nicole_bookmarked's reviews
1021 reviews

 I'm giving "Blue Sisters" a glowing five stars! Coco Mellors crafts a vivid and relatable narrative centered around themes of family, addiction, and recovery. The characters are compelling—Lucky, the struggling model; Bonnie, the boxer turned bouncer; Avery, the sober lawyer; and the shadow of Nicky, whose past death from an overdose looms over their stories. Each character's journey through the trials of addiction and the paths to recovery are so powerful and inspiring. Although I found the age gap between Bonnie and Pavel a bit jarring, the overall storyline, filled with hope and resilience, more than made up for it. Mellors' dramatic and engaging writing style had me hooked, and I'm already planning to buy a physical copy for annotating. Highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a story that’s both heart-wrenching and hopeful!

Table for One is a book that's as weird as it is funny, with nine stories that take you on a wild ride through some really strange places. Yun Ko-eun has a knack for turning everyday scenarios into something completely out there, which makes the book engaging but also a bit of a mixed bag.

The stories range from a woman learning to enjoy eating alone to a guy dealing with a bedbug nightmare, and even a character who wears other people's pajamas to dream their dreams. It's not your typical collection of stories, and while some of them hit the mark and made me think, others were just too out there or fell flat.

Overall, if you like your books to be a bit quirky and don't mind a bit of absurdity, you might get a kick out of this. But if you prefer something a bit more straightforward, this might not be for you.

My Beloved Life covers several decades of Indian history, interwoven with the personal journeys of its protagonists, Jadu and his daughter Jugnu.

The narrative starts with Jadu, born in 1934 into a life marked by cultural richness and tragic losses. The book does an excellent job of portraying Indian cultural beliefs, the impact of the caste system, and the struggle for personal identity against a backdrop of national upheaval. From Jadu's early years filled with local myths and family tragedies in Khewali to his encounters with influential figures like Tenzing Norgay and his deep dive into activism inspired by Gandhi's nonviolent resistance, the story captures the essence of a changing nation.

Jadu's later years, filled with personal loss and political strife, transition smoothly to the story of his daughter Jugnu. Living in the United States and working for CNN, Jugnu's narrative confronts modern issues and personal challenges, reflecting the global spread and influence of Indian culture. Her personal losses during the COVID-19 pandemic add a contemporary layer to the tale, blending the historical and the current with emotional depth.

However, the novel suffers from an overly ambitious scope that crams too many events and characters into its pages. The narrative felt rushed and somewhat confusing, particularly in the later parts where the timeline becomes difficult to follow. While the detailed depiction of the characters' lives is compelling, a more focused approach or a longer narrative might have allowed the story to breathe more, giving each moment the space it deserved.

Overall, My Beloved Life is a rich, multi-generational story that offers a deep dive into the complexities of Indian life and history. It’s a solid read that successfully captures the essence of its setting and era, despite its structural flaws. I rate it three stars for its heartfelt exploration of life’s complexities but suggest readers prepare for a dense journey through its pages.