“You can’t make people love you. But you can give the love you long for out to the world. You can be the love you wish you had. That’s the way to be okay. Because giving love to other people is a way of giving it to yourself.” – 4.25/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: cows, security procedures, bridges, body guards, stalkers, code names, betrayal, “Victorian” nightgowns, stakers, safety pins, corgi ladies, birdhouses and nightmares.
She’s got his back. He’s got her heart. They’ve got a secret. What could possibly go wrong? Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she’s an elite bodyguard and she’s just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.
Jack Stapleton’s a Hollywood heartthrob – captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah – against her will and her better judgment – finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover.
Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done…
I remember when I first discovered this book and saw it had the bodyguard/celebrity trope and the fake dating trope. I thought to myself “I just know this is not going to be on my TBR for long” – and I was right. I picked it up only a few months after seeing it for the first time – which for me is kind of surprising. I’m a sucker for romance and for these tropes, so I could only hope this had a good story.
Turns out I had a blast reading this! It’s not very common to find a story about a small female bodyguard protecting a male celebrity, so I thought the concept was very unique and different.
I loved both of our main characters, Hannah and Jack, and their relationship. Their little moments together and their banter made me very happy! Also, I really enjoyed the other characters, but especially Jack’s parents – they were so sweet and kind! I just wasn’t a fan of the best friend and the other ahole (whatever his name was).
The romance itself can be considered a slow burn, which is a personal preference of mine! Their relationship developed slowly but surely, and it made me swoon the entire time. I guess you could say this has a friends-to-lovers feel, since they get along from the start. But one thing that surprised me was how it was a very clean romance. I was kind of expecting smut, but the characters only kiss in this book. I personally didn’t mind this, but thought it was interesting since it’s not common to find adult romances without any sort of smut nowadays.
One thing that caught my attention was the author’s note at the end of the book. She said she wrote this book during the pandemic and that working on it was what helped with her mental health during that time. She said she just needed something fun and happy, and she wanted to share that feeling with whoever read this book. She basically explained why this is such an easy, “feel good” kind of book, instead of adding a lot of conflict to the story. I really appreciate this as a reader, because I feel like books like this are a great way to escape when reality gets tough.
This was surprisingly good! It was a very fun and “feel-good” kind of story, and it was super easy to read. Maybe I should dig into more Katherine Center books? I sure had a great time reading this one, definitely recommend it!
How are you doing? I hope you’re all well – and well read! I heard you are looking for something spooky to read since Halloween is approaching, and once again… I got you!
To be honest, I wish I was more of a seasonal reader, but I’m the kind of person who reads whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like – and yes, I definitely read beach reads on Christmas in case you’re wondering! Still, I know a lot of you are seasonal readers, so I thought I’d show you a few thrillers that you might find interesting.
This is the perfect time to grab a nice creepy book, some tea and a cinnamon bun! So c’mon, let’s find your next read!
1. The Yellow Wallpaperby Charlotte Perkins Gilman
This is for the ones who just prefer to read short stories! This is a story about a woman who got into a bad headspace after having her baby. So her husband, being a doctor, decided that she should be isolated to get better. That will solve it, right?
Anyways, this is a very messed up story, but what I find the most interesting is that this story is based on real events that the author went through. It talks about serious subjects that are not talked about often, such as postpartum depression and the place a woman takes in marriage.
It’s messed up and scary… so why not read it for Halloween? Also, it’s on the shorter side, like I mentioned!
Synopsis
“Diagnosed by her physician husband with a “temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency” after the birth of her child, a woman is urged to rest for the summer in an old colonial mansion. Forbidden from doing work of any kind, she spends her days in the house’s former nursery, with its barred windows, scratched floor, and peeling yellow wallpaper. In a private journal, the woman records her growing obsession with the “horrid” wallpaper. Its strange pattern mutates in the moonlight, revealing what appears to be a human figure in the design. With nothing else to occupy her mind, the woman resolves to unlock the mystery of the wallpaper. Her quest, however, leads not to the truth, but into the darkest depths of madness. A condemnation of the patriarchy, The Yellow Wallpaper explores with terrifying economy the oppression, grave misunderstanding, and willful dismissal of women in late nineteenth-century society. First published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine.”
2. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
Another interesting book that was super hard to put down! This story is about a group of friends in 1989 that used drawings made of chalk to leave each other messages. It was like a secret code that only they would understand and know what it meant – until something weird starts to happen!
This book kept me interested the entire time. I was never bored and I was always looking forward to knowing more about what was going on! There were a lot of secrets to unfold and in each chapter you discover something new. I would definitely recommend you to not know much about the book before going into it! I recommend this if you like eerie stories or if you are a Stephen King fan.
Synopsis
“In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy little English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code; little chalk stick figures they leave for each other as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing will ever be the same. In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he’s put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out his other friends got the same messages, they think it could be a prank … until one of them turns up dead. That’s when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago. Expertly alternating between flashbacks and the present day, The Chalk Man is the very best kind of suspense novel, one where every character is wonderfully fleshed out and compelling, where every mystery has a satisfying payoff, and where the twists will shock even the savviest reader.”
3. If I Can’t Have Youby Charlotte Levin
Now here’s a debut I thought was interesting. This is more of a stalker story, so extra creepy! It was really interesting to see the point of view of someone who has a strong obsession for someone else and the extreme situations they put themselves to. The plot was really good and the story was very well written.
It’s a good book if you have strong feelings for it… it means it did its job!
Definitely check this one out!
Synopsis
“Samuel, the day we met I knew I’d finally found what I’ve been waiting for. You. Happiness, at last. Then you left me. And now I am alone. Everyone I love leaves in the end. But not this time. I’m not giving up on us. I’m not giving up on you. When you love someone, you never let them go. That’s why for me, this is just beginning.”
4. A Stranger in the Houseby Shari Lapena
An author I love is Shari Lapena, so I thought I would recommend this book to you since I read it in one sitting! Her books have their own style, and I love how the stories are structured. I would compare her stories to icebergs: when the story begins you are only given a very small portion of what the story is, but as the story progresses you discover new and important details that compliment what you knew at first. So it’s safe to say you never know what is going on for sure, and you can’t trust anyone or what they’re saying.
The pacing is very fast and you’re on the edge of your seat the entire time! Definitely worth it.
Synopsis
“He looks at her, concerned. “How do you feel?” She wants to say, Terrified. Instead, she says, with a faint smile, “Glad to be home.” Karen and Tom Krupp are happy—they’ve got a lovely home in upstate New York, they’re practically newlyweds, and they have no kids to interrupt their comfortable life together. But one day, Tom returns home to find Karen has vanished—her car’s gone and it seems she left in a rush. She even left her purse—complete with phone and ID—behind. There’s a knock on the door—the police are there to take Tom to the hospital where his wife has been admitted. She had a car accident, and lost control as she sped through the worst part of town. The accident has left Karen with a concussion and a few scrapes. Still, she’s mostly okay—except that she can’t remember what she was doing or where she was when she crashed. The cops think her memory loss is highly convenient, and they suspect she was up to no good. Karen returns home with Tom, determined to heal and move on with her life. Then she realizes something’s been moved. Something’s not quite right. Someone’s been in her house. And the police won’t stop asking questions. Because in this house, everyone’s a stranger. Everyone has something they’d rather keep hidden. Something they might even kill to keep quiet.”
5. White Bodiesby Jane Robbins
If you prefer uncomfortable, weird reads, this one’s for you! The main themes of this book are obsession, sibling relationships and domestic abuse (well… for the most part, that is).
Let me tell you straight up: there is not a single likable character in this book. The two main characters (the twins Tilda and Callie) are both terrible. Of course these characters were created with the purpose of making the book disturbing and intriguing, and I guarantee the author accomplished that!
I always like to read about twins in thrillers because of the strong bond and connection they usually have, and you definitely get some of that here. While reading the book I frequently questioned myself if there was more to it, because her behaviors and actions crossed the lines in so many ways.
Intrigued? Give it a try, then! It was weird, unexpected and creepy… but very entertaining!
Synopsis
“This chilling psychological suspense novel–think Strangers on a Train for the modern age–explores the dark side of love and the unbreakable ties that bind two sisters together. Felix and Tilda seem like the perfect couple: young and in love, a financier and a beautiful up-and-coming starlet. But behind their flawless facade, not everything is as it seems. Callie, Tilda’s unassuming twin, has watched her sister visibly shrink under Felix’s domineering love. She has looked on silently as Tilda stopped working, nearly stopped eating, and turned into a neat freak, with mugs wrapped in Saran Wrap and suspicious syringes hidden in the bathroom trash. She knows about Felix’s uncontrollable rages, and has seen the bruises on the white skin of her sister’s arms. Worried about the psychological hold that Felix seems to have over Tilda, Callie joins an Internet support group for victims of abuse and their friends. However, things spiral out of control and she starts to doubt her own judgment when one of her new acquaintances is killed by an abusive man. And then suddenly Felix dies–or was he murdered? A page-turning work of suspense that announces a stunning new voice in fiction, White Bodies will change the way you think about obsession, love, and the violence we inflict on one another–and ourselves.”
And there you have it friends! As always, I hope you found this recommendation post interesting and I hope you found yourself some new books to read. I’m always looking for book recommendations so let me know if you have any for me!
Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope you liked what I had to share with you today. I’ll see you in the next one! 🙂
“(…) she didn’t think she could do either on her own, couldn’t rise to those challenges, despite the fact that she desperately wanted to. But maybe the only thing stopping her were the limits she put on herself.” – 3.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: pink polo shirts, the Head Girl pin, love letters, war, cute kittens, young entrepreneurs, honeysuckles, Home Sweet Home, friendship, pink Cadillacs and delicious scoops of ice cream.
A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.
Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…
Maybe I should keep my expectations low after reading the synopsis. I was ready to claim this as one of the cutest and sweetest books ever… but that didn’t happen. It’s not that I didn’t have a good time reading it, but I was a little disappointed with the turn of events.
I fell in love with the entire book concept as soon as I read the synopsis and I was ready to be amazed – but in the end, it just fell flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice and fun book and I still enjoyed it but, I wish the plot was done differently. The toxic “friendship” and the rushed romance ruined it for me… oh, how good this book could have been.
Other than that, it was a fun read! If you’re a fan of ice cream, this is the perfect book for you. Throughout the book I had crazy ice cream cravings (especially Ben & Jerry’s, my favorite) – you have been warned!
This is great for a summer read. Grab yourself an ice cream cone, this book and head up to the beach… you’re in for a sweet treat (yes, I just said that).
“I can’t live afraid of what might happen. All I can do is live.” – 4.25/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: portals, anxiety, warlords, kingdoms and healers.
In Master of Iron, the conclusion to Tricia Levenseller’s exciting Bladesmith YA fantasy duology, a magically gifted blacksmith with social anxiety must race against the clock to save her beloved sister and stop a devastating war.
Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister’s life.
When the events that follow lead to Ziva and Kellyn’s capture by an ambitious prince, Ziva is forced into the very situation she’s been dreading: magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination.
The forge has always been Ziva’s safe space, a place to avoid society and the anxiety it causes her, but now it is her prison, and she’s not sure just how much of herself she’ll have to sacrifice to save Kellyn and take center stage in the very war she’s been trying to stop.
It was a nice conclusion to the duology! I think I ended up liking the first book better because of the adventure, but this was good too. Instead of adventure, this book is more focused on politics and on the kingdoms, so I wasn’t super interested like I was with the first book. It’s not an out of pocket change of focus and it makes sense, so I’m not mad about it – I just didn’t think this second book was as engaging as the first one.
I felt bad that the group separated for a while because I loved how they were together and their banter! Their interactions were always very fun to read, and they made a very special group.
My opinion on Ziva changed a little bit. Not because of her struggles, but because of the way she behaved at times. Sometimes she had a very immature behavior and I had a hard time connecting with her.
The romance definitely develops in this one, and since I’m a sucker for a good romance, I was loving to see their romantic relationship blossom. It took some time for Ziva to trust him, but eventually things got easier.
This was a very unique and fun series, and I don’t think I’ve read anything like this before. It’s still an easy book to read and follow and I had fun reading it. Definitely worth binging on!
“A sister is the most special gift you could ever be given. Better than any doll. She will be a best friend you can take with you through life. Someone who will love you no matter what.” – 4.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: powerful weapons, warlords, secrets, magic books, scholars, mercenaries and terrible social anxiety.
Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power.
Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims’ secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees.
Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.
A teenage blacksmith with social anxiety accepts a commission from the wrong person and is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made.
I’m a simple woman: I see a Tricia Levenseller book, I read it. When I first started reading her books a few years ago, I fell in love with her stories. She has great amazing YA fantasy books, and I knew this wouldn’t be different.
And once again, I was right! This fantastic story follows a young magical blacksmith named Ziva, who created a very dangerous weapon and is running away with her sister Temra to keep it out of the wrong hands. The unique thing about our main character Ziva is that she has really bad social anxiety – so yay for representation!
Somewhere along the way, a mercenary and a scholar join them in their adventure… and of course, the plot thickens!
I really liked all the characters and their relationships with each other. I can’t help but mention the sisters’ relationship, because it was beautiful. They are very different and have polar opposite personalities, but they still were each other’s best friend and they protect each other. Now the romance! You know I’m a sucker for a good romance, and the one in this book definitely left me intrigued. The romance in this can be described as a slow burn with the enemies to lovers trope. Kellyn is the love interest, and even though I like him, his intentions are unclear and confusing (for now). He seems interested at times, but other times he won’t help her for the money. We’ll see how this will end!
The writing was easy to follow, but at some point it felt like the pace slowed down. Maybe it was because they were mostly escaping in the forest, but it started getting a little repetitive and world-building felt basic. I’m hoping this will be better in the next book.
What really surprised me in this book was the unique representation. I never read about a heroine like Ziva, so it was refreshing to see someone with her struggles as a main character – and I’m sure a lot of people related to her. Representation like this is needed and is well appreciated.
Wow, this was good! It’s fun, action packed, adventure, and romance. I can’t wait, I need to start the second book right away.
“Cutting is a fence you build upon your own body to keep people out but then you cry to be touched. But the fence is barbed. What then?” – 4.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: dirty dishes, cuts, emails, peanut butter sandwiches, homeless shelters, treatment, library trips, drawings, broken glass, scaring and deep cuts.
Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.
Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.
Wow, I know this would be a heartbreaking book, but I wasn’t expecting something like this. Charlie’s journey is so sad and you just can’t help but feel sorry for her struggling with her mental health and trying to get back on her feet alone.
I don’t know why it took me so long to finish this book. It’s not slow paced or uninteresting, it’s just hard to read sometimes because of the theme. It’s a captivating book that keeps you hooked to know what’s going to happen next. It’s definitely a heavier book that talks about hard hitting issues.
Charlie made a lot of mistakes in her life, but I just couldn’t find any judgment or hate towards her in me. She was in a very tough and serious situation, and she was obviously in survival mode, trying to do the best she could. You can’t help but root for her to get back on her feet. It makes me sad to think that so many people go through similar situations and challenges in life.
Some people disliked the writing style of this book but I personally liked it, and I believe that format makes reading easier. It consists of very short chapters (for the majority of the book), so the information is easy to digest and the story flows easily. And yet, you can find some poetic passages as well – so I feel like the entire reading experience was well balanced.
I had a lot of feelings coming through while reading this, but it was mostly sadness for Charlie and hope that things would get better for her. To be honest I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you for a very long time.
Be aware of the trigger warnings: self harm, suicide, drug use, violence and abuse.
“Dad smiled. “Shall I tell you a secret? You, Ellie, are like an avocado seed: small but full of magic.”” – 3.75/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: avocado seeds, patience, growth and time.
Avocado seeds and slow growing! A young girl’s impatience turns to wonder as she and her avocado tree gradually change and grow in this story inspired by Israeli artist Taltal Levi’s childhood.
Ellie is sulking—she celebrated her birthday yesterday under the old avocado tree. But she’s not even a little bit taller today! Dad tells Ellie a secret. She is like the pit of an avocado, he explains, small and full of magic. Together they put an avocado seed in a glass of water by the window and watch as both Ellie and her avocado plant grow, take root, and eventually bring new life.
In Taltal Levi’s native country Israel, avocados are ubiquitous and plucked straight from the tree. In her third book, Taltal Levi uses warm, earthy colors to tell a personal yet universal story about the magic of growth.
Includes instructions for growing your own avocado tree!
Ohhh this was such a cute children’s book!
In this book, a father explains to his daughter that her growth is very slow, but it is there. So to help her understand, they sprout together an avocado seed to show her how slow growth can be. It’s a book that teaches children to be patient and show them how we grow slowly!
I personally loved this story and the example her father used to make her understand. It’s a beautiful example that I might use with my kids in the future. I also loved how the author included instructions to sprout your own avocado. It looks like a good activity to do with your children and you can look at the sprout’s growth together.
The only thing I would change about this story is related to the part where Ellie grew up and went away, and eventually had her own children. I believe this could be confusing to some children, so I personally would focus on the growth from a small child to a bigger kid, and then they would pass the message to a younger sibling or cousin. I just think the “grown up” part could be confusing, so keeping a child perspective from this book would be better in my humble opinion.
The illustrations are stunning and the color scheme focuses on green tones. If I have children one day and they learn English, I’m going to show them this book!
Definitely recommend this one for you and your kids – as well as the fun book activity that you can do together.
A big thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Sometimes the only way to save yourself is to save someone else…” – 3.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: mills, ponds, cold labor, dormitories, tuberculosis, theaters, broken teeth, stolen potatoes, weir, escape attempts and cotton.
History and myth entwine in this atmospheric tale of freedom and friendship from bestselling author Lucy Strange, and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy.
Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel– a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison, with no way out. Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it’s all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water. But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape?
Oh how I love Pam Smy! I first read “Thornhill” from her and I loved it, so I was excited to pick up this book as soon as I saw her name as the illustrator for this book. I would describe this short book as a darker middle grade story. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a graphic novel, since there’s more text than images. The story is very nice, but on the sadder side. It follows an 11 year old girl named Bess who just started working at a cotton mill, and then her way to freedom along with Dot and the mermaid who is stuck in the pond. Unlike what I was thinking by reading the title, the mermaid is not the focus of the story, but the young girls that are working at the cotton mill, Bess and Dot. This book portrays child labor during the Victorian age, and it was very sad to read about the beatings and exploitation the children went through. And yes, there are some descriptions about abuse but it’s not too graphic, don’t worry. Even though the mermaid is not the focus of the book, I still believe it plays a big role in the story as it also symbolizes the freedom they desired. Also, don’t think of this mermaid as the typical nice mermaid, this one behaved more like a siren – wilder and more animalistic. It’s a beautiful book that presents a story about friendship, freedom, kindness and being vulnerable when you’re hurt. I finished the book rooting for the girls and hoping they made it to the new town and had a better life!
“I love you. Wait for me, where the land meets the sea.” – 4.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: spirits, sleeping curses, traps, young brides, lords, goddesses, Korean mythology and storms.
Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.
Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.
Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.
But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…
I was hoping I would find a really nice book to lose myself in, and fortunately I found this one! I can honestly say I loved this book with all my heart – spoiler alert, it’s not perfect though! This book follows a girl named Mina, and her village has sacrificed a girl every year for over 100 years by throwing her to the sea, hoping to calm down the sea storms. The chosen girl is picked to be the new bride of the Sea God, and she has to be very beautiful or very talented. But to save her brother and his lover, she sacrifices herself by throwing herself into the sea. After entering a city she never knew existed under the sea, Mina has to help the Sea God wake up from his sleeping curse to save her village and the people she loves. In case you’re wondering, this story is based on Korean mythology. I thought this story was familiar while I was reading it, so when I read somewhere this had Spirited Away vibes, it finally clicked! Spirited Away is probably one of my favorite Ghibli movies of all time, so it makes sense why I loved this story so much. It was soooo close to being a 5 star read, but there was something about this book that felt lacking and I can’t point exactly what it is. After some thought, I think I struggled a little with the setting and world building. Sometimes it was hard to visualize the surroundings and to create the world in my head. I have to say it felt very… dreamy? And I say ‘dreamy’ in a good way, but I still felt like some more details would make this story shine even more. I personally loved all the characters in this. The main characters, the supporting characters, the villains, the lost relatives – everyone! But again, I wish we knew more about them and their backstories. The romance was very slow paced and sometimes I even questioned if it was ever going to happen, but I ended up loving it! I loved their chemistry and how well they fit together. Another thing that felt a little weird was the pacing/flow. Some parts felt a little rushed, so I wish this was a longer book so there was room to explore those parts a little more. I wanted more and it wasn’t enough. I’m really sad because this was so close to being a 5 star read for me. I loved the story and the characters, but the execution was the reason why I couldn’t give this 5 stars. So close though!
“She mistook happiness for what it was – how we build lives out of the strings we hold. But we should have known deep down that she was lying to herself. She had said I knew the secret, what was really important in life, what made a person happy. If that was true, it didn’t make sense when she went back home and left all that ‘happiness’ behind.” – 4.5/5 stars!
Attention! This book contains: cigar factories, immigrants, detention centers, motherhood, different generations and family bonds.
In present-day Miami, Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt.
From 19th-century cigar factories to present-day detention centers, from Cuba to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt is a kaleidoscopic portrait of betrayals—personal and political, self-inflicted and those done by others—that have shaped the lives of these extraordinary women. A haunting meditation on the choices of mothers, the legacy of the memories they carry, and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their stories despite those who wish to silence them, this is more than a diaspora story; it is a story of America’s most tangled, honest, human roots.
Wow, this was a very powerful debut novel – which makes it even more impressive!
This story follows multiple generations of women from the same family from 1866 to 2019, in Miami, Cuba and Mexico. The author discusses immigration and deportation, but also motherhood and family relationships – also, I think it’s important to tell you that there’s also mention of substance abuse, sexual abuse, violence and suicide.
The writing is great. There’s multiple timelines in this book, so you’ll be going back and forward frequently. Personally for me this wasn’t an issue, but I can see how other readers may be confused at times. The timelines didn’t confuse me, but keeping up with all the women confused me a lot. I admit it was a little hard to keep up with all of them and not mix them up. Fortunately for me, the author added a family tree in the beginning of the book, so I had to keep coming back to it so I could distinguish them.
I liked all the characters, but I connected to some better than with others. Still, I felt bad for all of them and how they went through their own traumatic experiences (addiction, deportation, political,…).
I also like how atmospheric the book felt. Nineteenth century Cuba never seemed so close in time! My favorite chapters were the ones in the cigar factory, probably for that reason. It was interesting to see how the way women were treated, how they listen to “safe” books while working, and how the men didn’t want the women there.
This is a beautiful book and I definitely recommend it. At this point I feel like I want to reread this book somewhere in the future. I’m very excited to read more from this author.
Sprayed Edges 