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emmazucati's reviews
316 reviews
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I received a free ebook via NetGalley via Berkley Penguin Random House. All my thoughts are my own.
CW for the book include domestic and familial physical and emotional abuse. It's Norse family so I think pretty typical for the genre but I don't have a huge frame of reference.
I think mythology is a wonderful genre in the way that it puts you in the middle of a story that feels a bit like magic that the reader can almost touch. I think mythology lacks a bit in the dehumanizing of situations. I think The Witch's Heart fits both of these to a tee.
I loved the story. I liked how we went from the cave to a journey and how all the little foreshadows circled back. The story was incredibly well thought out and clearly researched. The universe felt both massive and small as characters came and went during Angrboda's time in the cave.
I also thought Gornichec did a really good job at making the Norse gods unique to her story. I don't know if it was intentional but, at this point, most pop culture education of Norse mythology is from plotlines from MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies. I was worried about making assumptions going into it, but even something as innocuous as reiterating Loki's blonde hair was enough of a reminder that I could really get into Gornichec's story and not worry about others. The time I spent in the cave with Angrboda, and then with her children left me very attached. At one point, I sobbed for like 10 minutes. I really fell into the book. I absolutely could not put it down.
I also loved how much of Angrboda's identity was in being a mom. While all women should obviously not feel forced into making their entire world their children, some women choose motherhood as their passion and I felt it was really well done here. I got a well rounded main character and lots of cute children moments, win win for me.
The attachment to Angrboda also led me to my biggest complaint though. I understand why immortal gods are going to treat mortal beings and their short lifecycle as superfluous and unimportant, but the absolute disregard for anyone's feelings or physical well being was a bit too much for me. Everyone was just so cruel to each other. Yes I sobbed because I loved Angrboda and I was angry on her behalf, but she forgave and kind of moved on so much faster. Between the inevitable prophecy and the gods, I was really emotionally exhausted by the end, and I'm not sure in a good way.
I had also just finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller a few books before this one so in the future I might try and put bigger gaps between mythology based books.
I think Gornichec could've done a better job taking care of her characters, and in turn her readers, but I think I would still recommend the book to others. Maybe with a bit more caution, especially if they're experiencing difficulty with a partner or family. It just left me a bit hopeless.
CW for the book include domestic and familial physical and emotional abuse. It's Norse family so I think pretty typical for the genre but I don't have a huge frame of reference.
I think mythology is a wonderful genre in the way that it puts you in the middle of a story that feels a bit like magic that the reader can almost touch. I think mythology lacks a bit in the dehumanizing of situations. I think The Witch's Heart fits both of these to a tee.
I loved the story. I liked how we went from the cave to a journey and how all the little foreshadows circled back. The story was incredibly well thought out and clearly researched. The universe felt both massive and small as characters came and went during Angrboda's time in the cave.
I also thought Gornichec did a really good job at making the Norse gods unique to her story. I don't know if it was intentional but, at this point, most pop culture education of Norse mythology is from plotlines from MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies. I was worried about making assumptions going into it, but even something as innocuous as reiterating Loki's blonde hair was enough of a reminder that I could really get into Gornichec's story and not worry about others. The time I spent in the cave with Angrboda, and then with her children left me very attached. At one point, I sobbed for like 10 minutes. I really fell into the book. I absolutely could not put it down.
I also loved how much of Angrboda's identity was in being a mom. While all women should obviously not feel forced into making their entire world their children, some women choose motherhood as their passion and I felt it was really well done here. I got a well rounded main character and lots of cute children moments, win win for me.
The attachment to Angrboda also led me to my biggest complaint though. I understand why immortal gods are going to treat mortal beings and their short lifecycle as superfluous and unimportant, but the absolute disregard for anyone's feelings or physical well being was a bit too much for me. Everyone was just so cruel to each other. Yes I sobbed because I loved Angrboda and I was angry on her behalf, but she forgave and kind of moved on so much faster. Between the inevitable prophecy and the gods, I was really emotionally exhausted by the end, and I'm not sure in a good way.
I had also just finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller a few books before this one so in the future I might try and put bigger gaps between mythology based books.
I think Gornichec could've done a better job taking care of her characters, and in turn her readers, but I think I would still recommend the book to others. Maybe with a bit more caution, especially if they're experiencing difficulty with a partner or family. It just left me a bit hopeless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
I received a free ebook via NetGalley via Berkley Penguin Random House. All my thoughts are my own.
Every single poem created such a tangible atmosphere. They didn't all invoke the same emotions, but Mans did such a beautiful job at making you feel after every one of them. Mans is not only incredibly self aware, but she so seamlessly puts herself into other people's shoes as well. I'm grateful she chose to share all of it with the world.
This collection had life. The good, the bad, the ugly, it's all there. Her word tree at the end was especially touching. She took fundamental aspects of herself and her life and created a wonderful collection.
I'm really grateful to this giveaway because I don't think I would've picked this up otherwise. I'm not a big poetry person but I appreciate the opportunity to see other ways people choose to express themselves. I don't remember enough from AP Lit to analyze the prose or dissect the figurative language, but I found the language beautiful and never lacking.
Mans did not hold back when approaching difficult topics so take care of yourself as you read this.
Every single poem created such a tangible atmosphere. They didn't all invoke the same emotions, but Mans did such a beautiful job at making you feel after every one of them. Mans is not only incredibly self aware, but she so seamlessly puts herself into other people's shoes as well. I'm grateful she chose to share all of it with the world.
This collection had life. The good, the bad, the ugly, it's all there. Her word tree at the end was especially touching. She took fundamental aspects of herself and her life and created a wonderful collection.
I'm really grateful to this giveaway because I don't think I would've picked this up otherwise. I'm not a big poetry person but I appreciate the opportunity to see other ways people choose to express themselves. I don't remember enough from AP Lit to analyze the prose or dissect the figurative language, but I found the language beautiful and never lacking.
Mans did not hold back when approaching difficult topics so take care of yourself as you read this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Sexual violence
The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories about Facing the Unknown by Catherine Burns
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
I really enjoyed this. I didn't grow up with a lot of Chicken Soup for the Soul but I did have one book that I remember rereading often and this really reminded me of that experience. I think it's a beautiful thing to reflect on stories about our lives, big and small. Wanting to share bits of ourselves with others is something so human. I want to exist in spaces that The Moth provides.
My biggest critique is that it had too many "important" and highly educated people. Sure, celebrities and public speakers and people that have been published should be present. I would've like to have also seen teachers and truck drivers and grocery store clerks invited. It's easy to get a story from someone who studies space or the human brain. I would have found this curation more impressive, and worldly, if it had felt like everyone was at the table.
My biggest critique is that it had too many "important" and highly educated people. Sure, celebrities and public speakers and people that have been published should be present. I would've like to have also seen teachers and truck drivers and grocery store clerks invited. It's easy to get a story from someone who studies space or the human brain. I would have found this curation more impressive, and worldly, if it had felt like everyone was at the table.
The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Adrienne and Gilbert were definitely my favorite. I just loved Adrienne so much. The humanity and life Lin-Manuel Miranda brought to Hamilton came through here too. There's something about the 1700s that requires a special touch to invigorate the story, and Day definitely got it right. Adrienne had to be so self aware without being unfeeling and her strength was raw and full of emotion.
I was not a big fan of Beatrice, for whatever reason her voice just didn't come through for me. Her superiority got to me and I felt like her story was the least supported. Her good work was only mentioned in terms of numbers so I never felt the actual impact of her work. Logically, I know she helped war efforts, but her relationship issues far overshadowed her progress in a way the other two women were able to avoid. Especially with her superiority complex and need to prove she rose above. When her actions turned selfish at times, I cared less about how much they helped the soldiers.
Marthe's story I found to be the most exciting and developed. She had such a journey and I was happy to ride it out with her. I also want to bring attention to this being a story about a Frenchwoman in WWII. There's a WWII genre subset of American and English female spies, even going so far as to have British/American women that grew up with a French grandmother so they have the accent. Not so much actual Frenchwomen getting the starring role in the novel. I loved this perspective and hope to find more of it, now that I know to look. My biggest gripe is her origin story, and the inevitable connection to Beatrice (this was my main sticking point with Beatrice's story too). It was weak and then only mentioned when convenient such that it was a disservice to Marthe's character.
I also loved the variety of men in these stories. They complimented the individual women well and held their own, all in admirable ways. Shout out to my main man Yves.
Unfortunately, the novel was a bit dull. The arcs were interesting and the character development was thoughtful, but there were entire chapters of frivolous conversation. I enjoyed Beatrice's friendship and Adrienne's interactions with royalty, but I don't think we needed quite as much as was there for the story. It brought the characters down a bit and made them feel more flippant than I felt warranted. It provided a good arc to the intricacies of the lives the women led, there just might be shorter ways to show it as opposed to telling it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was 3 stars during most of it, solely because it really slowed down in the middle, but the endings wrapped up well and that got me to 3.5. What pushed it to a 4 for me was the short bit at the end where Dray talked about where fact met fiction. It showed such a depth and attention to detail that I appreciated the whole book so much more for it. I would definitely recommend it with a disclaimer that it might take a bit to get through, but these women are definitely worth it in the end.
I was not a big fan of Beatrice, for whatever reason her voice just didn't come through for me. Her superiority got to me and I felt like her story was the least supported. Her good work was only mentioned in terms of numbers so I never felt the actual impact of her work. Logically, I know she helped war efforts, but her relationship issues far overshadowed her progress in a way the other two women were able to avoid. Especially with her superiority complex and need to prove she rose above. When her actions turned selfish at times, I cared less about how much they helped the soldiers.
Marthe's story I found to be the most exciting and developed. She had such a journey and I was happy to ride it out with her. I also want to bring attention to this being a story about a Frenchwoman in WWII. There's a WWII genre subset of American and English female spies, even going so far as to have British/American women that grew up with a French grandmother so they have the accent. Not so much actual Frenchwomen getting the starring role in the novel. I loved this perspective and hope to find more of it, now that I know to look. My biggest gripe is her origin story, and the inevitable connection to Beatrice (this was my main sticking point with Beatrice's story too). It was weak and then only mentioned when convenient such that it was a disservice to Marthe's character.
I also loved the variety of men in these stories. They complimented the individual women well and held their own, all in admirable ways. Shout out to my main man Yves.
Unfortunately, the novel was a bit dull. The arcs were interesting and the character development was thoughtful, but there were entire chapters of frivolous conversation. I enjoyed Beatrice's friendship and Adrienne's interactions with royalty, but I don't think we needed quite as much as was there for the story. It brought the characters down a bit and made them feel more flippant than I felt warranted. It provided a good arc to the intricacies of the lives the women led, there just might be shorter ways to show it as opposed to telling it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was 3 stars during most of it, solely because it really slowed down in the middle, but the endings wrapped up well and that got me to 3.5. What pushed it to a 4 for me was the short bit at the end where Dray talked about where fact met fiction. It showed such a depth and attention to detail that I appreciated the whole book so much more for it. I would definitely recommend it with a disclaimer that it might take a bit to get through, but these women are definitely worth it in the end.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I've read all five in the series so it's hard not to just compare them to each other but I think this is a 3/5 in its own right. More like a 3.5 because I happily continued the series after this. My opinion is pretty on par with everyone else's (Drew's jealousy is a little oof, communication is the biggest sore point) so I wanted to also mention things I liked/didn't like in this one that permeates the whole series.
Liked:
The friendships. They passed the Bechdel Test, which is not something I necessarily expect from a romance novel, but I love to see. I liked how they all genuinely cared about each other. It didn't feel excessive or like Guillory was just setting up future books. Natural, and what you see in real life.
The romance. I'm a sucker for grand gestures and cute dates.
Didn't like:
The fixation on food. Every book had its own 'food item' (this one was donuts) that the main character unapologetically constantly ate. I'm a big fan of body positivity and junk food, but when one person regularly consumes that many donuts, it honestly makes me a little nauseous. Like a dozen in a day. And multiple days. That's just too much sugar for one person. It became the difference between me eating an entire Ben and Jerry's 2-3 times a month, or every other day.
Time jumps. From one paragraph to another we would skip 2 hours, 18 hours, or a week. With not a lot of rhyme or reason. It happened consistently enough, and in all four books, that I feel like I should mention it.
Liked:
The friendships. They passed the Bechdel Test, which is not something I necessarily expect from a romance novel, but I love to see. I liked how they all genuinely cared about each other. It didn't feel excessive or like Guillory was just setting up future books. Natural, and what you see in real life.
The romance. I'm a sucker for grand gestures and cute dates.
Didn't like:
The fixation on food. Every book had its own 'food item' (this one was donuts) that the main character unapologetically constantly ate. I'm a big fan of body positivity and junk food, but when one person regularly consumes that many donuts, it honestly makes me a little nauseous. Like a dozen in a day. And multiple days. That's just too much sugar for one person. It became the difference between me eating an entire Ben and Jerry's 2-3 times a month, or every other day.
Time jumps. From one paragraph to another we would skip 2 hours, 18 hours, or a week. With not a lot of rhyme or reason. It happened consistently enough, and in all four books, that I feel like I should mention it.
Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm struggling a bit to buy into the ending and the forgiving of secrets, but I respect that others see this "good" secrets that end up as romantic gestures as cute and wholesome. Just not my vibe, and I think there could've been a bit more nuance and care. The story just felt a little sloppy and rushed around the edges. I love romance novels and all the tropes and quirks that come with them, but it felt a bit more like the author threw a few darts and picked whatever they landed on, as opposed to putting care and thoughtfulness into the decisions (opening a restaurant dream, no sex rule, hippy therapist). I liked it enough that I plan to read the third one, it's just not at the topic of my recommendations pile.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I received a free ebook via NetGalley via Berkley Penguin Random House. All my thoughts are my own.
Everything about it was just so good. I think a good romance novel becomes great when the author cares more about the people than the love story. It makes the love story better because you're rooting for the love and the life success of the characters. The friendships Poppy has and how she views her own value being more important in the beginning than setting up for cheesy tropes (that definitely appeared later that I definitely loved) made the whole arc of the story so much more meaningful.
Speaking of which, the honesty Poppy has with herself is admirable and realistic. At times I wished we also got Alex's perspective on events, but by the end I much preferred Poppy as the sole narrator because you got to know her so intimately as she found herself throughout the book. I especially loved how she was upfront about her privilege while having valid complaints about her life and how she felt stuck. The character development was done with a lot of care about what millennial culture is and isn't as well as one person's experience with it.
Back to Poppy's friendship with her best friend, I LOVED the social media influencer side plot. It wasn't overwhelming, and again, it was so honest while still considering the fact that it was one person's individual experience. No one was being shoved into a mold or stereotype. And the lady boss??? Promoting good work culture while still having expectations of your employees??? Obsessed.
And the romance!! So much love for this book and I haven't even gotten to the actual love. Poppy felt such raw emotions and held them out for all to see. She reacted to them but still cared for those around her. She read people and reacted off of their vibes and sometimes she was wrong or selfish in her choices but she worked to be thoughtful and it was all just so human. I think it's also what made their banter so perfect. It was the perfect blend of adorable and snarky, with (again!!!) kindness and thoughtfulness towards the other. And neither of them were perfect! Poppy got a little mean and Alex was a little uptight but they wanted to get along because there was so much respect there.
Plus, all the best tropes were there, in one way or another. Friends to lovers, pining, pretend relationship, shared bed, too damn hot, grand gesture.
And finally, my main man Alex. I usually love the male lead in romance novels, but Alex really went above and beyond. I could feel the puppy dog face every time it came up, and I was just as defenseless as Poppy. It's much more common to have a grumpy character who doesn't want to engage in the situation they're stuck with. So to have someone so grumpy, yet so willing to exist in these vacation worlds Poppy has cultivated, was an absolutely lovely time. And he wanted self improvement for the sake of self improvement!!! Incredible.
In short, this is both the perfect and worst book to read when your boyfriend is a state away during a worldwide pandemic in the month of both your anniversary and Valentine's Day.
Everything about it was just so good. I think a good romance novel becomes great when the author cares more about the people than the love story. It makes the love story better because you're rooting for the love and the life success of the characters. The friendships Poppy has and how she views her own value being more important in the beginning than setting up for cheesy tropes (that definitely appeared later that I definitely loved) made the whole arc of the story so much more meaningful.
Speaking of which, the honesty Poppy has with herself is admirable and realistic. At times I wished we also got Alex's perspective on events, but by the end I much preferred Poppy as the sole narrator because you got to know her so intimately as she found herself throughout the book. I especially loved how she was upfront about her privilege while having valid complaints about her life and how she felt stuck. The character development was done with a lot of care about what millennial culture is and isn't as well as one person's experience with it.
Back to Poppy's friendship with her best friend, I LOVED the social media influencer side plot. It wasn't overwhelming, and again, it was so honest while still considering the fact that it was one person's individual experience. No one was being shoved into a mold or stereotype. And the lady boss??? Promoting good work culture while still having expectations of your employees??? Obsessed.
And the romance!! So much love for this book and I haven't even gotten to the actual love. Poppy felt such raw emotions and held them out for all to see. She reacted to them but still cared for those around her. She read people and reacted off of their vibes and sometimes she was wrong or selfish in her choices but she worked to be thoughtful and it was all just so human. I think it's also what made their banter so perfect. It was the perfect blend of adorable and snarky, with (again!!!) kindness and thoughtfulness towards the other. And neither of them were perfect! Poppy got a little mean and Alex was a little uptight but they wanted to get along because there was so much respect there.
Plus, all the best tropes were there, in one way or another. Friends to lovers, pining, pretend relationship, shared bed, too damn hot, grand gesture.
And finally, my main man Alex. I usually love the male lead in romance novels, but Alex really went above and beyond. I could feel the puppy dog face every time it came up, and I was just as defenseless as Poppy. It's much more common to have a grumpy character who doesn't want to engage in the situation they're stuck with. So to have someone so grumpy, yet so willing to exist in these vacation worlds Poppy has cultivated, was an absolutely lovely time. And he wanted self improvement for the sake of self improvement!!! Incredible.
In short, this is both the perfect and worst book to read when your boyfriend is a state away during a worldwide pandemic in the month of both your anniversary and Valentine's Day.