_lia_reads_'s Reviews (757)

The book sat unread on my shelf for way too long, especially for someone who is interested in Spanish history around the time of Franco. Sepetys has crafted a book that is both a love story and an intimate look at life under Franco in the 1950s. The amount of research that was put into this book is astounding, highlighting difficulties of the regime that not even all Spaniards acknowledge to this day. The love story was a touching way to explore the divides that existed between foreigners and Spaniards, and even amongst Spaniards between those who supported Franco during the Civil War and those that were opposed to him. At first, the alternating character POVs were very difficult to follow, especially in how they were all related to each other. But as I got further into the book, these characters really highlighted different facets of the regime and its effect on Spain. Sepetys very cleverly weaves the stories together, having them intersect in interesting ways. One of my favorite moments of the book were the series of short chapters, depicting several different characters adding confession.

While this is marketed as a YA book, the themes and plot lines will appeal to adults as well. It was a quick read for me, despite the length. I wanted a little more depth with some of the characters, but it was overall a worthwhile read.

4.5 stars

TW: death, especially of children; violence

Thank you to Scribner for an ARC of this book.

This short, illustrated volume will be a great gift for a recent college grad, or for a person who is going through a transition in their life. The text comes from the graduation speech that Ward gave at Tulane University in 2018. She speaks of the danger of judging people before you really understand where they come from, using the story of her own parents and her thinking that they had not strived hard enough to better themselves. It is inspiring to hear her own story of being both a first-generation college student and a black woman in the south, and the way that she has made her way in life with the support of her family. The illustrations are beautiful and artfully reflect the story that is being told.

4 stars

One of the things I have really enjoyed about my #30Books30YearsChallenge so far is rediscovering genres that I used to read more of but that have somewhat fallen off my radar in recent years. Fantasy is one of those genres, and I was really excited ti finally make time for The City of Brass last month.
The story starts in 18th century Egypt with the character of Nahri and alternates perspectives between her and Ali, a prince of Daevabad, a fictional and magical middle eastern city. Nahri has always been a healer but never attributed her abilities to magic until she accidentally summons a djinn warrior. From there, she embarks on a quest that eventually will bring hr to Daevabad and an entirely new way of life.

I loved Nahri’s character, even if she was frustrating at time. Her relationships with the other characters were so realistic. One thing that is really big for me with fantasy is world building and I think Chakraborty did an excellent job with this here. She expertly weaves Middle Eastern cultures together with magical elements to make a world that is entirely unique. While it was hard to keep track of all the new words at the beginning (such as what exactly a djinn is), I enjoyed discovering the world through Nahri’s eyes. The story also incorporates an interesting mystery, that of who exactly Nahri is and where her parents are. I found myself reading on and on, wanting to know what was going to happen next. As it is the first book in a trilogy, it ends on a big cliffhanger. I immediately bought the next book and will be reading it ASAP!

I highly recommend if you are interested in Middle Eastern culture and/or enjoy fantasy or books with magical elements.

For my last #30Books30YearsChallenge selection in January, I read another Kristin Hannah book (

I didn't know much of what to expect from this book going in but it ended up being enjoyable (and making me was to Google ALL the things about Anna afterwards). I truly feel for Rachel and the situation that she was put into by Anna, but am also still so perplexed how it even happened! I cannot imagine being in her shoes, and hopefully I never will have to be... I listened to this one on audio, and it was enjoyable hearing the author reading it in her own voice. You could really hear and understand her frustration and anxiety. The story felt like a combination of a reality tv show and a true crime documentary, in the best way possible.

My own complaint with the book was how repetitive it felt. It seemed like we heard the same things over and over again, sometimes without it being clear why it was being repeated. This was especially true with some of the facts about the case as well as Williams' own feelings throughout the process. However, it was still an enjoyable listen and I'd recommend the audiobook.

3.5 stars

I read this massive book in two days, that's how good it was.

I was not expecting this police procedural/crime drama to be as character-driven as it was, but I was pleasantly surprised. But there is also the element of suspense that keeps you hooked and wanting to keep reading to see what happens. The alternating timelines, between "Then" and "Now", really help to flesh out the story between Mickey and Kacey, as you try to figure out what is happening with the mystery in the present. While the story is described as figuring out what happened to Kacey, the drug-addicted sister, it is really more focused on solving a larger case of sex workers who keep being mysteriously murdered in the neighborhood. It is a fascinating and depressing depiction of opioid addiction in America, making it an incredibly important read.

Though out of the normal genres I gravitate towards, this is definitely a book that is going to stick with me for awhile.

I went into this book blind as to what the plot was and I'm so glad that I did because it made it that much more enjoyable. Reid presents an interesting exploration of race and class in a story that is highly readable. Emira, a young black woman, runs into trouble one night when the Chamberlains, the white family for whom she babysits, asks her to take their toddler to the grocery store to get her out of the house late one night. Confronted by a security guard, who accuses her of kidnapping the young girl, and filmed by a bystander, Emira's life is thrown into an uproar. The well-meaning (mostly white) characters try to help Emira by doing what they think is best for her, upsetting the balance of her situation.

While I found the coincidence of two of the characters knowing each other a LITTLE too good to be true, I overall greatly enjoyed this book. It is ultimately a critique of the "white savior" and gets into the problematic ways in which white people often overstep bounds in the name of "protecting" people of color. The central conflict between the two main white characters, and Emira's reactions to their different actions, was eye-opening in the way that it highlighted how certain actions can be interpreted in such different ways. The characters, especially Alix and Emira, were well-fleshed-out. Emira's relationship with Briar especially brought tears to my eyes in its realism and tenderness.

Reid is an author to watch and I think this book is going to make a big splash when it comes out.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

I was going to wait until a little closer to the publication day to share my thoughts on this one but I can’t wait. Dear Edward was a beautiful meditation on loss and overcoming grief. Edward is the soles survivor of a commercial plane crash. The story alternates between Edward’s own story, as he adjusts to his new life with his aunt and uncle and the different characters on the plane in the time leading up to the crash. I loved both storylines but honestly felt that, until the middle of the book, the plane crash victims POVs were much more compelling. I wanted to know more about the people on the plane, which I think is an interesting reflection of how many people react in the wake of a tragedy. Edward’s story was a lot quieter and more introspective. The other characters around Edward felt more one-dimensional as the focus is really on how he deals with the tragedy as he gets older.

This book is perfect if you like slower, more character-driven books, or ones that provide meditations on the human experience.

I’ve been slowly working my way through Toni Morrison’s books and with each one I am more in awe of her writing ability. My boyfriend gave me this one for my birthday because of the title (satisfying the February prompt for the #unreadshelfproject2020) and I went into it not knowing much. What I found was a gorgeous piece of work.

Set in Harlem in the 1920s, Jazz tells the story of a relationship, torn apart by an affair that ends in the husband shooting his teenage mistress at a party — not a spoiler, I promise. But instead of being a linear exploration of the fallout, Morrison gives us a non-linear look at the events leading up to and following the murder. The POV of the story changes, between minor and major characters and jumps between timelines from the present to the past, as far back as the mid-nineteenth century. It’s confusing, yes, but if you just go with it, it is beautifully done. Morrison tackles many themes that are common in her other work, such as race and relationships. But really, you need to read this and just experience the lyricism of her words.

“Don’t ever think I fell for you, or fell over you. I didn’t fall in love, I rose in it. I saw you and made up my mind. My mind. And I made up my mind to follow you too.”