Take a photo of a barcode or cover
This book packs a punch in such a short amount of time. We deal with everything from depression and suicide, sexuality and repressed sexuality, homophobia and internalized homophobia as well as gendered dynamics. So read with caution.
You get fully engulfed in the world and characters Kiyoko created. And it’s no surprise, if you’ve seen the girls like girls music video you KNOW how this story ends. But the way it’s told breaks your heart time and time again. While at certain points gluing it back together (I was a big fan of the romance tropes used) That being said it does have a few small faults in my opinion— it’s YA so sometimes it does read as a little immature but such is YA. Especially when dealing with the tough issues this read tackles. We get certain aspects of certain characters that aren’t ever further explored. But it’s still a very moving very vital story full of multiple queer experiences that I hope are able to help some young queer readers who may pick this book up. Kiyoko attempts to teach bravery and encouragement of being one’s self. Books like this are and forever will be important. I urge you to check it out when it’s out this May 30th.
Thank you netgalley and st Martins press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review and thank you lesbian Jesus for including the phrase “lesbian Jesus” in this book.
You get fully engulfed in the world and characters Kiyoko created. And it’s no surprise, if you’ve seen the girls like girls music video you KNOW how this story ends. But the way it’s told breaks your heart time and time again. While at certain points gluing it back together (I was a big fan of the romance tropes used) That being said it does have a few small faults in my opinion— it’s YA so sometimes it does read as a little immature but such is YA. Especially when dealing with the tough issues this read tackles. We get certain aspects of certain characters that aren’t ever further explored. But it’s still a very moving very vital story full of multiple queer experiences that I hope are able to help some young queer readers who may pick this book up. Kiyoko attempts to teach bravery and encouragement of being one’s self. Books like this are and forever will be important. I urge you to check it out when it’s out this May 30th.
Thank you netgalley and st Martins press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review and thank you lesbian Jesus for including the phrase “lesbian Jesus” in this book.
aesthetica tells the story of a former influencer looking back on her turbulent past and how she became the woman she is today. the story is told in a now and then timeline, 19 year old anna and 35 year old anna. 35 year old anna is on the brink of rebranding and thinks the risky surgery process of aesthetica which reverses all prior plastic surgery is the best way to do it. if she survives. the night prior to her surgery anna is asked to help take down her former boss and lover who claims to be an ally to the me too movement.
it’s a deep dive into how destructive social media can be to girlhood. how dark and ugly the underbelly of craving the beauty and perfection you see online can be. it’s commentary on the control the patriarchy has on girls. how it festers and sours as we turn from girl to women. how we constantly feel like we have to please those around us and make them want us. it also tells the tale of how toxic loneliness really can be and the ways in which we will contort ourselves to not feel it. I very much enjoyed this book. it is 100% not for everyone, but I thought it was done in a tasteful and intelligent manner.
it’s a deep dive into how destructive social media can be to girlhood. how dark and ugly the underbelly of craving the beauty and perfection you see online can be. it’s commentary on the control the patriarchy has on girls. how it festers and sours as we turn from girl to women. how we constantly feel like we have to please those around us and make them want us. it also tells the tale of how toxic loneliness really can be and the ways in which we will contort ourselves to not feel it. I very much enjoyed this book. it is 100% not for everyone, but I thought it was done in a tasteful and intelligent manner.
god this one was ROUGH but I am so thankful it exists! it’s a raw depiction of the first few days of pregnancy and motherhood that we never truly get in the mainstream media. it has its ugly moments, but that’s what postpartum does to you it makes you believe in ugly truths. this was such a beautiful quick read the writing was magical the characters are flawed and messy and real. I loved this.
Thank you netgalley and Rodale Inc for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book took me a while to read because of its openness and its raw vulnerability. I found myself relating to a lot of Fern’s life whether it be seeing someone I love go through the pain of masking or the meltdowns. Or myself relating to her pained relationship with her mother due to her mother failing to see the issues at hand in the moment, but doing the best she could with the resources she has.
The book is a heavily researched and a beautifully articulated study on autism in general but specifically for women and others. How we as a society often let them down or misguide them. How we just need to be patient and listen to them and talk about the issues they have in the hopes that we can help others in the future. I think this book should be a required reading for many different reasons. It tackles so many heavy topics that fall under the umbrella of being undiagnosed. The harm you can do to yourself the harm others will put you through because they don’t understand you. This book will make you laugh, cry, wince out in pain for Fern. It will make you love Fern for all her honesty and humor. I will 100% be purchasing this book when it comes out. And I thank Fern for telling her story.
This book took me a while to read because of its openness and its raw vulnerability. I found myself relating to a lot of Fern’s life whether it be seeing someone I love go through the pain of masking or the meltdowns. Or myself relating to her pained relationship with her mother due to her mother failing to see the issues at hand in the moment, but doing the best she could with the resources she has.
The book is a heavily researched and a beautifully articulated study on autism in general but specifically for women and others. How we as a society often let them down or misguide them. How we just need to be patient and listen to them and talk about the issues they have in the hopes that we can help others in the future. I think this book should be a required reading for many different reasons. It tackles so many heavy topics that fall under the umbrella of being undiagnosed. The harm you can do to yourself the harm others will put you through because they don’t understand you. This book will make you laugh, cry, wince out in pain for Fern. It will make you love Fern for all her honesty and humor. I will 100% be purchasing this book when it comes out. And I thank Fern for telling her story.
Thank you netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and happy belated pub day (May 8th) to this lovely little book!
The collected regrets of clover is a deep dive into how we grieve and process death. Clover has experienced a lot of loss in her lifetime from her kindergarten teacher, to her parents, to her grandfather who raised her. Clover takes that loss and turns it into a curiosity, a study of death in all cultures. She takes that curiosity and becomes a death dula. She uses her empathy and kindness to capture her clients final words. Any clients regret that she can do herself, she takes on in honor of them whether that be dying her hair blue or buying a fancy dish soap. I loved a lot of aspects of this novel I love how candidly and nuanced death is discussed, but I also wish some plot points that are explored in the last 20% of the book were explored a lot sooner. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend especially if their interest align with clovers.
The collected regrets of clover is a deep dive into how we grieve and process death. Clover has experienced a lot of loss in her lifetime from her kindergarten teacher, to her parents, to her grandfather who raised her. Clover takes that loss and turns it into a curiosity, a study of death in all cultures. She takes that curiosity and becomes a death dula. She uses her empathy and kindness to capture her clients final words. Any clients regret that she can do herself, she takes on in honor of them whether that be dying her hair blue or buying a fancy dish soap. I loved a lot of aspects of this novel I love how candidly and nuanced death is discussed, but I also wish some plot points that are explored in the last 20% of the book were explored a lot sooner. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend especially if their interest align with clovers.
Thank you to OrangeSky Audio's Catalog for an audio copy of this book narrated so beautifully by the author.
This book is raw and visceral and takes you on a whirlwind of both Melnick and Parton’s trauma. How Melnick’s trauma is often tied to to Parton’s. Every big T trauma Melnick has faced in her lifetime can or has been connected to a Dolly Parton song or moment. We go through both Melnick’s life starting with her childhood stint in rehab. Where hearing a Dolly Parton song over the loud speaker for better or worse changed the trajectory of how she listened to music going forward. We see the ups and downs of both Melnick and Parton’s lives. I laughed, I cried, I learned. If you’ve experienced any sort of trauma and use music to help soothe your pain this read might be for you. It opened my eyes to Melnicks poetry that I will certainly be on the look out for moving forward.
This book is raw and visceral and takes you on a whirlwind of both Melnick and Parton’s trauma. How Melnick’s trauma is often tied to to Parton’s. Every big T trauma Melnick has faced in her lifetime can or has been connected to a Dolly Parton song or moment. We go through both Melnick’s life starting with her childhood stint in rehab. Where hearing a Dolly Parton song over the loud speaker for better or worse changed the trajectory of how she listened to music going forward. We see the ups and downs of both Melnick and Parton’s lives. I laughed, I cried, I learned. If you’ve experienced any sort of trauma and use music to help soothe your pain this read might be for you. It opened my eyes to Melnicks poetry that I will certainly be on the look out for moving forward.
this book was so endearing and FUN! it reminded me of my 20s in chicago with my best friends, we WERE isa and gala. the world was ours and bent at our will as we discovered ourselves and fully formed from girlhood into the ideas of womanhood we wanted and held dear. I had a blast reading this it’s all vibes no plot and it was so so good!
this was my first rainbow rowell book and I thought it was so cute! I enjoyed that she incorporated short stories about characters from her previous books into this collection it made me want to read some of her older books. I do think some stories didn’t really fit in to the overall theme of the collection but either way they were very well done and I enjoyed them!