Let me first say this novel is not for everyone; I personally loved it for a number of reasons. To start the prose is stunning while also being dark aLet me first say this novel is not for everyone; I personally loved it for a number of reasons. To start the prose is stunning while also being dark and unsettling.
The story follows Turtle, a fourteen year old girl who is being physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by her survivalist father, Martin. I know that many of you will baulk at the idea of this novel because of that, which I understand, but there is something more to this novel than shock and horror. As we learn more about the abuses and isolation Turtle is exposed to, we get incredible character development that is both ominous and hopeful. There is no denying that Martin is a monster and that Turtle should just run away or ask for help, but this is all she has known.
Turtle feels that something is wrong and often escapes to the forest or beach surrounding her remote and dilapidated home in Northern California. This is the only time she has to herself to breathe and process her feelings and confusion. It’s during one of these escapes that she meets a boy named Jacob. As she befriends him she is confronted with the lies she has been fed by her father.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but I will say that this is an intense, gripping read. I found myself viscerally disgusted, angry, and at times hopeful. Yes, I said hopeful. It’s this glimmer of hope in conjunction with such beautiful prose that made this novel a favorite of mine. I do not mind being uncomfortable when reading a novel as long as there is that glimmer of hope. Every sentence and word choice felt deliberate, which also another reason why I enjoyed this novel so much. I will readily admit this is not for everyone and there are many friends that I would not recommend this novel to, but for the handful or so of you that are okay with such dark subject matters you should read this one. I was completely absorbed in this story for better or for worse and I think it is a wonderful novel for the right audience. ...more
“I have heard all of the stories about girls like me, and I am unafraid to make more of them.”
This story collection caught me by surprise and I love i“I have heard all of the stories about girls like me, and I am unafraid to make more of them.”
This story collection caught me by surprise and I love it for that. It is so rare to come across such original and powerful prose in a short story, much less a collection. Carmen Maria Machado melds magical realism, horror, supernatural, and feminist fiction into a thought provoking collection that is both addictive and unsettling.
Each story follows a woman and how the world acts upon her and her body. We get to see women in a light that they are rarely shown in. A major central theme is a woman’s desire and her sexuality. I really love that these stories show so many different viewpoints. I found the majority of the stories to be fantastic with the exception of the story “Especially Heinous” which was the Law & Order SVU one. That story almost ruined everything for me. I could not see how this one fit into the collection.
My favorite story was easily the first story, “The Husband Stitch.” That story was hypnotizing. I’m not kidding when I say every word counts. The prose and the emotions evoked from that story gave me goosebumps. It’s so good!
All in all, I would say this is a must read for the feminist reader. It’s such a powerful and thought provoking collection. You can skip the Law & Order story in my opinion, but otherwise this is a fantastic collection that I’ve been recommending right and left....more
“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.”
This was my first Celeste Ng experience and I was blown away. I understand why so many people love her writing now. I love how Ng’s prose is so intricate and deliberate. Also they way she builds her characters is so mesmerizing that you feel like you understand the characters inside and out. I could go on and on about her writing style and character development, but suffice to say it’s brilliant.
The story takes place in Shaker Heights, Ohio which is an affluent neighborhood with lots of rules. Mrs. Richardson is a model resident and has raised her four children (Lexie, Trip, Moody, and Izzy) to abide by these rules as well. Then she rents an apartment to Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl. Mia in contrast is a free spirited artist who lives a life in pursuit of inspiration. Although these women have very little in common, they do love their children deeply and welcome each other’s children into their homes as if they were their own.
You can learn more about the story from the synopsis, so I won’t go too deep here. What I love about this novel is its surprises and emotion. I became very emotionally involved in the lives of these characters and probably would’ve finished this book in one sitting if I had had the time. It’s a wonderful novel about family and a mother’s love. I cannot recommend this novel enough. It deserves every ounce of praise it has gotten. ...more
"That was what her rabbit cakes were about, celebrating every small good thing in your life. I know most families don't celebrate every new moon or ev"That was what her rabbit cakes were about, celebrating every small good thing in your life. I know most families don't celebrate every new moon or every solstice and equinox, but maybe they should. You never know when someone you love will shoot themselves in the middle of their own birthday party, or be found dead in another state, caught in a river dam, so everyone might as well have their cake right now."
That quote is a great representation of the tone of this story. To say I absolutely adored Elvis Babbitt and this story would be an understatement. I cannot begin to convey how lovely this story is, but I will do my best.
The story follows ten-year-old, Elvis Babbitt, after she loses her mother due to the hazards of sleepwalking. Elvis is a super smart girl with a scientific mind and an unquenchable curiosity. She knows that she should grieve her mother’s untimely death for 18 months, but what she doesn’t know is how to bring normalcy to her family after tragedy has struck. Her sister Lizzie begins to sleepwalk and her father starts to wear her mother’s silk bathrobe around the house after their loss. Elvis tries to understand her remaining family members while also trying to get to the bottom of how exactly her mother died. It’s such a heartwarming story about an incredibly dysfunctional family. This story has so much heart and humor.
I loved Elvis because I felt like I saw parts of myself in this character and I couldn’t get enough of her and her take on the world. She had me laughing and crying on and off throughout this touching story about grief and trying to find normalcy. I cannot wait to read more from Annie Hartnett. This novel was such a wonderful surprise and I’ve been telling everyone to read it since I’ve finished it. You should read this novel asap!...more
Rating: 5 Pairings: 2015 Pedernales Texas Albarino & 2014 Silverado Vineyards Petit Verdot. I selected both of these wines because they are unlikely geRating: 5 Pairings: 2015 Pedernales Texas Albarino & 2014 Silverado Vineyards Petit Verdot. I selected both of these wines because they are unlikely gems in the wine world, just like Bianca Bosker’s Cork Dork.
Long ago I was romanced by the wonderful world of wine and I even toyed with the idea of becoming a sommelier a few years ago. Okay fine it wasn’t that long ago….I’m only 27 but around 22 I became obsessed with learning about wine. Not to the extent of the cork dorks and sommeliers within the pages of this book, but nonetheless I love learning about wine so this book was the perfect pairing for me. ;)
Cork Dork follows the adventures of Bianca Bosker from tech journalist to cellar rat in the elite world of wine. Bosker takes us on a journey that reveals what it really takes to become a super-taster like the elite sommeliers around the world. I loved the combination of anecdotal evidence, idiosyncratic methodologies, and scientific research to better understand how you can hone your senses like the professionals. It really is fascinating.
We also get glimpses into the world of upscale dining in New York City restaurants (be prepared to be shocked by the amount of money NYC elite will drop on wine), a California mass market wine producer, and a neuroscientist’s research using fMRI machines. There is no shortage of informative detail in this book, but Bosker’s writing style makes it a compulsive read. I highly recommend this to novice wine drinkers and cork dorks alike. Bosker is a breathe of fresh air in an industry that can feel stuffy and pretentious. Also check out her account and the hashtag #pairdevil for some amazing pairings of wine and takeout food.
More About the #BookPairings: I had a hard time selecting just one wine to pair with Cork Dork, so I chose two. One red and one white, both of which are from vineyards that I have had the pleasure of visiting and learning from the experts that run them.
The white wine is a little gem from the heart of Texas Hill Country. I selected the 2015 Pedernales Texas Albarino, which highlights a spanish grape varietal that thrives in Texas weather. This wine has a creamy mouth feel but also packs wonderful acidity with green apple and citrus flavors. It is the perfect wine to sip in the dead of summer heat.
The red wine I chose is from a beautiful vineyard in Napa called Silverado. The 2014 Silverado Vineyards Petit Verdot Mount George Vineyard uses one of five common Bordeaux varietals.This wine packs a punch with dark fruit flavors, such as blackberry and cherry, and floral/herbal notes, such as violet and lilac....more
Going into this book I was expecting your standard chick lit story about a glitzy movie star, but man was I blown away by this book. I implore you putGoing into this book I was expecting your standard chick lit story about a glitzy movie star, but man was I blown away by this book. I implore you put aside and preconceived notions and dive into this book. The writing is so beautiful and the character development is world class. This story was so much more complex than I anticipated when starting it and I found myself itching to get back to the story anytime I had to put it down.
The novel tells the story of Evelyn Hugo, a mega famous Hollywood actress that started her career in the age of Hollywood glamour. Now at 80 years old she decides she wants to do a tell-all and only wants to work with a relatively obscure journalist named Monique.
As the story evolves it quickly becomes evident that Evelyn has had many love affairs but only one true love. She reveals the sacrifices she makes and ultimately regrets in order to achieve success in her film career. It is both heartbreaking and honest.
This novel is so complex and wonderful. I feel like I cannot do it justice. All I can say is you need to read it immediately. ...more
If you’ve read the Southern Reach Trilogy you will be familiar with Jeff Vandermeer’s exploration of non-human sentience and what that could mean for If you’ve read the Southern Reach Trilogy you will be familiar with Jeff Vandermeer’s exploration of non-human sentience and what that could mean for humanity and the world as we know it. In Borne, Vandermeer introduces us to a world that has been laid to waste by biotech experimentation, political upheavals, and wars that turned millions into refugees. We discover that there are very few humans, mutants, animals and hybrid creatures which are revealed to be failed or aborted biotech experiments left behind. There are artificial living creatures such as feral children with wings and poisoned claws, and transgenic species that can morph from human to bear. Needless to say it’s weird and kind of disturbing/awesome.
Anyways, the story follows Rachel, her partner Wick, and a strange, sentient blob that she discovers while out scavenging. Rachel and Wick are eeking out a life trying to avoid the attention of Mord, a five story tall giant flying bear who is terrorizing the creatures left after the biotech apocalypse, when she discovers this strange creature. Wick is immediately suspicious of the blob, but Rachel ignores his concern and brings it home anyways. Once Rachel brings it home and has named it Borne, she soon realizes that it is sentient and starts to raise it as if it were a human child. This unexpected relationship that blossoms between Rachel and Borne is very emotional and really drives the story.
I don’t want to give away much more than that because the story unfolds in such a wonderful way that I want you to go into it not knowing too much. All in all, I really loved this story for many reasons. It’s full of amazing character development, world building, and adventure that leads to epic confrontations. I cannot recommend this book enough to fans of Vandermeer and newbies alike. ...more
OMFG! This is my favorite book of the year thus far. I know it’s only the beginning of February but I have a feeling this book will be on my best of 2OMFG! This is my favorite book of the year thus far. I know it’s only the beginning of February but I have a feeling this book will be on my best of 2017 list. I am stunned that this is Kayla Rae Whitaker’s debut novel. This book pulled me in and would not let go. I was so wrapped up in this story.
The Animators is about the creation of an unlikely partnership of two girls both from the South and both damaged in their own way from their childhoods. There’s Mel Vaught, the blonde, foul mouthed party animal with unspeakably brilliant talent. And there’s Sharon Kisses, the brunette quieter counterbalance to Vaught that also possesses amazing talent but not as much confidence. The dynamics between these two is fascinating all the way through. Mel is bold and seeks the spotlight, while Sharon is always trying to be invisible. They bring out the best in each other when they are working on their animated films.
After rising to relative fame for their first full-length film, which delves into Mel’s tumultuous childhood, the are faced with a personal tragedy. Mel responds by drinking heavily and doing way too many drugs, while Sharon tries to calm her and bring her back down to earth. It causes a rift in their relationship, but while on the press tour they are Sharon is faced with her own personal tragedy. Mel immediately steps up and gets clean, at least in the short-term. The way they buoy each other in these rough patches is so touching.
After being faced with so much pain they decide to make their second film about Sharon and her darkest secret which has shaped her love life or lack thereof. They decide to return to Sharon’s family home in Kentucky for research and more drama ensues.
This book may seem to wrought with disaster or dramatic for some people, but it rings so true to me. Life can be a shitshow sometimes and the people you love are the ones that help you see it through. This story is about so much more than these two animators making films. It’s about love in it’s many forms and how loss can rip you apart and forever change you. This story was so emotional for me and I was on the verge of tears many times while reading it. But there were also times where I was giggling to myself about the absurdity of some situations. I connected with these characters in such a visceral way and I know that this is a book that will stay with me and I will recommend it to everyone I know. It’s amazing.
P.S. It may seem like I’ve given away quite a bit of the story, but I promise it isn’t too spoilery. I want you to experience the story without knowing too much about it other than that it is a must read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for allowing me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Laci Carrera |
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Books:
best-of-2017
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