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girlnextshore's reviews
806 reviews
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
3.0
Quite an endearing read. Whilst the premise of multiverses is not exactly original, I like that the book evoked retrospective thoughts - have I lived a life of regrets? Is my life worth living?
Truth is, a lot have lived through regrets. Asking “what if” is an indulgent question we tend to explore, often for us to play our lives we could’ve lived, lives we think we want to live, lives we think we deserve.
Overall, a good book for discussing the life you live and reasons you stay alive. And a gentle reminder that what often matters is not what you are looking at, but what you see.
Truth is, a lot have lived through regrets. Asking “what if” is an indulgent question we tend to explore, often for us to play our lives we could’ve lived, lives we think we want to live, lives we think we deserve.
Overall, a good book for discussing the life you live and reasons you stay alive. And a gentle reminder that what often matters is not what you are looking at, but what you see.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
3.0
You either read this book as straightforward as it was written, or you read this as a social mirror bound to some poignancy. I’ve read this first in grade school for a book report and felt I had to keep my interpretation as floral as can be to get an A+.
I read this as an adult, with more experience on love and life and loss, and frankly found it… just okay. Sure, it’s a story of perseverance and hope. But it’s also mostly a stream of consciousness that gets a bit dull in between tense moments.
I understand its cultural significance, but there are plenty of books that deserve more praise IMHO.
I read this as an adult, with more experience on love and life and loss, and frankly found it… just okay. Sure, it’s a story of perseverance and hope. But it’s also mostly a stream of consciousness that gets a bit dull in between tense moments.
I understand its cultural significance, but there are plenty of books that deserve more praise IMHO.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
5.0
I've got another confession to make...
I wasn't expecting a memoir, written by a white man, to be my first five-star read of the year. But here we are.
The awesome thing about this book is that you need not be an expert in rock music to appreciate its inspired tomes.
For me, Dave Grohl always came across as one of the nice guys of rock and this book puts a stamp on that. His googly-eyed fangirling anecdotes are adorable, and the love he has for his mother and his family is so commendable. If anything, this book is a love letter to all the people he surrounds himself with - from the ones he met along the way to the ones who were gone too soon.
If you're a fan, then you'll absolutely love this. Now, I'm not the world's #1 Scream/Nirvana/Foo Fighters fan, but I love and grew up listening to all sorts of rock music - from alternative to punk to ska to punk to progressive to indie... you get the picture. If anything, this was a nice reminder of the music of yesteryear and what we may have thought rock and roll represented.
It was written beautifully, I could not put it down. Dave's words describing the road to success were captivating and inspiring. There were a few heartbreaking moments, but you ultimately root for the kid because it felt like you were on the same adventure as he was. If anything, the book comes across as honest. And that's really the point of good storytellers.
I wasn't expecting a memoir, written by a white man, to be my first five-star read of the year. But here we are.
The awesome thing about this book is that you need not be an expert in rock music to appreciate its inspired tomes.
For me, Dave Grohl always came across as one of the nice guys of rock and this book puts a stamp on that. His googly-eyed fangirling anecdotes are adorable, and the love he has for his mother and his family is so commendable. If anything, this book is a love letter to all the people he surrounds himself with - from the ones he met along the way to the ones who were gone too soon.
If you're a fan, then you'll absolutely love this. Now, I'm not the world's #1 Scream/Nirvana/Foo Fighters fan, but I love and grew up listening to all sorts of rock music - from alternative to punk to ska to punk to progressive to indie... you get the picture. If anything, this was a nice reminder of the music of yesteryear and what we may have thought rock and roll represented.
It was written beautifully, I could not put it down. Dave's words describing the road to success were captivating and inspiring. There were a few heartbreaking moments, but you ultimately root for the kid because it felt like you were on the same adventure as he was. If anything, the book comes across as honest. And that's really the point of good storytellers.
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
2.0
This month's Bookstagram Made Me Do It read.
With content warnings of toxicity in relationships and domestic abuse, I wasn't expecting a light read but somehow I see the appeal of this book to the masses. My issue is that I found some parts of the book unbelievable/artificial/stereotypical and I wasn't too keen on the characters. For me, it haphazardly wove some romance into dark literary fiction that didn't quite meet the mark.
That said, after reading the author's note, I felt a bit more sympathy towards her, and I commend her for writing a novel that tackles "naked truths" and lived experience that often happens to a lot of people.
With content warnings of toxicity in relationships and domestic abuse, I wasn't expecting a light read but somehow I see the appeal of this book to the masses. My issue is that I found some parts of the book unbelievable/artificial/stereotypical and I wasn't too keen on the characters. For me, it haphazardly wove some romance into dark literary fiction that didn't quite meet the mark.
That said, after reading the author's note, I felt a bit more sympathy towards her, and I commend her for writing a novel that tackles "naked truths" and lived experience that often happens to a lot of people.
State of Terror by Louise Penny, Hillary Rodham Clinton
4.0
4.5 more like. I've not read a political thriller that had me gripped in quite a while. Forget your politics, this was quite the page turner. But I'm not going to lie: I enjoyed the "fictitious" swipe at a certain former US president. For Hillary, this was definitely a bestselling clapback.
Granted this was meant to be a cautionary tale, I can't help but see the parallelisms in real life and it's quite nice how the authors have drawn from their extensive knowledge and experience to reflect the realities of extremism - whether it be of religion or of politics or of power. There have been hard-hitting truths that felt too soon to read about, though may have seemed prophetic at the time of writing: the American forces ruling out of Afghanistan, Russian leaders and blackmail, a previous administration's near-criminal incompetencies... But here we are.
As far as mysteries go, I loved that Louise Penny's Armand Gamache makes a cameo that fits nicely with the story. And whilst my suspicions of who the traitor was had been proven right, the journey of getting there was well executed. It was consistently entertaining nonetheless.
Unsurprisingly, I love that there was a big focus on female friendship and solidarity, and I liked how the Secretary of State had been unafraid to level it out with most male counterparts in the story.
Really good, highly recommended.
Granted this was meant to be a cautionary tale, I can't help but see the parallelisms in real life and it's quite nice how the authors have drawn from their extensive knowledge and experience to reflect the realities of extremism - whether it be of religion or of politics or of power. There have been hard-hitting truths that felt too soon to read about, though may have seemed prophetic at the time of writing: the American forces ruling out of Afghanistan, Russian leaders and blackmail, a previous administration's near-criminal incompetencies... But here we are.
As far as mysteries go, I loved that Louise Penny's Armand Gamache makes a cameo that fits nicely with the story. And whilst my suspicions of who the traitor was had been proven right, the journey of getting there was well executed. It was consistently entertaining nonetheless.
Unsurprisingly, I love that there was a big focus on female friendship and solidarity, and I liked how the Secretary of State had been unafraid to level it out with most male counterparts in the story.
Really good, highly recommended.
Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations by Kathryn Mannix
4.0
One of those books most people will probably pass off as self-help they do not need, but actually essential reading for a lot of us.
I really like how the author set the tone in her writing; it's with a kind voice that’s nurturing. I've read a lot of similar books where I felt ideologies were being pushed rather than suggested, and that I was being talked at vs being talk to/with. This book is sympathetic yet strong in its stance of encouragement.
I love how Dr Mannix included case studies that are relatable and accessible for people from all walks of life. It harbours a sense of neighbouring and society. But also, I’ve actually managed to get a lot of tips for when certain situations arise.
The last few chapters focusing on grief and bereavement were powerful especially with a nod to the times we live in in now.
Highly recommended.
I really like how the author set the tone in her writing; it's with a kind voice that’s nurturing. I've read a lot of similar books where I felt ideologies were being pushed rather than suggested, and that I was being talked at vs being talk to/with. This book is sympathetic yet strong in its stance of encouragement.
I love how Dr Mannix included case studies that are relatable and accessible for people from all walks of life. It harbours a sense of neighbouring and society. But also, I’ve actually managed to get a lot of tips for when certain situations arise.
The last few chapters focusing on grief and bereavement were powerful especially with a nod to the times we live in in now.
Highly recommended.
The Dry by Jane Harper
3.0
A bit of a slow burn to start with, which actually is quite clever in reflecting the small fictitional country town of Kiewarra and its community. But I was gripped with the story and there were characters to root for.
The whodunnit arc kept me changing my mind as to who actually really killed the family and what went on. I wasn't so convinced with my original suspect until much later, which makes up for a good thriller/mystery.
The second story arc, digging Aaron Falk's past, was also quite compelling although the ending to that arc fell a bit flat for me.
Good mystery overall.
The whodunnit arc kept me changing my mind as to who actually really killed the family and what went on. I wasn't so convinced with my original suspect until much later, which makes up for a good thriller/mystery.
The second story arc, digging Aaron Falk's past, was also quite compelling although the ending to that arc fell a bit flat for me.
Good mystery overall.
Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know by Dr Dean Lomax
4.0
Anyone with a childlike fascination and/or curiosity of dinosaurs would most likely enjoy this short but succinct book.
Defies a couple of myths from velociraptor sizes and capabilities to elements of Crichton’s Jurassic Park and to why images of the T-Rex fighting a Stegosaurus are dumb.
Also, birds ARE dinosaurs.
Defies a couple of myths from velociraptor sizes and capabilities to elements of Crichton’s Jurassic Park and to why images of the T-Rex fighting a Stegosaurus are dumb.
Also, birds ARE dinosaurs.