The OG Vampire, Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu

I like gothic tales, I love classics so, Carmilla was the best book to start the fall with.

Carmilla is the original vampire. The stories we now read are all based on her, including Dracula. And although this book is not known by everyone, it’s one of those books that I believe is a must-read.

The plot of the book is perfect. It’s the typical beautiful vampire enters into the life of a normal human, Laura. They have a kinda relationship (keep in mind that this book was published in 1872 so having a lesbian couple is quite surprising!), although it’s obvious that the vampire, Carmilla, doesn’t have the best interest in mind. We get glimpses into Laura’s past, how she once saw Carmilla in a “vision”, we also see how something mysterious is attacking girls in town. And finally we get the undeniable beauty and perfection of Carmilla’s beauty.

Although the plot is not too intricate nor is it long, it’s the perfect length. It’s a short, quick introduction into gothic classics. It has dark and disturbing scenes that really take your breath away. Furthermore, it has perturbing monologues by Carmilla that really shake you to your core. Obsessive, mysterious and grasping words that take the vibes of the story further and further into horror territory.

Again, this is not a story that is difficult, long and deep. It’s a fun short novel to get those Halloween vibes going.

The Minotaur is depressed and smokes - Steven Sherril

‘The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break’ caught my eye the moment I set eyes on the cover. And when I read it, it did not disappoint. A realistic, almost disappointing life, of one of the greatest and most feared monsters in the world’s history, the Minotaur lives a normal life in today’s contemporary society.

From the very beginning, the Minotaur poses a lot of questions. What is he doing here? Why does he work in a restaurant? How is he accepted into every day places? Is he happy?

M lives a mundane, boring life. He wakes up, goes to work, where his entire life revolves, goes back to his trailer park and sometimes fixes his car. He literally doesn’t fit in anywhere, not only is he awkward, but he is also big with big horns, he can’t physically speak because of his anatomy and can’t see because of his animal head. His little communication comes from grunts and noises that he directs to some of his colleagues at the steak house or his neighbours. He acts like the other men in his life, pathetically, because he wants to fit in, he wants them to think he is cool and for that reason he says things he doesn’t believe in. That is still is not enough so M continually tries to join conversations after work, he watches and listens to the waiters’ conversations and grunts if he wants to be acknowledged, but then he finds himself unable to finish a sentence. He blurbs sexists or unfunny jokes to the boys who, consequently, laugh hard at him. However, the Minotaur doesn’t want to be like them. He doesn’t want to be sexist, he doesn’t want to comment on his colleague’s breasts, nor does he want to be like them. But loneliness can be hard to overcome, in the same thought he believes that he would be happier if he was like them.

In his trailer, he can’t read because of his head, nor does he watch TV, although he has tried, he doesn’t even fit through the door. He chooses to live there, he chooses to not fit in. He has dreams to leave. Likewise, he plans every day things, from what to buy at the shop to the things he has to do before going to work. Planning and planning and dreaming and dreaming without a goal. He knows what he wants, what he wants to say but, because of his lack of action, his lack of words, he stays in the same place, he chooses to stay and live through his loneliness.

He is seen also as someone who can’t speak and as a consequence, he is not listened to. Furthermore, he tries to say something, he is unable or not listened to. He is not seen as a normal human being, he is a monster to some, disgusted, a dumb fool to other or a harmless idiot. But his entire existence in modern society is complete contradiction. He is big, he is strong, he used to murder people in Ancient Greece, but M doesn’t remember that, Sherill reminds us that the Minotaur is unable to use that as an advantage when he is taken advantage of. He doesn’t take initiative, he is the one scared of the boyish men at work that use him. Not only that, but he is scared of life because he can’t be like the others.

Although the story is short in respect to the message, the plot doesn’t really matter. I learn from M, on what he feels and on what not to do. I felt seen, how sometimes you just want to fit in, that sometimes you see people being loud, and you think that they are happy, but maybe, in the inside, they are equally lonely.

This is a story of true loneliness, of not being able to see your own self-sabotage- a true story of everyone’s lives.

A memoir to remember - I’m Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Growing up, everyone had a favourite TV show. For many, it was Disney shows such as Jessie or Hannah Montana. For others, it was Victorious or iCarly. These shows made many kids happy. For some, like myself, it became a ritual after school. I would return home, turn the TV on and watch my favourite shows. But although it made many kids happy around the world, the most important kids, the actual actors, were suffering, being overworked, abused… Jennette McCurdy’s brave memoir explains what it is growing up with an abusive mother as a child actor with fame and the responsibility of making money for an entire family.

Jennette’s memoir is divided into two parts, Before and After. Before her mother died and after she did. It’s a hard read, many topics are discussed that I advise for you to research about before. There is emotional, physical and mental abuse from her mother as well as a lot of discussions about ED, alcoholism and addiction. It’s a heavy book that is very well written. At some points it feels like you are watching the scene play out through Jennette’s eyes when she was just 6 years old when she started acting. In some points, you feel like you are watching her though your TV in your living room when she was in iCarly, and you even feel bad for having enjoyed her portrayal of the tomboy character she used to play; Sam. And sometimes I felt like I had to stop the audiobook because even’s Jennette’s telling of her own book was so hard to get through (emotionally).

This book was brilliant, shocking and most importantly: true. It establishes and shows a reality that many kids have to go through. Not only the child actors but also many kids that have to suffer parent’s abuse. The title, although hard for some to read, is brilliant, it’s funny, it’s real, and it’s shocking. Just like Jennette’s life. I have heard and seen people criticise the title, but I think if you don’t like it, you should not read the book because then it means that you cannot see the world like it is: sometimes cruel where sometimes parents are not as great as they are supposed to be.

The writing is easy to get through, it simplifies feelings and moments of her life that are not simple, that are complicated. It’s an exciting but sad read that is not trying to make you cry, but rather it is trying to tell a truth that many did not know. I wish so many more people read this book to understand what she went through and to comprehend what goes into an industry that many “normal” people do not know about.

Sadly, I have seen many news articles about this book focusing on the wrong parts. For example, Ariana Grande or the Hush letter they offered her at Nickelodeon. I wish people would see this book like it’s supposed to be read. About Jennette, about her mom, about her suffering, EDs about everything that she had and sometimes still has to live with. But sadly the internet focuses on the wrong parts and that really saddens me. I see this book as a love letter to her mother as well as the opposite. But I mostly see this book as a love letter to herself.

Why had I never heard of The House of Sleep? - Jonathan Coe

I love when booksellers recommend books. I love it because I know how important it is for them to do so. I also love book recommendations because the books are always very unexpected. I went into The House of Sleep completely blind knowing only that this book had “the best love story in literature ever”.

So the question is: is it “the best love story in literature”?

Firstly: what is it about? Sarah is a narcoleptic who doesn’t know when she is dreaming and when she isn’t, Terry loves his dreams and Robert has a very clear crush on Sarah. Ten years later, Sarah, a teacher, reconnects with the past, Terry doesn’t sleep and Robert… well we don’t know. Every chapter is in a different time: past or the present and slowly you start to realise why they are connected.

This books is addictive, funny and extremely entertaining. I laughed out loud, cried and loved this book with my entire heart. It has everything I loved connections, relationships and extremely carefully crafted characters who feel real and I wish I could meet.

Now, let’s get back to the question. Is it the best love story that I have ever encountered in literature? No. Absolutely no. That bookseller believed that it was but I think it’s because he has never read any other romance novels. I disagree with him but I still loved the book. The “love story” is just an obsession plot line that in my opinion, doesn’t seem to work.

However, the rest of the book is amazing. The connections made form past to present I loved. The characters, I loved. And finally, the writing I loved.

So, why didn’t I know about this book? I still have this question. Why is no one talking about it? Well, now I am. Thank you to that bookseller that introduced this fun book to me.

The Virgin Suicides was incredible - Jeffrey Eugenides

In a normal happy American neighbourhood a group of boys look over to the other side of the street where you can find 5 beautiful sisters who are about to kill themselves. So, why would I even recommend this book to you when it is so filled with violence.

The five Lisbon girls are mysterious, beautiful and always move in a group, a group of boys observe then, obsess over them. Suddenly, Cecilia, the youngest, killsl herself and from that moment forward the Lisbon girls are not the same.

Young girls suffer in a world that is still run by men and the Virgin Suicides exactly shows that. Eugenides uses a very special narrator to tell the story of the Lisbon girls: a group of neighbourhood boys. It just shows a perfect example of the women are constantly sexualised and reduced to their beauty. When the young girls are obviously suffering, the boys keep telling us how beautiful they are, how mysterious they are, which boys they are with, what they are doing. They never help them, how they should’ve, for the reason they should’ve. They help them because they are seeing themselves like the savours of the beautiful neighbours, nothing more.

But you might still be asking the reason to read this depressing book. Well, let me elaborate a bit more. The writing is spectacularly beautiful. From the first sentence I was hooked. Eugenides flowers every single sentence with the most mesmerising words, making the girls even more mysterious. He also doesn’t try to dramatise the suicides themselves, he rather focuses on their lives before and how the boys envision them.

Finally, Eugenides is obviously a man but, he still has captured perfectly how it is to be a girl, living in a world where men still are seen a superior, in a world where men so often take advantage of girls and in a world where even in your own home, you can still feel extremely alone.

Of Mice and Men, another great Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men is a scary book about human nature, it follows our two main characters, George and Lennie. Lennie is a child-like giant that follows his friend George on any adventure to find ways to get money to be able to have their own ranch with their own bunnies.

The story we follow takes place when George and Lennie arrive at a new ranch. They make new friends and meet new people but what is most important, Lennie is back around people. He has to be able to not hurt anyone, do nothing bad and if he manages, they will get the money they need to get their bunnies. Soon enough we find that that will be quite impossible…

Steinbeck creates a masterful story about human’s own nature. It takes place in the time of the Great Depression which makes what both main characters represent, really fitting. Lennie represents inarticulate and powerful yearning of all men and George represents domed men wanting to get better and be in a better place (such as heaven). Lennie wants to get a ranch so he can take care of rabbits but he can’t, because he keeps doing bad things that pushes him back. George, similarly, wants money to get to have ranch but, because he is so understanding of Lennie, he never gets there to his own paradise.

In light of what I have just discussed, Of Mice and Men is a great thriller. You expect something to happen because the energy and the dark environment suggests that. How it’s going to happen and when is something you will have to find out for yourselves.

Lo Li Ta - Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita, a modern classic surrounded by haters, lovers and confused people. When I first read Lolita, I was the latter. I felt confused on why this book would have such praise being the topic it is. Then I became a hater. I felt like the prose wasn’t for me, descriptive, long and complicated and the narrator, the famous Humbert Humbert, was horrible. Then I started to wonder: what is it about Lolita? Why is it making me uncomfortable? Is it immoral? Why is it a classic? I had a lot of questions. So I became interested in Lolita, I researched and researched. Trying to find out why this book, that wasn’t bad, but I almost hated to that point – this book that is praised by so many – why it made me feel this way and why other people felt the same way. After some thought, I became a lover of Lolita.

What is wonderful about Nabokov’s masterpiece is the fact that people are so uncomfortable and confused. That was his intentions. He intended for people’s spines to tremble, for you to be uncomfortable in your seat. But his writing won’t let you stop reading. You want to stop reading about Lolita’s horrible story, but you know you can’t because Nabokov’s writing is addictive, strange, complete and ultimately beautiful.

Humber Humbert as a narrator is funny, he tells things from a very personal point of view, it makes you laugh and sometimes smile. But, then, you realize how you’re slowly being manipulated into sympathizing with him. You are starting to understand this predator’s point of view. You are starting to see Lolita as a not-so-good-child instead of a victim. The way he says what she does, the way he shows her actions, are from the point of view of his crazy mind. He is an excellent manipulator, a perfect unreliable narrator. Unless you try really hard to hate him you won’t unless you remember, constantly, that he is not the victim he is trying to be.

Equally, there is a great side-plot going on at the same time. I kept wondering about the reason for this story-telling, why is he in prison, why is he talking about Lolita? Well, the mystery just adds a layer to the whole story. It was fun to keep guessing. It added to the manipulation as you could even go off to forget what we were reading this story for.

In conclusion, Lolita is great, I learned from it, I explored themes that are important to read and, I was manipulated to the core. It’s interesting to see why this book gets so much glorification, hate, and praise all in one. For one, the movies are filmed in such a way that people love the style. And in the other hand, the writing is so intricate, beautiful and delicate that you can really see why people would think that the point of the book is not to make you uncomfortable but, make you feel bad for Humbert. But is it Nabokov’s fault? I think not. When you read a book you have to think critically. Nabokov was creating fiction, he was trying to fool the reader, but you have to be stronger, you have to see that his intentions are no other but to realize that Humbert Humbert is in the wrong and that you are being fooled. What would happen if this was someone in real life? Lolita is still the victim, remember.

The phoniest book is considered a classic? The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye is considered a classic but should it be one? This “review” is not necessarily a review. I want to take a moment to discuss why The Catcher in the Rye is so "controversial". We should just start by saying that this book is a love or hate story. And for myself, I love it. But, I think I love it because I am young, and this book is not for many adults (excluding the nostalgics, of course).

I have been wondering ever since I read this first, why so many people hate it, and finally, I see why. Holden is a piece of shit. So many people say that the plot is dull or the book is just not good, but I think their issue is with Holden as a character. Salinger creates a character that repeats sentences, insults people, makes numerous mistakes, mistreats people, and is… well, kinda stupid. I can see how he can be seen as infuriating. Or that the plot is "boring" and that nothing happens. I can see that I comprehend it, but I do not understand it. Let me explain why.

Yes, Holden got me rolling my eyes many times. The way he talked about some of the characters. The way he repeated the word phony or how his expressions were "overused". That is what is so wonderful about the book. Think about it, how does a teenager today talk? With social media and society changing, we have also seen a change in language. When I was 16, I am sure I overused words and expressions and even used them two or three times in one sentence. I'm sure you do or did too. I wasn't alive when this book was published, but teenagers those days surely used - and overused- those words. So, why are you mad that this book has an accurate speaking teenager.

I have been wondering ever since I read this first, why so many people hate it, and finally, I see why. Holden is a piece of shit. So many people say that the plot is dull or the book is just not good, but I think their issue is with Holden as a character. Salinger creates a character that repeats sentences, insults people, makes numerous mistakes, mistreats people, and is… well, kinda stupid. I can see how he can be seen as infuriating. Or that the plot is "boring" and that nothing happens. I can see that I comprehend it, but I do not understand it. Let me explain why.

Yes, Holden got me rolling my eyes many times. The way he talked about some of the characters. The way he repeated the word phony or how his expressions were "overused". That is what is so wonderful about the book. Think about it, how does a teenager today talk? With social media and society changing, we have also seen a change in language. When I was 16, I am sure I overused words and expressions and even used them two or three times in one sentence. I'm sure you do or did too. I wasn't alive when this book was published, but teenagers those days surely used - and overused- those words. So, why are you mad that this book has an accurate speaking teenager.

Piranesi, a wonderful experience - Susanna Clarke

Piranesi is one of those books that will be hard to forget. I also think that is one of those books that I wish I could have written myself as it feels like the most delightful book to experience as the story unfolds.

The story takes place in the House in an area that the readers don’t understand at first. It took me about three chapters to start to understand what he even meant with the House- it was confusing but very satisfying to understand at last. Again, the more you read, the more you know and experience a beautiful feeling. The writing is constantly Capitalised In most Random places, but soon you start to realise that All makes sense and that everything Capitalised is something that the Main Character is also new to. Piranesi is like a kid who explores the World but can also speak.

Not only are you discovering a new world, but you also get to unsolve the mystery of why Piranesi is there. Susanna is a great mystery writer. She doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, she shows you in the most subtle wording, and it’s very clever. I loved the slow unravelling of the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’. And finally, when you start to understand everything, the story just ends, on paper of course, because the ending is open and you can by yourself and as an observer imagine where next the story could be taken.

Loneliness is a great theme discussed in this book, and it’s used as a clue to unfold the mystery and understand Piranesi. Piranesi, of course, is a magnificent character. Usually, characters in books have perks that you can never love fully, but Piranesi, to me, was the most lovable and cleverly written character in a fantasy novel.

Clarke also uses imagery brilliantly. Birds are very prominent in this world, as well as the statues. Birds are your friends and Piranesi’s friends, so you end up looking for them in the story itself.

I cannot imagine a world without Piranesi, the character. I love that I read it and sometimes go back and think of him and his story.

The Most Beautiful book you will ever read, Open water - Caleb Azumah Nelson

Open water takes you on a 140 page ride into the most beautiful narrated piece I have ever read. Every sentence is assembled with the most care and precision and fits perfectly well into the story of a young Black man in London falling in love with a Black woman.

The plot is very simple: boy falls in love with girl in London. But this book is so much more than that. It explores art and beauty and depression and love and family. The voice of the main character carefully describes these happenings with maturity and attention to even the smallest detail. I felt myself tearing up at every single book in this book not because of the sadness but at the utmost beauty that it holds.

Not only do we see the narration of a romantic love story but we also see a young Black man explore life in a modern London. It makes references to art, film and music by Black people that affect the protagonist as a Black man himself.

The mix between poetry and fiction narration really shows how Nelson is a master at the craft of writing. He uses the second-person narration with a perfection that I have never before encountered.

It is a short and concise book and although I wished it never ended, everything that needed to be said was said. Caleb Nelson has created a masterpiece, a work of art and my favourite book from now on. I will surely be checking out anything he puts out and I cannot wait how he grows as an artista and story teller.

Somebody’s Daughter, a memoir - Ashley C. Ford

Ashley C. Ford’s writing translates her heartbreaking but inspiring story into Somebody’s Daughter. This memoir explores her relationships with her siblings, father and boys as well sexuality, growing up and poverty. But what really shines is Ashley’s story with her mother one so complicated that is hard to explain with just the read of the book.

Somebody’s daughter is divided into a few chapters, each exploring a different part of her life. Some would argue that the book lacks a narrative line, I would argue the same but, I don’t think in this book it was necessary all the way. The chapters feel like anecdotes but they end up linking with one common theme: Ashley’s story of growing up. Further on, it also explores vastly her sometimes abusive relationship with her mother but the love she still shares for her.

I found it fascinating how she was able to use her story with her mother not to villainize her but to describe her own character to the reader. You as a reader must interpret what Ashley writes and understand who Ashley is. She is not writing this to make her mother the villain in her story nor is she trying to excuse her actions, she is just showing you what and how things happened when she was growing up.

I also loved her relationship with her siblings. It was rendering and filled with absolute love. I could see when reading that she is completely in love with them and you can really see she would do everything for them.

Ashley of course is also going through the terrible part of her life when her father is in jail. She grows up knowing he is imprisoned but finds out later on why. The heartbreaking truth changes Ashley. She is in no way in a position to pardon his father for his wrongdoings but, she still loves him. This relationship even if it’s not the most prominent in the book, still touches Ashley in many ways. SHe misses her father, someone who has done something terrible, someone, who she looks up to, and she has to live with every day.

Of course, Ashley goes into her rape story, one that again, she is not trying to write about for you to feel sorry about her but to rather show the reader who Ashley is. It’s a hard read, wonderfully written and heartbreaking all in one.

Ashley is a writer, a journalist and you can really see her style shining through. The words glide over yor¡ur eyes in the most wonderful way even when she is telling the most heartbreaking parts of her story. Tears fall down your eyes when you read Ashley’s story as her words touch you in the warmest but most heartbreaking way.

This memoir shows you who Ashley C. Ford is, with her ups and mostly downs but she is describing the pivotal points in her growing up story. You explore along with young Ashley things that many women of colour and young girls have to go through because of the hardships of the world. She is teaching the readers that these things happen and she is showing us that they happened to her. I cannot wait to read what else Ashley publishes.

How to Kill your Family is deadly boring - Bella Mackie

How to Kill your Family is a book that at some point I was really looking forward to. The title is immaculate and the ideas presented in the blurb were incredibly interesting to me. However, I was hugely disappointed when I actually got to read it. Let me tell you why.

I want to start off by saying that the book is not a bad book, I was just hugely disappointed and therefore it’s not a great book. I finished the book all throughout in what an adequate experience. However, I wish that there was more than just an adequate experience.

How to Kill Your Family tells the story of Grace, she has been imprisoned for a crime that she hasn’t committed but, she has killed the members of her family. We start off in prison and Grace is narrating in a journal how and why she manages to kill off her entire family (mostly). I have to say, this was interesting and a fun idea. Mackie is great at writing the murders, they’re exciting and well written. However, the rest of the book was not exciting. The author goes on and on about the family member’s history with the most boring writing. I found myself skim-reading most of the book because of this.

Grace as the narrator was interesting. I liked that she was sassy and sometimes “funny”. As the main character, I felt like she was lacking more depth. We get so much information on her. Her past and her present but still, it felt like I was still lacking so much about her character. I wish we could have gotten more exposition of her character in the scenes when she is murdering people. I think that would have given us a bit more insight into her and her emotions.

There were some good scenes in the book. I loved Kelly, I found her very predictable but I still found that her character gave something that was lacking to the story. All of the story that takes place in prison I found more interesting than the action in the past.

However, even if Kelly was very predictable, the ending still feels forced and it feels like the author wanted to write in a twist. It was also written in the worst way. As readers we don’t get enough (or any) clues throughout the book, there was no way for us to guess how the book might end (only Kelly, that again, predicable but still enjoyable). The “show-don’t-tell” saying was completely looked upon by the author by just writing a very long letter by a character we had no idea that might exist.

I know it sounds very negative but, I was really confused with this whole book. So many people were enjoying it and I can’t stop wondering why. It wasn’t a terrible book it just wasn’t one I will remember. If you have enjoyed it please don’t forget that this is only my opinion.

Why My Year of Rest and Relaxation is genius - Ottessa Moshfegh

I think this novel could be considered bad or just boring. Some people might even find it annoying or a “try-hard”, I think that is the genius of it. This book is about a young woman that decides that she is taking a year to sleep. A year to “hibernate” you might say. She takes pills to sleep and she barely leaves the house. It is funny and quirky but dark and depressing. I think the sassiness of the main character is what might drag people away. I however enjoyed every second of her character. She is obviously going through a really tough time, maybe because of her past or her relationships. We never find out why specifically she decided that was what she had to do. Sleeping could have been used by her to avoid her very real situation.

The scariest part is that she thinks she is doing the right thing. she alienates herself from the world, drugs herself, drinks and doesn’t eat much, and she thinks she is going to get better after a year. I think this novel should be a horror book. But I loved it. There is a very satisfying sense of “yes, I sometimes feel like I want to do this,” but, “I will never treat myself like this” because it’s a depressing story.

As terrifying as it is, the writing Moshfegh uses to handle the story is powerful. The sarcasm and dark comedy pushes the story further into a very straightforward and very approachable one for everyone.

The characters are deep and very well written, they convey emotion with everything they do. Reva is annoying but we still feel for her. Trevor we all hate. We hate the main character’s parents but we understand the suffering and we still feel bad for their death. I think this is where the novel is the most powerful. Going back on time to understand her suffering is depressing and hard. Sometimes I wished for her life to get better but I still found it very interesting that we got to understand a bit more of the bigger picture.

Some of my favourite parts of the book were when she was talking to Reva. It was extremely sassy and funny but still, it felt like it was a serious matter. Why was she still friends with her if she hated her so much? There are many discussions on bulimia and alcoholism so if you are triggered by these topics I would strongly advise against reading this as sometimes it felt like the main character (not the author) was taking the piss out of people with eating disorders. In reality, the author is very cleverly using these topics to show us how the main character sees the world, dark and insignificant.

The ending is where I get confused. Our main character has a massive redemption where she finally sees a point in life. Her last months in total hibernation are spent completely sleeping. But somehow after these 12 months of a very unhealthy lifestyle, she still comes out well and happy. To be completely honest, I felt like the ending was just a quick way to find a solution to everything. Really, it just felt like the author wanted to finish it and be like “So yeah, after all this time doing the worst for herself, she is totally fine and it works!”. I’m sure there is a very plausible explanation for this and I’m sure I am missing the point but, I wish there could be a moment when the character realises what she has done. Maybe she doesn’t realise that it was wrong but, that maybe she didn’t wish that feeling on anyone.

But, all in all, it was fantastic and I wish I could read the book again for the first time. Some of the sentences used were immaculate and filled with feelings I very much share. Her back story was somehow similar and very different from mine but I still felt understood on a very personal level that sometimes is hard to find.

A genius masterpiece I would talk about for days.

‘My Body’ has changed my perspective on Feminism - Emily Ratajkowski

I THINK EMILY RATAJKOWSKI HAS SURPRISED US ALL. THIS COLLECTION OF ESSAYS WRITTEN BY THE MODEL, ACTRESS AND NOW AUTHOR HAS REALLY CHANGED MY PRESCRIPTIVE ON WHAT FEMINISM CAN BE AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. THIS IS TRULY A VERY INTERESTING A BEAUTIFUL BOOK THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO BOTH WOMEN AND MEN.

This is a collection of 12 essays that touch on themes such as sexuality, sexual assault, anxiety, fame, money and many more. But they all surround one common theme and that is Emily’s body. It is a collection of life stories that really question women’s position in not only the Hollywood industry but also women’s position in a world where men get to tell us what to do so often. Emily does not only question her own position and her actions but also questions what feminism is and what it could be.

One of the first essays in the collection is Blurred Lines. When Emily was 21 her life completely changed once she was featured in the Blurred Lines music video with the singer Robin Thickle. There, she was groped as we later on discover. This essay is not to call out Thickle’s actions. This essay shows us how she felt in an environment that was supposed to be safe. She was surrounded by women, having fun and being comfortable. When this man, with virtually more power than her, made her uncomfortable. This essay explores the questioning her mind goes under. “What if i had yelled at Robin Thickle’s face and made a scene? stopped the shoot? maybe my big break never would’ve happened.” She also feels “ashamed” of how much fun she was having. She feels guilty but still wonders what if she had stopped the shoot. She would have not had her big break, and maybe she would have not been able to write and publish this book. It makes us question her feelings, her being ashamed. Would we feel the same way? Is it valid? Is this being a true feminist, letting the man get away with it? Is this being a feminist? Maybe that is not the questions she was asking herself at the moment. But that is what was going through my head. My answer was answered with the rest of the book: It’s not that simple.

The next essay, also one of my favourites, goes back in time. My Son, Sun is a powerful essay about consent and rape that she has to go through in high school. Not only that but we see her grow up and still be affected by this extreme violation of her body. It then talks about losing someone that has done wrong to you and how that can affect you. This might be one of the saddest essays in this collection as once again, I went into a massive questioning stage when I could not imagine myself in her situation. This book does not give you answers, but you have to find out yourself.

Woozies, further on the book, is another great example of Emily’s great writing. It describes how anxiety affects her and how it affects her relationship with her mother once she finds out she has cancer. I loved this essay and the ways it explored the different ways that anxiety can be lived by different people. I think this is a very different take of what the theme on her body was in the rest of the book. Her body is not only what people see but it also means the way Emily feels. Anxiety is dangerous and she shows us that. She goes into a massive stage of anxiety that causes her to develop problems with building a home and taking care of her relationships.

K-spa at first didn’t make me question too much. I even contemplated not finishing it. But, once I started seeing how cleverly Emily was exploring the central theme, I was hooked once again. Of course, this is the central theme of the book but this is an essay that explores it in a completely different light. We get to understand what Emily goes through every time she is seen as just a “manequin”. How she loses herself in a way when she almost can’t differentiate where she is when her body is working to sell clothes. What is privacy? What does it mean? Privacy to Emily at that time is not being completely alone but, to not be seen and watched by people when she is showing her body, when she is comfortable in her nakedness. I think this tied in the book fantastically, it showed how her body is not only in her modelling life but she also has to live with this constant fear of not being empowered every single day.

I loved this book and I think it’s a very important book that really wants people to think. Stop looking for easy laid down answers and start thinking about questions that you should be exploring. This might be the ultimate solution instead. Emily has done a fantastic job and I cannot wait to keep exploring this topic and questioning what my body is to me.

Why is Before the Coffee gets Cold so popular? - Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Four touching stories that take place in the same magic café. This book became popular because it was heartwarming, innovative and short. Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells a story of a café where you can travel through time if you follow their rules, one being that you must return before the coffee gets cold.

This story is essentially a fun way to show 4 different types of relationships with a fun twist being the coffee and the magic. It is short, around 210 pages and it has straightforward language which ends up making it easy to read in just a day.

These stories are all connected through the café and even the characters that are in that café, which I have always appreciated a lot. I love that you can come back to the same storyline but each chapter you get a different glimpse into the magic and their background stories.

Kawaguchi really does a good job with this book and its characters as you slowly fall in love with every single one of them. They are all lovely and really convincing, each having a unique personality and background.

However, this book cut short in one thing, the action or rather, the drama. I wish I could have gotten an extra few pages in each story for the story to be explored further. This eventually ended up being what made this book almost boring. I still enjoyed the stories and the characters but I felt like there was something missing. I wish that Kawaguchi could have added a 100 pages just to make these stories longer and more interesting. I am not saying that the stories by themselves were not touching but, they were lacking some more space to explore.

I do have to say that my favourite of all the stories was the second one. It made me sob hard as it was so beautifully written and full of emotion. I wish the rest of the stories could have been closer to this one.

This book is another collection to my Japanese shelf that I have enjoyed. However, I will not be reading the second part to the story any time soon as I think there are many other Japanese authors that I have enjoyed better.

Why Klara and the Sun is so wonderful - Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro is no stranger to praise. With his new release Klara and the Sun everyone who had read his previous work was impatient to read the Nobel Prize in Literature winner’s new work. Klara and the Sun is a work of art that explores themes such as family, friendship and growing old as well as human existence, climate change and technology advances. Klara, the robot is bought by Josie to become her companion and consequently her friend.

This is a heartwarming story that we get to explore through Klara’s eyes, we see a story through a non-human mind. This gives the reader a new insight into the human world, we see it as an outsider just like Klara. We see how humans are so angry, strange and how they destroy the world. We even see the strange social communications that take place in this story and throughout the world.

This is a story of a robot that loves a human girl and they become friends. This is also a story of a robot who tries to safe her friend from a horrible disease. This is also a story of growing up and leaving childhood behind. Overall this is a story about how love can work in so many different ways; family, friendship and relationships.

Happy endings not always have to be about ending up with the love of your life or surviving the illness. Ishiguro shows how a happy ending is just being happy even if it means you leave your home and start a new life. Klara ends up happy for Josie even if she is no longer useful as an AF but she knows she has done her best.

This is a book I one day want to revisit to remind myself of how a life with ups and downs does not mean that is a sad ending, you can always get up and get better and be happy. This book remind me of my happiness and the people and things that make me happy.

Is Beautiful World, where are you, that Beautiful? - Sally Rooney

Beautiful World, where are you, follows two best friends who are separated and who communicate through emails. They are both in a journey to understand themselves and to find love. In this novel we explore politics, friendship, family and of course love. Alice, the main character, is a mirrored image of Sally, a writer with two book, rich and unhappy. She communicates with Eileen who is finding love with a childhood friend Simon. While Alice starts to fall in love with her Tinder match, Felix. This therefore is a double romance novel, trying to find love with both of the friends.

To answer my question, yes, it is beautiful. But I think that’s where it almost ends. Sally Rooney’s writing in her new novel is superb, she has managed to improve her writing style and bewitch me with her almost perfect narration and description of the natural world.

Finishing any of her novels I always feel like I cannot rate it more than a four star mark. This one was no different. Her novels are character based works but I still felt like the character of Simon was completely underdeveloped. I could almost say he was a boring and uninteresting character. When reading his story I felt like something made no sense and even I felt like he was a kind of creep.

Felix in the other hand I found extremely interesting. I am not saying I liked his character because I did not. But, he did have strong personality traits that really just pushed the story forward multiple times throughout the book. Felix is intrusive, sometimes mean and an overall exciting character. You never expect his next move and how he is going to react to Alice.

Eileen is an okay character. I never found her very interesting or an enjoyable character. All her character thinks about is Simon who, as I said, is not the most interesting so, eventually I felt like I was getting quite bored with their story.

Alice is of course a portrayal of Sally Rooney, she has many layers and depth and I have to recognise that the story between her and Felix felt more readable. She falls in love with him but he doesn’t react the best way. She a famous, very rich, like very, writer, (we get it Sally), who has published two books but feels like she can’t write anymore because she has no ideas.

Something that I enjoyed about both Normal People and Conversation with Friends was all the conversations that the different characters could have about politics or interesting every day debates. These were integrated in the story and felt natural to read. But we don’t see this in Beautiful World, where are you, we are just thrown into a rabbit hole of Rooney’s thoughts and ideologies.

The ending was not exciting, leaving my last hope in the middle of the book. This book was so overhyped that I felt like it would become a new classic or new favourite but it has just turned out to be just another contemporary novel. Overall, I still prefer Normal People over her new novel but I do have to agree that her writing is beautiful and I will continue to read her books.

Evelyn Hugo, a fake Celebrity in everyone’s hearts - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Tiktok and instagram have bombarded me with this book. I ended up accepting my fate and I bought the book. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has been a new modern classic in my little library since I finished reading it. It has captured my heart like many others before me and I can’t wait to share how I feel about Evelyn on this article.

Evelyn Hugo is a well-known celebrity in this world where our narrator lives. She gets to interview her and write her biography but, she can only release it once Evelyn dies. This book is not a love story for me it is rather a mystery where we find out why Monique, this young journalist, gets to be the one to write Evelyn Hugo. But the real mystery lies in front of our eyes; we have to find out who the real villain in Evelyn life is. We read Evelyn’s life story only to find out that she is the real villain in her own story. Taylor Jenkins Reid is true mystery writer. The clues lie in front of us when we read but the real truth is only revealed at the end.

We go through Evelyn Hugo’s life through the timeline of her husbands. We get to find out who the love of her life was and the reasons for all her dramas. The writing if full of emotion and it fast paced which leaves you with hunger after every word. We connect with the characters and we fall in love with her life stories as time goes own. This book explores themes of growing up, family and love through the lenses of one single person and we can’t seem to get enough of this fake celebrity.

Further on we read about other themes such as sexism, homophobia and domestic abuse. We get to see this through Evelyn, a strong woman who has to go through the prejudice of the whole world, which is a great example of what woman in her industry, and many others, have to go through every day.

The praise in this book is endless but I must say that it is not perfect. Even though I have enjoyed this book and I will continue to recommend it, I do have to say that some parts were less exciting than I expected. Taylor Jenkins Reid is exceedingly good at story telling but in some parts specially towards the start and the ending, I felt like there were some plot holes I couldn’t ignore. The start for me was dreadful and the ending felt uncohesive.

This book will now be a classic read that I will recommend to whoever loves to read. Taylor Jenkins Reid has been a new discovery and I can’t wait to see what her journey will bring.

Don’t you wish you were in The house in the Cerulean sea? - TJ Kune

A gay love story, a found family and a fantasy world. This wonderful story captures your heart from the start, it’s charming, heartfelt and just beautiful but still comes from a dark and sad story. TJ Klune captures my heart and many others and creates a beautiful story that will for ever be one of my favourites.

The story revolves around the clumsy Linus Baker, the lovely Mr Baker who works for the organisation DICOMY who is in charge of the protection (or rather the control) of magical youth. He is sweaty, clumsy, rather big and poorly respected in his own company. He is however very good at his job and therefore sent to a special mission to one of the orphanages. this orphanage is special, possibly dangerous? But, they’re are kids right? Well because of the discrimination that these kids have to go through, this orphanage has to be kept in secret with the six children, the master and the housekeeper being kept in a far-away island. Linus has to stay there for a month and recollect information on the children and the mysterious master of the orphanage.

Linus is hesitant at first, he believes that he has to be impartial when writing the reports. Mr Baker, to his surprise, forms an unforgettable bond with the children and ultimately falls in love with the master. TJ Klune creates unforgettable characters that all have a special place in my heart and Linus’ heart. Every kid has their own back story and own strong personality. A new family for Linus and a beautiful ending to the story.

TJ Klune has not only created one of my favourite books but he has also created a story where discrimination, acceptance and love is portrayed. With a touch of light he has discussed a hard topic that most people could find disturbing. The ending is happy and a good ending but it does not oversimplify the fact that discrimination is hard to overcome so, he shows how hard it is through a positive view.

This novel is filled with hope and love and I would recommend this book to anybody that loves fantasy. I would also recommend this book to anyone who loves to read love stories. this book not only shows the love that Linus has for the children but also for Mr Parnassus. I hope to read every TJ Klune book that he comes out with and i hope this book gets the love it deserves.

A book everyone should read; Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is a work of art that takes us through the very special life and adventure of Kim living in South Korea and exposes the difficulties she has to face living in a society run by men. The character might be any woman in society. It does not necessarily have to be about Kim Jiyoung, she is just the lens we use to understand and see this world some of us might experience similarly. But what makes this book a star is a fact that this whole story is through a therapist's eyes. The writer makes us believe that this story might change the therapist's perspective but it just ends up showing us that even though woman works hard to protect themselves they will always be oppressed if the rest of the public doesn’t change.

The writing is straightforward thus, accessible to all. This book has to be read by everyone. I not only show what Kim Jiyoung goes through but also what women have to experience daily. It is a powerful text. It seems informative rather than a fiction piece. Cho Nam-Joo even goes further with this experience as he actually uses real data in footnotes. This just not only shows how the story is real but it also makes the points stronger and hence possibly more influential to the readers and even the critics.

But this book is not only an informative novel but, also a heartwarming and entertaining story. Kim Jiyoung is building her life in a misogynistic society. We grow up with her, we go through all the stages of her life and hence all the different ways sexism can be portrayed. Kim Jiyoung is a powerful woman who is still affected by the sexism that she encountered. This is what changes her and what makes her go to a point when she can’t handle it and therefore she is not capable of keep on living this way.

This book has taught me a lot. Women in South Korea go through so much and they just have to cope with it and live with it. It is an educational feminist novel that is meant for both women and men to understand. The writer is capable of blending political and social views making an extremely convincing argument. It has captured many people, including me, and I can't wait for it to capture many more. It is most effective and Jiyoung is not a raging feminist and she does not voice her opinion, she is rather a passive and quiet individual who explodes.

It also shows us how sexism does not necessarily have to be violence or massive acts against women but the small things that build up against us behind the surface. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 follows a normal story, one that many might be able to relate with, without having have noticed that might have affected them throughout time.

Cho Nam-Joo does not have to voice her opinion too loudly, her point comes across way stronger than maybe another type of text might have done. You understand and emphasise with her as you grow up next to her. You understand her pain and you want to help her through the pages. it is impossible and you are heartbroken but, you have learnt that there is so much pain within her and many other women. Cho Nam-Joo has broken your heart and you have fallen in love with this book. This is the effect that will make you understand why this book must be read.

Therefore, you must read this book to understand its powerful words. It’s not a feminist novel because it is showing the problems women face but, because it’s making a difference showing us that the problem is what we face and how society is dealing with it. It’s a feminist novel because you learn and you understand. It’s a feminist novel because it’s true.