Han Kang's The Vegetarian was a vivid and powerful tale of a woman's role in society and familial relations, shown by a contrast in characters Yeong-Hye and In-Hye. Think Kazuo Ishiguro combined with a Ray Bradbury and R.L. Stine crossing. With each act differing greatly from the next, aspects of the novel ranged from sensually creepy, to painfully confused and too aware.  Kang paints a derailment of vegetarianism to a psychosis revolving around nature, all to disguise the true meaning behind this book.  You'd have to delve into it yourself to get the full picture. It was compelling, but I am still unsure of how I feel after the ending. 

Should've known off the bat considering it's written by a man...LOL Nevermind. Definitely don't need a lecture rather than something actually informative and interesting. 

I wouldn't complain about this book, but I also wouldn't be able to gather my thoughts on it to write a worthwhile review. RZA speaks an entirely different language, it is genuinely a total mindfuck. A spiritually impactful mindfuck. But a mindfuck. I decided to read this to complete a reading challenge and because my partner and his family love the Wu Tang Clan. It wasn't what I was expecting... But if you're looking to read a deeply intellectual perspective on spirituality and we as a people, give it a go...It took me ages to get through, though. 

We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez genuinely stunned me. Sanchez bases this unflinching novel on three young teenagers - Pulga, Pequena, and Chico - and alternates between the perspectives of Pulga and Pequena. Pulga has dreams that he wants to share with Chico, and Pequena has hope that she believes will get her to the other side of the border. From the very first page, you are thrust into their lives, feeling the suffocating fear, the desperation. Sanchez depicts their harrowing journey as they escape from the perils they face in Guatemala, pushing you to reflect - to see past the politics and the news articles, to put yourself in the shoes of children seeking refuge in the United States. Pulga poignantly questions, "And why do we have to die to finally, finally be safe? And how can the world hate us for trying to survive? And how are we only reunited with our mothers in death?" This -- this yearning for a different reality, the notion that this depletion of life will always be their reality if they don't get out, is what incites their journey. As they progress on the La Bestia, the hearts of these children are hardened. Pulga's despair is palpable when he reflects, "We are specks that don't matter to this world. Our lives, our dreams, our families don't matter to this world. Our hearts, our souls, our bodies don't matter to this world. All it wants to do is crush us." These words encapsulate the tragic reality that Sanchez so powerfully brings to life, where survival often feels like an unattainable dream. I found myself praying for these "fictional" children - the story of Pulga, Pequena, and Chico is not just a story...For so many children like them, it is reality. I prayed for them. I wept for them. When their hope was dwindling, I wished I could give them mine, I wished strength was transferable to characters in a novel. Sanchez's novel is bigger than a fictional construct - it’s a call to empathy and understanding. We Are Not From Here is so raw. We Are Not From Here is so profound. We Are Not From Here is so necessary. 

It immediately felt like I was thrown into something I had no clue about and didn't have the patience to fill in the missing puzzle pieces or try to catch up. Like being thrown in on the 8th chapter just in the chapter one and prelude. Also way too cliché. 

I was rolling my eyes up on the first few chapters of Alyssa Sheinmel's R.I.P. Eliza Hart. My initial thoughts were that this was going to be a poorly written, Wattpad-novel-style with an overused plot twist on who the murderer was at the end of the mystery. Sheinmel sets the reader up to have suspects of their own, to believe the book is a murder mystery, when in actuality she crafted a novel about the complexities of friendship, the stigmatization of mental illness,  and the power of connection. I was in too deep by the time I realized how emotionally charged this book about two seemingly disparate girls would be, and subsequently found myself genuinely impressed by Sheinmel's ability to capture the psychological intricacies of her characters. At it's core, R.I.P. Eliza Hart was a poignantly impactful novel that uncovered dark truths while still being inspiring and empathetic.

My only complaint would be - and this might be my own fault, as I skimmed the synopsis and delved right in - that there were some awfully sensitive topics covered that could potentially be triggering. But I will say that for a novel I thought would be bleh, my socks were knocked off...my heart pummelled as though it were the one to fall - or be pushed - off a cliff...

   

After attempting - and failing - to read Mother Brain, a book of similar principles, I was a bit hesitant to pick up Abigail Tucker's Mom Genes. I was pleasantly surprised, though. While Conaboy promised to break down the science in an easily digestible way, she didn't, and Tucker upheld that promise without even making it herself. Tucker's writing is accessible and often humorous, making complex scientific concepts easy to understand. She seamlessly weaves together stories from the animal kingdom, insights from cutting-edge research, and her own experiences as a mother. This blend of personal and scientific storytelling makes Mom Genes not only an educational read but also a deeply relatable one. The book is easy to read and understand, thanks to Tucker’s ability to distill complex ideas into engaging and digestible prose. Her incorporation of humor and tidbits from her own life adds a delightful and personal touch, it is what kept me reading!

One of the strengths of the book is its ability to challenge preconceived notions about motherhood. Tucker addresses the cultural myths and societal expectations that often surround the role of mothers, providing a more nuanced and scientifically grounded perspective. She highlights the diversity of maternal experiences and underscores the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all model for what it means to be a mother. "Once I believed that there were many types of women who quite naturally became many types of mothers. Now I know that any one woman has the potential to become many different mothers," she reflects.

Mom Genes is a thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable read that will resonate with mothers, aspiring mothers, and anyone interested in the science of human behavior. I decided to read this book while pregnant with my first (a boy, and trust me every notion about #boymoms specifically hit the spot with me), and I found it better to read something like this - a scientific yet still empathetic and approachable novel about motherhood - than those basic "What to Expect When You're Expecting.." books. 

I wasn't expecting to get as tearful as I did reading this book. There were several moments that I had to put down the novel and pause, as the emotions got overwhelming. It's cliche, unoriginal as hell. But it was still enticing and made for a quick read - the push I needed to get started reading again. I didn't realize there was a second novel and am not sure if it's quite worth checking out or if the ending to this one was enough. 

In the beginning of the novel, Conaboy implies that she intends to break the research down into a digestible read. It was anything but. Maybe it had the chance to get better, I really wanted it to, but I couldn't even get halfway through without being thoroughly confused. Each point she made, every article she brought up, lead to ultimately nowhere. Just a tangle of different articles and references that the author was poorly analyzing. 

I feel terrible, but couldn't even get past the first chapter without feeling it was written by a middle schooler, straight off Wattpad or something....