Tales & Tiger Lily: May 2020
My sister recently joined bookstagram as @talesandtigerlily. Her name is Caroline, and Tiger Lily is her adorable sidekick (pictured above). Since she's discovered a love of reading, I've had the best time talking about books with her. I love recommending my favorites to her, telling her what NOT to read, and seeing what she discovers on her own. Her taste runs a little more literary than mine with a side of dark and twisty. That's made it even more fun to call her every morning, ask what she thought of whatever she finished the night before, and find out what she'll be reading next! Be sure to check out her introduction post to get to know her a little better.
I've loved getting a sneak peek at her reviews before she posts them, marveling at how she's able to infuse so much personality in them. I love her voice so much that I had to start featuring her on my blog, too. Plus, she's reading so many things that I haven't – the perfect opportunity to highlight a wider range of books here! So, once a month, you'll get a new installment of Tales & Tiger Lily. In each post, she'll review three of her favorite reads from the previous month and end with a list of everything she read with ratings (and links to reviews, if applicable). I'm so excited to kick this off today and know y'all will love her, too! Without further ado, her top three from May:
WRITERS & LOVERS BY LILY KING
“There’s a particular feeling in your body when something goes right after a long time of things going wrong. It feels warm and sweet and loose.”
I LOVED this book so much. I am the type of reader who likes to sit down and knock it out in one day. Writers & Lovers made it quite a wonderful Sunday. The 4 cups of coffee had me flipping pages and in the zone.
Casey Peabody can't seem to catch a break. She is struggling to write her book, recovering from the sudden loss of her mother, and trying to deal with the large amount of debt from student loans. On top of this, she is trying to decide between two men she is seeing. OMG. I just wanted to scream at her not to rush too quickly into these relationships. Been there done that! Slow down, Casey Peabody.
I loved the style of the writing. It felt quirky and fun. I didn’t want to book to end. | 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
MY DARK VANESSA BY KATE ELIZABETH RUSSELL
“I'm a speckled seal swimming past the breakers, a seabird with a wingspan so long I can fly for miles. I'm the new moon, hidden and safe from him, from everyone.”
My mom always says, “H.A.L.T. — If you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, don’t make any big decisions, Caroline.” Well, I say if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, DO NOT pick up the book My Dark Vanessa. If you are in good spirits and woke up prepared to face the evil in the world, then you don’t want to miss out on this stunning debut novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell.
You know when you watch a terribly addicting crime documentary and you think, “Holy cow that was great, but why does my stomach hurt?! Why are my hands sweating?! Why do I feel so suddenly depressed?! I need to go outside in the sunshine and listen to Bob Marley or just sit in the kitchen and eat my feelings.” Well, that is how you will feel after reading My Dark Vanessa.
I absolutely loved this book. I felt so invested in Vanessa, and I wanted nothing more than to hug her. I wanted to see her overcome the trauma she had to deal with at the hands of her abuser. | 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
“But we overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we’re not seeing it as the people we were, we’re seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered.”
I am always drawn to books with deeper themes. There was so much I took away from this book, and I felt choked up a few times. It felt like I was reading a memoir rather than fiction. The Dutch House is about the bond between a brother and a sister, the abandonment of their mother, and the death of their father. It is definitely character driven and a book you may have to be in the mood for — but I’m so glad I read it.
At times, I was so frustrated while reading. How can someone just walk away from their family? How does a mother abandon her children to be some “wannabe Mother Teresa”? I think it makes me so angry because I know people do it all the time. People often want to change the world, yet they are not willing to make necessary changes inside their own home.
Enough ranting — I LOVED this book, and I think if you enjoy reading about how our family influences who we become, then you should give it a try. | 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
Recapping the Rest of Caroline's May Reads:
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur | 🐶🐶🐶.5
The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali | 🐶🐶🐶.5
Writers & Lovers is totally on my radar because of Caroline! I definitely am hoping to pick that one up, as well as The Dutch House, which sounds pretty interesting too.
ReplyDelete