thoughts on books

Category: Literary Fiction

  • disappoint me by Nicola dinan

    A haunting, sad yet funny Literary Fiction commentary and character study in an experience of being a Transgender millennial navigating the modern landscape. Max is a 30 year old lawyer and poet, flirting with sobriety and in a new relationship with Vincent. Her brother, who can’t commit to a relationship, is going to start a family and be a co-parent. She has a good community and friends, but constantly worries about being forgotten and being out-of-place. Of not being self-aware to her own destruction.

    This is a painfully constructed novel, helped create a sense of empathy to those of us who benefit from heteronormativity in our complicated world. There are characters across a gender and sexuality spectrum, with a powerful community but similar insecurities that all of us have on a daily basis. This book is descriptive and smart, not one that I would read over and over again, but that gave me an insight into someone else’s experience.

    The POV is mostly Max but also changes to her boyfriend Vincent, with a very engaging thread that alternate in London and Bangkok. A somber yet hopeful story about the messiness of life and love.

    Thaks to @netgalley and @thedialpress for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

    booksbooksbooks #booktok #bookstagram #arcreader #bookreview #bookrecommendations #disappointme

  • rental house by weike wang

    Millennials are so whiny. This is a book about two Manhattanites who love each other very much, but also struggle with anxiety despite their privileges. Keru is a first general immigrant, coming to the US from China with her parents at age 9. Nate is a poor white kid who happened to be kind of brilliant and hard working. They meet at Yale in their senior year and start dating, then marry. It essentially explores the experience of creating a partnership and a life together despite having a different experience. Racial micro-aggressions, the decision to remain child-free, the decision that Keru will be the higher income, high powered consultant. The way they manage the relationship with their parents is very different and strained by politics.

    This book has some stunningly powerful observations, it is all character development and commentary about millennial malaise, and short on plot. Again; it’s not really a story, more of a testimonial. It is in no way “heartwarming.” It’s very intelligent and well written but honestly doesn’t have a lot to say. But it’s short. If you like adjectives and generational tension, this is the book for you!! If you are a Millenial DINK living in Manhattan, you are going to feel SO seen.

  • nothing to see here by Kevin Wilson

    Somewhere Beyond the Sea meets Margo’s got money troubles.

    Wow, what a wonderful surprise. I saw this book on a libro.fm sale for $3.49 and I couldn’t pass it up. Kevin WIlson has a book due to launch in the next year, and so I thought I would read this 2019 release to catch up and see if this author was for me.

    Bessie and Roland are the step children of Madison, who married a powerful senator from Tennessee. The book is written from the POV of Madison’s best friend LIllian, who doesn’t have a lot going on. A former basketball star, she has no childcare experience, but she has a lot of heart and lived through a diffifult childhood with multiple stepdads. Bessie and Roland’s mom died by suicide in a very dramatic and traumatizing way. The big surprise here is that the kids- when upset- tend to catch on fire. Reminiscent of Elsa’s ice powers, they are not hurt by the fire but can’t much control their emotions and the fire, which can hurt others.

    Lillian has great instincts and the plot and relationship between the kids and their nanny builds over time. The way they grow to trust her and she grows to be protective of them is so well done and most unusual. It gave me hope; I laughed and cried. It is quite an endearing book.

  • The Many Lives of Cate Kay: a novel by Kate Fagan

    book to be published January 6, 2025

    Literary fiction wrapped up in a mystery; this book follows Cate Kay, the anonymous and elusive best selling author who writes of a post apocalyptic Manhattan and how the human race rebuilds through the POV of low level surviving journalists. Cate has had many different identifies since leaving her hometown and her best friend Amanda behind. It becomes clear that she must return to her hometown and come to terms with the reality of who she once was.

    This book is a wonderful story; it has many points of view- SO many that you may lose which ones are actually Annie and which are not. There are a few mysteries that are interwoven in a compelling way. Although I was a bit confused around the middle, the story came together at the end. And I LOVE a somewhat ambiguous ending- the last couple paragraphs are chefs kiss

    The main character is a gay woman, with a theme of having different identifies over the course of her life. I love the theme of becoming different people as you are in different parts of your life. There is a theory of reincarnation that says when the most important people in your life from one time frame don’t recognize the most important people from another time frame… then that means you are in a different “life.” And as tempting as it is to start over in your youth, the more likely you will need to return to a former identify to get closure.

    My favorite thing about this book was the quirky observations, the storytelling and the rich characters. A solid effort from a celebrated journalist to become an outstanding debut novel.

    Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the ARC. Book to be published January 6, 2025.

    booksbooksbooks #booktok #bookstagram #arcreader #bookreview #bookrecommendations #ManyLivesOfCateKay