I recently lost my grandpa. He was to my mom what I think Adichie's dad was to her. I'm sending her a copy of this short book because I think it does a beautiful job at dealing with the after effects of losing a loved one.

I came to this book after watching, and loving, the series in Netflix. When I first started reading, I was taken aback by how different Land's life story was to the life depicted in the series. It started feeling like the book and the series followed two different narratives.
I think the book is a lot more real than the series. I read that people, specifically mothers, felt that the Stephanie in the series was almost too good of a mom. (cont)

I really enjoyed Kwan's third novel in this series! It's been so much fun learning about the different characters and families in this world he created. It's the perfect novel to lose yourself in. The drama and family antics are just *chefs kiss*

TW: rape, sexual assault.
This book was so unexpected and so interesting to read. I struggled to read the second chapter because of the depictions of assault but I couldn't stop reading all the other chapters.
Ratajkowski gives us an insight into the life of a famous model. She carefully discusses her complicated relationship with fame and her body that made her famous. It was refreshing to read her take on the misogynistic industry she works in.

I had so much fun reading this. It has just delicious drama that feels unbelievable. It's silly and so easy to get sucked into. I think I prefer it to the first book. It was exactly what I needed this past week!

I really enjoyed this book. It's such a fun story to disappear into. It's got a lot of different characters and I had some difficulty keeping track of everyone and the names initially. The book is definitely much better than the movie!

TW: Sexual abuse, violence.
Not sure how I feel about the whole collection but I definitely enjoyed a number of the poems. It is really interesting spotting lyrics from her songs in her poetry. The imagery is a bit gross at times and there are heavy themes of sexual abuse and violence. Overall, it's an interesting read.

This was a good book but it took me longer than I expected to finish it. It didn't draw me in and I'm not sure why.
The story is beautifully written - he is a fantastic storyteller. It takes you all over the world, from Afghanistan to France, USA to Greece. It explores so much - so many aspects of human nature and the history.
It was a good read and it had an unsettling but satisfying ending.

Wow I loved this novel. It's Rooney but more grown up (meaning you won't hate yourself while reading it). I loved every page of this story. The style and decision to write much of the novel using emails made so much sense. I now want to start an email chain with my best friend so that we can replicate Alice and Eileen in this book. Can't recommend this enough!

TW: rape and sexual abuse.
I know very little about Greek history /mythology but I really enjoyed this book. I love a story that centers the experiences of women and exposes the ugly side of romanticised histories we've grown up with.
This book does deal with rape but it never lingers on it. I find that authors can give into the gratuitous violence trope easily. So, I appreciate that the author didn't go into detail of the violence she explores.

Wow. This book was really good. Its lack of traditional structure made it jarring to read at times because it jumps between different notebooks. On the other hand, you never get bored with it.
It really doesn't work as an audio book because you need to be able to flip to and fro.
I had to read some book reviews once I had finished to properly make sense of what I had read. It's a great book but not for the faint-hearted.

This was not the fun, European vacation novel I expected. This story follows a dysfunctional family on a European cruise. I feel bad for all of the characters but also struggled to really get them. I feel like the story leaves a lot of things unfinished, which I don't love in a novel. It was fine to read but I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading it.

Let me start by saying that this is one of the most bizarre books I have ever read. The premise of a book being written through Slack channels doesn't seem like it should work, but it does.
This book is funny, thought-provoking and weird. I loved it. I read it in one day. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a fun little escape.

Wow. Such an amazing book - I cannot believe it is a debut novel. The book tells the story of two sister, Esi and Effia, who never meet and whose lives follow dramatically different paths. The plot is laid out in an incredibly clever and compelling way, managing to cover different generations and time periods well. This book is filled with sadness and anger, but also hope and love. I couldn't put it down.

This book follows the life of Belle da Costa Greene, born Belle Marion Greener, who becomes J. P. Morgan's personal librarian. She lives in a time where she has to lie about her race and pass as white in order to do what she loves. The book cleverly discusses issues that would face women at the time, from race inequality to abortion (not too different from the present, sadly). I quite enjoyed getting lost in Belle's world of art and history.

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. I must say, I felt many things when reading this. I can't quite articulate them. I can say that the characters are not particularly likeable but I've come to expect that from these types of books. Rooney is great. Depressing, but great.

I should not have enjoyed this book, but I did - as much as you can enjoy a book that makes you miserable. Sally Rooney has a way of capturing the really dark and disturbing intricacies of the mind.
I was eager to finish the novel to see where it took the characters. I can't say I love the ending but I also acknowledge that it's fitting. This is definitely not a light read. At best it's a depressing love story. But it's good. Rooney is good.

I really loved the characters and the story. I like how women are centered and their struggles are explored. While I don't love waiting until the end of the book to find out whose story I'm reading, it does work as a writing tool. I couldn't put this book down.

It reminded me of "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" by Mark Sullivan. It's the kind of story that exposes the best and worst parts of humanity.

This book is nothing special. The friendship between Vix and Caitlin reminded me of some of my own childhood friendships. Their connection as the age gets less believable and some of the things revealed by the end of the book is honestly so shocking that I found it difficult to relate anymore. I'm also not a fan of books that end on an unfinished note. I want closure for the characters.

All in all, it's a fun and easy read.

Such a heartbreaking and beautiful novel. I knew so little about the history and the people put forth in this story. I read it while visiting Jeju and it made me experience this island in a much different way than I would have without having been introduced to the character of Young-sook. I know that this is a book that I will be thinking about for a very long time.

I (obviously) watched the movie first and I think I actually like the storyline in the book better. The movie follows the book really well but the movie definitely changed the story and romanticised it. Left some parts out. The book uses some problematic, outdated language but it also has some really cool and unexpected LGBT themes in it. I really enjoyed it.

I can't say for sure if I enjoyed this book or if I'd even recommend it. It took me a while to get into the story. Ava, our main character, is so self-loathing that it's difficult to want to read more about her.
I think that way queerness and class emerge as themes in this story is interesting. The book also ends in a way that leaves things feeling unresolved. All that being said, it was definitely an interesting read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It follows the lives of three different women at two different times in history. It's a story of love, loss and revenge.
I loved how carefully the gender dimension was explored. How the lives of women have changed over the past 300 years.
I loved how the story really isn't about the men. It's about the women, their lives, their dreams and passions. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a book to get lost in.

This is such a great read for anyone who wants to learn more about the gender binary. It's easy to read and understand, and it does a great job of debunking a lot of the myths we've been raised on. This book is all about learning and unlearning. Highly recommend.

This is a fun book to get lost in if you don't want to think too hard and don't get mad at colorful love metaphors. It's very over the top, somewhat predictable and very descriptive. I love that the main character has a chronic pain condition that we see her struggle and live with. For anyone who has struggled with chronic pain, the representation matters. If you're looking for an easy romance read, I'd recommend this.

This book explores the history of Jiyoung, a new married mother. It starts with her experiencing moments of disassociation and ending up at a psychiatrist. It explores the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that sexism shows up in the lives of Korean women. It's a quick but heartbreaking read.

I really loved this book. I wasn't prepared for the twists and turns of the story and I didn't love all of the time jumps. I couldn't put the book down towards the end though, so I guess it worked out.

This book took a while to get into properly. I really wasn't sure where the author was going with the story but I'm glad I stuck around. Williams explores such beautiful themes and important historical events in this novel. Be warned, this novel will break your heart a little. I was not expecting it to explore quite so much hardship and loss.
I really enjoyed the story.

This was a great introduction to disability culture and the disability rights movement. Honestly, I have been pretty ignorant about the many issues affecting disabled people's access to things I take for granted in my everyday life.
The collection of essays and stories in this book introduced me to inspiring and exceptional humans. I really recommend this for anyone trying to educate themselves on this underrepresented issue.

This was definitely an interesting read. I can't say I've ever read a book quite like this... It reminded me of Veronica Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho. I don't know if I loved it as much though.

If you are looking for a book to straight up ruin you while also somehow inspiring you to be the best you, this is it. This book read like a poem and the actual poems in it are beautiful. I cried and hurt and sat on the edge of my proverbial chair while reading this. It's terrible how relevant this book still is. How many families still have to do this. How many have had to. Read this. Sit with this. It's brilliant.

I loved this book. The collection of essays were great fun to listen to and felt like catching up with a friend, tbh. There were such great take aways and insights. I now really want to be a plant owner. So, I definitely recommend this one. I only wish I had read the book so that I could have seen all the illustrations! His voice was great but I think this is more of a visual book.

This book was incredibly helpful and insightful. I'm not someone who suffers from depression but I love people who do. Matt Haig gets incredibly personal and vulnerable in this book. I listened to the audio book and I loved hearing him tell his own story.
There are great quotes and tidbits that apply to general everyday living. I definitely think that this book will help people live with greater empathy. I really recommend this book :)

This was a really fun and easy read. It's about starting over (obviously) but it also deals with failure and complicated relationships (of all kinds). I've seen reviews comparing it to a Hallmark movie (in the nicest way possible) and I don't disagree...

I started reading this book on Libby and midway decided it was a book I needed a physical copy of.
It's so important to engage with educational material that not only makes you feel more empowered but also more seen. I can sit back and know that I am normal as I am right now - in huge part thanks to this book (Vagina Bible helped too).
Sex Ed around the world has been a travesty. Do yourself a favour and read this book. You won't regret it.

Such a great read. I couldn't put it down all weekend. It's a good reminder that we're all just doing our best at playing grown-up. And that we all fuck up. But grow anyways.

I loved this book - but not as a sequel to Call Me By Your Name. For it to be a proper sequel, I wanted more about Elio and Oliver.
That being said, I loved reading about Samuel and Miranda. Andre Aciman had a way with words that just resonates with me. And I did enjoy when I finally got to read more about Elio and Oliver.

Gloria Steinem is just magic. I loved this book about her life and her activism. If you're looking for something easy and inspirational, this is a great choice.

I read this book slowly, taking time to really understand what each chapter was telling me. Gender inequality is everywhere. It is built into systems and structures and hierarchies. There is so much work to be done to undo the damage caused by it. Having good quality, reliable data is one of the first steps needed. I cannot recommend this book enough.

This is a must-read for anyone with a vagina. The education to be found in this book is empowering (and enraging at times). Knowing that there are doctors like her out there gives me hope that one day women will be listened to when we speak about our bodies.