oceanwriter's reviews
397 reviews
A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I had high hopes for this book after reading Anxious People and I was not disappointed. Fredrik Backman's writing is so relatably human, managing to find humor in some of the darkest areas of our lives.
On the surface, Ove appears to be nothing more than a cranky old man. Beneath that gruff exterior is a wounded and lonely old man. When new neighbors move in, he finds himself suddenly surrounded by people despite his efforts to maintain his isolation.
I had to read this in a hurry because my library has waitlists on multiple copies, so I'm not sure if because of this I found it dragged a lot in the beginning. By the middle, it began to pick up though I can't say the pace changed much overall. It's one I would have preferred to read slowly. Still, I enjoyed it a lot.
On the surface, Ove appears to be nothing more than a cranky old man. Beneath that gruff exterior is a wounded and lonely old man. When new neighbors move in, he finds himself suddenly surrounded by people despite his efforts to maintain his isolation.
I had to read this in a hurry because my library has waitlists on multiple copies, so I'm not sure if because of this I found it dragged a lot in the beginning. By the middle, it began to pick up though I can't say the pace changed much overall. It's one I would have preferred to read slowly. Still, I enjoyed it a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Miscarriage and Death
Falling Hard for the Royal Guard, by Megan Clawson
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm going to say upfront that this isn't necessarily a book I would have chosen for myself unless I was looking for a good beach read, so please take my review with a grain of salt. I was sent a surprise ARC copy.
Maggie has (in my opinion) a dream home in the Tower of London. Unfortunately, her life hasn't been filled with fairytales. Throughout the book she'd on a quest to find love which, of course, she finds in an unlikely place: a Royal Guard.
The book is cute and I enjoyed the London history intertwined, but it ends there for me. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and wasn't able to connect to Maggie at all. The romance was sweet and I appreciated that it wasn't explicit, though it took a long while to get into it. Overall, I think someone more into romcoms will enjoy this. If you're picky like I am, it could be hit or miss.
A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me an ARC copy of the book to read and review!
Maggie has (in my opinion) a dream home in the Tower of London. Unfortunately, her life hasn't been filled with fairytales. Throughout the book she'd on a quest to find love which, of course, she finds in an unlikely place: a Royal Guard.
The book is cute and I enjoyed the London history intertwined, but it ends there for me. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and wasn't able to connect to Maggie at all. The romance was sweet and I appreciated that it wasn't explicit, though it took a long while to get into it. Overall, I think someone more into romcoms will enjoy this. If you're picky like I am, it could be hit or miss.
A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me an ARC copy of the book to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, and Bullying
For the Love of Mike, by Rhys Bowen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I’m going to revisit this when I’m more in the mood for a cozy mystery. I really only want to know if Molly gets together with this one guy.
The Core of Success, by
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
Not intimidating in length and extremely organized, The Core of Success is a great starting point for people looking to bring some organizational skills to their lives and for people who are ready to put in the work to start achieving their goals.
Each chapter covers different exercises to aid in personal growth and in some cases mental health management. These are the keys to success. The format makes it easy to go back and jump around as well with bullet points placed toward the end of the chapters.
There were a lot of exercises I highlighted to revisit later, the first of which that comes to mind being the 'Eisenhower Matrix'. I like that each section wasn't dragged out. It was simple and to the point which makes it (for me, anyway) a great introduction for further research. Self-help books are hit or miss for me, so I'm happy with how much I enjoyed this one.
A huge thanks to the author's team for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
Each chapter covers different exercises to aid in personal growth and in some cases mental health management. These are the keys to success. The format makes it easy to go back and jump around as well with bullet points placed toward the end of the chapters.
There were a lot of exercises I highlighted to revisit later, the first of which that comes to mind being the 'Eisenhower Matrix'. I like that each section wasn't dragged out. It was simple and to the point which makes it (for me, anyway) a great introduction for further research. Self-help books are hit or miss for me, so I'm happy with how much I enjoyed this one.
A huge thanks to the author's team for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
Georgie, All Along, by Kate Clayborn
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't know how I'm feeling about this one. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it either.
Georgie finds herself back home and reevaluating her life. Having spent a life of people pleasing, she's ready to start figuring out her own wants and needs after rediscovering a 'friendfic' she wrote as a teenager. An old high school acquaintance, Levi, helps her along on her journey of self-discovery.
The concept of this book is wonderful. I had really high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt like a strange mishmash of genres. The main plot felt like it wanted to be literary, but it was not written in a literary style. The romance plot felt like it wanted to be a romcom, but it wasn't comedic. While I liked the Georgie/Levi pairing, I grew bored of them quickly. I also found some of their romance scenes far too graphic for my taste. Disappointing overall, but ultimately comes down to a matter of preference and wrong assumptions of what the book was going to be.
Georgie finds herself back home and reevaluating her life. Having spent a life of people pleasing, she's ready to start figuring out her own wants and needs after rediscovering a 'friendfic' she wrote as a teenager. An old high school acquaintance, Levi, helps her along on her journey of self-discovery.
The concept of this book is wonderful. I had really high hopes. Unfortunately, it felt like a strange mishmash of genres. The main plot felt like it wanted to be literary, but it was not written in a literary style. The romance plot felt like it wanted to be a romcom, but it wasn't comedic. While I liked the Georgie/Levi pairing, I grew bored of them quickly. I also found some of their romance scenes far too graphic for my taste. Disappointing overall, but ultimately comes down to a matter of preference and wrong assumptions of what the book was going to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Addiction
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
Girl Around the World, by Dorothy Kilgallen
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
When I say that I've been looking for a copy of this book to read for years, I'm not exaggerating. Long out of print and a rare/expensive find, I finally traveled to read a library copy. Given how long I've waited, my rating may be a bit biased, but I'm also quite confident I would have enjoyed this book without already being an admirer of the author.
In 1936, journalist Dorothy Kilgallen set off on an around-the-world competition to attempt to break the world record at the time. The book catalogs her journey, detailing a number of places from Germany to Manila. Charming as ever, the book is a fun, adventurous, and inspiring account. It's also interesting to hear what the world was like at that time.
It's too bad this book didn't have more printings or a digitalization. People have forgotten what a trailblazer Dorothy Kilgallen was for women during her lifetime. This book is an excellent example, especially since it was still early on in her career. I'm grateful to have finally been able to read it.
In 1936, journalist Dorothy Kilgallen set off on an around-the-world competition to attempt to break the world record at the time. The book catalogs her journey, detailing a number of places from Germany to Manila. Charming as ever, the book is a fun, adventurous, and inspiring account. It's also interesting to hear what the world was like at that time.
It's too bad this book didn't have more printings or a digitalization. People have forgotten what a trailblazer Dorothy Kilgallen was for women during her lifetime. This book is an excellent example, especially since it was still early on in her career. I'm grateful to have finally been able to read it.
Orchidelirium, by E.B. Roshan
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was such a pleasure to read another book by E.B. Roshan! I found this to be a pretty unique book, too, given it features illustrations. Set in an alternate version of England during the Edwardian era, this cozy mystery is filled with wit and lots of flowers.
Though the plot does focus heavily on the book's mystery (stolen orchids, tigers, etc.), it is also a largely character-driven story. Admittedly, I didn't find myself latching onto Opal as the protagonist. Her preference for flowers over people is endearing in theory, but as a whole, I didn't find myself feeling much for her during ups or downs. The supporting characters, however, I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly Opal's sister. I'd almost like to see an offshoot in her POV. I also liked the inclusion of prosthetics, which given the time, was largely the element of fantasy here.
Having previously read Wrong Place, Right Time by this author, I had no doubt that the writing itself would be good. The flow of the book is fantastic and everything came together nicely in the end making for a satisfying read from start to finish.
As I mentioned, the book also includes illustrations which I found to be a charming addition. Who says grown-up books can't have pictures? It was such a nice touch, especially given it was both written and illustrated by E.B. Roshan.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
Though the plot does focus heavily on the book's mystery (stolen orchids, tigers, etc.), it is also a largely character-driven story. Admittedly, I didn't find myself latching onto Opal as the protagonist. Her preference for flowers over people is endearing in theory, but as a whole, I didn't find myself feeling much for her during ups or downs. The supporting characters, however, I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly Opal's sister. I'd almost like to see an offshoot in her POV. I also liked the inclusion of prosthetics, which given the time, was largely the element of fantasy here.
Having previously read Wrong Place, Right Time by this author, I had no doubt that the writing itself would be good. The flow of the book is fantastic and everything came together nicely in the end making for a satisfying read from start to finish.
As I mentioned, the book also includes illustrations which I found to be a charming addition. Who says grown-up books can't have pictures? It was such a nice touch, especially given it was both written and illustrated by E.B. Roshan.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
Spare, by Prince Harry
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I read this more out of curiosity than genuine interest. I'm quite fond of Princess Diana and I mostly wanted to hear what Harry had to say about her.
Told in a linear timeline, Prince Harry discusses the brutal reality of what it means to be part of the royal family. My heart has always gone out to him and I certainly sympathize more now that I've read this. What was off-putting to me was the amount of personal family matters disclosed that really didn't need to be discussed. It's one thing to talk about your own life in a memoir, but it doesn't sit well for me when it turns on others, even when they have wronged you.
Overall, the book was what I expected it to be: a media grab. There isn't a lot of depth to any of the stories aside from maybe what it was like to lose his mother in such a public and traumatic way. I found the writing melodramatic which didn't keep me super invested. I do understand that writing about difficult moments in one's life can be therapeutic, but that doesn't mean it needs to be published. So while I do feel sorry for some of the things he's had to go through, I also can't deny this story is getting so much attention simply due to his place in the Royal Family.
Told in a linear timeline, Prince Harry discusses the brutal reality of what it means to be part of the royal family. My heart has always gone out to him and I certainly sympathize more now that I've read this. What was off-putting to me was the amount of personal family matters disclosed that really didn't need to be discussed. It's one thing to talk about your own life in a memoir, but it doesn't sit well for me when it turns on others, even when they have wronged you.
Overall, the book was what I expected it to be: a media grab. There isn't a lot of depth to any of the stories aside from maybe what it was like to lose his mother in such a public and traumatic way. I found the writing melodramatic which didn't keep me super invested. I do understand that writing about difficult moments in one's life can be therapeutic, but that doesn't mean it needs to be published. So while I do feel sorry for some of the things he's had to go through, I also can't deny this story is getting so much attention simply due to his place in the Royal Family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and War
Moderate: Drug use, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
Code Name Edelweiss, by Stephanie Landsem
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-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
This was everything I hoped it would be and more. Emotional, heartwarming, and infuriating at times, I was completely immersed in this story about the early days of Hitler's reign. Instead of being on European soil, it's set in America.
In the midst of The Great Depression, Liesl Weiss finds herself fired from MGM and without a job. Needing to provide for her two young children, her mother, and her brother, she takes the first job she can find — becoming a spy to gather information on the German American community. Also on her team is Agent Thirteen, although who exactly this agent is is something she has to discover for herself.
The character growth in this book is phenomenal. We get an uncomfortable look at the moral struggles Liesl faces such as her indifference to Hitler's rise in Germany and denial of the anti-semitism in her own community (and later her response to it). There's also a large focus on family, particularly between Liesl and her brother Fritz. Lastly, there is a hint of romance, however, I use the word loosely as it's such a minor element of the story.
The narrators of the book do a nice job, although I had trouble understanding Agent Thirteen at the usual speeds I listen to. Not a huge issue, but I did have to keep going back and forth to adjust it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a free audio ARC of the book to read and review!
In the midst of The Great Depression, Liesl Weiss finds herself fired from MGM and without a job. Needing to provide for her two young children, her mother, and her brother, she takes the first job she can find — becoming a spy to gather information on the German American community. Also on her team is Agent Thirteen, although who exactly this agent is is something she has to discover for herself.
The character growth in this book is phenomenal. We get an uncomfortable look at the moral struggles Liesl faces such as her indifference to Hitler's rise in Germany and denial of the anti-semitism in her own community (and later her response to it). There's also a large focus on family, particularly between Liesl and her brother Fritz. Lastly, there is a hint of romance, however, I use the word loosely as it's such a minor element of the story.
The narrators of the book do a nice job, although I had trouble understanding Agent Thirteen at the usual speeds I listen to. Not a huge issue, but I did have to keep going back and forth to adjust it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a free audio ARC of the book to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Antisemitism, Racism, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
Kafka in Tangier, by محمد سعيد احجيوج, Mohammed Said Hjiouij, Phoebe Bay Carter
challenging
dark
fast-paced
3.75
This was such an interesting read for me. It was unlike anything else I've read and a glimpse at a different culture than my own.
A retelling/reinterpretation of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the book follows Jawad as he wakes and discovers he's transformed into a monster. This transformation forces him to take a critical look at his life from a personal and social standpoint.
I've never read any of Franz Kafka's works so I can't offer any sort of comparison. I found Kafka in Tangier quite interesting, though I was moderately confused throughout it. It was a new concept for me, but given the book is under 100 pages, it wasn't intimidating to pick up. It was educational for me in a lot of ways. As a story, it didn't wind up being my thing in particular, but I'm glad to have given it a go.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
A retelling/reinterpretation of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the book follows Jawad as he wakes and discovers he's transformed into a monster. This transformation forces him to take a critical look at his life from a personal and social standpoint.
I've never read any of Franz Kafka's works so I can't offer any sort of comparison. I found Kafka in Tangier quite interesting, though I was moderately confused throughout it. It was a new concept for me, but given the book is under 100 pages, it wasn't intimidating to pick up. It was educational for me in a lot of ways. As a story, it didn't wind up being my thing in particular, but I'm glad to have given it a go.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Miscarriage