To Be Read : 5 Fall Reads about Family - Top Ten Tuesday

 

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! This week's prompt was to find Books That Give Off Autumn Vibes. And oof, because living in Texas, "fall/autumn vibes" just isn't as much of a thing for me! And I'm kind of salty about it. Some years the leaves change, some they don't, the temperature is totally all over the place, and it just doesn't have a consistent traditional feeling to it. But regardless of the weather or scenery, family in the fall feels consistent. Gearing up for the holidays means lots of time with family, which can be so different from person to person. So, keep reading, because I've compiled a list of books that I absolutely adore that have strong messages about family, enjoy!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - Book Review

Time for a book review! So, let's discuss my most recent read "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides. I am definitely not alone in reading this book during the month of October and while I have some critical things to say about "The Silent Patient", one thing it does do very well is striking that - eerie mystery thriller vibe -  that is so sought after in spooky reading months. I am still reeling over here from the ending to this novel - "The Silent Patient" is definitely known for its twists! But the ending of the Silent Patient is also rightfully controversial and I think I might be in the hated it group. Keep reading to find out why!

The Trial of Lizzie Borden - by Cara Robertson - Book Review

 

Time for a #60secondbookreview that feels very fitting for October - "The Trial of Lizzie Borden" by Cara Robertson. This is a non fiction book, and it covers exactly what you think, and it does it in a really informative way. The author did an outstanding job completing this research. It is definitely one of those books where when you're done you just want to invite everyone to your TED Talk about this new topic you've learned so much about. But this book did make me realize just how much personality is part of my enjoyment of murdery things ( can i get a hey hey, fellow murderinos?). Most of the time, but especially when a case happened over 200 years ago, I'm not here for the outcome, I can Google that - I am here for the personality of the individual telling me the story. So while the research was top notch, I do think it fell short on that aspect. 

As you're reading "The Trial of Lizzie Borden", whether you think she is guilty or innocent - it's hard not to become angry for her. One of the arguments for why the murder couldn't have been completed by Lizzie, was that, "Abbie Borden was killed not by the strong hand of a man, but by the weak and ineffectual blows of a woman." huh. Because they both looked pretty dead to me - the pictures are gruesome, guys, don't Google it - plus, the story isn't that she could barely muster a whack, it's that she did 40 and 41 whacks! My favorite parts of the book explored this obvious sexism and how frequently it came up in the trial, as well as the at the time burgeoning field of forensic science. It was super interesting!

Have you read "The Trail of Lizzie Borden"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of the book! Or let me know your favorite book about murder! Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

Five Amazing Books You Should Read ( that also happen to have numbers in the title)

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! This week's posting prompt from host, That Artsy Reader Girl, is to find "Book Titles with Numbers In Them", so I have rounded up five books that I really enjoyed reading that also just so happen to have a number featured in the title. This prompt was way easier than I expected it to be, I guess I've just never realized how many books have numbers in the title. Keep reading to check out my picks!

The Great Believers - by Rebecca Makkai - Book Review

Time for a #60secondbookreview! And this week, we'll be discussing "The Great Believers" by Rebecca Makkai.

Five Things I Learned From - Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Mars Room by Rachel Kusher - Book Review

#60secondbookreview aka reviewing books as quickly yet thoroughly as I can! And this week's review is for "The Mars Room" by Rachel Kushner.

"The Mars Room" by Rachel Kushner was a two-star read for me, and it's hard to not blame the description writer for some of that. Going into the book it really appealed to me, based on what I had read about it, I thought I would be reading about main character Romy Hall, a woman serving two life sentences in prison, and she is also a mother who is struggling with being away from her child. I'm not totally naive to the hype and also my own preconceived notions of what "female-centric prison stories" look like, I knew that this wouldn't measure up to Orange Is the New Black, for instance. But the reading experience is just SO incredibly different than the description because it leaves out the two other male perspectives that take up a good chunk of the book! Seems like a pretty important thing to include. At its best, for brief fleeting moments, this book did feel a bit like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" where you had this behind the scenes look at the power trips, unfair treatment, and absurdity that runs amok in institutions like these, but then the perspective would change to the other characters that just added nothing for me to the novel. Overall, it was a pretty terrible reading experience.

Have you read "The Mars Room"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it! Was it as much of a reading struggle for you as it was for me? Or, drop a comment below with a female prison novel that you really enjoyed  - because I'm definitely open to trying others! Thanks for reading and watching! Have a great day : )

10 Favorites for 10 Years - Top Ten Tuesday

It wasn't until I was creating the graphic for this blog post that I realized just how drunk with power this Top Ten Tuesday prompt should have made me feel! - Favorite Books Released In the Last Ten Years. It was easy putting this list together, only because if I really had to think about it, it would be impossible! The bulk of my reading has been books from the last decade - how could I !? How !? So keep reading, check out the shamble of a list I pasted together and let me know - what do you think the best books have been in the last decade!?

Boy Erased by Garrard Conley - Book Review

#60secondbookreview aka reviewing books as quickly yet thoroughly as I can! And this week's review is for "Boy Erased" by Garrard Conley.

This book is a memoir Garrard wrote about his experiences as a gay teenager and adult, growing up in the bible belt - his dad is actually a preacher at their church. In college, Garrard was outed to his parents by a man who sexually assaulted and raped him. After finding out, his parents insisted that Garrard receive counseling at an organization called Love in Action - it was conversion therapy and Garrard initially willfully attended it because after living a life being told that his attraction to men was sinful, he sought out the help he felt he needed, too.

I had a really difficult time processing everything that happened to Garrard, and I truly appreciate the courage it took for him to share his story. The writing in this book is beautiful and he does such an amazing job really putting you into the story. The emotional toll this organization took on its attendees, it's quiet, and then it's loud, but it isn't necessarily the shock value some readers might expect - but still so harmful. It was hate, under the disguise of compassion and love.

My favorite parts of the book were when Garrard discussed his relationship with his parents - one that was otherwise happy and healthy, and how hard it is to respect and acknowledge that love when their attitude towards his sexuality was- and is - so negative. Side note, Garrard is hilarious, which thoughtfully does not come across in this book, but you should definitely check out interviews of his because they are charming and inspiring.

Let's chat books! What are you currently reading?  Have you read "Boy Erased"? Comment down below with your thoughts! 

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Bookishly Unboxing - Little Women Theme

So many thank yous to the creative and brilliant ladies at Bookishly for sending this box to me in exchange for an honest review! Check out the video above for my thoughts on the items included, and then head over to their website https://www.bookishly.co.uk/ for adorable bookish merchandise. I love that Bookishly has adorable book boxes, but also merchandise that can be ordered individually, as well!

Snapped a picture of the adorable tote bag included in the box in my IG post. *so cute* right!? Comment below and let me know - what quote would you love to have on a bookish tote bag?!

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A Place for Us by Fatima Mirza - Book Review

Time for another - way longer than intended - I should probably change the name of this thing I do, but I am also committed to the project. help. #60secondbookreview of "A Place for Us" by Fatima Farheen Mirza - a book that felt like being wrapped up in a warm blanket - so cozy.

"A Place for Us" by Fatima Mirza is a *debut novel* ( holy moly how is this her first novel, it's so good!?) it follows an Indian American Muslim family. The book begins at the wedding of the eldest daughter, Hadia. Hadia has decided to invite her brother, Amar,  to her wedding even though he has been estranged from their family for the last three years.

Through the next 400 plus pages, you get a very close look at the interpersonal relationships of this family. The novel moves forward and back in time and shows the reader how the parents met, how the siblings have interacted with each other, and also each of the characters individual lives, and possibly most important, how the parents interact with their children. And after all of that depth, the reader gets a very good sense of why Amar is estranged from his family and just how complicated his return will be for all of the characters.

I really enjoyed reading "A Place for Us", and I think one of the reasons it works so well is the author's ability to make you feel like you are a part of this family - by the end of the novel you know all of their in's and out's - and because of that it is also does an excellent job of exploring identity. How family and religion can aide but also complicate that process. One you think you've found that, once you feel like you know yourself, your families fight against that image can be a misguided attempt at showing their love, but it can also be one of the most harmful things you experience. 

I did struggle a bit to get into this book, it's a common criticism of the book, so it's nice not to feel alone in that - the hurdle for me was that the book jumps around quite a bit in the timeline of this family, and also between different characters. But, once I was all in, I was all in, and also really want this book to be adapted to film, really rooting for this to happen!

Have you read "A Place for Us"? What were your experiences while reading the novel, which characters did you connect with most? Comment down below and let's chat about it!