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sharese_reads's reviews
20 reviews
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a beautiful, heartbreaking human novel written by a Vietnamese man to his illiterate mother. It spans war, abuse, family, history, lore, love, addiction, loss and so much more in its brief 256 pages.
The writing is beautiful and lyrical. It really captures the melody that can be attained when a poet writes a novel. I listened to the audio on and got to experience the author’s enchanting voice work. I also have a hard copy that I was happy to have on hand so I could go back and read passages as needed.
The book is labeled as a novel however components of it seemed inspired by the authors own life. The story is at once wrenching and fully indicative of the human condition throughout.
I definitely recommend reading and/or listening to this work by Ocean Vuong.
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This one hit. As a mom, as a mom of black sons, as a mom of black sons who feels lost sometimes in this world that we fight for and we fight to respect black children and respect who they will, hopefully, grow up to be.
I fell in love. I fell in love with the person speaking to his mother on the page. I am someone who usually falls a little in love with characters in novels (mostly black women as that is who I generally read) but this is a real person and I feel like I know them and love them because I read their letter to their mom and I FELT that. But I don’t know them, just as I don’t know the women in novels I read. But hopefully that falling in love will make me more empathetic, will make me a better mother to my black sons, will let me see where they bend.
And that last chapter. I read recently that finding a book or movie that makes you cry is good for your “stress cycle”. The last chapter of “Heavy” will forever be that place for me to go when I need to release.
I listened to this in audio format with Libro.fm via @bliss_books_wine_kc as my favorite way to experience memoirs is in the authors own voice. I highly suggest the audio format but any way you can get Kiese Laymon’s words into you is acceptable- just do it.
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I really appreciate the concept of this book as well as the historically accurate context. I googled so much while reading it and learned a lot about the racist practices in Brooklyn. Did you know that Irish people actually HUNTED black people during the civil war draft because they were upset that they were being drafted and blamed... black people?! That is just one of the many interesting true historical facts I learned reading this book.
The execution outside of the research was lacking. The two major points that didn’t work for me were: the white guy at the center of the story and the ending.
There was a definite sense that white dude was into the fight because he was sexually attracted to the black woman protagonist - this was never addressed. Even though the protagonist gave him a “hard time” about racism, mostly his ignorance was excused because he had grown up poor and was attractive and there was a mutual sexual attraction.
<spoilers>The ending was rushed and just basically a shoot em up fast paced ending with no real resolve or hope. There was such a great build and concept that I thought it would go somewhere higher. But for me it just- didn’t.
I absolutely recommend reading it for the historical context alone. If Alyssa Cole’s other books are this well researched I will definitely be checking out her romance novels.
The execution outside of the research was lacking. The two major points that didn’t work for me were: the white guy at the center of the story and the ending.
There was a definite sense that white dude was into the fight because he was sexually attracted to the black woman protagonist - this was never addressed. Even though the protagonist gave him a “hard time” about racism, mostly his ignorance was excused because he had grown up poor and was attractive and there was a mutual sexual attraction.
<spoilers>The ending was rushed and just basically a shoot em up fast paced ending with no real resolve or hope. There was such a great build and concept that I thought it would go somewhere higher. But for me it just- didn’t.
I absolutely recommend reading it for the historical context alone. If Alyssa Cole’s other books are this well researched I will definitely be checking out her romance novels.
Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
dark
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.0
Here Comes the Sun follows Margot and Thandi and to a lesser extent their mother, Delores, as they navigate being a woman in different generations and circumstances in a small town on the northern coast of Jamaica.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to experience Jamaica outside of the walls of a resort. Please don’t confuse this with every Jamaican’s story or experience, but a lot of the themes seem to be fairly universal. There are themes of neo-colonization through resorts taking land from the Jamaican ppl thereby displacing them, themes of sexual violence and coercion, the dynamics between mothers and daughters, and absent and peripheral men who mostly just cause harm (this is not an exhaustive list).
Ms. Dennis-Benn does an excellent job in writing the setting (I can feel the dry heat now and the smells are with me) and character development (I will forever have a visceral reaction to the name Delores or Alphonso). In places I felt it read too dramatic, more like a script than a novel and I felt the ending was rushed and not fleshed out quite enough- but those points do not take away from the intricacies and meticulous construction throughout the book.
I was lucky enough to get to attend a Q&A with the author. In the Q&A I got to know more about the writing process and reasons, one thing that stood out to me is Nicole Dennis-Benn’s explanation of the title “Here Comes the Sun” meaning that everything we are hiding is going to be brought to light. What a perfect concept for such a breathtaking story.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to experience Jamaica outside of the walls of a resort. Please don’t confuse this with every Jamaican’s story or experience, but a lot of the themes seem to be fairly universal. There are themes of neo-colonization through resorts taking land from the Jamaican ppl thereby displacing them, themes of sexual violence and coercion, the dynamics between mothers and daughters, and absent and peripheral men who mostly just cause harm (this is not an exhaustive list).
Ms. Dennis-Benn does an excellent job in writing the setting (I can feel the dry heat now and the smells are with me) and character development (I will forever have a visceral reaction to the name Delores or Alphonso). In places I felt it read too dramatic, more like a script than a novel and I felt the ending was rushed and not fleshed out quite enough- but those points do not take away from the intricacies and meticulous construction throughout the book.
I was lucky enough to get to attend a Q&A with the author. In the Q&A I got to know more about the writing process and reasons, one thing that stood out to me is Nicole Dennis-Benn’s explanation of the title “Here Comes the Sun” meaning that everything we are hiding is going to be brought to light. What a perfect concept for such a breathtaking story.
Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
I listened to the audiobook read by the author, Samantha Irby. It was a delightful and hilarious listen. I felt very “seen” in many of the essays and shook my head often at how relatable the content was (even though Irby and I seems to have very different backgrounds). I definitely recommend the audio version as comedy essays are always a good listen while doing mindless tasks like cleaning your house or taking a walk; this isn’t the type of genre I feel I wanted to sit down, read and really immerse myself. All in all very entertaining!
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️How the One Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones.
Today was a day y’all. It went from a tornado warning and threats of hail to this double rainbow in quick turn around. And I finished this powerhouse of a book.
I am stunned by the depth, beauty, atrocity, brevity and expansion of this book. @cheriejoneswrites brings you to Baxter’s Beach, brings you into the bodies, minds, mouth, hearts, under the fingernails, into the bowels of the Bajans featured in this book. I am not sure I’ve read a book that has immersed me into the setting as this one did.
There is A LOT going on in these brief 278 pages. It starts with a birth, proceeds with a death and another death and another death and an almost death and ends with one escape another incarceration. Everything bad you can think of happens in this book- it is not for those that have triggers of abuse, death of any age, or sexual assault of any kind (and I’m sure I’m missing some). But in the end it is a book about people. People who experience the worst of humanity which unfortunately is often the majority of humanity. And Ms. Jones writes it plainly and honestly while doing so in the language of her native country. The perspective and narration styles change throughout the book which at first I thought would be distracting but in the end I think enhanced the immersion.
I appreciated so much about this book and can’t wait to hear others’ perspectives with @bookofcinz book club this month. This book has been on my radar since she posted it last year. Thank you @bliss_books_wine_kc for making it available to me in your shop. I will definitely be adding it to my personal collection and suggest anyone do the same.
Today was a day y’all. It went from a tornado warning and threats of hail to this double rainbow in quick turn around. And I finished this powerhouse of a book.
I am stunned by the depth, beauty, atrocity, brevity and expansion of this book. @cheriejoneswrites brings you to Baxter’s Beach, brings you into the bodies, minds, mouth, hearts, under the fingernails, into the bowels of the Bajans featured in this book. I am not sure I’ve read a book that has immersed me into the setting as this one did.
There is A LOT going on in these brief 278 pages. It starts with a birth, proceeds with a death and another death and another death and an almost death and ends with one escape another incarceration. Everything bad you can think of happens in this book- it is not for those that have triggers of abuse, death of any age, or sexual assault of any kind (and I’m sure I’m missing some). But in the end it is a book about people. People who experience the worst of humanity which unfortunately is often the majority of humanity. And Ms. Jones writes it plainly and honestly while doing so in the language of her native country. The perspective and narration styles change throughout the book which at first I thought would be distracting but in the end I think enhanced the immersion.
I appreciated so much about this book and can’t wait to hear others’ perspectives with @bookofcinz book club this month. This book has been on my radar since she posted it last year. Thank you @bliss_books_wine_kc for making it available to me in your shop. I will definitely be adding it to my personal collection and suggest anyone do the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
The Herd by Andrea Bartz
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5