A blog about books, the publishing world, and maintaining ultimate litness.
I originally picked up The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera because I saw the title in a used bookstore, and I was intrigued. I absolutely loved the title, and after reading it and gaining context for the title, I love it even more with all of its many layers. This novel is definitely […]
I am drawn to WW2 historical fiction, and the concept of The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer is great. It has both modern and historical POVs, which can be powerful if done correctly, and it has a mystery element. It sounds like it should be right up my alley, but it fell flat. […]
When Oscar Wilde first wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray, he was faced with backlash from critics who may or may not have been familiar with the term “unreliable narrator.” They accused him of writing an “immoral book.” At first, he contested that claim by saying that the moral of the book was clear; in […]
When reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, I was constantly annotating the cynical witticisms running rampant through the novel. They were absolutely delightful, and some made me chuckle out loud. The majority of the quotes I highlighted were the sayings of Lord Henry, because even though he could be a bit sexist […]
When people discover the extent of my chocolate infatuation and connect that with my love for writing/reading, they are bound to eventually suggest, “Write about chocolate!” My immediate reaction is always, “How?” My creative ability doesn’t extend to thinking up an entertaining manuscript entirely about a single consumable product. I just really enjoy eating it. […]
After Chocolat, which was charming, whimsical, and subtle in its writing, reading its sequel The Girl With No Shadow was disappointing. I ended up skimming the majority of the novel because neither the characters or the writing could hold my interest for long. The writing style in The Girl With No Shadow felt contrived and […]
As a self-proclaimed and unashamed chocoholic, I was drawn to Chocolat by Joanne Harris for obvious reasons. I didn’t become addicted to the book, so I can’t say it necessarily lived up to its namesake, but it also didn’t disappoint. In the world of sweets, it’s a creme brulee. I appreciate its existence and love […]
While reading War and Peace, Andrei broke my heart a million times, and so of course he was my favorite character in the book and now one of my favorite characters in all of literature. Although I knew Andrei’s ending prior to reading, I was hoping against hope for my favorite character’s contentment. Alas, *spoiler […]
After I read the mammoth War and Peace, I wanted something quick and easy to read. On impulse, I reread a series I read (and read, and reread, and reread) in middle school. This story and characters have stuck with me surprisingly poignantly, perhaps the most out of anything I’ve ever read. I don’t really […]
I don’t know if a definitive definition of comfort books exists, so here’s how I define it: light, easy reads that you can return to whenever you’re in need of comfort. Bonus points if the story itself brings you comfort, whether you are actively reading it or not. My comfort books are the Gallagher Girl […]