mackenziewrites's reviews
169 reviews

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

BLUF: She does it again. Kristin Hannah makes me WEEP. She knows how to hit you right in the feels.

Reading WWII novels right now feels particularly important as a means of education, preparation, and resistance. It also feels counterintuitive to preserving my mental health as we are bombarded with Hitler-esque governmental policies from the current US administration every day.

Regardless, this book is an unputdownable masterpiece. It has everything you want: heroines, villains, history, imagery that transports you, heartache, loss, redemption, sibling bonds, survival against all odds, and, most importantly, love. It has something for everyone. And bonus, the first few chapters are short which makes it feel very approachable.

Reading this book, I truly felt like I was in these places. As Vianne is cooking in the kitchen, I can smell her dinner. When Isabelle is in Ravensbrück, I can feel the lice crawling on me. I can picture the facial expressions of each of the characters as the scenes play out. As they wait in line for rations, I can feel the hunger pangs (that might be my own current bout of food poisoning, but you get the drift).

Now, please excuse me, while I go destroy my emotional fortitude by reading another one of her novels.

Content Warnings

What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

Things I loved about this book: I could not put down the first third of the book. Raymond and Jimmie’s sibling relationship, Evelyn’s parental tribulations, and the game of chase that is young love are all written in a captivating way. For a WWII story, it was refreshing to read something set in Asia rather than Europe. I have family that lives on Leyte, so I loved reading a story partially set there.

Things I did not love about this book: The remaining two-thirds of the book lost me a little bit. I have read other books that capture the feeling of being at war and evoke strong emotions. This one fell a little flat. I had trouble keeping the members of Raymond’s unit straight, and I think a little more stage-setting in this regard could have been a huge help as we progressed with more battle scenes. I think a bit more detail into the landscape and why they were in certain places or what their goals were in certain places could have made it feel like we were there. Sometimes the dialogue felt juvenile and unbelievable. But hey, maybe that dialogue was actually gleaned from the letters that inspired the story.

What I appreciated about this book: It is inspired by a true story. Reading the author’s note at the end made me understand the book so much more and why she chose to focus on certain characters more than others. I think her efforts in researching the narrative and creating a legacy for her family are truly admirable.

What confused me about the book: The title. Are the silent supposed to be the men who don’t return and live on in the letters they’ve written? I think so, but I could be wrong.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

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4.0

I listened to this audiobook and the Irish narrator was so fun. I found myself WANTING to do more laundry just so I could hear her voice which I think lent to the authenticity of the story. Shout-out to Spotify for having this title available on Premium. It’s very fitting for St. Patty’s day coming up.

Technically, I’m Irish if you look at my prevailing ancestry and after reading this book, I’m thinking that’s where I got my penchant for using the F word so freely and frequently.

The book had a lot of twists that I wasn’t expecting from reading the jacket cover or synopsis on Goodreads and I found myself texting my book club friends in all caps and with lots of punctuation marks a few times throughout this story.

In good faith, I have to provide some trigger warnings with this one and you can find those in the caption below.

Trigger warning for those trying to conceive or experiencing infertility. Book discusses abortion and miscarriage.

Content Warnings

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

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medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

You know when you watch an R-rated movie on cable with all the good parts edited out, and it makes you laugh? This feels like that. I’d call it a wannabe Kristin Hannah novel minus everything that could make it relatable or raw or human.

It somehow fits the bill of a “cozy” war novel. The characters don’t seem to experience strife or heartache or setbacks of any kind. Unless you count a curmudgeonly teacher as a hardship. The romantic plotlines are simple and straight to the point, we met, we fell in love, we got together. Even when a character passes, it feels completely glossed over.

I appreciated a historical fiction book set in WWI as opposed to WWII, but the history part of this novel seems lost. There was one brief explanation of why the war started and how it was lost and that was it.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted read where you aren’t overly invested, this might be it. If you’re a reader looking for depth, character development or thickening plots, this won’t do it for you.

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

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dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

When I picked this up from the library on a whim because I wanted to read more books by female authors of color, I did not even read the jacket summary. Upon starting the book, I was hesitant because I can only read so many WWII stories in a year. However, her storytelling was vivid and I continued on. I learned about the Kindertransport train out of Germany filled with soon-to-be orphans and, as a mother, my heart ached. Then we are introduced to new characters that have made similar journeys attempting to immigrate to the United States. As we face another term with Trump as president, I strongly urge people to read this book. Allende tells the heart-wrenching stories of children ripped from their parents during border crossings, the harrowing tales of why people are forced to leave their home countries, and the perils that parents risk to save their families.

Not enough is shared about the conditions of the detainee camps that America has set up but these stories should be covered by every mainstream media outlet and influencer as we as a country are about to launch an unnecessary war on immigrants.

Allende uses the third person for all of her character’s narrations as we jump from story to story, except in the case of Anita, a blind seven-year-old from El Salvador in foster care. We get to experience her stream of consciousness directly and get insight into how a disabled child in a new country without family and without the language skills to communicate bravely navigates her situation. Her inner monologue keeps us intrigued until the very end when we solve the mystery.

This interconnected compilation of stories of children immigrating shows us that this hatred and violence toward others isn’t new. We can look back at history and learn from our mistakes to be a more compassionate and inclusive refuge for all.

Side note: Anita’s journey with her vision inspired me to finally get the LASIK surgery I have been fearfully putting off for years. I now have 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts and my surgery was a breeze.

Go as a River by Shelley Read

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4.75

The book’s summary uses the word heart-wrenching to describe it and I couldn’t agree more. Here are some of the emotions I felt reading the book: white-hot rage, shock, disgust, bitterness, and absolute despair. I finished this book while on a camping trip and it had me silently weeping in my tent for hours as I tried to not wake my baby with my sobs. As a mother, this book pulled at my heartstrings more than I thought imaginable. As a girl from the peach state, I was drawn to its cover and description. I did not know in advance what I was getting myself into in the best possible way.

“Women endure. That’s what we do.”

Read has written an entrancing tale of a young woman grappling with constantly picking up after the bedraggled men in her life from far too early on. She experiences, questions, and confronts racism at a time when others shun her for it. She ends up finding beauty in outcasts and her entire life takes a drastic turn that can’t be undone. She spends her life grieving what she has lost as we follow her across decades as she makes her own life despite tragic circumstances.

“A woman is more than a vessel for babies and grief”.

We do get to see the protagonist find a sort of healing and closure in the end leaving the next step in her journey open for interpretation.

I have recommended this book to several of my friends, all of whom have given it a resounding five stars. Add this to your TBR stat, but be sure you have tissues nearby. I'm detracting 1/4 of a star because there was one scene that just felt so unrealistic to me, but I also feel like every book has one of those.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This one will suck you in from the beginning, the definition of “just one more page”. I don’t read many thrillers, so I can’t compare it to others in the genre, but if you need a book you can’t put down, pick this one up.

The author does a fantastic job of giving you just enough breadcrumbs to question everything as she cycles back and forth between the present day and the future. It follows a popular podcaster and a stranger that approaches her hoping to be interviewed for a story. The woman takes over more than just her recording studio in a twisted scenario of idolization and obsession as this whodunnit unfolds.

However, the ending didn’t help me feel complete, leaving us with just as many questions from beginning to end. Several key plotlines went unanswered and several bits of information seemed incredibly important that were either never neatly tied up or ignored completely in the final pages. The protagonist, although likable and relatable at times, never really takes responsibility for her choices, instead wallowing in self-pity until her payday comes. Certain actions from the antagonist didn’t align with her character as presented.

The list of characters that you want to see brought to justice is endless – every person plays a role in the litany of crimes against humanity committed. We’re left not knowing what is real or who to believe. That sense of uneasiness and, dare I say, “ick factor” stays with you long after you shut the book.

Content Warnings

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki

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informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

3.25

After reading this book (well at different points throughout), I immediately began decluttering my house. I started with the sock drawer, and the keepsake box, then the filing cabinet and junk drawer, then my kitchenware, etc. The spaces I decluttered kept getting bigger. His outlook offers a unique perspective that makes you question why there are so many possessions surrounding you. I appreciate his take on the mental load that all of these possessions create and the freedom you’ll have without them. One of his 55 tips that rang particularly true for my family was: “50. Don’t but it because it’s cheap. Don’t take it because it’s free.” I tend to stock up during sales and my husband loves a good Facebook Marketplace steal or curbside score. What it really means is our basement filling up with stuff that we only use occasionally or “will get to use someday”. When our basement is full of stuff so is our mind. He also refutes that I idea of someday, making the point that you only have the present. I even sent a few screenshots to my mom who is currently trying to go through my deceased grandmother’s belongings as he shares his thoughts on that.

However, his perspective is male-centric in terms of what one needs. As a mother, I disagree with many of the things he says about minimizing. One example is this line from his ‘Less time spent doing chores section’: “Own fewer clothes and you’ll be doing less laundry.” I disagree, no matter how many clothes I own, I am going to be washing them when they are dirty. And with a toddler that is often. I get the notion of less things = less things to clean, but it doesn’t apply to absolutely everything. Similarly, the concept of getting ready to leave the house in 45 seconds. I don’t even wear make-up or do my hair and I can’t get out of the house in 45 seconds – between brushing my teeth, cleaning my retainer, putting in my contacts, taking my morning medication, putting clothes on… all of that takes more than 45 seconds.

While I don’t agree with the book wholeheartedly, it is a read where you can take what serves you and leave what doesn’t. Among other things, this book had me cutting our dog’s toys in half and donating them to the local animal shelter and taking my baby’s stuff that I “might” give to a friend that gets pregnant someday to a domestic violence shelter instead. Reading this book helped me accomplish the following:

1. Reduce my mental load

2. Reduce my visual clutter

3. Reduce my cleaning load

4. Part with things that brought me stress of grief

5. Serve others in need in my community

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.0

I picked up this book because I had just finished binge-watching Gossip Girl (which I started thanks to a bad case of RSV). One of the main characters, an aspiring writer, Dan, incessantly brings up Joan Didion as the greatest writer of our time. As someone who had never read any Joan Didion but is also an aspiring author, I had to see what the hype was about. When I saw this on display at my local library, I decided to try it out.

Unprepared is an understatement. In this memoir, Didion recounts losing her husband and grappling with her daughter’s sudden, inexplicable, and life-threatening illnesses. She takes us on a journey as she notes the strange things that grief makes us remember, do, and feel.

However, she does this using a stream-of-consciousness writing style that likely will leave readers confused. Who are we talking about? What time period are we in? Where in the world are we right now? She jumps from New York to California to Hawaii and back more times than I could keep track of. There is a lot of name-dropping that doesn’t seem necessary to me, but who am I but an uncultured member of the proletariat, it seems? (The elitism in the book can be quite nauseating at times).

For someone searching for a relatable book on grief, this might be a total win. For the average reader, this is a tough one to get through. But if you’re committed, you will learn about the gut-wrenching unfairness of life and just how quickly we can lose everything for no apparent reason.

**Potential Spoilers** - Didion has since passed away and I did some further research on her and her daughter after this book was published and the story just gets worse.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I was so excited to read this book after coming across it in an Instagram video, I began seeing it everywhere but I had no idea what it was about. It sat on my shelf for a few months, the bright green and blue cover calling my name every day. This was my first time not reading reviews, synopses, or spoilers and I think I want to continue to do that moving forward. It worked out so well for me with this one!

The first thing I noticed was the author’s choice to not use quotation marks for the dialogue. It threw me for a loop for the first few pages, but I got used to it.

One review from The Washington Post says “A novel that demands to be read compulsively in one sitting” and while I didn’t do that, I found myself constantly wanting to read more about Marianne and Connell and what happens next in their story.

Sally Rooney draws you into a seemingly mundane story set across years about characters who you become completely invested in. Sometimes you just want to shake them and tell them to open their eyes. The book illuminates the power in the small moments between two people, the said and the unsaid, the line between love and friendship. If you’re looking for a quick or easy read that will engross you and pull at your heartstrings while also bringing up core memories from your own life, pick this one up.

Content Warnings

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mackenziewrites's reviews 169 reviews

mackenziewrites's reviews
169 reviews