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The Idiot by Elif Batuman
When you heard -miş, you knew that you had been invoked in your absence—not just you but your hypocrisy, cowardice, and lack of generosity. Every time I heard it, I felt caught out. Equal parts cerebral and droll, The Idiot relates the humdrum tribulations of a Turkish-American Harvard freshman. Set in the mid-nineties The Idiot…
1990s, 1st pov, 3.75 stars, academia, Adult, adulthood, ALIENATION, America, American, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, books about books, books about writers, cambridge (us), campus, contemporary malaise, Elif Batuman, ennui, existentialism, female authors, first love, Harvard, HISTORICAL FICTION, hungary, introspective, language, LITERARY FICTION, loneliness, Longing, Massachusetts, mumblecore, navel gazing, no plot just vibes, nostalgic reads, philosophical, PUBLISHED IN 2017, re-reads, read in 2021, read in 2022, reading, she is not feeling good at all, SLICE OF LIFE, teachers, the female malaise, The Idiot, travel, Turkey, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE, unrequited love, womanhood/femininity -
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
She wondered if the rest of early adulthood would be like this—avoiding roommates, getting ripped off for bad fusion food, and the peculiar loneliness of being smothered by people she didn’t want to spend time with. Having recently fallen in love with Choi’s most recent novel, Yolk, I was eager to read more by her.…
3.75 stars, 3rd pov, academia, addiction, America, American, anxiety, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, books about writers, BOOKS ON WRITING, campus, coming of age, Contemporary, drama, emergency contact, favourite authors, female authors, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, friendships, identity, korean american author, Mary H.K. Choi, mary hk choi, My reviews, NEW ADULT, published in 2018, rape, read in 2021, reading, ROMANCE, sexual assault/abuse/rape, social media, texas, toxic relationships, trauma, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE, uplifting reads, YOUNG ADULT -
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Written in Lahiri’s characteristically understated prose Unaccustomed Earth is a bittersweet and minutely observed collection of short stories. Set in America, India, and even Thailand, these stories focus on relationships between siblings, parents and their children, grandparents and their grandchildren, married couples, and friends. They are also characterized by a strong sense of nostalgia, partly…
1970s, 1990s, 2000s, 20th century, 3.75 stars, addiction, ageing, beautiful prose, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, cambridge (us), cheating, cold tone, collection of short stories, Contemporary, cultural dissonance, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), family, favourite authors, female authors, HISTORICAL FICTION, India, indian american author, intergenerational, introspective, Jhumpa Lahiri, LITERARY FICTION, loneliness, MARRIAGE, My reviews, parenting, PUBLISHED IN 2008, re-reads, read in 2018, read in 2021, reading, restrained prose, seattle, short stories, siblings, thailand, Unaccustomed Earth, unrequited love, washington -
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
“A smart Teek survives the storm, but a wise Teek avoids storms altogether.” It took me awhile to warm up to Black Sun and during its first half I worried that I would find myself once again in the ‘unpopular’ opinion camp. As I’d read and liked Rebecca Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning I was hoping…
3.75 stars, 3rd pov, adventure, AMERICAN AUTHOR, between earth and sky, BISEXUAL/PANSEXUAL, Black Sun, disabilities, FANTASY, female authors, FOLKLORE, gods, great storytelling, high fantasy, indigenous, lgbtq+, MAGIC, morality, myths, native american & first nation, Native American & First Nation authors, non-binary side characters, political intrigue, pre-Columbian inspired setting, prophecies, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, Rebecca Roanhorse, ship, voyage -
The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters
“Secretly, he wants to be the hero. He wants to be the difference-maker. All his life, he’s wanted to be the person rescuing someone or something. But who rescues the rescuer?” The Summer of Everything tells a very wholesome story, part coming of age, part romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Our protagonist, Wesley…
3.75 stars, 3rd pov, ace side characters, America, American, bi side characters, Black & Black heritage authors, brothers, California, coming of age, Contemporary, drama, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, friendships, gay, HUMOR, identity, Julian Winters, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, m/m, male authors, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, ROMANCE, santa monica, Summer, summer reads, The Summer of Everything, uplifting reads, YOUNG ADULT -
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is a wholesome and thoughtful YA coming-of-age. Within the first chapter I was invested in Dove and her story. There was something so tender about her sensible yet sensitive narration that made me immediately care for her.The Revolution of Birdie Randolph follows sixteen-year-old Dove, also knows as Birdie, who is…
3.75 stars, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEWS, Brandy Colbert, Chicago, coming of age, Contemporary, family, female authors, HIGH SCHOOL, identity, Illinois, lgbtq+, lgbtq+ side, mothers & daughters, published in 2020, read in 2020, ROMANCE, social issues, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, YOUNG ADULT -
The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig
…and I thought that vampires were passé. The Fell of Dark is a fun take that on vampires and ‘the chosen one’ trope. Usually, I’m a nitpicking reader but with The Fell of Dark I was happy to suspend my disbelief. Is this novel perfect? Definitely not. Is it entertaining? Hell yes!Our narrator and protagonist,…
3.75 stars, adventure, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, BOOK REVIEWS, Caleb Roehrig, chosen one, Contemporary, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), drama, FANTASY, gay, HIGH SCHOOL, HUMOR, Illinois, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, m/m, m/m/m, MAGIC, male authors, PARANORMAL, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, ROMANCE, SMALL TOWN, The Fell of Dark, URBAN FANTASY, VAMPIRES, WITCHES, YOUNG ADULT -
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Felix Ever After is a refreshing, relevant, validating and super-inclusive YA novel. This also happens to be one of the few YA books (the only other one I can think of is Camp by Lev A.C. Rosen) that focuses exclusively on queer teens (there a few straight parents in the background). Kacen Callender’s portrayal of…
1st pov, 3.75 stars, America, American, ANGST, ART/CREATIVITY, ARTISTS, Black & Black heritage authors, caribbean author, coming of age, drama, fathers & sons, Felix Ever After, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, friendships, gender identity, HIGH SCHOOL, Kacen Callender, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, m/m, NEW YORK, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, ROMANCE, Saint Thomian author, SEXUALITY, Summer, summer reads, TRANSGENDER, YOUNG ADULT -
Ayoade on Top by Richard Ayoade — book review
Ayoade on Top is a hilariously strange book. Richard Ayoade’s critical analysis of ‘View from the Top’ (a 2003 romcom starring Gwyneth Paltrow) is a delight to read. Throughout the course of this short book Ayoade argues that this long-forgotten film is a modern masterpiece. I found Ayoade’s dry wit and his clever observations regarding…
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If It Bleeds by Stephen King — book review
“News people have a saying: If it bleeds, it leads.” If It Bleeds presents its readers with four unnerving short stories. Yet, while Stephen King certainly excels at creating disturbing scenarios, there is something oddly comforting about his books. His distinctive voice feels familiar, and his stories are infused with a certain American nostalgia. King…
3.75 stars, Adult, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, bok review, Booklr, books about writers, BOOKS ON WRITING, collection of short stories, CRIME, DEATH, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), HORROR, If It Bleeds, madness, male authors, morality, MURDER, MYSTERY, PARANORMAL, psychological, published in 2020, read in 2020, revenge, SCI-FI, short stories, SPECULATIVE FICTION, STEPHEN KING, SUPERNATURAL, SUSPENSE, THRILLER, violence
luce [is reading] 