I absolutely adored every minute of this book. The characters are loveable, the storyline is quirky, the humour will make you audibly chuckle, and the truth of the words will help you see a truth in yourself. And despite many of the scenarios and circumstances being far from anything I‘ve ever experienced, I still found it all relatable. The more I think back on my time with this story, the more I enjoy it and wish it would magically continue.

Not a go-to genre for me, but it kept my interest throughout. I‘m not really sure what to say about this one. The beginning of the novel reads like a historical fiction, and then the main character pulls out her phone and searches Tinder—which was a bit jarring. In the end, I found the storyline to be quirky enough that I was able to overlook its flaws.

Dating, anxiety, and depression are challenging enough, but Queenie has to deal with racism too. At times dark, at times hilarious, this story highlights the life, struggles, and moments of beauty when you‘re a woman in self-discovery.

Another Banned Book off the TBR! As someone who learns better through storytelling than through fact stating, Spiegelman‘s story brought an entire new level to the depths of my understanding and comprehension of the Holocaust; the traumas, suffering, and murders that took place. But how are we, as humans, to learn from our horrors of our pasts if these stories continue to be banned?

It‘s amazing the power of hearing that you‘re not alone in your sense of drowning. Life is still a struggle, but Davis‘ words have given me hope, courage, and even skills to help work my way through it. The practical advice provided is actual advice that can help with setting priorities, getting through life tasks that can be or seem overwhelming, and realizing/accepting that you are not a failure for not maintaining an Insta worthy environment.

When you run into your Ex at your Best Friend‘s wedding; it‘s a guaranteed fun read for fans of Enemies-to-Lovers.

A heartbreaking, eye-opening, and inspiring read. Suleika‘s experiences are so palpable, I didn‘t want the book to end.

“And there I was, the reluctant nudist, punished to the maximum extend if the law, one ankle bracelet short of an orange jumpsuit.”

Instantly hooked. This book was just too quirky to let go of. Who knew a story that takes place almost exclusively inside an apartment building (with the exception of an act of “Deliberate Exposure”) could be so exciting.

“Every time I hear a whisper, I can't help but think they're talking about me.”

Being named Matriarch when you‘re one of the youngest members of the family is not an easy role. How do you lead your family in a time of need when you‘re still struggling to find yourself? Voya definitely had some big shoes to fill in this beautiful sequel to Blood Like Magic.

“Honestly, I'd rather have a whole Grey Gardens thing going than end up with someone like you.”

If you‘re a fan of awkward, then you‘ll love this book. Because hunting down all of your exes to ask them why you didn‘t work out, is definitely awkward. I had a fun time with this book and may have even outwardly chuckled at times (which is a rarity for me).

“If journalists could use the mighty powers vested in them for evil, then democracy was in sorry shape.”

There were parts of this book that made me feel empathy and sorrow. There were parts of this book that affirmed for me the disconnect between the rich and the rest of us. While he tried to express acknowledgment of his privilege, I‘m not sure he fully understands the depths of it. That being said, I would never wish his lifelong experience and spotlight from the paparazzi and the gossip rags on anyone.

“All this time, I thought, I may just be able to do this! I may just have a writer's soul after all! But what am I, really? Just a girl, sitting in a coffee shop, who's completely deluded herself.”

Who doesn‘t love a quirky romance filled with literary talk?! An inspiring novelist, a new boss, and a ghost editor all combine for a delightful read. Note: I use the term ghost editor much like that of a ghost writer; there are no ghosts in this story.

“Sometimes the point is to be sad. Sometimes you just have to feel it because it deserves to be felt.”

A Meet-Cute between Coffee Girl and Train Girl, only Train Girl isn‘t everything she seems. A fun romance full of LGBTQ2 flair.

“White privilege is about the word white, not rich. It's having advantage built into your life. It's not saying your life hasn't been hard; it's saying your skin color hasn't contributed to the difficulty in your life.”

An important read. Because being an Ally means more than just saying you support Black Lives. It means doing your homework and listening to the lived experience of those you support.

“This nation shouldn't exist, if there is any justice in the world, for its foundations are murder, theft, and cruelty. Yet here we are.”

The cruelty of humanity is laid bare in this heart wrenching read about the lives of the enslaved and their pursuit of hope, dignity, and freedom.

“Anger is as much an heirloom as any Rolex.”

The narrative style of this book was not easy for me to process and I honestly needed a pen and paper to try and keep track of who was who. Once I got the characters sorted, I enjoyed the mystery of the book. Though I think, given the style of writing, I would much prefer this one as a film.

“Don't let anybody limit you with what they can't handle.”

The second book in a great series that features the struggles of adulthood; infertility, work, racism, and love. The uncertainties are palpable.

“What is done is done. We cannot change the past, only learn from it. What happens next is up to you.”

As stated in Natasha Bowen‘s author notes, “African mythology is integral to this story”. The Mami Wata, aka Black Mermaids, bless the souls of the enslaved whose bodies are thrown to the sea. But that‘s just the beginning of this adventure. I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Yetide Badaki, for hearing this story, highlighting some of Africa‘s mythical creatures.

“The snow and the salt stains and the sweating on the-subway of it all loses its festive tinge every January…”

There are so many emotions that are relatable, and yet so many more that aren‘t. Definitely found myself getting frustrated with the main character as they continually refused support or to make any real efforts in self-reflection for the majority of the book. As someone who is frequently doing self-assessments and trying to better oneself, I often found it difficult to connect with the main character‘s choices and actions.

“He'd only give away his food if the corners were cleanly cut, as he believed a homeless person would just feel worse eating food with ragged bitemarks at the edges - as if, he said, they are dogs, or bacteria.”

To taste the thoughts and emotions of those who cooked your food; such a fantastic concept. So much tension and possibility. However, there seemed to be too many overlapping storylines, and I felt lost and left wondering about the flavours and possibilities. Overall it was an okay read. One I‘d be curious to revisit later to see if I better connect with the writing.

“One of the most frightening aspects of working life is that we will, unless we are the beneficiaries of extreme good fortune, be required to have colleagues.”

“Our mistake has been to confuse our own ambitions for happiness with the goals of the overall economy.”

“There is no more common emotion to feel around work than that we have failed.”

This book reads as though someone aggregated many of my thoughts regarding work and capitalism and wrote them down, as best they could, in the form of an academic paper. Reading The Sorrows of Work left me feeling understood, but also had me laughing at the disheartening truths about the working environments that we have built. If this were an owned book, and not borrowed from the library, you can bet I‘d have underlined passages from every page!

“She held it against her heart. Where else would one need a compass more than in this place?”

Always doubtful when books receive as much hype as this one, but Where The Crawdads Sing deserves all the kind words and accolades that have been given. The character‘s emotions and experience are so vividly described, I felt it all and was on the edge of my seat as I journeyed with them through the words of Delia Owens. I definitely recommend the audiobook, Cassandra Campbell is wonderful at narrating and giving voice to the southern characters.

“Some people don't see anyone from one week to the next apart from at the library. This is a lifeline for those people.”

Libraries contain so much more than just access to books, and this book does a phenomenal job at highlighting that. The connections made and the lives changed are heartwarming. But really, I couldn‘t say it any better than the book itself, “a chance encounter at the library had changed so many things”.

“And what is love in the end, except the irrational desire to put evolutionary competitiveness aside in order to ease someone else‘s journey through life.”

What can I say without giving the best parts of this book away? I feel honoured to have been able to journey with these characters. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow beautifully depicts one‘s search for connection and understanding, through what appears to many as a platform for disconnection.

“There was a lot of strange and wonderful power between the four of us, but I still wasn't confident it would be enough.”

Admittedly, I enjoyed the first book more than I did this one. I got a little lost, and honestly a little distracted, by all the Greek mythology references—which is really the only reason I‘ve rated this novel a 3 and not any higher. But I know that these are what have made many fall in love with this duology. All in all, This Wicked Fate was equally adventurous as This Poison Heart and a beautiful conclusion to the duology.

“Imagine plants are kind of like people. Tell a person they‘re worthless, hurt their feelings everyday—they‘d wither, too.”

A discovery of self through the anxiety of unknown. This Poison Heart provides a fun and mysterious adventure, through which Bri attempts to unearth the truth behind her magical connection with nature and plants.

“And you realize that if God were to welcome everyone into heaven, your mother would abandon Christianity immediately.”

A collection of short stories, all of which made me think and reflect upon the struggles of reconciling faith and religion, and the roles they play when living out a life of love and passion.

Bah's Accused: My Story of Injustice is a wonderfully heartbreaking introduction of how fear can lead to the unjust and inhumane treatment of innocent people.