30 Aug

Posted at 10:56h in Reviews by

Review: Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo When I first picked up Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo, I felt a magnetic pull. As a fellow writer navigating the complexities of creativity and identity, the title alone resonated with me. To hear such powerful words from someone I admire deeply—who also happens to be the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize—was thrilling. This book became an unexpected companion during a tumultuous chapter in my own writing journey, and I couldn’t wait to dive...

04 Aug

Posted at 15:29h in Reviews by

Where You're Planted by Jessica M. Dall: A Garden of Promises and Pitfalls There’s something enchanting about the intersection of books and plants—two worlds that thrive on care, attention, and growth. So, when I stumbled upon Jessica M. Dall's Where You're Planted, I couldn't resist the lure of a narrative intertwining a library, a botanical garden, and the complexities of life as a single mother. I hoped for a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance wrapped in greenery and books, but, unfortunately, the promise didn’t quite bloom as I envisioned. The story revolves...

04 Aug

Posted at 12:01h in Reviews by

Embracing Family and Resilience: A Review of Grace Notes by Naomi Shihab Nye As I opened the pages of Grace Notes: Poems about Families, I felt an immediate warm embrace from Naomi Shihab Nye’s lyrical voice. Known for her depth and ability to connect, Nye has always found a way to make the intangible aspects of life feel tangible. This collection is a heartfelt celebration of family and the threads that bind us, striking a resonant chord within me as someone who cherishes the complexities of familial relationships. In Grace...

24 Jul

Posted at 14:00h in Reviews by

The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing – A Journey Through Darkness and Redemption When I first stumbled upon The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin, I was drawn in by its raw and provocative title, hinting at a story that promised both chaos and hope. This memoir, which takes readers from the privileged life of a soccer mom to the gritty depths of opioid addiction and incarceration, captivated me from the very first page. It’s a transformative journey...

22 Jul

Posted at 13:22h in Reviews by

A Life of One's Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again by Joanna Biggs – A Heartfelt Journey of Reinvention When I first picked up A Life of One’s Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again by Joanna Biggs, I did so with curiosity and a hint of apprehension. As someone who often finds solace in literature, the idea of exploring the lives of women writers who faced adversity resonated deeply with me. I was at a crossroads, much like Biggs, and eager to find guidance in their stories. Little did...

11 Jul

Posted at 06:04h in Reviews by

Review of Shattered by Hanif Kureishi In a world where most of us grapple with the fragility of life, Hanif Kureishi’s Shattered caught me right in the heart, pulling me into a profound exploration of suffering, identity, and resilience. Kureishi, renowned for his incisive reflections on society and the human condition, offers us an unfiltered peek into his own life following a devastating accident that changed everything. As I turned each page, I was reminded of how art often arises from the deepest of pains, and how the voice...

02 Jul

Posted at 01:10h in Reviews by

Book Review: Never Say You Can’t Survive: How to Get Through Hard Times By Making Up Stories As someone deeply fascinated by the ways stories can serve as lifelines amid chaos, Alyssa Wong's latest offering, Never Say You Can’t Survive: How to Get Through Hard Times By Making Up Stories, captivated me from the first page. Wong, known for her inventive narratives and powerful themes, invites us to explore the transformative power of storytelling during life's most challenging moments. The moment I dug into this book, I felt an...

04 Jun

Posted at 19:02h in Reviews by

Finding Sanity in Division: A Review of Elif Shafak's How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division Elif Shafak has long fascinated me with her ability to weave rich narratives that explore the intricacies of culture and humanity. When I stumbled upon her latest work, How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division, the title alone piqued my interest. In today's world, where division seems to be the norm, I was eager to see how Shafak would address this complex issue. However, I found myself grappling with...