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erinreadstheworld
You know an author is great when you finish one of their books and immediately want to start another. That's exactly what happened with Elizabeth Acevedo.
After finishing Clap When You Land, With The Fire on High moved to the top of my TBR list. They're quite different stories but are both delightful reads.
With The Fire on High is Elizabeth Acevedo's first novel written in prose, rather than her usual verse. It tells the tale of Emoni in her final year of high school. Emoni has a special gift when it comes to food. She knows exactly what spices work together, she loves experimenting with dishes, and her food is as nourishing to the soul as it is to the body. She wants to be a chef but thinks it's out of her reach - she can't afford culinary school and she's also got a 2 year old daughter to raise.
It's a YA book that is more than just a coming of age story. It's full of family bonds, friendship and explores what it's like to make hard choices.
The friendship between Emoni and her bestie is delightful. The weaving of food throughout the novel left me hungry. And I really liked how food and cooking were more than just a hobby - it was a way that Emoni could connect with her mother's Southern roots and her father's Puerto Rican culture.
I enjoyed With The Fire on High. I was craving a book that was a feel-good, easy to read story. And this certainly hit the spot.
After finishing Clap When You Land, With The Fire on High moved to the top of my TBR list. They're quite different stories but are both delightful reads.
With The Fire on High is Elizabeth Acevedo's first novel written in prose, rather than her usual verse. It tells the tale of Emoni in her final year of high school. Emoni has a special gift when it comes to food. She knows exactly what spices work together, she loves experimenting with dishes, and her food is as nourishing to the soul as it is to the body. She wants to be a chef but thinks it's out of her reach - she can't afford culinary school and she's also got a 2 year old daughter to raise.
It's a YA book that is more than just a coming of age story. It's full of family bonds, friendship and explores what it's like to make hard choices.
The friendship between Emoni and her bestie is delightful. The weaving of food throughout the novel left me hungry. And I really liked how food and cooking were more than just a hobby - it was a way that Emoni could connect with her mother's Southern roots and her father's Puerto Rican culture.
I enjoyed With The Fire on High. I was craving a book that was a feel-good, easy to read story. And this certainly hit the spot.
There's two ways I could review The New Wilderness by Diane Cook.
For pure entertainment it hits the mark. The book is a mix of The Hunger Games and The Island with Bear Grylls. In a dystopian future, everyone lives in The City. The air makes children sick, the City is overpopulated, houses are now things of the past and there's only 7 trees left in the city. As an experiment 20 people head into the last wilderness, to see if they can survive and heal their children.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Bea and her young daughter, Agnes. Much of the book focuses on the mother-daughter relationship. The bonds they share and the ways they grow apart. It touches on ancestral skills, living as one with nature and the questions of how the world became almost apocalyptic.
The New Wilderness is an eco-thriller and the plot certainly pulled me in. But other than Bea and Agnes, none of the other characters feel fleshed out. The exploration of their relationship meant that we missed out on seeing more developed minor characters.
The book left me with more questions then what it answered, but not in the good way. Yes, there were lots of interesting questions to ponder in a book that felt like it was only set a generation or two ahead of the present day. Is this where we're headed? Will capitalism and industry completely destroy the natural world?
But I found the further I questioned the book, the easier it became to pick apart. Why do they refer to the mountains on their maps as 'upside down Ws' and not Ms. Why do people show up in the wilderness in sparkly sandals and then walk for months on end with no problems? How do they carry a 40 pound cast iron pan around with them? Why do they carry books they never read? Is there only one City? How come they know so little about what's happening in the world when they're allowed to get mail and packages from their families?
For me this book fell in a similar realm to reality television. It was entertaining enough and it does provide a bit of a commentary on society. However, if you want a speculative fiction that really shatters the way you think of the world, this one won't quite hit the spot.
For pure entertainment it hits the mark. The book is a mix of The Hunger Games and The Island with Bear Grylls. In a dystopian future, everyone lives in The City. The air makes children sick, the City is overpopulated, houses are now things of the past and there's only 7 trees left in the city. As an experiment 20 people head into the last wilderness, to see if they can survive and heal their children.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Bea and her young daughter, Agnes. Much of the book focuses on the mother-daughter relationship. The bonds they share and the ways they grow apart. It touches on ancestral skills, living as one with nature and the questions of how the world became almost apocalyptic.
The New Wilderness is an eco-thriller and the plot certainly pulled me in. But other than Bea and Agnes, none of the other characters feel fleshed out. The exploration of their relationship meant that we missed out on seeing more developed minor characters.
The book left me with more questions then what it answered, but not in the good way. Yes, there were lots of interesting questions to ponder in a book that felt like it was only set a generation or two ahead of the present day. Is this where we're headed? Will capitalism and industry completely destroy the natural world?
But I found the further I questioned the book, the easier it became to pick apart. Why do they refer to the mountains on their maps as 'upside down Ws' and not Ms. Why do people show up in the wilderness in sparkly sandals and then walk for months on end with no problems? How do they carry a 40 pound cast iron pan around with them? Why do they carry books they never read? Is there only one City? How come they know so little about what's happening in the world when they're allowed to get mail and packages from their families?
For me this book fell in a similar realm to reality television. It was entertaining enough and it does provide a bit of a commentary on society. However, if you want a speculative fiction that really shatters the way you think of the world, this one won't quite hit the spot.
This was such a joy to read. Bolu Babalola has a collection of love stories from history and mythology, rewriting the with vibrancy and tenderness. She's also included a few new love stories.
The short stories retell iconic Greek myths, folktales of West Africa, Persian myth and the tale of an Egyptian queen. The collection celebrates love (obviously), but more specifically, Black love and Black joy.
The writing is rich and vibrant. The stories are only short, but the characters and setting really come to life.
Bolu Babalolo has put a unique twist on the retellings of myths and folklore. In all of the stories it is the females who take centre stage. The women who have the agency and say in how the relationships develop. Babalolo has done away with the patriarchy and male gaze of traditional myths. And I am here for the female representation.
I loved that music was a theme woven through the book. From tribal drums, to showstopping tunes in a 1920's style bar, from a pop star that gave me K-Pop vibes, to modern R&B. The music heightened the unique setting of each story, but also really connected the women. Plus what is a love story without a good song or too?
I also really appreciated that Bolu Babalolo included a list of the myths that she used as inspiration for the book. I was familiar with Scheherazade, Eros and Psyche, and Nefertiti but most of the other myths were completely new to me.
My favourite stories were:
Ọ̀ṣun - the writing in this one was beautiful and I loved the rhythm of the drums.
Siya - a strong, independent, badass woman
The short stories retell iconic Greek myths, folktales of West Africa, Persian myth and the tale of an Egyptian queen. The collection celebrates love (obviously), but more specifically, Black love and Black joy.
The writing is rich and vibrant. The stories are only short, but the characters and setting really come to life.
Bolu Babalolo has put a unique twist on the retellings of myths and folklore. In all of the stories it is the females who take centre stage. The women who have the agency and say in how the relationships develop. Babalolo has done away with the patriarchy and male gaze of traditional myths. And I am here for the female representation.
I loved that music was a theme woven through the book. From tribal drums, to showstopping tunes in a 1920's style bar, from a pop star that gave me K-Pop vibes, to modern R&B. The music heightened the unique setting of each story, but also really connected the women. Plus what is a love story without a good song or too?
I also really appreciated that Bolu Babalolo included a list of the myths that she used as inspiration for the book. I was familiar with Scheherazade, Eros and Psyche, and Nefertiti but most of the other myths were completely new to me.
My favourite stories were:
Ọ̀ṣun - the writing in this one was beautiful and I loved the rhythm of the drums.
Siya - a strong, independent, badass woman
Get A Life, Chloe Brown is such a fun book. Chloe Brown, the titular character, is the antithesis to the typical leading lady you'd expect to find in a romance. She's Black, she's curvy, she's chronically ill and she's a coder. She's independent and meticulously organised, she's sarcastic and funny.
Chloe also believes she's boring and in need of a complete life overhaul. She's writes a list, detailing the things she needs to do to revamp here life. Things like move out, ride a motorbike, go camping and having meaningless but enjoyable sex.
While trying to get a life Chloe meets Red. Red is good looking (of course) but he's also dealing with his own baggage. He goes to therapy while trying to piece his own life back together after the end of an emotionally abusive relationship.
Chloe and Red are attracted to each other but neither want a relationship. Cue the drama!
We've got two realistic characters (tick) and then we get to see their lust and romance develop in a really authentic way. (Double tick).
There's flirty emails and banter that is completely on point. Not to mention, some very steamy scenes. The romance feels genuine. It reminded me so much of the early days in a relationship, where getting to know someone else is fun, flirty and super exciting.
The amount of tension is just right. It never felt over dramatized or over the top. The characters and their romance feels real. Like you could be hearing the story from two of your friends.
If you need a book to make you smile, Get A Life, Chloe Brown will definitely do that.
Chloe also believes she's boring and in need of a complete life overhaul. She's writes a list, detailing the things she needs to do to revamp here life. Things like move out, ride a motorbike, go camping and having meaningless but enjoyable sex.
While trying to get a life Chloe meets Red. Red is good looking (of course) but he's also dealing with his own baggage. He goes to therapy while trying to piece his own life back together after the end of an emotionally abusive relationship.
Chloe and Red are attracted to each other but neither want a relationship. Cue the drama!
We've got two realistic characters (tick) and then we get to see their lust and romance develop in a really authentic way. (Double tick).
There's flirty emails and banter that is completely on point. Not to mention, some very steamy scenes. The romance feels genuine. It reminded me so much of the early days in a relationship, where getting to know someone else is fun, flirty and super exciting.
The amount of tension is just right. It never felt over dramatized or over the top. The characters and their romance feels real. Like you could be hearing the story from two of your friends.
If you need a book to make you smile, Get A Life, Chloe Brown will definitely do that.
I only read A Children's Bible: A Novel because I'm reading my way through the Aspen Words Literary Prize longlist. But, it left me pleasantly surprised.
Unsurprisingly there are bible references scattered throughout the story. From a character called Eve, to rescuing animals from a flood, plus three trail angels who appear at a birth and more. But there's also scathing humour, sarcasm and a huge amount of cynicism.
Set in a terrifyingly close future, in a world on the brink of climate Armageddon, the story follows a group of 12 overly mature teenagers on a multi-family holiday. Their parents seem oblivious to the doom that awaits, and are consumed by their attempts at a booze-filled, drug-fuelled last hurrah.
The children are forced to bear the brunt of the anxiety and responsibilities of the climate collapse.
It's this juxtaposition between the attitudes of the adults and the children that I thought was the most interesting part of the book. If we look at the overwhelming opinions of the older generations (particularly the leading parties in too many countries), they are far too blasé about the impacts of climate change. All of the responsibility and hope is thrown on to the shoulders of the younger generations. Generations of kids who had nothing to do with the making of the mess, but who will be the ones who are forced to try and clean it up.
I also found it really interesting seeing both how life changed and how it carried on after the disaster portion of the book. Following any natural disaster now, people continue living and find a new normal while dealing with the aftermath. It bought up a lot of questions (often uncomfortable ones) around what life will look like as the climate continues to change over the coming decades.
I rate the book itself 3.5 ⭐ but do also want to give it extra credit for the areas of thought and discussion that it opens.
Unsurprisingly there are bible references scattered throughout the story. From a character called Eve, to rescuing animals from a flood, plus three trail angels who appear at a birth and more. But there's also scathing humour, sarcasm and a huge amount of cynicism.
Set in a terrifyingly close future, in a world on the brink of climate Armageddon, the story follows a group of 12 overly mature teenagers on a multi-family holiday. Their parents seem oblivious to the doom that awaits, and are consumed by their attempts at a booze-filled, drug-fuelled last hurrah.
The children are forced to bear the brunt of the anxiety and responsibilities of the climate collapse.
It's this juxtaposition between the attitudes of the adults and the children that I thought was the most interesting part of the book. If we look at the overwhelming opinions of the older generations (particularly the leading parties in too many countries), they are far too blasé about the impacts of climate change. All of the responsibility and hope is thrown on to the shoulders of the younger generations. Generations of kids who had nothing to do with the making of the mess, but who will be the ones who are forced to try and clean it up.
I also found it really interesting seeing both how life changed and how it carried on after the disaster portion of the book. Following any natural disaster now, people continue living and find a new normal while dealing with the aftermath. It bought up a lot of questions (often uncomfortable ones) around what life will look like as the climate continues to change over the coming decades.
I rate the book itself 3.5 ⭐ but do also want to give it extra credit for the areas of thought and discussion that it opens.
Some weeks the world seems heavier than usual and you just to read something light-hearted and happy. Take A Hint, Dani Brown was the perfect book to escape in
It follows a classic romance trope of a fake relationship that turns into a something real, with the help of a video and hastag that goes viral.
Dani is quirky and nerdy. She's obsessed with feminist literature, fan-girls over a famous professor, and has a tendency to get lost in her own thoughts/research/writing.
Zafir is an ex-rugby player, now working as a security guard while trying to get his charity business off the ground. He has a penchant for romance novels and black coffee. Zafir is sexy and sporty. He's thoughtful, and most importantly, he's respectful of women.
Talia Hibbert writes such loveable characters. She creates characters that grow and learn to deal with whatever hardships they're going through (or have gone through). It's refreshing to see both Dani and Zafir acknowledging their flaws, their mental health struggles and the juggle of life in general.
My favourite part of Talia Hibbert's books is the banter. British and Austtalian humour is very similar, and I love the sarcastic and witty dialogue between Dani and Zafir.
If you're after a great rom-com with some steamy sex scenes you'll love Take A Hint, Dani Brown. You'll also like it if you're looking for a book with bi representation and body positivity.
It follows a classic romance trope of a fake relationship that turns into a something real, with the help of a video and hastag that goes viral.
Dani is quirky and nerdy. She's obsessed with feminist literature, fan-girls over a famous professor, and has a tendency to get lost in her own thoughts/research/writing.
Zafir is an ex-rugby player, now working as a security guard while trying to get his charity business off the ground. He has a penchant for romance novels and black coffee. Zafir is sexy and sporty. He's thoughtful, and most importantly, he's respectful of women.
Talia Hibbert writes such loveable characters. She creates characters that grow and learn to deal with whatever hardships they're going through (or have gone through). It's refreshing to see both Dani and Zafir acknowledging their flaws, their mental health struggles and the juggle of life in general.
My favourite part of Talia Hibbert's books is the banter. British and Austtalian humour is very similar, and I love the sarcastic and witty dialogue between Dani and Zafir.
If you're after a great rom-com with some steamy sex scenes you'll love Take A Hint, Dani Brown. You'll also like it if you're looking for a book with bi representation and body positivity.
