jnestwd's reviews
398 reviews

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

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dark reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Well, I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like The Vaster Wilds.

Lauren Groff is kinda like Cormac McCarthy meets Ottessa Moshfegh in the best kind of way.

The novel tells the story of an unnamed girl who escapes the small settlement she was brought to as the servant of her mistress. She takes off into the wild, running and running and running until she can't run anymore. Running from the starvation that has claimed the lives of so many of the residents. Running from the cruelty of the minister. Running from the grief of having lost the only other human she truly loved and cared for.

With nothing but the stolen clothes on her back, looted boots on her feet and her mistress's precious leather gloves to protect her hands from the bitter cold, she runs and runs.

This book is strangely compelling. I could not put it down, despite the relatively small cast of characters and change in scenes.

What made this story so engaging is Groff's incredible ability to develop a scene and draw you into the picture. I wanted to know how the girl survived, what she'd eat next, where she'd end up the next day.

And in the end, despite the horrors of the real world around us, I felt strangely peaceful in understanding that nature will always reclaim her space and what has been will come again.

We will return to nature as we came.

A bit existential, yes, but I was surprised to find that this is exactly what I needed at this time in my life.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Set in the conservative early 1960s, Elizabeth Zott is a chemist working in the lab at Hastings Research Institute. Sexism and prejudice is a daily occurrence for Zott, but when she falls in love with a fellow Chemist - Calvin Evans - all the subsequent noise and scandal of their relationship fades into the background as they focus solely on one another. But when a tragic accident befalls the pair, Elizabeth is forced to take a new direction, one that steers her away from the career she so greatly loves, but that serves her family best.

Right from the very first sentence, I was hooked on Elizabeth Zott’s story.

The tenacity and confidence of Zott is inspiring and uplifting, and is extremely relevant even today in 2024 (sadly).

A lot of the horrible treatment that Zott is subjected to is difficult to read, and yet, much of it is still very prevalent in our current society, if not more carefully cloaked to appear as something else.

Elizabeth’s view on life as black and white, right or wrong is surprisingly refreshing, and a good reminder that if you want to pursue a certain path in life, there really isn’t any excuse that can stop you. If you want to do something, there is a way and an answer for everything.

The characters in Lessons in Chemistry are extraordinary and so incredibly likeable. There are a lot of personalities in the story and yet, Bonnie Garmus cuts no corners. Every character is skilfully developed and refined to bring so much depth and tension to the story.

I cannot believe that Garmus herself does not have a background in chemistry because Elizabeth Zott was so believable as an expert chemist!

I loved this book and immediately want to reread. I’m so excited to see Bonnie Garmus speak this week at the Auckland Writers Festival!

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

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dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Funny Story by Emily Henry

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Daphne Vincent cannot wait to leave Waning Bay in Michigan after being jilted just weeks before her wedding for her fiancé’s perfect and beautiful best friend. She’s stuck in town however, until the charity Read-a-Thon she’s been organising for the local Children’s Library she works at takes place in 108 days. Homeless (the shitty ex kicked HER out), Daphne moves in with the only person she knows who is looking for a roomie - the (ex) boyfriend of her fiancé’s best friend, Miles Nowak. Daphne and Miles barely speak as they come to terms with truly the most hideous break-up in literary history, until they both receive invitations to Peter (Daphne’s ex) and Petra’s (Miles’s ex) wedding in a few short months. The pair hatch a plan to disrupt their wedding by RSVPing as a couple, and fake-dating until the event in the hopes of making their respective exes jealous.

Well…. This is her BEST YETTTTT.

Emily Henry and I have a bit of a tumultuous relationship. There’s a 50/50 chance I’ll either love or hate the book. E.g. Hated Beach Read, Loved People We Meet on Vacation. Loved Book Lovers, HATTTEEEED Happy Place (honestly what even WAS that?!).

Well, I am extremely happy to report that I LOVED Funny Story and in fact, this is my favourite of her works so far.

Maybe it’s because there are so many things I can relate to in this story (I was engaged to be married but called off my wedding the week the invites were due to go out and just two weeks later MY best friend decided to shack up with my shitty ex ((they’re married now lol wtf))), but I was totally hooked and engaged with Daphne’s storyline the whole way through.

I know the feeling of sorting through wedding shit that is now surplus to requirements, figuring out who you are as an individual post-controlling-ex breakup, making new friends that aren’t your exes friends, and losing friends and family in the breakup process. But I also know what it’s like to have an absent dad, and much of what Daphne described was extreeemmmeeelly relatable.

I also like that Emily Henry writes characters that are in their 30s since so much of romance is centred around young people. It’s nice to read about imperfect 30-somethings who are still tryna figure their shit out you know? Coz same.

Miles Nowak was also my favourite male lead of Henry’s, I liked his quirks, his “odd jobs”, that he didn’t have some huge high-flying corporate career and had his own mummy issues to work through. He felt like one of the most developed male leads Henry has created.

The setting of Waning Bay Michigan was dreamy too. Makes me wanna book a one way ticket honestly.

Funny Story really IS a funny story, and at its heart ultimately it’s a story about learning to trust those that love you, and understanding that no one is perfect and it’s ok if your friends/family/partner occasionally screws up. It doesn’t mean they’re terrible, they’re just human.

ALSO, I feel like this whole book is a sign to talk to someone you think would be a cool new friend. Coz it’s hard to make new friends in your 30s you guys!!!!!

Anyways, five stars, loved it heaps, made a cute moodboard about it on Instagram <3

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Avery, Bonnie and Lucky Blue have become estranged in the year following their sister Nicky’s shocking and unexpected death. When their balanced and harmonious four becomes a sharp and unfamiliar three overnight, the surviving sisters flee their home city of New York to Europe, London and Los Angeles respectively as they each grapple with their grief and guilt over the parts they played in their sister’s death and whether or not they could have, or should have, done more to prevent it.

I loved Cleopatra and Frankenstein and I was interested to read Blue Sisters knowing it took Coco Mellors five years to write it and only two to write Blue Sisters. But if there’s one thing Mellors never fails to deliver on, it’s building compelling characters. I completely devoured this novel. Coco Mellors is such an exquisite writer, each of the Blue sisters felt so real, so completely developed and interesting with all their complexities, flaws and incredibly unique characteristics that are so true of a group who share DNA but are very much their own people.

I completely lost myself in the world of the Blue girls and on multiple occasions forgot I was reading the story instead of watching it happen in real life. I only surfaced from the chapters to marvel at the incredible artistry and craftsmanship of the book. I become engrossed and wholeheartedly invested in the journey of Bonnie, Avery and Lucky. I saw myself in each of them with their desire to numb their pain with alcohol and internalise their emotions rather than talk about them for fear of vulnerability and rejection. Blue Sisters is a story about grief, trauma, love and family. It reminds us that whilst none of us is perfect and we may find ourselves frustrated by our relatives, we are all facing our own internal battles and during the times where we most want to run away from the pain, those are the exact moments we should lean into it and more importantly, lean on those who love us unconditionally.

Blue Sisters delivered on Mellor’s reputation in spades, and more, as a novel that I know I will return to and reread (along with Cleopatra and Frankenstein) for years and years to come. Mellors holds her own against literary heavyweights such as Donna Tartt with her ability to create complex and engaging stories that will stand the test of time. Congratulations Coco on another phenomenal body of work. It is a true honour to read your writing and I’m so excited for whatever you next have in store.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for the advanced copy of Blue Sisters.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I did knot expect to like this but I did!

I've read all of Ali Hazelwood's books and usually my biggest bug bear is the lack of resolution and character development in the second half of the novel, but I felt like she nailed it in this one.

All the characters had neat and tidy conclusions and despite the sliiiiggght ick I got from the whole concept of Wolf seggs, I was still shocked to find I enjoyed this the most of all Slayzelwood's work.

5 stars!

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

Wow, bold of Oscar Wilde to drop this bombshell of a classic and then never write another novel again.

The Picture of Dorian Gray serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of putting youth, beauty and aesthetics above all else.

It also serves as a stark reminder of how hollow life can become if you gain everything you've ever wanted, without having to work for a single thing. How entitled and self-obsessed one can become when people will do anything for you at the drop of a hat, just to be in your orbit.

It's impossible not to draw modern day comparisons between Dorian Gray and the likes of deified pop-culture icons such as Taylor Swift, The Kardashians and the Royal Family. How much that level of worship and idolisation would change a person, despite their best efforts to remain true to themselves.

There is a reason this novel is considered a Classic. The fact that Oscar Wilde wrote this in 1890, and yet the themes and ideas still ring true more than 100 years later is a testament to the roots within human nature with which this story is ground.

We can all relate to Dorian Gray in his unrelenting pursuit of youth, beauty and popularity.

We can relate to Lord Henry and his regrets for youth lost and ultimate fear of mortality and inevitable death.

We can relate to Basil, for pouring his whole heart and soul into something which is ultimately meaningless and outside of his control.

This is a story that will stay with me, and I will be truly better for it.

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

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dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Well, Ottessa, you are "quite a gal!"

No one manages to simultaneously repulse and intrigue me quite like Ottessa Moshfegh. When I read her work, I know I'm about to be thoroughly disturbed and I am here. for. IT.

Eileen did not disappoint. The story of Eileen Dunlop's miserable life spent living with her emotional (and at times, physically) abusive, alcoholic father and working at the local Boys Prison was exactly as uncomfortable as I've come to expect from Moshfegh's work.

Moshfegh somehow manages to get right under your skin and touch nerves you never thought existed. Reading Eileen move through life selfishly and disgustingly (intentionally ripping clothes in a store, wiping her dirty mouth on scarves for sale, touching herself and then shaking hands with someone before washing them... that sort of thing) somehow had me absolutely hooked and I could not put the book down before finding out whether or not Eileen managed to find happiness or not.

Ottessa's work is not for the faint of heart.

Often the reviews are scathing of the body horror and grotesque descriptions.

But that is part of the magic in my opinion.

I read Ottessa Moshfegh when I want to be disturbed. And she never ever fails to disappoint!

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jnestwd's reviews 398 reviews

jnestwd's reviews
398 reviews