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nelehelen

nelehelen

Joined March 2017

LibraryThing member nelehelen

𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 | 𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚢 𝙴𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚜𝚝 | 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎 Instagram.com/readwithneleh
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nelehelen
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Ended my book buying ban with books that bring me joy: books by Asian women.

Can‘t wait to start these because I need some joy in my life! Think we all do during these dark times.

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nelehelen
Violets | Kyung-Sook Shin
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Pickpick

Character study of an isolated and repressed woman, there‘s a lot to unpack here.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbZKwxTOhum/?utm_medium=copy_link

30 likes2 stack adds
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nelehelen
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New books I‘m excited about. Been hearing amazing things about WHAT MY BONES KNOW.

Thank you to the pubs for these #gifted copies!

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nelehelen
Tar Baby | Toni Morrison
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Prioritizing these backlist books for #BlackHistoryMonth!

Viji Homegoing is so good! 3y
smjohns Loved Homegoing! 3y
nelehelen @Viji @smjohns i can‘t believe i haven‘t read it yet! 3y
smjohns @Viji it is soooo good! 3y
31 likes4 comments
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nelehelen
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Currently reading HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK, a post-apocalyptic novel about humanity tries to rebuild after a climate plague.

Oooof, this book is dark. Beautifully written but DARK.

What are you guys reading?

*ARC provided by by the pub

43 likes3 stack adds
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nelehelen
Fever Dream | Samanta Schweblin
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Pickpick

What a ride! Such a weird and unsettling but addicting book.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXqwYLKFwdW/?utm_medium=copy_link

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nelehelen
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Some upcoming 2022 fantasy titles I‘m excited for!

Thank you to the pubs for these gifted copies. ❤️

BethM Those covers are incredible! 3y
nelehelen @BethM agree! So good! 3y
24 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

Quiet and unsettling, this one is about loss of memory but also loss of free will and identity. Layered and thought provoking. Highly recommend for those who enjoy dystopian novels.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMUsLNJl4m/?utm_medium=copy_link

Emilymdxn I loved this book so much! 3y
nelehelen @Emilymdxn I‘m still thinking about it! 3y
33 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
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Happy Halloween!

To celebrate, I‘m currently reading THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE. Gothic horror, supernatural and mystery, this has everything I‘m looking for. Hope its good! 🤞🏼

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nelehelen
Afterparties: Stories | Anthony Veasna So
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Pickpick

I loved this amazing short story collection by Anthony Veasna So. Published posthumously, this is a poignant, funny, and beautiful glimpse into the lives of Cambodian Americans.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUoBU1lldq4/?utm_medium=copy_link

SamAnne I‘ve read the first two stories. Looking forward to finishing when I can get the book again from the library. 3y
nelehelen @SamAnne the first story was so good! 3y
26 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
Steelstriker | Marie Lu
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HAPPY PUB DAY to #STEELSTRIKER by #MarieLu! got this yesterday and have not put it down. I loved the first book, SKYHUNTER, so I‘ve been eagerly waiting for the conclusion.

If you love YA Fantasy, this duology is for you!

Have you read the first book? Is this on your TBR??

26 likes1 stack add
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nelehelen
Cursed Bunny | Bora Chung
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Pickpick

One of my fav reads of this year and now one of my fav short story collections of all time! This genre-defying collection will take you for a ride. It has horror, sci-fi, fantasy, magical realism and speculative fiction. Truly disturbing but absolutely refreshing with lots of social and cultural commentary about South Korea. Bora Chung is one to watch!

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTxiMyThIkm/?utm_medium=copy_link

#womenintranslation

Oryx Cool picture 3y
nelehelen @Oryx thank you! 3y
Reggie You had me at short stories, horror, sci-fi, magical realism, and speculative. Lol stacked. 3y
nelehelen @Reggie lol right?! Too good to pass up! 3y
29 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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nelehelen
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LAST • NOW • NEXT

LAST:
SEEING GHOSTS by Kat Chow. Emotional and vulnerable. This one was heartbreaking as the author writes about grief, family and identity.

NOW:
THE MEMORY POLICE by Yoko Ogawa. Just getting into this dystopian translated fic! Jury‘s stI‘ll out.

NEXT:
THE LAST EXILES by Ann Shin. Excited for this one since it‘s set in North Korea. I know it‘ll probably be sad but craving the familiar.

Any of these on your TBR?

TrishB The Memory Police has been on the pile for a while! 3y
nelehelen @TrishB me too but finally reading it now! 3y
27 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
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New books! Super excited for all of these but especially SEEING GHOSTS and VELVET WAS THE NIGHT.

Thank you to the pubs for these #gifted titles.

See any on your TBR?

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nelehelen
Skylight Books | Los Angeles, CA (Bookstore)
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Love this bookstore! 😍😍😍 #skylightbooks

ReadingOver50 Beautiful 3y
nelehelen @ReadingOver50 isn‘t it?! 😍 3y
41 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
Untitled | Unknown
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Book mail!

Thank you to the pubs for these copies. Can‘t wait to read these, especially HARLEM SHUFFLE!!

Are any of these on your TBR?

30 likes4 comments
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nelehelen
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir | Michelle Zauner
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#APIHeritageMonth may be over but let‘s not forget to read Asian and diversely all year long!

Both of these memoirs are by Korean American authors and while they both are very different, they both reminded me of much of my own family.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CPehc1yryVC/?utm_medium=copy_link

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nelehelen
To the Warm Horizon | Jin-young Choi
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Pickpick

This dystopia, post-apocalyptic novel originally written in Korean is the first queer novel to be translated into English. Written before COVID-19, this one feels so eerily real. Reminiscent of THE ROAD, this one is grim and bleak, but still hopeful.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CO-6Ro7LFe6/?igshid=3g0rcisr6a8d

PNWBookseller85 Love that cover 4y
nelehelen @BeckyMerilatt right?? It‘s so good!!! 4y
32 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

This queer historical YA set in San Francisco was special for me to read because I was able to walk the streets and neighborhoods mentioned in the book. This is a beautiful story about first loves, self-discovery and found family. I love that it gives a voice to those lost in history—queer Asian American women.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/COL-3u9rZbA/?igshid=z9m4p83ef7hx

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nelehelen
Untitled | Unknown
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Happy May! April has been a crazy month for me.

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who‘s sent me cards and letters from #LitsyLove crew. I read every single one and appreciate them all. I haven‘t had time to write back since we moved and I also haven‘t been feeling the best. But I promise I will!

Also, May is AAPI Heritage Month! I put a few recos together on my IG:

https://www.instagram.com/p/COVUco3riG5/?igshid=10qguw8fjusaf

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I hope you feel better ❤️ 4y
nelehelen @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks thank you Misty!! 4y
21 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
Thank You | Amelia Riedler
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Thank you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks and @TheBookHippie for this birthday package! I got this right before I moved and I was so surprised. Thank you so much! ❤️❤️❤️ #LitsyLove

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks You‘re very welcome!! I hear this book is really good! I have a copy too 📚❤️ 4y
31 likes1 comment
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nelehelen
Tower | Myung-hoon Bae
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Pickpick

Witty, dark and imaginative, this political satire set in speculative Korea includes six interconnected stories about the lives of the citizens of a 647-building that acts as its own sovereign nation. Recommend to those who enjoy political satire and speculative fiction and for those looking to expand their world just a little bit.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMPsmQngbT6/?igshid=1afib0bmyntjx

mabell What an amazing photo! 4y
BookmarkTavern Wow! Sounds fascinating! #stacked 4y
nelehelen @mabell thank you! 4y
nelehelen @ozma.of.oz hope you enjoy! 4y
35 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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nelehelen
Elatsoe | Darcie Little Badger
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Elatsoe is 17 years old, Lipan Apache, asexual, oh and she can raise ghosts of dead animals. I loved #ownvoices representation and rich Lipan Apache culture. Part-fantasy and part-murder mystery, this one was SO good!! Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy and mystery.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKrbktyAFoN/?igshid=6ylnnpm07ca5

34 likes1 stack add
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nelehelen
Infinite Country: A Novel | Patricia Engel
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Pickpick

I loved this one so much. Absolutely beautiful story about immigration and being undocumented. Highly, highly recommend this slim but powerful novel.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL9xYifg-QN/?igshid=5tdw931dmyfm

Thank you to Avid Reader Press for the ARC. This one is out now!

BarbaraBB High on my wishlist too! 4y
nelehelen @BarbaraBB it‘s so good!! 4y
42 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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nelehelen
The Kindest Lie: A Novel | Nancy Johnson
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Pickpick

What seems like a page-turning mystery quickly turns into a study of racial inequality and its weight within a community. Thought-provoking, this one will elicit strong emotions.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLfVnEPgBtR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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nelehelen
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

This has to be one of my top favorite books of all time. Based on true events at the Arthur G. Dozier‘s School for Boys in Florida, this one will break your heart. But, it is such an important one to read.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CK7OfZ-Az6l/?igshid=velz0fichv0h

48 likes2 stack adds
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nelehelen
The Sympathizer | Viet Thanh Nguyen
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Pickpick

It took me a little bit to get used to the writing. But once I did, this novel blew me away. So incredibly smart and layered and funny, I absolutely loved this.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKSo9mBATIu/?igshid=1wgmnmpls7hm2

33 likes1 stack add
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

What an eye-opening novel about three women who are cis and Trans. Complicated, messy and utterly honest, I thought this novel was powerful and so important.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9pTWDA70Z/?igshid=5iv5ju5e1bsp

Annie1215 Great set up! 4y
nelehelen @Annie1215 thank you! 4y
33 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
Bride of the Sea | Eman Quotah
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Pickpick

A family saga set in the States and Saudi Arabia, this one spans decades and is heartbreaking. I learned a lot about Saudi culture and enjoyed my first book written by a Saudi female author.

Full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKZiR0cgN1N/?igshid=1iutrajrz6cph

Thank you @Tin_House for the gifted ARC!

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nelehelen
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Pickpick

Oak Flat is a mesa in the Southwestern desert of Arizona and a holy place for the San Carlos Apache Tribe, a burial ground and religious site. It is also one of the world's largest untapped resources for copper. And in 2014, a law was passed to transfer this holy land to a private company who will mine Oak Flat until it is depleted and collapses. Eye-opening, this graphic nonfiction is a must-read for all.

Full review on my IG & Goodreads!

charl08 Sounds great - sticking it on the wishlist. Love the shoes, too! 4y
Oryx Love that your shoes match the book 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Nice shoes! 💚 Just followed you on IG! 4y
See All 9 Comments
nelehelen @charl08 thank you!! Hope you like it and find it informative. 4y
nelehelen @Oryx thank you!! 4y
nelehelen @erzascarletbookgasm awww yay!!! 🥰 4y
Nute Interested in this book! And I love this photo! 4y
nelehelen @Nute thank you! This is a great book!! 4y
TheBookHippie THE SHOES!!!! 💜 💜 💜 4y
37 likes1 stack add9 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

Focused on the history & folklore of the island rather than the hanyeo, the author provides vivid descriptions of the island and life on Jeju. The evocative writing transported me back in time and it was both magical and heartbreaking. However, I felt the writing to be a bit jarring at times, switching from beautifully long & detailed descriptions of the landscape to the sudden change in short dialogue. I also wanted a bit more character growth.

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nelehelen
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Pickpick

The sheer talent, tenacity & heart that the author exhibits in his memoir is astounding. As Laymon dissects his relationship with his body, writing, addiction & family, he explores the weight that black bodies carry and how this weight, perceived by society as dangerous & disposable, is rooted deeply in American society. Layered and complex, this memoir felt like the the truest representation of a human and of a black man living in America.

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nelehelen
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Pickpick

Quiet and reflective, this book was a timely read as 2020 ended. Katherine May reminds us that there is power in wintering, a time when we need to retreat, rest and reflect. The writing is beautiful and poetic, especially when she describes nature and her home by the sea. However, it should be noted that this book and author both come from a place of privilege. Not many of us have the luxury to winter like she does, but I agree with the sentiment.

Cinfhen Gorgeous photo and review 4y
nelehelen @Cinfhen thank you Cindy! 4y
Cinfhen 💕💕💕 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty!!! 4y
nelehelen @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks thank you Misty!! 4y
42 likes1 stack add5 comments
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nelehelen
The Undocumented Americans | Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
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Pickpick

This book embodies Defiance. Defiant against what is legal, what is normal, what is accepted. Defiant in using the author‘s name and including her experience and status. Defiant in choosing to tell the stories of the Undocumented. And in the author's defiance, she challenges our preconceived stereotypes of undocumented immigrants, gives them a face, a story, and reminds us of their humanity. Highly recommend because this is so important.

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nelehelen
Eat A Peach: A Memoir | David Chang
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Pickpick

This celebrity chef memoir from David Chang talks about his restaurants but also about his mental health/illness. You won‘t find poetic or flowery prose, but you will find honesty. This won‘t have celebrity chef gossip or tips on how to make the best baos. This book is for those who see chefs as creative people — people who have anxieties, flows hope and dreams. People who mess up, just like you and me.

31 likes2 stack adds
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nelehelen
Heart Berries: A Memoir | Terese Mailhot
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Pickpick

Beautiful memoir with poetic prose that examines relationships through the lens of a woman working through her trauma. And there is so much trauma for an indigenous woman. Stream-of-consciousness and non-linear style writing might not be for all, but still an important one to read.

34 likes2 stack adds
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

Gifty is a brilliant neuroscientist born to Ghanaian immigrants and raised in a strict religious home. Gyasi explores themes around immigration, addiction, mental illness & racism, all centered around the dichotomy of religion & science. The writing is introspective and there is an emotional depth to Gifty that is relatable. And through her, we see the breadth in how we grieve + cope. The ending was bittersweet, like an ending of a friendship.

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nelehelen
Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata
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Pickpick

This novel is a little bit of everything — quirky, funny, disturbing and even inspiring. Keiko has worked at "Smile Mart" for the past 18 years and now 36 years old and still single, she is constantly asked questions about marriage and career. Being on the spectrum, Keiko has mastered the art of social imitation as she mimics facial expressions and behavior to fit in. This short novel is for those looking for social commentary around conformity.

britt_brooke Loved this one! 4y
Cinfhen Great choice for this prompt💓this book made me sad, though 4y
See All 7 Comments
BarbaraTheBibliophage Love your photo—I‘ve got to give this a try! 4y
nelehelen @britt_brooke hoping to start her new book this week! Heard it‘s wonderfully weird 4y
nelehelen @Cinfhen i know... me too.. 4y
nelehelen @BarbaraTheBibliophage yes! So interested to hear what you think 4y
52 likes7 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

This book was published in March 2020 as a response to the #MeToo movement, and months later, this book still resonates. It resonates so much more now than ever before and that is a sobering revelation. There were ideas of feminism I was already aware of, there were some I wasn't. But regardless of your expertise on intersectional feminism, this should be required reading for all.

Megabooks I thought this was really informative about intersectionality. 4y
nelehelen @Megabooks me too! Loved this one. 4y
35 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

There has been so much hype around this novel and one that I fully understand as this was my most anticipated read of this year. And it was as beautiful as I imagined it would be. This book was about Addie LaRue and her quest to live her life freely, to live and to be remembered. It certainly wasn't perfect, but it was indeed a beautiful story. No more, no less.

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nelehelen
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Pickpick

One of the most important books I read this year. Since disability does not discriminate, this anthology is inherently diverse in both the content and its writers. As I read through these essays, I became aware of my own “unconscious privilege” as well as the pervasive ableism and inclination for inspiration porn we as an able-bodied society carry. I highly recommend. Perfect for #NonfictionNovember.

Megabooks I agree. I devoured this the week it came out. My parents and I are all disabled for different reasons. There is so much diversity in experiences and reactions to them, by the person, their families, and anyone they encounter. 4y
nelehelen @Megabooks yes! It was so good. And just so eye-opening for me. A book that should be read by all! 4y
36 likes1 stack add2 comments
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nelehelen
The Poppy War | R.F. Kuang
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Pickpick

The first book of The Poppy War series, is a historical military fantasy based on 20th century Chinese history, drawing a lot of inspiration from the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. This is a book about war and with one of the chapters based on the Rape of Nanjing, loser 3 is terrifying. Rin is a flawed MC, impulsive and petulant. However, our antihero is flawed for a reason and that is because she is human. Highly recommend, but there‘s lot of triggers.

wanderinglynn Your pup is adorable! ❤️🐶 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Great photo! 👍 4y
33 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
nelehelen
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Pickpick

This graphic novel version of Sapiens is at times dense, but still very fascinating and informative. And while the editing of content could‘ve been better, overall, I thought this was a fun introduction to the birth of humankind. A note that this may be problematic to those with strong Creationist beliefs. I was raised in a Christian home and didn‘t find this book offensive, but wanted to call it out.

34 likes2 stack adds
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nelehelen
Skyhunter | Marie Lu
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Pickpick

You guys, I absolutely loved this! In fact, I loved SKYHUNTER so much that as soon as I was done with the audiobook, I immediately pre-ordered the physical book.

With elements of sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian, Marie Lu includes a bit of everything with incredible world-building and an action-packed plot. The world-building is slow but purposeful, rich but intricate. Highly recommend this for your next YA sci-fi fantasy!

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nelehelen
SLAY | Brittney Morris
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Pickpick

This was such a fun, engaging and important book to read. While I found some things unrealistic (like how a seventeen-year-old keeps a game of that size a secret), I was too captivated by Kiera, the unapologetic celebration of Black culture, and the important dialogue around the causal racism that happens every day to really care about the technicalities of the actual game. I found this book to be inspirational and also just really entertaining.

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nelehelen
Luster: A Novel | Raven Leilani
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Mehso-so

I finished this a few weeks ago and I still don‘t know how to feel about this. The writing was so beautiful that it was distracting. Still thinking about this one...

Link to full review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEzvw-_gYvx/?igshid=1op3kcuoi1akr

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nelehelen
The Undocumented Americans | Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
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These are my hopefuls for #LatinxHeritageMonth!

I‘m currently reading THE UNDOCUMENTED AMERICANS and it is fantastic. Infuriating? Yes. But so good and should be required reading for all.

tenar Thank you for sharing these titles! I didn‘t know two of them, Hurricane and Children, and they look great. I‘m on a seven month waitlist for The Undocumented Americans 😝 4y
nelehelen @tenar wow 7 months!! Eeek hope it comes in sooner than that! 4y
34 likes2 comments
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nelehelen
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Mehso-so

Disappointing for me that I didn‘t enjoy this book more. This book reminded me so much of my childhood and perhaps that‘s why it didn‘t work for me. I enjoyed Mina‘s POV and story, but Margot as a character was one-dimensional with no growth. Pacing was off and the writing flat, but the descriptions of LA were absolutely spot on.

Currey My impression exactly and I do not have the cultural background. 4y
38 likes1 comment
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nelehelen
The Queue | Basma Abdel Aziz
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Pickpick

Translated from the Arabic, THE QUEUE by Basma Abdel Aziz is a short dystopian novel that explores the psychology of authoritarianism. After the Gate assumes power in an unnamed Middle Eastern City, citizens have to wait in a queue to gain permission for even their most basic necessities. I loved the symbolism of the queue for democracy, or the pursuit of it. I did wish that the Gate was explored more and the characters a bit more developed.

coffees Oh wow this sounds interesting!! 4y
nelehelen @crimson613 it really was! 4y
35 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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nelehelen
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Pickpick

This memoir is fearlessly honest and heartbreaking. Told in non-linear essays, Madden revisits her childhood and her trauma in beautifully piercing language. These vignettes explore the complicated feelings we have for ourselves and those we love so fiercely even when they hurt us. She shows us how no relationship is black and white, or right and wrong, but they are just, ours. Sometimes we have to forgive or leave or fight to heal and honor them.

Crazeedi A beautiful review💖 4y
Reggie Wow, this is really nice. 👍🏽 4y
nelehelen @Crazeedi @Reggie thank you! It was a beautiful book. 4y
36 likes3 comments