franalibi's reviews
231 reviews

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

No, this book isn’t about actual paranormal activity... it’s about how men leave you ‘because of their confused feelings’ and essentially ghost you by not answering calls or replying to texts.

Now despite that definition, this book felt like a real comfort and lesson to me. Especially when it comes to online relationships and translating them into real life.

This book revolves around Nina Dean, who has turned thirty two and is about to dip her toes back in to dating after ending a long term relationship. She’s a food writer with close friends and family. Her father is starting to go through dementia which really hit me in the feels as I was reading this as it’s such a personal thing for me.

Her relationship with her mother feels strained as she tries to reinvent herself and asks Nina to call her ‘Mandy’... Her close friend Lola is in the same boat with relationships and they discuss the expectations of settling down and everyone in their thirties leaving them behind when they get married and start families. Which leads on to Nina’s oldest friend, Katherine, who appears to have changed since marrying and having kids. And above all, the man she’s seeing and falls in love with, ghosts her...

This novel explores everything from relationships, to memories and even how we live in this day and age - like with online dating and the fact you no longer meet people for the first time in real life. I really enjoyed this and recommend it to everyone who is open to the lessons Dolly Alderton is here to teach us.

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I actually last read this once in high school and again just a couple of years later. And that was around 2011-14. So I’m intrigued as I read this to see what my thoughts are this time around...

Set in two parts, this is a story revolving around the many relationships one can have in their lives. And especially surrounds Eleanor Maud and her relationships with her parents, aunt, neighbours and house guests and above all her childhood friend Jenny Penny and her older brother Joe.

It’s a wonderful and bittersweet read with heartache and loss but also sunny moments of joy, and being able to reconnect and restart, in between. Sarah Winman touches on violence with domestic abuse and world events like the tragic bombings and attacks in the 70s, the 9/11 attacks and Princess Diana’s death. 

This book is about the bond you have with those you love and the secrets you share. As well as the hole those people you love leave when they become absent from your life (even if like in this novel it’s temporary and you find that person again). I definitely feel like I do understand the themes more as a 23 year old compared to a pretty much naive 13 year old trying out adult fiction for the first time...

How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

dark emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Pushing aside the fact that Johanna dreams of sex (almost all the time), this is such a clever and funny novel. And I find myself laughing more every time I read it - because it’s not the first time I’ve read this book.

Reading this made me feel: (A.) nostalgic for the days I used to read Kerrang! Magazine every week and imagine myself a totally different person as Johanna reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde and becomes a music journalist to earn money for the family, (B.) really sad and full of sympathy when she’s riddled with anxiety as her family are on benefits and are losing 11% of it.

The central storyline around this is when she’s given a bigger piece to write about, it’s to interview John Kite, a man of unique musical talent and the ability to do stand up in between songs in a gig. John Kite immediately called Johanna/Dolly “Duchess” and is the first person to allow her to fully be herself and they kindle a friendship that she continually craves long after the interview.

After that, it’s her trying to fit in more with her colleagues and the “scene” and realises she’s gone too far... 

I loved how there were moments of reflection from Johanna as if she’s telling this story in the future and is more wiser to what she didn’t know back in the 1990’s. So if you want something to absorb in lockdown, then choose this!

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My first thoughts when starting this book was: “This isn’t as mythological as it sounds, is this just a strange alternative universe”. The reason I say this is that when Piranesi explains his diary, it starts with the years 2011 and 2012, and then turn into years like: “Tenth Day of the Seventh Month in the Year I discovered the Coral Halls, to the Ninth Day of the Fourth Month in the Year I named the Constellations.”

And oh my gosh, the revelation I had after the above paragraph as I read this book. If I say anymore, I’ll reveal major spoilers because if you read this for yourself I want you to be as shocked as I was.

During the novel, Clarke paints a detailed picture of The House with a lot of capital letters in sentences when describing scenes. It makes you feel like you are in The House with Piranesi and experiencing the Tides and Halls together with beautiful statues staring down at you.

The main theme of this novel is transgression. Transgression for every single character in this novel. Good and bad.

After reading my favourite book from Clarke: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, I expected big things from Piranesi. No pun intended, but this is worlds away from JS&MN... That isn’t to say I didn’t love this one. It’s just as magical and unique - and so beautifully written!

A Room Called Earth by Madeleine Ryan

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

It’s the first time in ages that I’m actively noting down my review as I read a book. And I felt I needed to do this with A Room Called Earth.

Who knew a whole 24 hours recounted of a young woman getting ready for a party on Christmas Eve-Eve would be written in such a way that i would consume this book in under 24 hours...

As she gets ready, it feels like you’re getting ready with her as you see her rituals, products, her thoughts and self awareness. She is spiritually in tune with herself and the world - where the author (through the character) highlights on issues in Australia and the protagonist’s past life events.

During the novel, floral scents and imagery links to female sexuality, as well an exploration as what society expects a woman to present herself as and be submissive to the patriarchy and power of man. Which in itself is something the protagonist basically says is b******.  Anecdotes are shared to give light to her observations at the party and lessons to the reader. She welcomes self love and oh how I want to feel the same way...

The progression of this novel was seamless and the more she opened up to other characters, the more you learnt about her feelings and life. It was a bittersweet ending and I feel privileged to be able to have read such a stunning debut of a novel.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

5.0

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

5.0

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

4.0

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

3.0

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

5.0