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chloe_liese's reviews
232 reviews
How Not to Let Go by Emily Foster
5.0
This book intelligently, compassionately explored the often overlooked tension between loving someone and being able to make a relationship work with them. Maybe it’s because I love someone who’s experienced a monstrous family life like Charles, but I found both him and Annie highly relatable. She struggled with loving him and not wanting to fix him or push him to tackle his pain her way. I got that. I have hurt that way and said, “why aren’t I enough for you?” Which was of course overlooking the whole truth of just how difficult it is for people different from us to heal, and for us as their partners to honor and actively support their own path towards growth and closure.
I don’t know where other reviewers come at this with disappointment or feeling unable to relate, but maybe they’re unacquainted with this kind of hardship, or they don’t like a book that foregrounds it prominently. Perhaps this is a book meant for people whose hearts have broken, whose relationships have nearly capsized or totally crumbled before resurrecting, in the wake of family and childhood trauma, only after monumental personal effort. Charles didn’t strike me as adolescent—he struck me as a traumatized man struggling to face the extent of his trauma’s impact on his ability to live fully and love well. I found his honesty compelling because he was was constantly trying to make sense of it, and that inquiry led him to ascend the place he feared most and find the closure he needed to heal and love Annie as he wanted to.
I don’t know where other reviewers come at this with disappointment or feeling unable to relate, but maybe they’re unacquainted with this kind of hardship, or they don’t like a book that foregrounds it prominently. Perhaps this is a book meant for people whose hearts have broken, whose relationships have nearly capsized or totally crumbled before resurrecting, in the wake of family and childhood trauma, only after monumental personal effort. Charles didn’t strike me as adolescent—he struck me as a traumatized man struggling to face the extent of his trauma’s impact on his ability to live fully and love well. I found his honesty compelling because he was was constantly trying to make sense of it, and that inquiry led him to ascend the place he feared most and find the closure he needed to heal and love Annie as he wanted to.
salt. by Nayyirah Waheed
5.0
Soulful. Beautiful brevity. What an incredible collection of poems. I could read salt. over and over again, and each time encounter some new and healing profundity. I read this through KU but plan to buy, because this is the kind of little book of poetry you want close for those quiet mornings as you sip your coffee, to ground yourself, touch into your emotions and your headspace, and tackle the day with an open and tender heart.
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
5.0
CLo writes another perfectly quirky, unapologetically herself, wish she were real and your best friend kind of female protagonist. More so than most of their books though, this story truly extolled an awkward, hilarious, expressive, joyful woman. Enter Josh, who's been floating on the surface of relationships as he builds his career and makes plenty of time for his family, and you start to get the sense that Josh is missing out on truly living his life. Turns out Hazel is the breath of fresh air he never knew he always wanted. Refreshingly it's not the unconventional heroine in this story who needs to do the work to love and understand herself, but the straight-laced, ducks in a row guy who looks like he's got all his sh*t together. This was a delightfully original storyline for a RomCom; it made me laugh out loud, tear up, and sigh. The writing flowed and the banter was their classic, fast and fun repartee.
The quote that sums it all:
“I realize that finding the perfect person isn’t going to be easy for me because I’m a lot to take, but I’m not going to change just so that I’m more datable...at the end of the day, being myself is enough. I’m enough.”
That right there, folks, is what more Contemporary Romance needs—two people who already value themselves, give or take natural human insecurities; who don’t *need* a relationship to feel complete but *want* one that celebrates who they are. If you're knew to Christina Lauren (CLo), this is a wonderful introduction to their newer standalones which hit women's fiction lines a little more and play down the bedroom scenes. I'm more of a vintage CLo fan and prefer a bit more action and steam, but what does happen intimately in this book is well done, drives the plot forward and feels really true to who Josh and Hazel are. All the stars for this one.
The quote that sums it all:
“I realize that finding the perfect person isn’t going to be easy for me because I’m a lot to take, but I’m not going to change just so that I’m more datable...at the end of the day, being myself is enough. I’m enough.”
That right there, folks, is what more Contemporary Romance needs—two people who already value themselves, give or take natural human insecurities; who don’t *need* a relationship to feel complete but *want* one that celebrates who they are. If you're knew to Christina Lauren (CLo), this is a wonderful introduction to their newer standalones which hit women's fiction lines a little more and play down the bedroom scenes. I'm more of a vintage CLo fan and prefer a bit more action and steam, but what does happen intimately in this book is well done, drives the plot forward and feels really true to who Josh and Hazel are. All the stars for this one.
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
5.0
Poignant. Minimalist. Profound. Left me feeling and ruminating days after I finished. Reading this is like an aromatherapy bath, a walk through the woods, and a therapy session all in one. Cannot recommend enough.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
5.0
“It’s a troubling paradox—I have total control, but only to the extent I have control over myself.
My emotions.
My inner storm.
The secret engines that drive me.
If there are infinite worlds, how do I find the one that is uniquely, specifically mine?”
This book expertly interwove modern science’s most convoluted inquiries as well as complex and timeless philosophical questions of existence—what defines us? Is every choice we make one that inextricably shapes us and leaves an alternate “what if” in its wake? This book *flew* for me—gripping suspense, nail-biting close calls, dystopian and post-apocalyptic dreamscapes—and at the heart of it was a beautiful romantic narrative. Daniela and Jason begin the book with the wisp of dissatisfaction in the air around them, but by the end, we see they are ultimately fulfilled and exactly where they want to be as individuals and as a couple, because they chose the life that was authentic to them those 15 years ago. They chose what their heart wanted and what they wanted to shape their lives going forward—each other.
My emotions.
My inner storm.
The secret engines that drive me.
If there are infinite worlds, how do I find the one that is uniquely, specifically mine?”
This book expertly interwove modern science’s most convoluted inquiries as well as complex and timeless philosophical questions of existence—what defines us? Is every choice we make one that inextricably shapes us and leaves an alternate “what if” in its wake? This book *flew* for me—gripping suspense, nail-biting close calls, dystopian and post-apocalyptic dreamscapes—and at the heart of it was a beautiful romantic narrative. Daniela and Jason begin the book with the wisp of dissatisfaction in the air around them, but by the end, we see they are ultimately fulfilled and exactly where they want to be as individuals and as a couple, because they chose the life that was authentic to them those 15 years ago. They chose what their heart wanted and what they wanted to shape their lives going forward—each other.
Winston Graham Poldark Series 12 Books Collection Set by Winston Graham
5.0
These books portray a tempestuous time in European history amidst the breathtaking backdrop of Cornwall, England. Character development, dialogue, descriptive language, were all delivered with expert voice. Graham's writing is approachable, engaging, and oh-so natural. The story itself is full of drama, heart, historical tidbits, and fascinating details of Cornwall and its 18th-century mining economy. Set against English's society's instability of growing financial disparity between classes and Europe's political explosiveness as it bears down on the French Revolution, this book is an incredibly multifacted historical fiction. Romance, politics, adventure, family saga. It's all here in Poldark, an epic series that is truly a must-read for historical fiction lovers.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
5.0
This is my favorite audiobook I've read! I got even more out of the story and found a whole new appreciation for Lucy's running inner monologues and exaggerated metaphors. She read Josh's deadpan, shy demeanor perfectly, too. I have never preferred audio to hardcopy, but this is the exception!