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thebarandthebookcase's reviews
279 reviews
How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
5.0
Beautiful, raw, and heartbreaking. I will read everything Saeed Jones writes. Please pick this up ASAP. This is a necessary memoir that is so real and important.
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
5.0
Ocean Vuong is a revelation. I struggled trying to come up with a review for this book because I feel that my thoughts could never do it justice. But I guess I must try in hopes that one of you picks this up. I will keep it short and sweet: The novel is a letter from a Vietnamese writer to his illiterate mother, thus representing a therapeutic reconciliation with himself and the traumas of his family’s past. This is a poetic, beautiful debut novel, exhibiting a masterful use of language with care and nuance. I feel that this is an instant classic, one that should be read by anyone who loves great literature. Please read this book.
Side note: if I didn’t sell you on picking this up immediately, I implore you to watch Vuong’s discussion with Jacqueline Woodson at The Strand bookstore, available on YouTube. Not only is his voice perfectly soothing, his insight made me teary-eyed and appreciate him and his work even more.
Side note: if I didn’t sell you on picking this up immediately, I implore you to watch Vuong’s discussion with Jacqueline Woodson at The Strand bookstore, available on YouTube. Not only is his voice perfectly soothing, his insight made me teary-eyed and appreciate him and his work even more.
The Holdout by Graham Moore
4.0
Have you served as a juror? I always thought it’d be fascinating to be on a jury, but this book puts into perspective how this duty can have permanent consequences. .
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The Holdout follows a homicide trial (think O.J. Simpson), in which juror Maya is adamant that the defendant, Bobby Nock, is not guilty of murdering his fifteen-year-old student, thus persuading the group and delivering the controversial verdict. Ten years later, a true crime docuseries reassembles the jury, and one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s hotel room. To prove her innocence, she must dissect the case which has followed her for a decade, and determine whether she set a killer free.
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I don’t usually read legal thrillers (as a lawyer, I get my daily fill of law), but this book is a blast. It’s concise with excellent plotting and fun twists. I didn’t figure this one out; my jaw dropped in the last few pages. Graham Moore is the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game, and his talent also shows as a novelist. Look out for this one in February! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!
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The Holdout follows a homicide trial (think O.J. Simpson), in which juror Maya is adamant that the defendant, Bobby Nock, is not guilty of murdering his fifteen-year-old student, thus persuading the group and delivering the controversial verdict. Ten years later, a true crime docuseries reassembles the jury, and one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s hotel room. To prove her innocence, she must dissect the case which has followed her for a decade, and determine whether she set a killer free.
.
.
I don’t usually read legal thrillers (as a lawyer, I get my daily fill of law), but this book is a blast. It’s concise with excellent plotting and fun twists. I didn’t figure this one out; my jaw dropped in the last few pages. Graham Moore is the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game, and his talent also shows as a novelist. Look out for this one in February! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
3.0
The Dutch House follows a brother and sister throughout their lives, detailing the impact that the loss of their childhood home has on them. Upon finishing The Dutch House, I had mixed feelings. I loved the writing throughout, but I felt the book slumped significantly in the middle. However, I waited to post my thoughts until I went to a local book club to see what others thought. The discussion made me appreciate the book so much more, and shed light on the intricacies with which Patchett develops her characters. This is a layered novel, tackling big themes such as memory, family, and forgiveness.
Cleanness by Garth Greenwell
4.0
Set in Sofia, Bulgaria, Cleanness follows an American teacher as he grapples with heartbreak, desire, and identity in a country facing imminent upheaval. This book blew my mind. The writing here is simply impeccable and reads so effortlessly. Greenwell documents his characters’ thoughts and behavior with such care and nuance that they immediately feel fully realized. Also, this book is full of gay sex. Greenwell filters none of it, yet it never feels overdone or exploitative. Overall, this book is heartbreakingly beautiful, and I will read every book Greenwell writes. If you enjoyed Call Me By Your Name, I am confident you will love this book as well.
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
5.0
If there is one book you should read this year, it’s Real Life. The fact that this is a debut novel written in five weeks blows my mind. Taylor’s writing is so exceptional and the story is gutting, layered, and necessary. I firmly believe this is an instant classic.
Real Life follows a single weekend in which Wallace, an introverted, black, and gay graduate student, is faced with multiple encounters with his peers which lead to him questioning everything about himself, others, his past, and ultimately his place in the world. Brandon Taylor expertly uses the “campus novel” as a launching point to discuss so much in so few pages. Every page plucks an emotion from the reader, with certain passages leaving me astounded at Taylor’s ability to so directly put into words what many of us feel on a daily basis. It reminded me of the power of the novel.
I could go on forever, but in short, please read this book.
Real Life follows a single weekend in which Wallace, an introverted, black, and gay graduate student, is faced with multiple encounters with his peers which lead to him questioning everything about himself, others, his past, and ultimately his place in the world. Brandon Taylor expertly uses the “campus novel” as a launching point to discuss so much in so few pages. Every page plucks an emotion from the reader, with certain passages leaving me astounded at Taylor’s ability to so directly put into words what many of us feel on a daily basis. It reminded me of the power of the novel.
I could go on forever, but in short, please read this book.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
4.0
I rarely read YA novels, but Scythe thoroughly surprised me. In a novel set in the distant future in which death is eradicated, Shusterman tackles such a complex idea with stunning ease, cleverly answering all of the reader’s questions throughout. Shusterman is a master of simultaneously world-building and plotting, with many twists I did not foresee at all. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, twisty, and thought-provoking novel, I highly recommend Scythe.