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books_with_tutusandsons's Reviews (438)
My last holiday read for this year was Kevin Kwan's Sex & Vanity. And I have to say, no better book to say goodbye to the beach. I loved Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and I wasn't sure what can I expect from this one. ⠀
But I shouldn't not be afraid cause Kwan is an excellent writer, and the best in describing luxurious and frivolous lives of rich and famous. Yes the writing is over the top. Yes, at moments it feels like you're reading the Vouge. But I just love the way he makes little sarcastic side notes and the way he makes his characters so hideous and exaggerated. Also, there are hints of family microaggressions and racism subtly put in the story, so while at first it feels like a light and superficial read, it is actually much more than that. ⠀⠀
This is a love story. Kinda. It's actually a posh retelling of the story "A room with a view", which I sadly didn't read. Yet, at least. I enjoyed the settings in New York and the island of Capri. I cherished all the different characters and the chemistry between Lucy and George was amazing. The only thing I minded is that Lucy wasn't actually really a likable character (though it comes to no surprise considering the society she grew up being part of), and that we actually get to know so little about George who does seem like an amazing character to read more about! ⠀
I heard this one is also planned as a trilogy so I am really looking forward to see where will the story continue.
But I shouldn't not be afraid cause Kwan is an excellent writer, and the best in describing luxurious and frivolous lives of rich and famous. Yes the writing is over the top. Yes, at moments it feels like you're reading the Vouge. But I just love the way he makes little sarcastic side notes and the way he makes his characters so hideous and exaggerated. Also, there are hints of family microaggressions and racism subtly put in the story, so while at first it feels like a light and superficial read, it is actually much more than that. ⠀⠀
This is a love story. Kinda. It's actually a posh retelling of the story "A room with a view", which I sadly didn't read. Yet, at least. I enjoyed the settings in New York and the island of Capri. I cherished all the different characters and the chemistry between Lucy and George was amazing. The only thing I minded is that Lucy wasn't actually really a likable character (though it comes to no surprise considering the society she grew up being part of), and that we actually get to know so little about George who does seem like an amazing character to read more about! ⠀
I heard this one is also planned as a trilogy so I am really looking forward to see where will the story continue.
3.5/4
Homegoing is actually a collection of stories that follows the descendants of two estranged sisters Effia and Esi, and it stretches in timeframe of about 300 years. We meet a lot of characters in different places in life, starting in Africa in 1700s and ending in America in present time. From small huts in rural Africa to crowded streets of Harlem, we follow their ups and downs, their relationships and loves, their struggiling to find a way of life that suits them and a place they fit in. It is an extremly sad book, cause it shows the way that men in power always have designed the destiny of the weaker ones, and it discusses slavery, rape, drug abuse, child molesting...These people fall down and try to get up only to be pushed down again. Some of them do manage to find the 'right' way, so it kinda gives us some hope for things to be good in the end. ⠀
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What I didnt like is that the stories were short and you didnt really get to care about the characters. As Im an extremely emotional reader, this was the thing that bugged me the most. I did love how the ending wrapped thigns up in a kind of a closed circle and that it showed how every step and decision in our ancestors lives has brought us right up to the place we are now. ⠀
Homegoing is actually a collection of stories that follows the descendants of two estranged sisters Effia and Esi, and it stretches in timeframe of about 300 years. We meet a lot of characters in different places in life, starting in Africa in 1700s and ending in America in present time. From small huts in rural Africa to crowded streets of Harlem, we follow their ups and downs, their relationships and loves, their struggiling to find a way of life that suits them and a place they fit in. It is an extremly sad book, cause it shows the way that men in power always have designed the destiny of the weaker ones, and it discusses slavery, rape, drug abuse, child molesting...These people fall down and try to get up only to be pushed down again. Some of them do manage to find the 'right' way, so it kinda gives us some hope for things to be good in the end. ⠀
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What I didnt like is that the stories were short and you didnt really get to care about the characters. As Im an extremely emotional reader, this was the thing that bugged me the most. I did love how the ending wrapped thigns up in a kind of a closed circle and that it showed how every step and decision in our ancestors lives has brought us right up to the place we are now. ⠀
I would have never read this book if I hadn't promised to a friend I am going to read it. During the first two chapters I was thinking, why am I doing this to myself?! Though, as the story started to reveal I got addicted to it. It is an extremely weird book, the characters are insanely twisted and the plot, well....all I have to say that the author's imagination is something special. It is wild, it is unexpected in all the ways, it is hectic and delirious. But then again, in it you will find a deep insight on the perspective of beauty and fashion industry, humanity in general and the superficial nature of all of us. ⠀
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It is so much more than it seems in the begining, and the storyline presented is just a top of an iceberg. Hidden underneath are deeper topics that can be thought about and widely discussed, and I think its actually a perfect book for book clubs and readalongs. And from the first to the last page of it, trust me, nothing at all is what it seems to be. ⠀
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It is so much more than it seems in the begining, and the storyline presented is just a top of an iceberg. Hidden underneath are deeper topics that can be thought about and widely discussed, and I think its actually a perfect book for book clubs and readalongs. And from the first to the last page of it, trust me, nothing at all is what it seems to be. ⠀
I was really looking forward to reading this book, not only because its synopsis seemed interesting enough but also because it was written by Kirstin Hannah, who is like a no miss author. But, this was kind of a miss though. At least for me. ⠀
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It was not all that bad, I have to say - it is a nice love story about finding what was lost along the way and second chances in life. But the first thing I minded was that it made me feel old. I am not a peachy flower myself, being closer to 40 than 30, but damn, I still feel quite young (though I do admit there is a chance that I am mistaken
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It was not all that bad, I have to say - it is a nice love story about finding what was lost along the way and second chances in life. But the first thing I minded was that it made me feel old. I am not a peachy flower myself, being closer to 40 than 30, but damn, I still feel quite young (though I do admit there is a chance that I am mistaken
4.5 stars
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How many times we as parents try to raise our kids to grow up different than us? More sociable, more educated, more skilled, more likeable? To give them opportunities to experience more? To have more? How many times do we make decisions for them in order for them to have a better life than we did? And how many of these times do we think about them in the process? Is that what they really want? Or they are just trying to please us or even go the completely opposite way of our wants just bacause they feel pressured? ⠀
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This is the stuff this book talks about. About a mixed chinese-american marriage, about standing out and fitting in, about finding a place in society, about shattered dreams and family dynamics. About too much burden on a kids back and an accident that ends badly. ⠀
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Its a quick but captivating read and I truly recommend reading it to every parent out here. It is hard at places, but it will make you think about your own actions and its possible concequences. Parenting is a slippery slope, and its so easy to make mistakes, even with the best intentions. ⠀
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How many times we as parents try to raise our kids to grow up different than us? More sociable, more educated, more skilled, more likeable? To give them opportunities to experience more? To have more? How many times do we make decisions for them in order for them to have a better life than we did? And how many of these times do we think about them in the process? Is that what they really want? Or they are just trying to please us or even go the completely opposite way of our wants just bacause they feel pressured? ⠀
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This is the stuff this book talks about. About a mixed chinese-american marriage, about standing out and fitting in, about finding a place in society, about shattered dreams and family dynamics. About too much burden on a kids back and an accident that ends badly. ⠀
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Its a quick but captivating read and I truly recommend reading it to every parent out here. It is hard at places, but it will make you think about your own actions and its possible concequences. Parenting is a slippery slope, and its so easy to make mistakes, even with the best intentions. ⠀
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Well, I certainly didn't see this one coming! I have noticed it being often pictured on #bookstagram, and I did like the synopsis, but wasn't actually sure what I was getting into when I started reading it.⠀
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And what a journey did it make! The author describes small town Odessa, Texas in the 1970s oil surge so well you can almost feel the sun on your skin, taste the sand in the air, smell the oil on the men returning from work and hear the deafening silence in the air. ⠀
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This book evolves around the women of Odessa. Women made for more than the life they got. Women with minds open and strenght that amazes. Women that don't think that staying home raising kids is the only thing in life that is meant for them. Women that want to fight for the better future of their children. Women that have to deal with bigotry and prejudices every day. ⠀
It all starts with the rape of one 14yrs old. The man in town say that it was all her fault. Why would otherwise a little mexican girl step in a car of an adult stranger - she asked for it. Through stories od different women from the city we see the impact this event has on their lives. The fear they have to live with every day so they don't step on the toes of the wrong man. The way they have to fight for their daughters not to end up like them, knocked up at 14 or 17. The grief and the anger they were not allowed to feel. ⠀
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I have been feeling devastated and really claustrophobic after reading this book... And so furious. Furious with injustice, furious with indifference of society...and furious with what being a woman sometimes feel. Not only in Odessa,Texas 1970, but in the world, 2020. Not everywhere, not always, but still. The ending does offer us some hope though. Hope that maybe all can be better, that almost everything can heal. And that sometimes, you just need to keep on living. ⠀
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And what a journey did it make! The author describes small town Odessa, Texas in the 1970s oil surge so well you can almost feel the sun on your skin, taste the sand in the air, smell the oil on the men returning from work and hear the deafening silence in the air. ⠀
⠀
This book evolves around the women of Odessa. Women made for more than the life they got. Women with minds open and strenght that amazes. Women that don't think that staying home raising kids is the only thing in life that is meant for them. Women that want to fight for the better future of their children. Women that have to deal with bigotry and prejudices every day. ⠀
It all starts with the rape of one 14yrs old. The man in town say that it was all her fault. Why would otherwise a little mexican girl step in a car of an adult stranger - she asked for it. Through stories od different women from the city we see the impact this event has on their lives. The fear they have to live with every day so they don't step on the toes of the wrong man. The way they have to fight for their daughters not to end up like them, knocked up at 14 or 17. The grief and the anger they were not allowed to feel. ⠀
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I have been feeling devastated and really claustrophobic after reading this book... And so furious. Furious with injustice, furious with indifference of society...and furious with what being a woman sometimes feel. Not only in Odessa,Texas 1970, but in the world, 2020. Not everywhere, not always, but still. The ending does offer us some hope though. Hope that maybe all can be better, that almost everything can heal. And that sometimes, you just need to keep on living. ⠀
Well, this is again one of those books you dont know what to expect of. Starts so easy, with a vibe of something between Sex & The City and Bridget Jones's Diary, but half way through iit takes up a more serious note. What I didn't expect of this book is for it to be about coping with mental health issues. But it works out so well and just you start to get annoyed it builds up beautifuly.
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Queenie is a character you're either gonna instantly like or dislike. Talkative, loud, direct, but oh, so lost and confused. You will be frustrated with her choices, with her lack of self appreciation and need for acknowledgement and acceptance. For her clinging to her ex boyfriend and for her loose morals. I felt sorry for her by the middle of the book. And for all the girls she represents. For all the girls I've come to know in my life that had the feeling that the only thing they had to offer is their body. If you're a woman, there's a big chance that you have at least once experienced the feeling of being objectivised and the bitter taste of it. Along with the resentfulness and sickness that comes afterwards. Feeling you are worth nothing.
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But Queenie fights back. She finds her voice. She finds her strength. She learns to recognize her friends and family as the pilars she can hold on to. And trust me, you'd want to hear their stories too.
It's more to Queenie than we can all see at the begining of this book. And she's worth getting to know. Same as all the girls out there fighting the same battles. As the author itself says: "You're better than you think."⠀
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Queenie is a character you're either gonna instantly like or dislike. Talkative, loud, direct, but oh, so lost and confused. You will be frustrated with her choices, with her lack of self appreciation and need for acknowledgement and acceptance. For her clinging to her ex boyfriend and for her loose morals. I felt sorry for her by the middle of the book. And for all the girls she represents. For all the girls I've come to know in my life that had the feeling that the only thing they had to offer is their body. If you're a woman, there's a big chance that you have at least once experienced the feeling of being objectivised and the bitter taste of it. Along with the resentfulness and sickness that comes afterwards. Feeling you are worth nothing.
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But Queenie fights back. She finds her voice. She finds her strength. She learns to recognize her friends and family as the pilars she can hold on to. And trust me, you'd want to hear their stories too.
It's more to Queenie than we can all see at the begining of this book. And she's worth getting to know. Same as all the girls out there fighting the same battles. As the author itself says: "You're better than you think."⠀
Where do you see yourself in five years? Isn't this that dreadful question we all fear to appear on any job interview? But not only on a job interview...when it comes to life itself, its a tricky one, too.⠀
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It's sweet, it's sad, it's real. It reminds us that every day matters and you have to cease all of it with both hands. Sometimes we plan for the future, but unexpeced things happen, things we not only don't see coming, but things that throw us completely off our path. But, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. We evolve, we adapt, we change. We go through all of it.⠀
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This is not the rom-com it appears to be reading the synopsis. Also, it is not one of those "what if" stories. This is a story about love, yes, but also about friendship and values in life. I was a bit emotional while reading this, but nonetheless, a piece of advice - be sure to have some tissues near hand. ⠀
Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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It's sweet, it's sad, it's real. It reminds us that every day matters and you have to cease all of it with both hands. Sometimes we plan for the future, but unexpeced things happen, things we not only don't see coming, but things that throw us completely off our path. But, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. We evolve, we adapt, we change. We go through all of it.⠀
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This is not the rom-com it appears to be reading the synopsis. Also, it is not one of those "what if" stories. This is a story about love, yes, but also about friendship and values in life. I was a bit emotional while reading this, but nonetheless, a piece of advice - be sure to have some tissues near hand. ⠀
Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Well, what a sweet little gem this was. And sexy as hell, too! First though, I have to thank people from @valentine_pr for trusting me with the ARC of this book. It was a great honor, because I really have a great amount of respect for the author. ⠀
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The Player Next Door is a second chance hate to love contemporary romance, with steamy characters (firemen...hellooo?!) and witty dialogues. I loved the open sexuality of main women characters, as well as the chemistry between Shane and Scarett. The author @katucker_ said that given all of the things that caught us all up this year, she wanted to deliver something fluffy and light to lift our spirits. And she certainly managed to do it! ⠀
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I have to be honest though. It is not anything like The Simple Wild. Calla and Jonah are forever going to be up high on my best romance couples list, as well as the book itself, but... this one was so fun! ⠀
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Its a quick read, that will make a perfect beach assembley. And be warned, it could make you go blushing all the way if you think of reading it in public! :)⠀
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So, since its gonna be out tomorrow (June 16th), be sure to pick it up. I really loved it and it made me want to get my hand on as many of her books as I can (psst, I already have seven of them
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The Player Next Door is a second chance hate to love contemporary romance, with steamy characters (firemen...hellooo?!) and witty dialogues. I loved the open sexuality of main women characters, as well as the chemistry between Shane and Scarett. The author @katucker_ said that given all of the things that caught us all up this year, she wanted to deliver something fluffy and light to lift our spirits. And she certainly managed to do it! ⠀
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I have to be honest though. It is not anything like The Simple Wild. Calla and Jonah are forever going to be up high on my best romance couples list, as well as the book itself, but... this one was so fun! ⠀
⠀
Its a quick read, that will make a perfect beach assembley. And be warned, it could make you go blushing all the way if you think of reading it in public! :)⠀
⠀
So, since its gonna be out tomorrow (June 16th), be sure to pick it up. I really loved it and it made me want to get my hand on as many of her books as I can (psst, I already have seven of them