Book Review: A Woman is no Man: A Novel-by Etaf Rum-Women's Fiction

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of A Woman is no Man: A Novel-by Etaf Rum.

Title: A Woman is no Man: A Novel

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Women's Fiction
Author: Etaf Rum

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: March 05, 2019

Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages
Meet the Author: Etaf Rum

Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Palestine, 1990. Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. Over the course of a week, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself quickly betrothed and married, and is soon living in Brooklyn. There Isra struggles to adapt to the expectations of her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam, a pressure that intensifies as she begins to have children—four daughters instead of the sons Fareeda tells Isra she must bear.

Brooklyn, 2008. Eighteen-year-old Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter, must meet with potential husbands at her grandmother Fareeda’s insistence, though her only desire is to go to college. Deya can’t help but wonder if her options would have been different had her parents survived the car crash that killed them when Deya was only eight. But her grandmother is firm on the matter: the only way to secure a worthy future for Deya is through marriage to the right man.

But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths about her family—knowledge that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, the past, and her own future.

Set in an America at once foreign to many and staggeringly close at hand, A Woman Is No Man is a story of culture and honor, secrets and betrayals, love and violence. It is an intimate glimpse into a controlling and closed cultural world, and a universal tale about family and the ways silence and shame can destroy those we have sworn to protect.

My Thoughts

One of the best books I have read this year. 

I went through all the emotions, from crying to laughing, anger, sadness, hope, happiness. All the topics touched in this book are relevant, make you think, re-think, this book shakes your perspective and thoughts in so many ways, the not so hidden conversation and narrative on it, is relevant to our time now, our society in general. 

A work of fiction, yes, but the story, the events on it, real, is what lots of women go through, how they live by, in reality, everyday, all the decisions, all the hardships, all what they cannot do and what they are supposed to do and who they are supposed to be.

Some of the characters I disliked, not because they are not relevant to the story but because I could not help but think, it is a character in this fictional work but in reality, this person exists somewhere. I think that was a constant though in my mind while reading this book, a work of fiction but it is reality for so many people out there.

I loved the writing, I loved the story, is not rushed, we get to know the characters, their feelings, what they are going through. 

This is a very important book that I strongly believe everybody should read.

Wendy

Book Review: An American Marriage: A Novel- by Tayari Jones-Women's Fiction

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of An American Marriage: A Novel by Tayari Jones.

Title: An American Marriage: A Novel

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Women's Fiction
Author: Tayari Jones

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Publication Date: February 06, 2018

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Tayari Jones

Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together.

This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward—with hope and pain—into the future.

My Thoughts

A well-written, thought-provoking story, about love, family, marriage and how complicated that can be, how a wrongful conviction and race-based injustice can change people's lives forever.

Roy and Celestial, a middle-class, African-American young couple, are separated by a terrible, unexpected situation. Their lives, their marriage changes when Roy is accused of a crime he didn't commit and they are forced to adapt to this new life and deal with it.

I was amazed by how strong, explosive at times, their interactions are throughout the entire story. I especially loved the portion of the book where they exchange letters while Roy is in prison. Loved how despite their situation, none are afraid of speaking their minds, we can better understand and have an intimate look at their relationship.

Overall, I liked the book a lot, liked the characters, the writing and all the different topics it explores, some of them very relevant nowadays.

Wendy

Book Review: WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach-Nonfiction

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach.

Title: WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Nonfiction

Author: Abby Wambach

Publisher: Celadon Books

Publication Date: April 9, 2019

Language: English

Hardcover: 112 pages
Meet the Author: Abby Wambach
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Based on her inspiring, viral 2018 commencement speech to Barnard College graduates in New York City, New York Times bestselling author, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion Abby Wambach delivers her empowering rally cry for women to unleash their individual power, unite with their pack, and emerge victorious together.

Abby Wambach became a champion because of her incredible talent as a soccer player. She became an icon because of her remarkable wisdom as a leader. As the co-captain of the 2015 Women’s World Cup Champion Team, she created a culture not just of excellence, but of honor, commitment, resilience, and sisterhood. She helped transform a group of individual women into one of the most successful, powerful and united Wolfpacks of all time.

In her retirement, Abby’s ready to do the same for her new team: All Women Everywhere.

In Wolfpack, Abby’s message to women is:

We have never been Little Red Riding Hood. We Are the Wolves.

We must wander off the path and blaze a new one: together.

She insists that women must let go of old rules of leadership that neither include or serve them. She’s created a new set of Wolfpack rules to help women unleash their individual power, unite with their Wolfpack, and change the landscape of their lives and world: from the family room to the boardroom to the White House.

· Make failure your fuel: Transform failure to wisdom and power. 

· Lead from the bench: Lead from wherever you are. 

· Champion each other: Claim each woman’s victory as your own. 

· Demand the effing ball: Don’t ask permission: take what you’ve earned.

In Abby’s vision, we are not Little Red Riding Hoods, staying on the path because we’re told to. We are the wolves, fighting for a better tomorrow for ourselves, our pack, and all the future wolves who will come after us.

My Thoughts

Wow, wow, wow. Even though this is a very short and fast-paced book but what a powerful and uplifting one it is. One of these books that leaves you wanting more. Abby Wambach is such an inspiration. A woman encouraging other women. 

By sharing her own experiences, Abby shows us that our voice is important, that women, we are unique but together we can be the difference, that we together can make the difference. 

I loved this book, from page one to the end. A wonderful source of inspiration, knowledge, encouragement, love and unity.

ONE: YOU WERE ALWAYS THE WOLF
Old Rule: Stay on the path
New Rule: Create your own path

TWO: BE GRATEFUL AND AMBITIOUS
Old Rule: Be grateful for what you have
New Rule: Be grateful for what you have AND demand what you deserve

THREE: LEAD FROM THE BENCH
Old Rule: Wait for permission to lead
New Rule: Lead now- from wherever you are

FOUR: MAKE FAILURE YOUR FUEL
Old Rule: Failure means you’re out of the game
New Rule: Failure means you’re finally IN the game

FIVE: CHAMPION EACH OTHER
Old Rule: Be against each other
New Rule: Be FOR each other

SIX: DEMAND THE BALL
Old Rule: Be polite. Pass the ball
New Rule: Be confident. Demand the ball

SEVEN: BRING IT ALL
Old Rule: Lead with Dominance to Amass Followers
New Rule: Lead with Full Humanity to Cultivate Leaders

EIGHTH: FIND YOUR PACK
Old Rule: You’re on your own
New Rule: You’re at not alone. You’ve got your Pack

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy

Blog Tour: The Killer in Me: A Novel by Olivia Kiernan-Thriller/Suspense

BLOG TOUR: THE KILLER IN ME

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Killer in Me: A Novel by Olivia Kiernan

Olivia Kiernan’s debut novel Too Close to Breathe (Dutton, 2018) was called “equal parts Fiona Barton and Gillian Flynn” and now her thrilling new psychological suspense: THE KILLER IN ME (Dutton; on-sale: April 2, 2019) wows as a chilling new ccrime occurs in a sleepy Irish town.

“Well-paced sequel…[protagonist] Frankie’s insights at crime scenes, her close relationships with squad members, and the vivid picture of Dublin lift this police procedural.” —Publishers Weekly

“Tana French fans are a ready audience for the second in Kiernan’s series, which unravels murder cases undertaken by Dublin detective Frankie Sheehan…Kiernan’s smart writing carefully doles out twists and clues as the puzzle comes to an unexpected and nervous-making ending. Along the way, she paints a rich picture of contemporary Dublin life, its social pretenses and nothing-to-lose characters both crashing against the justice system. Readers will watch for more from Kiernan.” —Booklist

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A deadly past refuses to stay buried in Olivia Kiernan’s masterful new novel

Death is no stranger to Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan, but she isn’t the only one from her small, coastal suburb to be intimately acquainted with it. Years ago, teenager Seán Hennessey shocked the tight-knit community when he was convicted of the brutal murder of his parents and attempted slaying of his sister, though he always maintained his innocence. Now, Seán is finally being released from prison—but when his newfound freedom coincides with the discovery of two bodies, the alleged connection between the cases only serves to pull Frankie further from answers even as it draws her closer to her town’s hidden darkness. With a television documentary revisiting Seán’s sentence pushing the public’s sympathies into conflict on a weekly basis, a rabid media pressuring the police like never before, and a rising body count, Frankie will need all of her resources if she is not only to catch a killer, but put to rest what really happened all those years ago.

A dark, irresistible cocktail of secrets, murder, and family, Olivia Kiernan’s latest is an impossible-to-put-down triumph.

About the Author

Olivia Kiernan is an Irish writer living in the UK. She was born and raised in County Meath near the famed heritage town of Kells and holds an MA in creative writing awarded by the University of Sussex. She is also the author of Too Close to Breathe.

 MY THOUGHTS

 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

What a fantastic thriller. Set in Dublin, The Killer in Me follows Detective Frankie Sheehan as he investigates a double murder. I have to say I really enjoyed the book, the twists, the suspense, the fast-paced narrative and very particular fascinated with how interesting character Detective Frankie is.

Thank you to the Publisher Dutton and Netgalley for the advanced free copy in exchange for an honest review, and Maria for inviting me to the Blog Tour.

Book Review: Men Without Women: Stories by Haruki Murakami-Short Stories

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of Men Without Women: Stories by Haruki Murakami.

Title: Men Without Women: Stories

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Short Stories

Author: Haruki Murakami

Publisher: Vintage, Reprint Edition
Publication Date: May 01, 2018

Language: English

Paperback: 240 pages
Meet the Author: Haruki Murakami
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are lovesick doctors, students, ex-boyfriends, actors, bartenders, and even Kafka’s Gregor Samsa, brought together to tell stories that speak to us all. In Men Without Women Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic, marked by the same wry humor and pathos that have defined his entire body of work.

My Thoughts

It took me a while to finish this book. Not because I was not liking it, on the contrary, I was enjoying  it so much, I wanted to take my time on each story, I wanted to savor each word. That I did and it was totally worth it. 

Men without Women is a collection of short stories, seven in total, stories about everyday people, doctors, students, ex-boyfriends, actors, bantenders, ordinary people, however, their stories, so unique, I never read stories like these before. I was so blown away by the writing, the power of Murakami's storytelling is out of this world. 

That is what makes these stories different, it takes something ordinary and makes it into something extraordinary. Feelings such as loneliness, sadness, pain, betrayal, situations such as lost, heartbreaks, relationships are portrayed, described through such a powerful storytelling that you cannot help but get immersed, invested on each story. I finished the book a few days ago and I am still thinking about all these characters, their ups and downs. It is hard not to.

Not sure what Murakami book I am going to read next but I, without a doubt, will be reading more of his books. His writing is beautiful and kept me engaged on each story of Men without Women.

Wendy

Book Review: Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land-Biographies/Memoirs

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land.

Title: Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Biographies/Memoirs

Author: Stephanie Land

Publisher: Hachette Books
Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Language: English

Hardcover: 288 pages
Meet the Author: Stephanie Land
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Evicted meets Nickel and Dimed in Stephanie Land's memoir about working as a maid, a beautiful and gritty exploration of poverty in America. Includes a foreword by Barbara Ehrenreich. 

At 28, Stephanie Land's plans of breaking free from the roots of her hometown in the Pacific Northwest to chase her dreams of attending a university and becoming a writer, were cut short when a summer fling turned into an unexpected pregnancy. She turned to housekeeping to make ends meet, and with a tenacious grip on her dream to provide her daughter the very best life possible, Stephanie worked days and took classes online to earn a college degree, and began to write relentlessly. 

She wrote the true stories that weren't being told: the stories of overworked and underpaid Americans. Of living on food stamps and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) coupons to eat. Of the government programs that provided her housing, but that doubled as halfway houses. The aloof government employees who called her lucky for receiving assistance while she didn't feel lucky at all. She wrote to remember the fight, to eventually cut through the deep-rooted stigmas of the working poor. 

Maid explores the underbelly of upper-middle class America and the reality of what it's like to be in service to them. "I'd become a nameless ghost," Stephanie writes about her relationship with her clients, many of whom do not know her from any other cleaner, but who she learns plenty about. As she begins to discover more about her clients' lives-their sadness and love, too-she begins to find hope in her own path. 

Her compassionate, unflinching writing as a journalist gives voice to the "servant" worker, and those pursuing the American Dream from below the poverty line. Maid is Stephanie's story, but it's not her alone. It is an inspiring testament to the strength, determination, and ultimate triumph of the human spirit.

My Thoughts

"The Alchemist's theme, this Personal Legend, pulled at me. I'd wanted to be a writer for nearly twenty-five years."

I cannot explain with enough words how much I can relate with that sentence. That line, this entire book gave me one more reason for wanting more than ever to pursue what I really want in life. And that part in reference to The Alchemist, which just happen to be my favorite book.

I cannot imagine how hard it was to go through what Stephanie went through. Our stories are different in that sense, but as Stephanie and many other women out there, I can relate to the desire of wanting a better life for me and the love ones around me, of having to go through difficult times in life and doing whatever it takes to make it better, to be better, to pursue our dreams and make them happen. 

I have seen many comments and reviews on this book where people consider it to be a display of pity, a person seeking attention and sympathy. I respect all these people's opinions, you cannot expect everybody to like one's story but I cannot feel and have other than respect and admiration for the author. I respect their opinions but I also think if you have not been in a given situation, can you really understand and relate with what other people's lives are and what they go through?

It is not easy to share with the world your struggles and hardships in life. I don't know if being in the situation I would be brave enough, open enough to share my story. But as a reader who loves reading books about other people's lives and a writer who writes about her life, I always appreciate the honesty and openness of other writers, authors. 

That is what I see in Stephanie's book. Honesty, a person sharing her story in an honest and open way, a human being sharing her difficulties in life, the daughter, the mom, the worker, the writer, the friend, the partner, the human.

Wendy

Book Review: The Silent Patient-by Alex Michaelides-Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of The Silent Patient-by Alex Michaelides.

Title: The Silent Patient

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Author: Alex Michaelides

Publisher: Celadon Books

Publication Date: February 05, 2019

Language: English

Paperback: 325 pages
Meet the Author: Alex Michaelides
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband―and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

My Thoughts

This was brilliant. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Theo Farber is one of these characters that you really like and then turns out he is not such a good and likeable character you thought he was. That twist at the end, oh my God, totally unexpected. Still, Theo remained a likeable character for me because he is such a great character that was able to fool me in liking him and believing in him.

The Silent Patient is one of a kind thriller, that amazing thriller that you as a lover of this genre always want to read. What makes this such a great story, for me, definitely, was that unique premise. A silent character, Alicia Berenson, a brilliant painter who is accused of killing her husband Gabriel, and after that she goes silent, never speaks again. Until Theo is brought to the picture and well, the rest, you will have to read it to see how brilliant the story is, that mind blowing twist at the end.

The hype for this book was overwhelming, saw it everywhere. I was a little hesitant to read it, specially being a debut novel, but this time, it was totally worth it. A stunning debut novel by Alex Michaelides, I recommend it 100%. 

Wendy

Book Review: The Winter Sister by Megan Collins-The Winter Sister

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of The Winter Sister by Megan Collins.

Title: The Winter Sister

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: The Winter Sister

Author: Megan Collins

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: February 5, 2019

Language: English

Hardcover: 336 pages
Meet the Author: Megan Collins
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

In this spellbinding and suspenseful debut, a young woman haunted by the past returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister’s unsolved murder.

Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister Persephone never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved.

In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie’s once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie’s always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her.

As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth will set you free, once you can bear to look at it.

The Winter Sister is a mesmerizing portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and forces us to ask ourselves—how well do we know the people we love most?

My Thoughts

First, the cover. Caught my attention from the beginning so did the first few pages and was that way until the last page. What an amazing, suspenseful, intriguing, engaging debut novel. Kept me guessing until the end. I've come to love that about thrillers. 

The Winter Sister has all what I always look for on this genre, believable characters and quite a few unexpected twists along the way. I enjoyed it a lot. It was very interesting to get to know these characters, and how their family dynamics changes after Persephone, Sylvie's sister was found dead. How Sylvie and her mom's daughter-mother relationship breaks apart not only because of Persephone's death but also because the mom takes on alcohol as a way of coping with the pain and suffer. How 16 years later Sylvie has to go back to her old town, her mom's house and to a mom on the way to die of cancer while having to face again, after all these years, the one person she strongly believes killed her sister, Persephone's old boyfriend, Ben.

I loved The Winter Sister. I devoured it in a week. A wonderful debut thriller. The writing  is so unique for this genre, almost magical. Totally recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy

Book Review: We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai-Nonfiction/Autobiography

Hello dear Readers,

Below my book review of We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai.

Title: We Are Displaced

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Nonfiction/Autobiography

Author: Malala Yousafzai

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 8, 2019

Language: English

Hardcover: 224 pages
Meet the Author: Malala Yousafzai
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

In her powerful new book, Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Malala Yousafzai introduces some of the people behind the statistics and news stories about the millions of people displaced worldwide. 

Malala's experiences visiting refugee camps caused her to reconsider her own displacement - first as an Internally Displaced Person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere in the world except to the home she loved. In We Are Displaced, which is part memoir, part communal storytelling, Malala not only explores her own story, but she also shares the personal stories of some of the incredible girls she has met on her journeys - girls who have lost their community, relatives, and often the only world they've ever known. 

In a time of immigration crisis, war, and border conflicts, We Are Displaced is an important reminder from one of the world's most prominent young activists that every single one of the 68.5 million currently displaced is a person - often a young person - with hopes and dreams.

My Thoughts

We always hear stories about the Refugees. What you see on social media or the News. 

However, when you read it from the very people that has suffered and continue suffering from having to leave their homes in such painful and cruel circumstances, it does not get any more real than that. That is what makes this book so powerful, because we have the opportunity to hear the story, the real story of why and how, not what can be, could be or may or may not, but what it is, what happened and what is happening. 

I have always admired Malala, since I first heard and read her story and now with this book I continue believing what she is doing for girls, for women around the world is very important, those stories we have the chance to know about on this book are powerful, stories people need to read, to understand.

There were times while reading the book, well, pretty much the whole book, when I couldn't help but think most of us on this planet, like me, we are very lucky we have not gone through what the girls on this book went through. I understand it is really easy to say that but after you read this book it really makes you realize that yes, we are lucky. 

I cried, yes, because most of the time we are so caught up in our own world, and problems, which is not bad, we need to take care and worry for ourselves but we don't stop to think that other people are going through more painful things. I can't imagine what I would do if one day I would have to leave my home, my family, all that I know because if I dont I could die. 

I feel such respect and admiration for all the girls and women on this book. They were able to escape the horrors, they had hope and they believed they could have a better life and more important, they are helping other people going through the same situation. Even though some of them suffered real bad and lost their families but still they have the strength and the desire to help others and continue to fight for a better life even if that means they had to leave everything they knew not by choice but because there was no option.

This book also helped to better understand what Refugees go through by reading the stories on it, and that is it very important to educate ourselves. How we can help and be involved. I did not know for example that people can be displaced, can be refugees in their own countries.

This is a very emotional, powerfull, eye-opening book. The message intended is very clear. More books like this need to be written and known to everybody out there. 

Wendy