oomilyreads's reviews
163 reviews

Circe written by Madeline Miller, Narration by Perdita Weeks

I read both the book alternating with listening to the audiobook. Her voice transforms the beautifully written story into life.

This is my first exposure to Greek Mythology. It turns out the Gods are immortal, vain and only care for power. Circe was born a lesser goddess and had no powers of her own. Used as a pawn by her Father, God of the Sun, Mightest of the Titans, she was banished to the island of Aiaia to appease Zeus. She lived there for centuries and meeting both mortals & Gods alike. She learned that Gods only care for power & mortals seek glory and both are flawed. Men have long oppressed women and even in song and stories for centuries after it will tell of women as bowing down to men. But this is Circe’s story and she tells it from her perspective. She becomes the powerful sorceress/witch of Aiaia and while she hones her craft, she can challenge the Gods not by force but by wits, walked the blackest seas to battle against the oldest God, flexed her power against mortals who try to take advantage of her. While it seemed to have taken centuries for her to become who she was by the end, I was living every detail of it, absorbing the printed word and captivated by the narrators’ voice. Sometimes a century will go by in just a few chapters but that must be how Gods lived.

I came to love the relationship with her and Odysseus’s wife; the beautiful friendship that develops between two women under strenuous circumstances.

“Then I learned that I could bend the world to my will, as a bow is bent for an arrow. I would have done that toil a thousand times to keep such power in my hands.”

Tran explains the Vietnamese word “Nuoc” means water and country. When you ask where are you from, you are literally asking “from what waters are you from”.

I was able connect with Tran’s #memoir on a profound level. My parents are Vietnamese boat people aka refugees during the Vietnam War. Similarly, I’ve had a hard time connecting with them because of the American vs Vietnamese culture and language barrier. Domestic violence is a common thread in Vietnamese culture. There were parts in the story where I thought I was reading my own story. My stronger desire to protect my own sister and mother, so I submit in order to preserve the peace. This is what Tran did for his younger brother.

Tran names his chapters with titles from great works and seamlessly weaves literature into his experience. This coming of age story is the foundation of what is to come in the next decades of his life. He is who he wants to be, and he found his way while navigating his complicated family life. I get it. I really do. I’ve also been there. Not only that, but I still get called oriented now, in 2020. As Tran’s NYC cousins would say, “Waddya? A rug?”

Leave The World Behind written by Rumaan Alam, Narrated by Marin Ireland
What would you do if you were renting an AirBnB deep in a rural area with your family when suddenly an older couple shows up at your door stating this is their home. There has been a “blackout” on the East Coast but have no other details and want to stay in their home while things are being figured out. This is a great premise for a thriller/suspense and I was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, this novel fell flat and was incredibly boring. Every character was unrelateable and I think I actually hated some of the characters. There was absolutely NO character development. Plot was very slow and I was left extremely dissatisfied with the entire novel.
There were lots of problems with the plot, like what is up with the teeth, the random sex connotations that has nothing to do with anything. I get that something is “happening” and the author eludes to it multiple times that elsewhere in the world bad things were happening, planes were flying and crashing, people were dying but then says “but this character doesn’t know that and will NEVER find out.”. But he was forreal – you really will never find out. The plot goes nowhere.
Another issue I had was that there was no suspense. Every character was reliable. I knew exactly what they were thinking the entire time. This style of writing was odd and just didn’t fit with this novel. It was annoying because I thought no one would actually think like these characters in a situation like this. It seemed ridiculous. I think I would honestly scream if I was in a situation with these people. It was like a sit-com. Except it wasn’t funny. I don’t know what this book is. It’s not horror, not suspense/thriller, it wasn’t fast paced, in fact it was very slow and boring. It isn’t literary fiction. It was just really bad fiction that I couldn’t care about.
This book is severely disappointing and this may do better as a movie with the creepy music in the background and special effects.

I will say that the narrator, Marin Ireland ‘s voice is very soothing. She’s a great voice actress and I look forward to more of her works.

Thank you HarperAudio & Eccobooks for this audio listening copy of Leave The World Behind
I'm ready to Leave This Book Behind.

Let’s be honest here, break-ups can be painful especially if it was not your choice. Chow had a significant break-up that rocked her world but she used this her recovery & healing experience to write this self-help book to help others navigate this time that can be quite devastating. Chow is honest with her readers about her own experience and feelings of shame, embarrassment, doubt, depression. She talks about attitudes, self-consolation, distraction, temper release, and even feelings of revenge which can all be feelings we all feel after a bad break-up.

I thought this was going to be about how to survive break-ups (title!) but I realize that you can apply her advice to other situations such as losing someone you love, losing your job or other life changing event. What I liked most about this book were the Q&A portions of the book with areas for readers to write in their own thoughts & feelings. There’s plenty of white space around the edges of the pages as well. This is a book you shouldn’t keep blank!

She aims to share her experiences to inspire & enlighten her audience. It felt like a having a conversation with a good friend or a therapist.

Thank you to author Florence Chow for this gifted copy! I

The Mountains Sing written by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, Narrated by Quyen Ngo

A riveting story written with lyrical elegance of the heart wrenching, devastating but ultimately hopeful journey of the Tran family, a Northern Vietnamese family spanning 4 generations & 100 years. It is told by 2 women, matriarch Dieu Lan born 1920 & her granddaughter Huong which picks the story up in 1972 as she’s coming-of-age. The novel flips back & forth thru the different decades during the major events of 20th century Vietnam. French occupation, The Great Hunger (Famine) of 1945 in Northern Vietnam because of the Japanese Invasion during WWII, The Land Reform and The Vietnam War. The writing immersed me in my parent’s country that is rich in culture, language and food.

Vietnamese people are people of true grit and determination, pushed until their breaking point because of constant turmoil. The stories I’ve heard of during the Vietnam war was from the Southern perspective as they saw the Fall of Saigon in 1975. But in this book, Nguyen gives voice to the Northern Vietnamese & how it affected them.

Nguyen has done tremendous research to create this vivid Northern Vietnamese family’s journey. Both of my dads’ maternal & paternal grandparents were wealthy landowners. My grandfather & my great grandfather were well-educated & could speak both English & French. They did business with the French and instead of wearing traditional Vietnamese clothing, they wore European style clothes. However, during the Land Reform, my grandparents took their 1 child (my uncle) & his maternal grandma and migrated south to escape the riots & murdering. My maternal grandma’s siblings were all murdered in cold blood - their heads were nailed to the fig trees on their land. I learned there are even more horrifying stories from my parents.

“If our stories survive, we will not die, even when our bodies are no longer here on this Earth.”

Thank you Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for providing me an audiobook copy. The narrator was able to captivated me in Nguyen’s beautiful writing. It was so brilliant; I purchased my own hardcopy so I can let my family & friends who have been asking to borrow it

Xiomara is feeling unheard, she often “knuckles up” in order to defend herself or her brother. Her mother rather X is unseen and reprimands her for her blossoming body. Xiomara is unable to express how she feels to her Dominican family, especially her traditional & devout Catholic mami, her absent papi & her twin who is becoming increasingly quiet for reasons of his own. She finally finds her voice through verse.

This entire book is in her voice, raw and honest as she navigates her 10th grade year, her first boyfriend, questioning her religion, self-doubt, sexual harassment, and chastised by her mother. Xiomara’s story brings back memories from my teenage years. This book will hit many young adult readers in the feels especially young girls who need to know they are worthy and deserve happiness.

“She knew since she was little, the world would not sing her triumphs, but she took all of the stereotypes and put them in a chokehold until they breathed out the truth.”
Xiomara, The Poet X did this through what she knew best, through verse. The dialogue is sharp & impactful from start to finish.

Author Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American poet and I've heard her narration of this book is fantastic.

“…Race is not biology; race is sociology. Race is not genotype; race is phenotype…racism is about how you look. Not about the blood you have”.

This coming-of-age story about Ifemelu who moves from Nigeria to America. She says she became black when she arrived in America. Author Adichie points out that being black in America meant something different than it does in the UK & West Africa where class is most important because of the raw & painful history that lingers today. Meanwhile we witness the immigrant experience to the UK thru the eyes of the other lesser protagonist, Ifemelu’s first love, Obinze. While this is a love story at its heart, Adichie blurs the lines of literary fiction with themes of sociopolitical and culture throughout, interjecting commentary on race, class, identity, love & loss across the three countries: Nigeria, America & the UK.

“[Africans] mocked Africa….because it was mockery born of longing, and of the heartbroken desire to see a place made whole again.”

Ifemelu and Obinze both idealize leaving Nigeria for “better” but eventually returns home with new eyes & affection for their home country. Often I questioned and sometimes detested Ifemelu’s actions and wondered why the author wrote her to be kind of exasperating and at times needy. Sometimes I thought Obinze deserved so much better, but he loved who he loved.

Adichie weaves so many different conversations in a cohesive story. With many supporting characters that gives the story depth and perspective and making sure that there’s not just one single narrative to represent an entire community or country. I do not think I could read this story any other way but to alternate between physical reading & listening to the brilliantly rich narration by Andoh and listen to the Nigerian colloquialism and intonation.

“Secrets, secrets, secrets. People are filled to the brim with them if you look closely.”

This psychological/paranormal thriller follows 2 main protagonists, Louise & Adele. Louise meets & kisses a man at a bar. The man is David, who turns out to be her new boss. His wife Adele is beautiful. They run into each other and Adele tries every attempt to become best friends with Louise. Pinborough writes Louise as very flawed but sincerely caring towards David & Adele. Soon she becomes entangled in their lives & secrets….

The suspense building was gripping. Pinborough’s knack for slow suspense building is gripping that felt like slowly putting together a complex jigsaw puzzle. When you think you’ve got the whole picture in front of you, the story shifts and changes unexpectedly.

The POV alternates between the two characters and becomes more sinister as the plot evolves. I couldn’t tell who I could trust even though one of them was clearly getting creepier. I actually felt a bit scared with my heart racing in some places. With so many twists & turns, this one will keep you on your toes. Made for a deliciously good read at the end of October.

“It's strange how different we all appear to who we really are.”

Pet Sematary written by Stephen King, Narrated by Michael C. Hall

What does it mean when your loved ones die, especially when their life was cut abruptly and violently short? Would you give anything for them to live again? These are the deep themes that run throughout King’s novel.
Dr. Louis Creed and his young family moves to Ludlow, ME. They meet their neighbors and become good friends. But something is drawing them together…and through events, they are tied closer and closer together.

This is a slow burning horror that suddenly creeped up on me in an extremely disturbing way. Underneath the supernatural horror that King writes, is a groping reality of disconnection and lost when faced with sudden grief and loss. King also integrates ‘caregiver burden’ when speaking about Rachel’s sister who died from spinal meningitis in addition to how young child could be severely traumatized by death. Caregiver burden can lead to resentment and anger towards the ill and the increased rates of their own burnout, sickness and suicide after their sick loved ones die. How King is able to interlace so many themes into one book is impressive.

Alternating between physically reading the book & listening to Hall’s narration was perfect especially towards the end when Creed’s mind becomes more and more mad, looping in and out of conciousness. For the first 75% of the book, it was Louis’s POV and for the last 25%, it alternated between different characters making you see how their worlds are being eerily pulled together. King’s Pet Sematary is both horrifying in it’s mystical elements but is harrowing in it’s realistic view of death, grief and loss, breaking my heart while simultaneously terrifying me in my nightmares.

“Sometimes dead is better.”

11/22/63 written by Stephen King, narrated by Craig Wesson

The story begins with Jake Epping, a high school English teacher who reads his adult student’s harrowing essay about how he was the lone survivor of his father’s ghastly murderous rampage. Jake is presented with the opportunity to make things right including saving JFK from being assassinated in 1963. But Jake slowly learns what butterfly effect of changing events in the past while harmonizing with the present and future could mean.

When an author wants to write about time-travel, they must be able to answer all of the questions and tie up the loop-holes in their theory. That’s what makes time travel so intriguing. So what happens if you go back in time and try to change the past?

Stephen King is a MASTER at his craft, his brilliant writing style & his way of story-telling engrossing me until the end. His research is immense presenting with the intricacies of this story. The historical events, the region in the timeframe, the dialect, and even the medical advances of the past and how a person with traumatic brain injury would present – King has the knowledge and the art to present it.

I will forever remember this story & SK’s brilliance. The narrator, Craig Wesson is exceptional and goes above and beyond to bring this story to life. I loved reading it in tandem with the physical copy. 11/22/63 is a story that is so enthralling- making me laugh, frightened and ultimately cry. It is a story with conviction, compassion, action & reaction, sadness and love.

This last quote had me balling. When you read this story, you’ll know why and you’ll be crying too.
“’Someone you knew in another life, honey’. Then the music takes us, the music rolls away the years, and we dance.”

I posted this yesterday on 11/22/2020 - 57 years since JFK was assassinated. May he RIP.