction, they have deep conversations that create an environment for readers to reflect on themselves and their own society. To me, this is true science fiction.

I read an interview with Becky Chambers that included a discussion about her identity and how it affects the way she writes. She talked about being gay and wanting to write a world in which she, as a queer person, would be welcome. This is possibly my favorite thing that an author has ever said. The way Becky Chambers included queer individuals and relationships in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was not just to check the minority box off of her list, like many writers do, it was to include them in fiction because they are normal in real life. If you can’t tell, this book means a lot to me.

I am so blown away with this book and I want to share it with the world. I want to thank Becky Chambers for such an amazing science fiction read that reminded me why I love this genre so much. Please, read this book and put its sequel on your wishlist for next year.

Review- Mischling

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Mi41c0ib7y4l-_sy344_bo1204203200_schling by Affinity Konar

5/5 stars

“We don’t always know ourselves, who we can become, what we may do, after evil has done what it likes with us.”

Pearl and Stasha are twins, connected by their minds and able to feel each other’s emotions. They are very similar, but Stasha constantly wishes that she was Pearl. She tries her best to be exactly like her sister in hopes that, one day, maybe she will just become Pearl herself. They both realize that one twin wouldn’t be herself without the other. Pearl and Stasha are taken away to Auschwitz and separated from their mother and grandfather. They are placed in special bunks filled with other pairs of twins and ‘anomalies’. The girls become part of an evil doctor’s experiment, one that tests their ability to stay connected even when they’re far apart. How much can one twin be altered in order for her to stay identical to her sister?

As soon as this book hit the NYT Best Sellers List, I knew I had to get myself a copy as soon as possible. I hadn’t read a book about the holocaust since I studied WW2 in high school a few years ago, so this felt like a very new subject. Affinity Konar absolutely blew me away. Pearl and Stasha were so naïve; it was painful to recognize the horrible situation they were in but not be able to tell them. “Do not trust this doctor that is trying to win you over! He is trying to hurt you!” I wish I could have screamed this to them through the pages of this book. I wish I could have done something instead of helplessly reading about a group of medical professionals lie, manipulate, and experiment on them. Reading Mischling broke my heart.

I will never forget how much love I read in the 338 pages of Mischling, despite all of the sadness and horror surrounding the twins. Pearl and Stasha survive off of their tremendous love for each other, their parents, and grandfather. It keeps them going. Pearl and Stasha tell each other that, as long as they can envision their mother’s paintings, she is still alive and rooting for them. It is beautiful to realize that children can find strength, even through the darkest times, in love.

I did a little bit of reading on Josef Mengele, the twins’ doctor, after I finished Mischling. I don’t even know how to voice my thoughts on such horrible actions this man performed on real, living people. I commend Affinity Konar for this phenomenal book on such a dark subject.

Mischling was amazing. I want to gift this book to a few people for the holidays because it’s just that good. Pearl and Stasha’s story may not be for the light of heart, but I do think everyone should read it at one point in their lives.

Review- Graveyard Quest

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Graveyard Quest by KC Green

51yhkqp6z6l-_sx331_bo1204203200_

5/5 stars

I received my copy of Graveyard Quest through the Paper Street Books monthly subscription box! I highly recommend it, as my October/November box had so many awesome spooky gifts.

The protagonist of this graphic novel is a gravedigger—he’s the owner of a family business that his late father passed down to him. Unfortunately, the gravedigger’s father will not leave him alone, even in spirit form, and subjects him to frequent visits and negative speeches. The gravedigger’s only solace is his mother’s bones. He talks to her skeleton every day and finds comfort in telling her all about his thoughts and mishaps. One day, the bones are gone and the gravedigger knows he must journey into Hell to get them back from his father, a man who seemingly gets all of his pleasure from making his life miserable. The gravedigger meets a lot of interesting creatures in the underworld, some who want to stop him and some who depend on him. Those bones are the only things that the gravedigger truly cherishes in his gloomy life, so he knows he must retrieve them.

WOW, I loved this graphic novel. It was easy to get through, but full of hidden treasures. The gravedigger meets many different types of people, animals, demons (?) and many of them were really cute.The illustrations were so fun and made the story even more enjoyable. I especially loved the mole, who helps the gravedigger along the way with his extraordinary sense of smell. Now that I think about it, I actually would like a retelling of the story in the mole’s POV…

My favorite part of the graphic novel is a section that shows the gravedigger on a boat with a hooded tour guide. I have a condition where anytime someone is going across a body of water with another person giving directions, I HAVE to point out the Dante reference. This time, finally, I wasn’t being unrealistic. The Dante reference is clear, as the gravedigger is literally being lead across a river to Hell. If you can’t tell, I really, really like Dante’s Inferno.

The entire storyline of this graphic novel was amazing. The beginning was just enough information to create a mysterious journey and KC Green reveals a little bit more about the gravedigger with each page. I thought the plot was wholesome and the ending made me very happy. I’m a huge fan of the gravedigger and the mole (he’s so cute, I can’t get over it)! I wish there were more volumes of their adventures.

This was a perfect Halloween read. I’m so glad that this book found its way into my hands and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute but spooky themed adventure!

Review- Suck Less: Where There’s a Willam, There’s a Way

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Suck Less: Where There’s a Willam, There’s a Way by Willam Belli

61lerla1nal5/5 stars

Willam is an amazing performer that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a couple of times. He is a drag queen, actor, singer, and songwriter that has been in multiple different TV shows (reality, crime, etc)—just check out his IMDb page. He is known for his quick wit (although in the book, he admits that he’s just a dickhead and people think he’s joking), along with his top-notch drag technique that has been shown again and again on TV, VMA performances, and music videos. Willam has always been a fun person to speak with and I was so excited when I heard he was releasing a book.

In Suck Less, Willam gives tips on how to suck less at various things that he is good at. The sections range from everything between stripping to having a nice home to insulting someone effectively. He also includes a dragtionary that explains all of the drag lingo he uses throughout the book. The pages are filled with high quality photos of Willam as well, some of these demonstrating things like tucking and hair techniques.

Willam gives a lot of valuable advice in the 221 pages of Suck Less. For example, there’s a section about how to suck less at leaving the house. He says, “I always have a garbage bag with me in case someone I meet is ugly. It’s also good for when the weather is iffy and you don’t wanna tote around an umbrella”. It’s humor like this that has made Willam one of the most loved mainstream drag performers. On a more serious note, he gives some really cool tips about things like acne—I had no idea that using a pierced Advil Liqui-gel could make pimples disappear.

I love Willam’s writing because I could hear him reading it in his own voice. If you’ve ever heard him talk, even just one sentence, you’ll know what I mean when I say his voice is very unique. It was so much fun to hear Willam’s tone so well that it felt like he was actually saying all of these tips to me directly. Even if you don’t know much about Willam or gay culture in general, this is a really great book to get advice from a drag queen. ‘Cause, you know, drag queens do most things the best anyway.

I anticipated this book to be 5 stars, and it certainly was. Willam’s fans know to only expect the best of the best from him, and Suck Less lives up to that. I’m excited to see where Willam’s career takes him next because he truly seems capable of bringing his persona to all forms of art.

Review- How to Talk to Girls at Parties

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How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman

26372 Rating: 5/5 stars

 Let me start off by saying this is the best book I’ve read in September 2016 and the best graphic novel I’ve ever gotten my hands on. I already knew that Gaiman was a genius, but this still blew me away. I am making this my October staff pick at the book store I work at, as I want to share it with everyone who will possibly listen.

Enn is a teenage boy still learning what life is like after puberty. His friend, Vic, is the same age as him, but does not struggle with this awkward stage nearly as badly as Enn. The duo decides to attend a party (that they weren’t really invited to) and Vic is immediately away from Enn’s side and talking to the prettiest girl in the room. Enn envies Vic, but doesn’t have the same courage to really say anything of substance to a girl—he can barely get a few words out. As Enn wanders from room to room in this giant house, he discovers that not everyone at the party is very…normal.

This graphic novel is very short, but in my opinion it was the perfect length to get the story across without over explaining anything. The writing is absolutely beautiful and the illustration is breathtaking. There are a lot of otherworldly girls in this novel, and the illustrators depicted them as true goddesses. I wish these feminine creatures were real solely so I could see actual photographs of them. I think that means this is truly well done artwork.

Neil Gaiman certainly has a creative mind. I have read 5 of his books and each one is brilliant in its own way. I don’t think I’ve heard of anything quite like How to Talk to Girl at Parties and I don’t think I want to read anything like it ever again; it wouldn’t measure up. I wish I could follow Enn on more adventures, but perhaps being left wanting more is better.

I would recommend this book to any adult looking for shorter read. You don’t need to be a graphic novel enthusiast to fall in love with this book. It definitely is a cover grab too, as the illustrations on the hard cover will make anyone want to get their hands on it. I can’t wait to read more Gaiman graphic novels (I’m looking at Sandman Vol. 1 next).

Review- Fishbowl

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Fishbowl by Bradley Somer

5146-n3Pb+L._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_Rating: 3/5 stars

-I received a an eCopy of this book thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.-

A cheating hunk, a woman in the midst of childbirth, and an agoraphobic, professional phone-sex employee are all seen through the eyes of a goldfish. This goldfish is named Ian and he is falling from his bowl on the 27th floor of an apartment complex. He often forgets that he’s airborne, as goldfish have very short memories. Nonetheless, he gets a glimpse of an eclectic bunch of events and people living in the homes beneath him. Before Ian hits the ground below him, he sees many people who have lived very isolated lives come together as one apartment complex.

This book was okay. I ended up skimming about a quarter of the pages. Despite this, I liked the writing and storylines enough to keep reading and finish the novel. At first, it was a bit confusing to keep track of the very unique and different characters, but about halfway through the novel ,I was immersed in their interwoven lives. I loved seeing the formerly disconnected residents of the apartment complex come together in quite fascinating ways.

I wish I liked this book more. I feel like it had a lot of potential but fell short of the mark. I do give Somer credit for writing a handful of interesting plots in one novel. The execution wasn’t my favorite, but I’m glad I didn’t put this book down. I rarely give books a 3 star rating– I usually either love a book or absolutely hate it. This is definitely an exception to that rule. This book was just okay; that’s the best description I can give it.

For those of you looking to read this book– my favorite storyline was definitely between the building maintenance worker and the ever mysterious Garth. (spoiler alert?) I’m sure Garth looked beautiful in his gown and the two men dancing together made me smile.

May, June, and July Wrap-Up!

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I apologize for not having a picture of all the books I’ve read in the past 3 months. I’m in the process of moving so most of my books are packed away in boxes. I’m excited for them to have a new home on my shelves in about a week or so! Here’s the breakdown of what I’ve been reading (7 physical books, 2 eBooks):

The Star Side of Bird Hill (fiction) – 5/5 stars

A New Orchid Myth (science fiction) – 4.5/5 stars

Ready Player One (science fiction) – 4.5/5 stars

All Inclusive (fiction) – 2/5 stars

The Sirens of Titan (science fiction) – 5/5 stars

The Goldfinch (fiction) – 4.5/5 stars

Defects (YA Fantasy) – 5/5 stars

Do Not Disturb (thriller/erotica) – 4/5 stars

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (YA LGBTQ) – 5/5 stars