I made a mistake. I read West With Giraffes far too fast. I practically devoured it as though I were starving. And I haven’t had a drought of good books lately – A Little Life, Shadows of Pecan Hollow, and My Monticello were all excellent reads. But there was something incredibly wholesome and renewing about this one. The animals had myContinue reading “Review: West With Giraffes”
Tag Archives: literary fiction
Review: My Monticello
I’m usually not one for short story collections and anthologies, but oh my goodness did I adore My Monticello. A stunning collection of congruent commentaries on being black in Virginia, on the hypocrisy of white saviors, on the loaded history of Monticello and its original proprietor, My Monticello made a distinct impression on me. I loved the storyContinue reading “Review: My Monticello”
Review: Shadows of Pecan Hollow
WARNING: Here there be spoilers Thank you to Net Galley, William Morrow, and Caroline Frost for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.—The minute I read the description of Shadows of Pecan Hollow I was interested. When I read reviews comparing it to Where the Crawdads Sing and Valentine, two of my favorite 2021 reads, I was on aContinue reading “Review: Shadows of Pecan Hollow”
Review: A Little Life
WARNING: Here there be spoilers — My god. What a story, what a telling. A Little Life follows four college friends and roommates – JB, Willem, Malcolm, and Jude – as they navigate their lives and relationships in New York City. The story centers on Jude St. Francis, whose tragic and mysterious past is unknownContinue reading “Review: A Little Life”
Review: We Are Not Like Them
This book was heartbreaking. It’s a wonderful concept for a novel, written by two friends, one white and one black. It’s told from the perspective of Riley and Jen, two lifelong friends whose lives have drifted in different directions. Riley is an ambitious black journalist in Philadelphia, and Jen is a white woman pregnant withContinue reading “Review: We Are Not Like Them”
Review: Violeta
Thank you to Net Galley, Isabel Allende, and Ballantine Books for a copy of this ARC. — Oh my goodness, this book tore my heart to shreds. I was so taken by the characters, who really drove the story. Violeta is told as a narrative by the titular character, Violeta, to her grandson Camilo. TheContinue reading “Review: Violeta”
Review: The Great Alone
The Great Alone broke me down and built me back whole all in one fell swoop. This book was my second of Kristin Hannah’s, the first being The Four Winds. I gave The Four Winds a whole-hearted five stars. So, saying all that, I hold The Great Alone even closer in my heart than itsContinue reading “Review: The Great Alone”
Review: A River of Stars
I wasn’t wild about this book. It took me a bit to get into it and I never really connected with any of the characters. By the end of it, I was just ready to be done and on to my next read. One thing in particular I struggled with while reading A River ofContinue reading “Review: A River of Stars”
Review: Station Eleven
I was so excited to read Station Eleven. So excited. But this book let me down. It was completely anti-climactic, nothing felt at stake, no one seemed strongly motivated. I thought this book spent far too much time in the ‘present’ and spent far too little time in the post-apocalyptic setting. I was interested in the civilization inContinue reading “Review: Station Eleven”
Review: Once There Were Wolves
Where to begin with this book? I loved everything about it. I was fully immersed, yet it was a short read. I was gripped by the thriller-like aspect of the plot, yet moved to tears by McConaghy’s poetic writing style. I had a rare experience with this one – As soon as I closed itContinue reading “Review: Once There Were Wolves”
Emjay Reads 