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girlaboutlibrary's reviews
223 reviews
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab
2.0
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
"This Savage Song" has been blowing up #bookstagram for a while, and had a mile long waiting list at my library- so I knew I needed to pick up a copy and give it a shot! Typically, I read contemporary fiction that is written for adults- so "This Savage Song" was definitely outside of my comfort zone and I learned a lot about fantasy storytelling. But did I enjoy the book?
I am not usually a fantasy reader, and I think I've come to believe it is just not my genre- so you probably won't see too much of it here. I'm pretty prejudiced against it, so it means something when I say there were several things I liked about it.
First off, I'd read the sequel - which I think is a great test by the way if you are trying to decide whether you enjoyed a book. If there was a follow up, would you want more of these characters, more of this setting, more of this story? A lot of times for me the answer is no, but I enjoyed this book and Schwab's writing enough that I am interested to see where the story goes.
I enjoyed Kate and Augustus's characters and found their father relationships really interesting as well. Kate's father isn't the best, and as a reader I spent a lot of time wondering why in the hell Kate wanted to spend time with a father who is so obviously evil. Augustus on the other hand calls the man who he lives with, Henry, his dad - even though to most he wouldn't be. Augustus's dad is a helpful and kind person, sure, but Augustus hasn't known him but for a couple of years, and with him not actually being a human Henry isn't in anyway a biological father either. So the interplay of Kate, who highly regards her terrible father and Augustus who highly regards and trusts his "adoptive" father was intriguing.
The suspense of what would happen to Kate and Augustus was fun to read as well. I don't usually enjoy action scenes, but Schwab did an excellent job writing them so that were both easy to follow and not overly excessive.
Oh, where to start. For the sake of not sounding like a grumpy curmudgeon of an old lady, I fully acknowledge that a lot of the things that I didn't like about the book speak to my general dislike of fantasy and my being "old". I hate to be biased against a book just for being what it is, fantasy and YA.
But- in case there are other readers who had the same thoughts and are looking for moral support, my immediate thoughts after starting the book were - Holy shit, that girl just lit a church on fire! And then, what are the firebug and complain-y kid going to do together - this seems like an obvious disaster, right?
But mostly I was thinking - Why is this boy of an indeterminate age the obvious love interest in this story? I was a 17 year old girl once, not that long ago I might add- could I find a fourty year old guy attractive then, sure! Hell, the entire cast of One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek were pushing 30. Would me being interested in and hanging around a much older man be a readable storyline, eh, maybe. Should that much, much older man be interested in me- hells no! Does that story become better if he is 110- no. What if he is "ageless"- to me, nope. Ditto if you are a teenage boy and the girl is 110. I just can't even.
Um, also Augustus sews up Kate's torso after a conversation that pretty much amounted to - my father is a doctor, trust me. ( ?!?!?) Oh, your father- you mean that random that you live with? And how does that make you a person with enough medical knowledge to safely suture a large wound? Oh it doesn't- that's how.
YA books are amazing and fantasy is really neat- but they have a specific audience especially when they are combined. As an adult, I would not recommend this book to other adults unless they were specifically looking for YA fantasy, because this book is very much both of those! Which is great, but you really have to be wanting that in order to enjoy it. If you are part of the book blogger or bookstagram community though, I think this book is fun to read just to join in on the conversation! No need for FOMO, this book is definitely worth the time it took me to read it.
"This Savage Song" has been blowing up #bookstagram for a while, and had a mile long waiting list at my library- so I knew I needed to pick up a copy and give it a shot! Typically, I read contemporary fiction that is written for adults- so "This Savage Song" was definitely outside of my comfort zone and I learned a lot about fantasy storytelling. But did I enjoy the book?
I am not usually a fantasy reader, and I think I've come to believe it is just not my genre- so you probably won't see too much of it here. I'm pretty prejudiced against it, so it means something when I say there were several things I liked about it.
First off, I'd read the sequel - which I think is a great test by the way if you are trying to decide whether you enjoyed a book. If there was a follow up, would you want more of these characters, more of this setting, more of this story? A lot of times for me the answer is no, but I enjoyed this book and Schwab's writing enough that I am interested to see where the story goes.
I enjoyed Kate and Augustus's characters and found their father relationships really interesting as well. Kate's father isn't the best, and as a reader I spent a lot of time wondering why in the hell Kate wanted to spend time with a father who is so obviously evil. Augustus on the other hand calls the man who he lives with, Henry, his dad - even though to most he wouldn't be. Augustus's dad is a helpful and kind person, sure, but Augustus hasn't known him but for a couple of years, and with him not actually being a human Henry isn't in anyway a biological father either. So the interplay of Kate, who highly regards her terrible father and Augustus who highly regards and trusts his "adoptive" father was intriguing.
The suspense of what would happen to Kate and Augustus was fun to read as well. I don't usually enjoy action scenes, but Schwab did an excellent job writing them so that were both easy to follow and not overly excessive.
Oh, where to start. For the sake of not sounding like a grumpy curmudgeon of an old lady, I fully acknowledge that a lot of the things that I didn't like about the book speak to my general dislike of fantasy and my being "old". I hate to be biased against a book just for being what it is, fantasy and YA.
But- in case there are other readers who had the same thoughts and are looking for moral support, my immediate thoughts after starting the book were - Holy shit, that girl just lit a church on fire! And then, what are the firebug and complain-y kid going to do together - this seems like an obvious disaster, right?
But mostly I was thinking - Why is this boy of an indeterminate age the obvious love interest in this story? I was a 17 year old girl once, not that long ago I might add- could I find a fourty year old guy attractive then, sure! Hell, the entire cast of One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek were pushing 30. Would me being interested in and hanging around a much older man be a readable storyline, eh, maybe. Should that much, much older man be interested in me- hells no! Does that story become better if he is 110- no. What if he is "ageless"- to me, nope. Ditto if you are a teenage boy and the girl is 110. I just can't even.
Um, also Augustus sews up Kate's torso after a conversation that pretty much amounted to - my father is a doctor, trust me. ( ?!?!?) Oh, your father- you mean that random that you live with? And how does that make you a person with enough medical knowledge to safely suture a large wound? Oh it doesn't- that's how.
YA books are amazing and fantasy is really neat- but they have a specific audience especially when they are combined. As an adult, I would not recommend this book to other adults unless they were specifically looking for YA fantasy, because this book is very much both of those! Which is great, but you really have to be wanting that in order to enjoy it. If you are part of the book blogger or bookstagram community though, I think this book is fun to read just to join in on the conversation! No need for FOMO, this book is definitely worth the time it took me to read it.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
4.0
What happens to our relationships when we project all of our unhappiness, all of our insecurities, and all of our aspirations onto another person - particularly our children? That central question is asked of us again and again while reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I really enjoyed reading this book and was blown away by the storytelling!
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
The Last One by Alexandra Oliva
4.0
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
"The Last One' pulled me in immediately with its face paced set up and I didn't feel like there was much of a lull in the book. I am terrified of germs so the beginning premise of this book, um terrifying. BUT INTRIGUING. Because that is how terrifying works when you are not actually experiencing the scary thing, but just living it vicariously while sitting on your couch sipping a Dr. Pepper.
I love that the main character is a woman in her early thirties who is happily married and about to start a family. The show is an opportunity for her to have one last adventure before she starts her role as a mother. As a woman, who is also now in her thirties ( grumble), I found her very easy to relate to and understand. And even though I knew that the show was likely over seeing as how there was a viral apocalypse- against all reason I didn't want her to give up either! You go girl!
This book combines two things that are very pop right now - it's like The Walking Dead, apocalypse, meets Hunger Games. It was neat to watch these two worlds collide, as if competing for your life wasn't enough, lets add a viral apocalypse. Alexandra Olivia does an excellent job setting the scene though to take this ridiculous set of circumstances and make them, i not plausible, at least worth suspending disbelief for the enjoyment. There were also more comical moments than I anticipated- but there is definitely an absurd humor in the disconnect between what she thinks is happening and what is actually happening- Zoo is living in a postapocalpyse and the TV show competition she believes she is competing in is likely over.
What I Didn't Like -
The set up was initially a little exhausting. As a reader, you are frequently reminded that there is more to the story - the story being told didn’t start when we opened the book and there is more going on than meets the eye, but let us figure it out a little bit! The narrative is also frequently a play by play of what is happening behind the scenes of the television show Zoo is competing on- and while it was neat at first, again- it kind of got old after a while. But the parts of the book that were not narrated that way were *excellent*i Alexandra Olivia is an incredibly talented writing and I will definitely be reading her future work.
Why You Should Read It -
This book is definitely different than any book I have read recently. The narrative and situations the main character is put into is like Wild by Cheryl Strayed means Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It was great to read a book about a woman who felt relateable as far as where she is in her life. If you enjoy stories about the wilderness, survival, and relationships - I recommend this one!
"The Last One' pulled me in immediately with its face paced set up and I didn't feel like there was much of a lull in the book. I am terrified of germs so the beginning premise of this book, um terrifying. BUT INTRIGUING. Because that is how terrifying works when you are not actually experiencing the scary thing, but just living it vicariously while sitting on your couch sipping a Dr. Pepper.
I love that the main character is a woman in her early thirties who is happily married and about to start a family. The show is an opportunity for her to have one last adventure before she starts her role as a mother. As a woman, who is also now in her thirties ( grumble), I found her very easy to relate to and understand. And even though I knew that the show was likely over seeing as how there was a viral apocalypse- against all reason I didn't want her to give up either! You go girl!
This book combines two things that are very pop right now - it's like The Walking Dead, apocalypse, meets Hunger Games. It was neat to watch these two worlds collide, as if competing for your life wasn't enough, lets add a viral apocalypse. Alexandra Olivia does an excellent job setting the scene though to take this ridiculous set of circumstances and make them, i not plausible, at least worth suspending disbelief for the enjoyment. There were also more comical moments than I anticipated- but there is definitely an absurd humor in the disconnect between what she thinks is happening and what is actually happening- Zoo is living in a postapocalpyse and the TV show competition she believes she is competing in is likely over.
What I Didn't Like -
The set up was initially a little exhausting. As a reader, you are frequently reminded that there is more to the story - the story being told didn’t start when we opened the book and there is more going on than meets the eye, but let us figure it out a little bit! The narrative is also frequently a play by play of what is happening behind the scenes of the television show Zoo is competing on- and while it was neat at first, again- it kind of got old after a while. But the parts of the book that were not narrated that way were *excellent*i Alexandra Olivia is an incredibly talented writing and I will definitely be reading her future work.
Why You Should Read It -
This book is definitely different than any book I have read recently. The narrative and situations the main character is put into is like Wild by Cheryl Strayed means Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It was great to read a book about a woman who felt relateable as far as where she is in her life. If you enjoy stories about the wilderness, survival, and relationships - I recommend this one!
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
5.0
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
I absolutely LOVED "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi. The book is so beautifully written. I actually started out listening to this, and stopped by my library to pick up a physical copy because I felt like listening to it alone just wasn’t doing it justice - although for the record the audiobook readers do an excellent job!
"When Breath becomes Air" is as inspiring as it is devastating - it has now sat with me for over a week and I just can’t seem to take it back to the library.
The book begins with an excellent prologue written by an acquaintance of Dr. Kalanithi’s and the Epilogue written by Paul’s wife, Lucy, is an absolutely wonderful ending. The middle- well the middle is Dr. Kalanithi’s exploration of what makes life worth living. This book does explore the idea of death, but Paul explores his dying self by reviewing large chapters of his living self. It was exciting and incredibly interesting to hear about his childhood, medical school experiences, and his life as a husband and father.
It is delightful getting to know Paul- he truly seems seems like a wonderful person- intelligent, thoughtful, kind, caring- an excellent physician and surgeon. Someone who you would be lucky to have in your corner should you need a neurosurgeon. And as I read, I ached knowing how the story would ultimately end.
As a new mother myself, I was particularly moved by Paul and Lucy’s decision to have a child in the face of Paul’s ailing health. While Lucy expressed concern that a daughter might make Paul’s passing more difficult for him - he ultimately decided that that would in fact be a gift. That if having a child was such a rich and rewarding experience, that dying was that much more difficult to bear- then having a child was the right thing to do. He stood by his belief that the point of living is not to avoid suffering. How heatbreakingly beautiful is that?
If you have never read a book like this one before- i.e. a book that deals pretty heavily with death, dying, etc- I think this is a great one to start with. Or, if like me- you have fascination with this type of memoir, I definitely recommend that you add "When Breathe Becomes Air" to you #toberead list.
I absolutely LOVED "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi. The book is so beautifully written. I actually started out listening to this, and stopped by my library to pick up a physical copy because I felt like listening to it alone just wasn’t doing it justice - although for the record the audiobook readers do an excellent job!
"When Breath becomes Air" is as inspiring as it is devastating - it has now sat with me for over a week and I just can’t seem to take it back to the library.
The book begins with an excellent prologue written by an acquaintance of Dr. Kalanithi’s and the Epilogue written by Paul’s wife, Lucy, is an absolutely wonderful ending. The middle- well the middle is Dr. Kalanithi’s exploration of what makes life worth living. This book does explore the idea of death, but Paul explores his dying self by reviewing large chapters of his living self. It was exciting and incredibly interesting to hear about his childhood, medical school experiences, and his life as a husband and father.
It is delightful getting to know Paul- he truly seems seems like a wonderful person- intelligent, thoughtful, kind, caring- an excellent physician and surgeon. Someone who you would be lucky to have in your corner should you need a neurosurgeon. And as I read, I ached knowing how the story would ultimately end.
As a new mother myself, I was particularly moved by Paul and Lucy’s decision to have a child in the face of Paul’s ailing health. While Lucy expressed concern that a daughter might make Paul’s passing more difficult for him - he ultimately decided that that would in fact be a gift. That if having a child was such a rich and rewarding experience, that dying was that much more difficult to bear- then having a child was the right thing to do. He stood by his belief that the point of living is not to avoid suffering. How heatbreakingly beautiful is that?
If you have never read a book like this one before- i.e. a book that deals pretty heavily with death, dying, etc- I think this is a great one to start with. Or, if like me- you have fascination with this type of memoir, I definitely recommend that you add "When Breathe Becomes Air" to you #toberead list.
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
4.0
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
This is a book I have wanted to read for a long time- the stars aligned, or I felt a particularly strong pull and I finally bought it, used on Amazon for a $1… which is important to me for some reason. I guess I rationalize my unnecessary book buying with the ridiculously low cost I am paying…also I like to tell myself I am keeping the Post Office in business. And thinking critically about the consumer choices I make is just a thing I do now, in part thanks to this book!
Really though - I do not think it is a coincidence that at the same time I was feeling a pull into excess I was simultaneously pulled to read this book.
The idea behind “7” is this - over seven months the author focused on seven different areas she perceived as excessive, and reduced them down dramatically. These reductions led to a return to Christ-like simplicity and generosity, and ultimately this all leads to a better existence.
That’s right - Jesus. So let me just say this before I get into the heart of the discussion, while “7" and the ideas behind it are rooted in Christian principles and there are a litany of bible passages throughout the book - I do not think it is exclusionary by nature. If you are not religious but are interested in these ideas, read it. Sure there are going to be passages to skip, but to me understanding the benefits of avoiding excess, and the opportunities to avoid it are worth however uncomfortable skipping bible passages might make you. However, it would be pretty difficult to read this book and “avoid Jesus”, as Christian principles are Jen’s main motivation for avoiding excess.
One thing I love about Jen Hatmaker, the author, and this book in general - It isn’t preachy. Jen’s struggles are real. She isn’t speaking theoretically about avoiding excess, she is deep in the trenches of reducing consumption. And also in increasing necessary goods for those that “have not”. The struggles Jen encounters on her journey are very real, and easily relatable - don’t even get me started about the anxiety I feel imagining doing the things she does in the book! And so, her triumphs and failures along the way are incredibly personal.
For me, this book filled the holes that I felt while reading “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. Unlike that book suggests- I do not feel like thanking shoes, that is just not me. I SO respect the idea of only having shoes that you wear, that are necessary, and that they be kept in such a way they are visible so that you can see them - but at the end of the day I do not feel like they are what I should be thanking. I am grateful to individuals, to God - but not to inanimate physical objects.
Also, I realize I am experiencing and saying all of this from an incredibly privileged place. It is easy for me to say I am going to resist excess because I have had the opportunity to experience excess. I already have an excess of options, freedom, and education on my side. it is easy for me to say don’t hoard food- I can walk down to my local supermarket any day or don’t hoard books, when I have a clean, safe library a short drive away.
I love that resisting excess brought the author closer to being Christ-like. While reading the book, it is easy to see why this is so- and the book is littered with examples of how I as a reader could also reduce and benefit society.
I am a Christian, but I am also not especially educated in this field either- even after nine years of Catholic school, go figure. Jen quotes the Bible throughout the book and ultimately for me it was incredibly educational. But also, the idea of reduction holds value to me even without its ability to bring me closer to Christ, but talk about a pretty big bonus side effect!
I really think this book is life changing. In fact, this book changed my life the same way that “[b:Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking|8520610|Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking|Susan Cain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328562861s/8520610.jpg|13387396]", by Susan Cain, changed my life. Sometimes you need someone else, an outside authority of sorts, to validate something you have always felt was a truth. It is life changing to have someone validate you for being you. I felt that while reading “Quiet", and being told that being introverted was not just a “real thing” it was a character trait that held value. And I felt that way reading “7”, as I want desperately to avoid excess and have guilt related to excess quite frequently. This book gave me reasons to avoid excess and showed me the benefits in a way I doubt I will ever be strong enough to practice myself.
This is a book I have wanted to read for a long time- the stars aligned, or I felt a particularly strong pull and I finally bought it, used on Amazon for a $1… which is important to me for some reason. I guess I rationalize my unnecessary book buying with the ridiculously low cost I am paying…also I like to tell myself I am keeping the Post Office in business. And thinking critically about the consumer choices I make is just a thing I do now, in part thanks to this book!
Really though - I do not think it is a coincidence that at the same time I was feeling a pull into excess I was simultaneously pulled to read this book.
The idea behind “7” is this - over seven months the author focused on seven different areas she perceived as excessive, and reduced them down dramatically. These reductions led to a return to Christ-like simplicity and generosity, and ultimately this all leads to a better existence.
That’s right - Jesus. So let me just say this before I get into the heart of the discussion, while “7" and the ideas behind it are rooted in Christian principles and there are a litany of bible passages throughout the book - I do not think it is exclusionary by nature. If you are not religious but are interested in these ideas, read it. Sure there are going to be passages to skip, but to me understanding the benefits of avoiding excess, and the opportunities to avoid it are worth however uncomfortable skipping bible passages might make you. However, it would be pretty difficult to read this book and “avoid Jesus”, as Christian principles are Jen’s main motivation for avoiding excess.
One thing I love about Jen Hatmaker, the author, and this book in general - It isn’t preachy. Jen’s struggles are real. She isn’t speaking theoretically about avoiding excess, she is deep in the trenches of reducing consumption. And also in increasing necessary goods for those that “have not”. The struggles Jen encounters on her journey are very real, and easily relatable - don’t even get me started about the anxiety I feel imagining doing the things she does in the book! And so, her triumphs and failures along the way are incredibly personal.
For me, this book filled the holes that I felt while reading “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. Unlike that book suggests- I do not feel like thanking shoes, that is just not me. I SO respect the idea of only having shoes that you wear, that are necessary, and that they be kept in such a way they are visible so that you can see them - but at the end of the day I do not feel like they are what I should be thanking. I am grateful to individuals, to God - but not to inanimate physical objects.
Also, I realize I am experiencing and saying all of this from an incredibly privileged place. It is easy for me to say I am going to resist excess because I have had the opportunity to experience excess. I already have an excess of options, freedom, and education on my side. it is easy for me to say don’t hoard food- I can walk down to my local supermarket any day or don’t hoard books, when I have a clean, safe library a short drive away.
I love that resisting excess brought the author closer to being Christ-like. While reading the book, it is easy to see why this is so- and the book is littered with examples of how I as a reader could also reduce and benefit society.
I am a Christian, but I am also not especially educated in this field either- even after nine years of Catholic school, go figure. Jen quotes the Bible throughout the book and ultimately for me it was incredibly educational. But also, the idea of reduction holds value to me even without its ability to bring me closer to Christ, but talk about a pretty big bonus side effect!
I really think this book is life changing. In fact, this book changed my life the same way that “[b:Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking|8520610|Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking|Susan Cain|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328562861s/8520610.jpg|13387396]", by Susan Cain, changed my life. Sometimes you need someone else, an outside authority of sorts, to validate something you have always felt was a truth. It is life changing to have someone validate you for being you. I felt that while reading “Quiet", and being told that being introverted was not just a “real thing” it was a character trait that held value. And I felt that way reading “7”, as I want desperately to avoid excess and have guilt related to excess quite frequently. This book gave me reasons to avoid excess and showed me the benefits in a way I doubt I will ever be strong enough to practice myself.
Het Duitse meisje by Armando Lucas Correa
2.0
This review, and many more, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
In 1939, the SS St. Louis departed from Germany. Fortunes were spent to obtain the necessary documents and tickets to board the ship and on board were 908 Jewish refugees all hoping to gain entrance to Cuba to avoid religious persecution during World War II. When they were rejected from Cuba, and then Canada and the United States- the ship returned to Europe and their freedom was denied. " The German Girl" by Armando Lucas Correa follows the story of Hannah Rosenthal who boarded the SS St. Louis with her family. I just finished reading "The German Girl", read below for my thoughts on the book!
Super simple plot summary of "The German Girl" - The narrative in this book shifts between the story of Hannah and the story of Anna. Hannah is an 11 year old German girl who boards the SS St. Louis with her family. They are hoping to flee to Cuba on the ship in order to escape religious persecution in Germany during WWII. Anna is an 11 year old American girl whose father died before she was born in 9/11. Hannah and Anna are connected by Anna's father, whom Hannah raised. Anna and her mother receive a package from Hannah after which they embark on an adventure to Cuba to learn more about Anna's deceased father.
I would only gave this book two stars and I think there were a couple of reasons why. First of all there were too many big events in one book. Not only did this book attempt to cover the experience of living in Berlin during the beginning of World War II, it also covered the S.S. St. Louis, 9/11, and a decade of political unrest and revolution in Cuba during the 1960s. The author explored each of these events to show the parallels and repetition of history. Practically, that's ALOT for one book, and as a result, none of the events felt as though they were fully explored.
The characters in "The German Girl" were difficult to read and didn't feel particularly genuine. This in part might be due to the fact that the book is written by an adult male- and much of the book is the internal monologues of two 11-12 year old girls. I imagine as a writer that is an especially large challenge. Because, really, the emotions and situations that the characters are in are *huge* - I should be emotionally distraught reading about Hannah's experiences on the SS St. Louis, but for me the emotions just weren't there, unfortunately.
It did not affect my rating but, I'm not a fan of YA historical fiction :/ and while it was not listed as such, I feel like " The German Girl" reads like a YA book. It seems as though other readers are confused about the genre as well, because it was listed under several different genres on Goodreads.
On a positive note, I have not seen very many fiction books about the SS St. Louis, so what initially drew me to this book was the unique story. It is heartbreaking and infuriating to imagine what the individuals on that ship experienced as they escaped Germany only to be turned away from Cuba, and then many other countries as well. It is an important part of history and I was excited at the opportunity to learn more about it from this book. While I had some big issues with this book overall I do feel like I learned a lot about the SS St. Louis, and this book has definitely motivated me to learn more.
This book also features a cast of unique character. I was especially interested in Hannah's parents. Typically, in a book about the Holocaust the parents are portrayed as the bedrock of the family. They are moral compasses who protect their children as best as possible from the depravity of that terrible time. "The German Girl" parents however are flawed individuals. Hannah's father is a professor who is gone for long chunks of the book. After a lengthy prison sentence, he boards the SS St. Louis with Hannah and her mother, but then is gone frequently again because of meetings with the captain - presumably to discuss their difficulty docking in Havana. Hannah's mother appears to be suffering from a mental illness, possibly depression or a bipolar disorder. And so, Hannah is left to fend for herself emotionally in ways that you don't usually see in World War II fictional accounts, especially YA historical fiction.
In 1939, the SS St. Louis departed from Germany. Fortunes were spent to obtain the necessary documents and tickets to board the ship and on board were 908 Jewish refugees all hoping to gain entrance to Cuba to avoid religious persecution during World War II. When they were rejected from Cuba, and then Canada and the United States- the ship returned to Europe and their freedom was denied. " The German Girl" by Armando Lucas Correa follows the story of Hannah Rosenthal who boarded the SS St. Louis with her family. I just finished reading "The German Girl", read below for my thoughts on the book!
Super simple plot summary of "The German Girl" - The narrative in this book shifts between the story of Hannah and the story of Anna. Hannah is an 11 year old German girl who boards the SS St. Louis with her family. They are hoping to flee to Cuba on the ship in order to escape religious persecution in Germany during WWII. Anna is an 11 year old American girl whose father died before she was born in 9/11. Hannah and Anna are connected by Anna's father, whom Hannah raised. Anna and her mother receive a package from Hannah after which they embark on an adventure to Cuba to learn more about Anna's deceased father.
I would only gave this book two stars and I think there were a couple of reasons why. First of all there were too many big events in one book. Not only did this book attempt to cover the experience of living in Berlin during the beginning of World War II, it also covered the S.S. St. Louis, 9/11, and a decade of political unrest and revolution in Cuba during the 1960s. The author explored each of these events to show the parallels and repetition of history. Practically, that's ALOT for one book, and as a result, none of the events felt as though they were fully explored.
The characters in "The German Girl" were difficult to read and didn't feel particularly genuine. This in part might be due to the fact that the book is written by an adult male- and much of the book is the internal monologues of two 11-12 year old girls. I imagine as a writer that is an especially large challenge. Because, really, the emotions and situations that the characters are in are *huge* - I should be emotionally distraught reading about Hannah's experiences on the SS St. Louis, but for me the emotions just weren't there, unfortunately.
It did not affect my rating but, I'm not a fan of YA historical fiction :/ and while it was not listed as such, I feel like " The German Girl" reads like a YA book. It seems as though other readers are confused about the genre as well, because it was listed under several different genres on Goodreads.
On a positive note, I have not seen very many fiction books about the SS St. Louis, so what initially drew me to this book was the unique story. It is heartbreaking and infuriating to imagine what the individuals on that ship experienced as they escaped Germany only to be turned away from Cuba, and then many other countries as well. It is an important part of history and I was excited at the opportunity to learn more about it from this book. While I had some big issues with this book overall I do feel like I learned a lot about the SS St. Louis, and this book has definitely motivated me to learn more.
This book also features a cast of unique character. I was especially interested in Hannah's parents. Typically, in a book about the Holocaust the parents are portrayed as the bedrock of the family. They are moral compasses who protect their children as best as possible from the depravity of that terrible time. "The German Girl" parents however are flawed individuals. Hannah's father is a professor who is gone for long chunks of the book. After a lengthy prison sentence, he boards the SS St. Louis with Hannah and her mother, but then is gone frequently again because of meetings with the captain - presumably to discuss their difficulty docking in Havana. Hannah's mother appears to be suffering from a mental illness, possibly depression or a bipolar disorder. And so, Hannah is left to fend for herself emotionally in ways that you don't usually see in World War II fictional accounts, especially YA historical fiction.
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
3.0
This review, and many more, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
" I realize that we both desperately want to be people we really aren't" - Small Great Things
I just finished reading "Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult - and I have feelings. To start, I was a little anxious about reading and reviewing this book. Generally, I tend to steer clear of hot button issues in life- and this book, for better or worse, is deeply in the hot button zone. I'm sure there are *many* reasons why I avoid discussing divisive topics, but in part I believe it is because I tend to embrace the grey- so standing firmly on one side of an issue or another doesn't feel like I'm being true to myself. I struggle to "imagine people { and situations } complexly", in the words of John Green. And "Small Great Things" is definitely a great exercise in that!
Spoilers ahead- It would be difficult and not super productive for me to discuss this book and not reveal any of the details of the book. However, I am not giving anything away isn't discussed in the synopsis you'd find on Goodreads. I think, you can still fully enjoy the book and enjoy this review! However, if you were hoping to read this book with zero knowledge of some major plot points, watch yourself ; )
Super simple plot summary of "Small Great Things" - Ruth Jefferson, a nurse, is removed from a patient's care because the parents, Turk and Brittany, are white supremacists who do not want Ruth, a black woman, touching their child, Davis. When Davis and Ruth are left alone unexpectedly, Ruth delays caring for Davis during a medical emergency because she fears for her job. Turk and Brittany press charges, and Ruth is arrested and tried for the death of Davis. Kennedy, Ruth's lawyer, and Ruth have a complicated relationship as they attempt to navigate the legal system and the issues that this case includes.
Phew - it's a lot. Jodi Picoult's books generally are. Which is one of the reasons why people love her books so much. She chooses a topic that people are passionate about and explores, researches, and reveals those passions on another level that only literature can explore. Frequently throughout the book, though, when I wondered why Jodi Picoult chose for a character to act a certain way or make a certain choice I had to remind myself of a few things - I'll never be put into the situation Ruth was put into - and neither will the author.
I really struggled while reading this book with a major plot point - Ruth not giving excellent medical care to Davis. Ruth's character throughout the book is one of morals and strength - which makes her an excellent mother and nurse. So I really struggled with believing that she would choose her job over caring for Davis in that emergency. Ruth grabs Davis immediately when she notices something is wrong with the baby, and then puts him back once she thinks of her job - and I just wanted to shake her. Each time that decision was discussed I was conflicted...which was a lot of the book. I mean, what would someone think is going to happen to their job as a nurse if they let a child die right in front of them?! I was left with the impression that if another nurse had not entered the room when Davis was dying, that Ruth would have done nothing. And while they may or may not have mattered as far as Davis living or dying, it did matter when I thought of Ruth's character.
Several of the chapters in this book were from Turk's perspective and I really struggled with those as well. Turk's POV is just absurd and difficult to follow- which logically makes sense since his views are absurd and difficult to follow. But because Turk and Brittany's side of this story is just so obviously reprehensible it really wasn't interesting to read. It felt contrived and was more than a little uncomfortable. It felt overly politicized in that it wasn't subtle - Jodi was calling out things that are not common just to white supremacists - and it wasn't "pretty" or subtle. I feel like those sections really did the book a disservice.
What would be more interesting, and was more interesting to read were the seemingly small interactions in life that the author explored. I really enjoyed reading scenes in the book that developed the key relationships between Ruth and Kennedy, Ruth and her son, and Kennedy and her daughter. I also found the hospitals interactions with the lawsuit very interesting. Because ultimately, the decision to remove Ruth from the care of Davis was illegal. A provider's job can not be influenced by a racially motivated decision.
Because of the issues discussed above, I only gave this book three stars. If you love Jodi Picoult books, I do think you'll enjoy this one - but if the problems I list resonate with you, it definitely won't be your favorite.
Many thanks to Ballentine Books for providing me an advanced copy of this book.
While the book was free, as a girl who is all about the library ( where books are always “free”) - know that all opinions are mine.
" I realize that we both desperately want to be people we really aren't" - Small Great Things
I just finished reading "Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult - and I have feelings. To start, I was a little anxious about reading and reviewing this book. Generally, I tend to steer clear of hot button issues in life- and this book, for better or worse, is deeply in the hot button zone. I'm sure there are *many* reasons why I avoid discussing divisive topics, but in part I believe it is because I tend to embrace the grey- so standing firmly on one side of an issue or another doesn't feel like I'm being true to myself. I struggle to "imagine people { and situations } complexly", in the words of John Green. And "Small Great Things" is definitely a great exercise in that!
Spoilers ahead- It would be difficult and not super productive for me to discuss this book and not reveal any of the details of the book. However, I am not giving anything away isn't discussed in the synopsis you'd find on Goodreads. I think, you can still fully enjoy the book and enjoy this review! However, if you were hoping to read this book with zero knowledge of some major plot points, watch yourself ; )
Super simple plot summary of "Small Great Things" - Ruth Jefferson, a nurse, is removed from a patient's care because the parents, Turk and Brittany, are white supremacists who do not want Ruth, a black woman, touching their child, Davis. When Davis and Ruth are left alone unexpectedly, Ruth delays caring for Davis during a medical emergency because she fears for her job. Turk and Brittany press charges, and Ruth is arrested and tried for the death of Davis. Kennedy, Ruth's lawyer, and Ruth have a complicated relationship as they attempt to navigate the legal system and the issues that this case includes.
Phew - it's a lot. Jodi Picoult's books generally are. Which is one of the reasons why people love her books so much. She chooses a topic that people are passionate about and explores, researches, and reveals those passions on another level that only literature can explore. Frequently throughout the book, though, when I wondered why Jodi Picoult chose for a character to act a certain way or make a certain choice I had to remind myself of a few things - I'll never be put into the situation Ruth was put into - and neither will the author.
I really struggled while reading this book with a major plot point - Ruth not giving excellent medical care to Davis. Ruth's character throughout the book is one of morals and strength - which makes her an excellent mother and nurse. So I really struggled with believing that she would choose her job over caring for Davis in that emergency. Ruth grabs Davis immediately when she notices something is wrong with the baby, and then puts him back once she thinks of her job - and I just wanted to shake her. Each time that decision was discussed I was conflicted...which was a lot of the book. I mean, what would someone think is going to happen to their job as a nurse if they let a child die right in front of them?! I was left with the impression that if another nurse had not entered the room when Davis was dying, that Ruth would have done nothing. And while they may or may not have mattered as far as Davis living or dying, it did matter when I thought of Ruth's character.
Several of the chapters in this book were from Turk's perspective and I really struggled with those as well. Turk's POV is just absurd and difficult to follow- which logically makes sense since his views are absurd and difficult to follow. But because Turk and Brittany's side of this story is just so obviously reprehensible it really wasn't interesting to read. It felt contrived and was more than a little uncomfortable. It felt overly politicized in that it wasn't subtle - Jodi was calling out things that are not common just to white supremacists - and it wasn't "pretty" or subtle. I feel like those sections really did the book a disservice.
What would be more interesting, and was more interesting to read were the seemingly small interactions in life that the author explored. I really enjoyed reading scenes in the book that developed the key relationships between Ruth and Kennedy, Ruth and her son, and Kennedy and her daughter. I also found the hospitals interactions with the lawsuit very interesting. Because ultimately, the decision to remove Ruth from the care of Davis was illegal. A provider's job can not be influenced by a racially motivated decision.
Because of the issues discussed above, I only gave this book three stars. If you love Jodi Picoult books, I do think you'll enjoy this one - but if the problems I list resonate with you, it definitely won't be your favorite.
Many thanks to Ballentine Books for providing me an advanced copy of this book.
While the book was free, as a girl who is all about the library ( where books are always “free”) - know that all opinions are mine.
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
2.0
This review, and many more, can be found on my blog Girl About Library
"Oh, I will always remember that moment when, even with the universe spackled above us, bright with an infinity of stars and dark with infinite space, it was impossible for me to believe that Ptolemy wasn't right, that our own Earth, our little tribe, and Eli's hand on my waist were not the center of everything there was." - Into the Forest
I'd never heard of "Into the Forest" until I saw the trailer for the adaptation, but after watching it I knew I had to read the book! After all, that is my ( often broken) book to movie adaptation rule - solid effort must be put into reading the book before watching the movie. It's just good common sense : ) Well, I just finished reading "Into the Forest" and feels - but mostly confusion and a little bit of frustration.
Super simple plot summary of "Into the Forest" - Nell and Eva are sisters living remotely with their parents outside of Redwood, California. The family is about 30 miles from town, so when society starts to fall apart for a variety of reasons - disease, energy crisis, political unrest- they are in a unique position to live off the land. Living remotely, particularly in a post apocalypse, creates its own difficulties and dangers, and Eva and Nell are forced to sacrifice parts of themselves for their survival.
I loved this book for the first 100 pages for a couple of reasons - I really like this stage in the post apocalypse world. We haven't gotten to the "Hunger Games" stage in society where we are competing to the death and we aren't in a "I Am Legend" waste land. What Eva and Nell are going through felt very real. I enjoyed reading the experiences of each of the characters and the confusion they felt trying to balance survival with maintaining their person hood and norms. I liked the flashing back and forth between past and present and the contrast between pre apocalypse and post. I was inspired and intrigued by the sister's resourcefulness and their compassion for each other... and then, seemingly out of nowhere, the sisters have sex...
Yep.
That was my face for like a solid hour.
I flipped back like twenty pages and reread thinking I might have missed some sign that this was coming- nope. Because, I don't have any sisters, but I have two brothers and - like, I can't even finish this sentence I'm too creeped out! I have a hard time believing that incest can just happen randomly like that. And afterwards it was like it didn't happen. I don't know, I don't know - ahhh - I'm lucky enough to have no idea how those kinds of things play out but just - blah. Nope, and so afterwards what was a four star book for me fell to two stars, and i just couldn't recover from that randomness!
Beside this paragraph long weirdness, which when I think about the book I'm going to pretend didn't happen. This was a great book. I loved the writing- it was poetic, and incredibly descriptive without feeling overwritten. I would absolutely read another book by this debut author.
"Oh, I will always remember that moment when, even with the universe spackled above us, bright with an infinity of stars and dark with infinite space, it was impossible for me to believe that Ptolemy wasn't right, that our own Earth, our little tribe, and Eli's hand on my waist were not the center of everything there was." - Into the Forest
I'd never heard of "Into the Forest" until I saw the trailer for the adaptation, but after watching it I knew I had to read the book! After all, that is my ( often broken) book to movie adaptation rule - solid effort must be put into reading the book before watching the movie. It's just good common sense : ) Well, I just finished reading "Into the Forest" and feels - but mostly confusion and a little bit of frustration.
Super simple plot summary of "Into the Forest" - Nell and Eva are sisters living remotely with their parents outside of Redwood, California. The family is about 30 miles from town, so when society starts to fall apart for a variety of reasons - disease, energy crisis, political unrest- they are in a unique position to live off the land. Living remotely, particularly in a post apocalypse, creates its own difficulties and dangers, and Eva and Nell are forced to sacrifice parts of themselves for their survival.
I loved this book for the first 100 pages for a couple of reasons - I really like this stage in the post apocalypse world. We haven't gotten to the "Hunger Games" stage in society where we are competing to the death and we aren't in a "I Am Legend" waste land. What Eva and Nell are going through felt very real. I enjoyed reading the experiences of each of the characters and the confusion they felt trying to balance survival with maintaining their person hood and norms. I liked the flashing back and forth between past and present and the contrast between pre apocalypse and post. I was inspired and intrigued by the sister's resourcefulness and their compassion for each other... and then, seemingly out of nowhere, the sisters have sex...
Yep.
That was my face for like a solid hour.
I flipped back like twenty pages and reread thinking I might have missed some sign that this was coming- nope. Because, I don't have any sisters, but I have two brothers and - like, I can't even finish this sentence I'm too creeped out! I have a hard time believing that incest can just happen randomly like that. And afterwards it was like it didn't happen. I don't know, I don't know - ahhh - I'm lucky enough to have no idea how those kinds of things play out but just - blah. Nope, and so afterwards what was a four star book for me fell to two stars, and i just couldn't recover from that randomness!
Beside this paragraph long weirdness, which when I think about the book I'm going to pretend didn't happen. This was a great book. I loved the writing- it was poetic, and incredibly descriptive without feeling overwritten. I would absolutely read another book by this debut author.
Next to You: A Book of Adorableness by Lori Haskins Houran
5.0
This review, and many more like it, can be found on my blog Girl About Library!
The title says it all - this book is no joke, over the top, seriously adorable! The author Lori Haskins Houran, and absolutely adorable illustrations by Sydney Hanson had me awwing throughout the entire book.
"Next to You" is all about adorable animals, and how much cuter your kiddo is - even cuter the cutest of the cute creatures. The author continually raises the cuteness stakes- from a very cute puppy to an impossibly cute baby bunny. No matter what adorable animal is thrown your way, the adorable kiddo next to you is still the cutest!
My one year old enjoyed looking at the illustrations and so did I, this book definitely has broad appeal as I could see a wide range of ages appreciating the humor and adorable animals. This book would looks so cute on any book shelf and would make a sweet baby shower gift!
I love how this book captures that total redefinition of cute that happens after you have a little one!
The title says it all - this book is no joke, over the top, seriously adorable! The author Lori Haskins Houran, and absolutely adorable illustrations by Sydney Hanson had me awwing throughout the entire book.
"Next to You" is all about adorable animals, and how much cuter your kiddo is - even cuter the cutest of the cute creatures. The author continually raises the cuteness stakes- from a very cute puppy to an impossibly cute baby bunny. No matter what adorable animal is thrown your way, the adorable kiddo next to you is still the cutest!
My one year old enjoyed looking at the illustrations and so did I, this book definitely has broad appeal as I could see a wide range of ages appreciating the humor and adorable animals. This book would looks so cute on any book shelf and would make a sweet baby shower gift!
I love how this book captures that total redefinition of cute that happens after you have a little one!
To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin
3.0
This review, and many more, are available on my blog Girl About Library
This is one of those historical fiction novels where a good chunk of the time I am left thinking - thank god I was born when I was born. This book really digs into what it was like to be alive in the late 1800s- as a woman, as someone living in poverty, and also as a man- it was pretty rough. Much of what happens in "To Capture What We Cannot Keep" is because of societal norms. In the case of Cait and Emile those expectations keep two people who very much love each other and would be happy together, very much apart. It's frustrating but the author, Beatrice Colon, does an amazing job setting the scene so that those structure structures don't just feel imposing, they feel real.
While reading, I was particularly struck by Cait's situation when she was faced with a proposal she did not want to accept. When asked why she does not refuse the proposal, she replies that "she has no grounds".
What!?! I can't even imagine! But at the same time, because of Colin's wonderful writing, I could feel the panic and desperation. Cait was my absolute favorite character in this book, you really root for her and want the best for her, especially with the odds stacked against her so highly. " To Capture What We Cannot Keep" is as much a love story as it is a story of loss and struggle. Cait's stories begins a few years after her husband dies, and the loss both emotionally and socially is important to the story.
My absolutely favorite part of the book, was the way that Colin set up the relationship between Cait and Emile. Their chemistry is palpable, but subtle. It's in whispers, shared glances, and stolen conversations - that left me as a reader rooting for them- but also giggly and smiley. The romance was well handled, and never edged into explicit - something I don't particularly enjoy as a reader.
" Thank you", she said. " for thinking of me." "Cait," he said, his voice little more than a whisper. " I think of you all the time."
I don't have very many things about this book that I didn't like. The setting is unique and motivated me to have Wikipedia open for most of the time I read the book, and I can see how that would be frustrating- the settings in the book are a mouthful and the history elements sometimes felt like a textbook excerpt. But my biggest beef- the ending. This book would've been a four star read, but for that ending! Without being spoiler-y, the ending felt incredibly rushed, unlikely, and not at all satisfying to me as a reader- so at the end of the day this is a strong three stars for me. That being said, I would still recommend this book to someone interested in historical fiction and romance.
This is one of those historical fiction novels where a good chunk of the time I am left thinking - thank god I was born when I was born. This book really digs into what it was like to be alive in the late 1800s- as a woman, as someone living in poverty, and also as a man- it was pretty rough. Much of what happens in "To Capture What We Cannot Keep" is because of societal norms. In the case of Cait and Emile those expectations keep two people who very much love each other and would be happy together, very much apart. It's frustrating but the author, Beatrice Colon, does an amazing job setting the scene so that those structure structures don't just feel imposing, they feel real.
"As if he felt her gaze, her blinked and looked around. For no more than a fraction of a second, their eyes met. Cait's heart accelerated, a rapid knocking against a solid wall of whalebone and wool. She swallowed and glanced away. What on Earth did she think she was doing? What kind of lady returned a man's gaze? She turned and sought other, safer distractions."
While reading, I was particularly struck by Cait's situation when she was faced with a proposal she did not want to accept. When asked why she does not refuse the proposal, she replies that "she has no grounds".
What!?! I can't even imagine! But at the same time, because of Colin's wonderful writing, I could feel the panic and desperation. Cait was my absolute favorite character in this book, you really root for her and want the best for her, especially with the odds stacked against her so highly. " To Capture What We Cannot Keep" is as much a love story as it is a story of loss and struggle. Cait's stories begins a few years after her husband dies, and the loss both emotionally and socially is important to the story.
"Cait tried to tell herself that it was a long time ago. But time was not linear. The shock of what had happened had not lessened, it was just buried deeper, and sometimes the blinding awfulness, the sheer indignity, the intolerable shame of it opened inside her like a night bloom"
My absolutely favorite part of the book, was the way that Colin set up the relationship between Cait and Emile. Their chemistry is palpable, but subtle. It's in whispers, shared glances, and stolen conversations - that left me as a reader rooting for them- but also giggly and smiley. The romance was well handled, and never edged into explicit - something I don't particularly enjoy as a reader.
" Thank you", she said. " for thinking of me." "Cait," he said, his voice little more than a whisper. " I think of you all the time."
I don't have very many things about this book that I didn't like. The setting is unique and motivated me to have Wikipedia open for most of the time I read the book, and I can see how that would be frustrating- the settings in the book are a mouthful and the history elements sometimes felt like a textbook excerpt. But my biggest beef- the ending. This book would've been a four star read, but for that ending! Without being spoiler-y, the ending felt incredibly rushed, unlikely, and not at all satisfying to me as a reader- so at the end of the day this is a strong three stars for me. That being said, I would still recommend this book to someone interested in historical fiction and romance.