I. Love. Books. I love immersing myself in a story to find myself lost for hours on end in its plot, its characters, and the world created between the pages. Since it is summer, I hope to be reading a lot more, so keep on reading (hahaha get it) for some of my recently read books and my personal reviews.
I used the word 'vellichor' for this article title because, besides the obvious fact that it relates to books, I also am so in love with bookstores. For example, take me to a Barnes and Noble and you can best believe that I will be spending a solid few hours in there if I can. I think it is because of the endless rows of unopened books just waiting to be read, or possibly because I am such a lover of beautiful literature that tells stories and creates ideas, to the point where the words themselves become pure art. The calm, yet humming energy that emanates in a bookstore, paired with the scent of freshly printed novels, will forever be a wonderful experience.
1. "We Were Liars" -- Emily Jenkins
This book is one of my recent favorites that I have read. I know that a lot of the time books say they will have you on the edge of your seat, but this was one rare novel that actually did. I read this book in a mere two days because I could not wait to discover the end of the mystery. The plot follows the wealthy, seemingly perfect Sinclair family during a summer on their private island and delves into dark family secrets while exposing the many imperfections and troublesome issues from their past. The whole story follows the main character as she struggles to remember a past trauma/secret that has the ability to connect the dots of the odd behavior of the family. Maybe I am just not very good at predicting what is up ahead in stories, but I personally thought that the plot twist in this novel was shocking, moving, and well-concealed (I shed a few tears if I am being honest. Possibly even ugly cried. I do not think my reaction was necessary but I finished it late at night and I guess I was in my feels). Overall, I would highly recommend this book, especially for the summer since the plot revolves around a summertime setting.
2. "Now Is Everything" -- Amy Giles
I tend to have a thing for books that cover deep topics/books that make you feel something, and this one definitely fits into that category. The plot follows the angry progression of abuse, both psychological and eventually physical, from a father toward the main character and her family. At times, it was hard to process and fully understand the cruelty of the abuse, and it often left me tense and terrified for the main character. However, I feel that the shock factor of the book portrays what those who suffer from emotional and physical abuse really go through, helping readers to more fully understand the realities of abuse. I especially appreciated the last couple of pages or so which explain the message behind the title, that is, that the "now" - the present moment - is everything, and, as cheesy as it sounds, must be acknowledged and revered as to how special and precious it truly is.
3. "Paris" -- Edward Rutherford
When I first saw this book propped up on the very first table in Barnes and Noble, I felt that it was meant to be. I absolutely adore Paris, and even though I have never been there, I hope that I can one day go there and experience everything I have seen and read about so far in regards to the city. So, an eight hundred and five page book about my favorite city would be perfect, right? Not quite. For me, this book is one where you have to be in a certain type of mood to read it. And fully rested. A lot of the times it can get quite historical and oddly descriptive of location and street names, which is not exactly entertaining since I have no idea where they are talking about. Plus, the small font does not exactly help this book's case. However, if you are in the right frame of mind and not drowsy in any way, I do find this book intriguing to a certain level when it gets more in depth with the stories and lives of families who lived there, which is what I was hoping the book was more focused on when I bought it. Nevertheless, I have not finished it yet, so perhaps it will improve with time.
4. "The Best of Archie Comics" -- Archie Comics
This book is perfect if you are looking for a light summer read that does not involve heavy topics and is a feel-good story. I think that the Archie Comics are absolutely adorable because of the fact that they are nostalgically from newspapers printed long ago and because of the bright, colorful comic graphics that come on every page. This seventy-five year anniversary edition is, in my opinion, better than its spin-off television show "Riverdale," and in case you were wondering, it does not follow any of the plot line of the show. The Archie Comics are overall a 10/10 from me, forever a classic staple in the comic world.
5. "Dreams of Falling" -- Karen White
A little mix of everything, this book involves a mystery, a love story, family dramas, and a little bit of a historical piece all in one. The plot follows three generations of the Darlington, aka "perfect," family. At times, the book got a little confusing for me because every chapter switches back and forth between three women narrators, each representing one generation of the Darlington family, and each generation has unanswered questions or a mystery surrounding them. After one of the women, Ivy, is found unconscious and terribly injured, many family secrets are uncovered while she lies in a coma. My favorite scenes of the book were the chapters that flashed back to 1951 during one life-changing beach trip that ties into all of the family secrets and mysteries.
I used the word 'vellichor' for this article title because, besides the obvious fact that it relates to books, I also am so in love with bookstores. For example, take me to a Barnes and Noble and you can best believe that I will be spending a solid few hours in there if I can. I think it is because of the endless rows of unopened books just waiting to be read, or possibly because I am such a lover of beautiful literature that tells stories and creates ideas, to the point where the words themselves become pure art. The calm, yet humming energy that emanates in a bookstore, paired with the scent of freshly printed novels, will forever be a wonderful experience.
1. "We Were Liars" -- Emily Jenkins
This book is one of my recent favorites that I have read. I know that a lot of the time books say they will have you on the edge of your seat, but this was one rare novel that actually did. I read this book in a mere two days because I could not wait to discover the end of the mystery. The plot follows the wealthy, seemingly perfect Sinclair family during a summer on their private island and delves into dark family secrets while exposing the many imperfections and troublesome issues from their past. The whole story follows the main character as she struggles to remember a past trauma/secret that has the ability to connect the dots of the odd behavior of the family. Maybe I am just not very good at predicting what is up ahead in stories, but I personally thought that the plot twist in this novel was shocking, moving, and well-concealed (I shed a few tears if I am being honest. Possibly even ugly cried. I do not think my reaction was necessary but I finished it late at night and I guess I was in my feels). Overall, I would highly recommend this book, especially for the summer since the plot revolves around a summertime setting.
2. "Now Is Everything" -- Amy Giles
I tend to have a thing for books that cover deep topics/books that make you feel something, and this one definitely fits into that category. The plot follows the angry progression of abuse, both psychological and eventually physical, from a father toward the main character and her family. At times, it was hard to process and fully understand the cruelty of the abuse, and it often left me tense and terrified for the main character. However, I feel that the shock factor of the book portrays what those who suffer from emotional and physical abuse really go through, helping readers to more fully understand the realities of abuse. I especially appreciated the last couple of pages or so which explain the message behind the title, that is, that the "now" - the present moment - is everything, and, as cheesy as it sounds, must be acknowledged and revered as to how special and precious it truly is.
3. "Paris" -- Edward Rutherford
When I first saw this book propped up on the very first table in Barnes and Noble, I felt that it was meant to be. I absolutely adore Paris, and even though I have never been there, I hope that I can one day go there and experience everything I have seen and read about so far in regards to the city. So, an eight hundred and five page book about my favorite city would be perfect, right? Not quite. For me, this book is one where you have to be in a certain type of mood to read it. And fully rested. A lot of the times it can get quite historical and oddly descriptive of location and street names, which is not exactly entertaining since I have no idea where they are talking about. Plus, the small font does not exactly help this book's case. However, if you are in the right frame of mind and not drowsy in any way, I do find this book intriguing to a certain level when it gets more in depth with the stories and lives of families who lived there, which is what I was hoping the book was more focused on when I bought it. Nevertheless, I have not finished it yet, so perhaps it will improve with time.
4. "The Best of Archie Comics" -- Archie Comics
This book is perfect if you are looking for a light summer read that does not involve heavy topics and is a feel-good story. I think that the Archie Comics are absolutely adorable because of the fact that they are nostalgically from newspapers printed long ago and because of the bright, colorful comic graphics that come on every page. This seventy-five year anniversary edition is, in my opinion, better than its spin-off television show "Riverdale," and in case you were wondering, it does not follow any of the plot line of the show. The Archie Comics are overall a 10/10 from me, forever a classic staple in the comic world.
5. "Dreams of Falling" -- Karen White
A little mix of everything, this book involves a mystery, a love story, family dramas, and a little bit of a historical piece all in one. The plot follows three generations of the Darlington, aka "perfect," family. At times, the book got a little confusing for me because every chapter switches back and forth between three women narrators, each representing one generation of the Darlington family, and each generation has unanswered questions or a mystery surrounding them. After one of the women, Ivy, is found unconscious and terribly injured, many family secrets are uncovered while she lies in a coma. My favorite scenes of the book were the chapters that flashed back to 1951 during one life-changing beach trip that ties into all of the family secrets and mysteries.
book cover image links via google images :
http://readinggroupchoices.com/books/we-were-liars/
https://www.amazon.com/Now-Everything-Amy-Giles/dp/0062495739
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18730321-paris
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Archie-Comics-Years-Stories/dp/162738992X
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35725132-dreams-of-falling
http://readinggroupchoices.com/books/we-were-liars/
https://www.amazon.com/Now-Everything-Amy-Giles/dp/0062495739
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18730321-paris
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Archie-Comics-Years-Stories/dp/162738992X
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35725132-dreams-of-falling