death – Page 3 – My Book Joy

Fast-Forward Friday: The Weight of a Soul

Posted on November 15, 2019November 3, 2019 by Jennifer

In contrast to Throwback Thursday, I’m using Fast-Forward Friday to drool over books that I’m waiting on to come out! I first saw The Weight of a Soul by Elizabeth Tammi a month or two ago, and it has been at the top of my list to grab for a late-year read for 2019. I have a feeling it’ll be a great one to devour for anyone who’s working on finishing a reading goal before the end of the year! ^.^

Expected Release: December 3rd, 2019 — coming up soon now!!

Why wait on this one?

This promises many dark things. It begins with death, mourning tribes, and the goddess of Death herself. Where it goes from there, I can’t wait to see, but it seems like it will maintain a twisted atmosphere throughout. It can be difficult to write darkly dramatic stories without becoming over-the-top gory or too stretched to believe, but when well done, they seriously blow me away.

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Update: I don’t know the story of Frankenstein

As I’m reading The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein I’m realizing I either know very little about the original story, or this is so cleverly developed into it’s own world around the original basis that it feels entirely new. I’m inclined to believe it’s the second one, but now I’m doubting myself!

It’s quite fantastic so far though. I particularly love Elizabeth’s character, and how unapologetically flawed both her and Victor are. The darkness is delivering, and I felt like I could imagine the gut-turning stench of the attic in Victor’s laboratory. I admit though – the sojourn to Inverness got me immediately thinking back to Macbeth!

Status• Posted on November 4, 2019April 1, 2020 by Jennifer

Reviews

Every Colour of You by Amelia Mandeville

Posted on August 3, 2019August 3, 2019 by Jennifer

Every Colour of You by Amelia Mandeville – 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

WOW. I had no idea what I was getting into. First suggestion: don’t read the last quarter of this book in public. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Sphere for a free copy of this to review.

Recommended: YEEEESSSSS
For those who know, love, or are someone who has dealt with grief, love, depression, identity, mental illness, passion, general happiness… basically that list is “everyone” so my recommendation is more or less to “everyone.” A raw story, characters with secrets that are hinted at then revealed, a story that will make you feel terrible and lovely at the same time and renew the power of a smiley face. ☺

Be ready for a good cry (if you’re a particular softie for this stuff) and some deep thoughts about life that end with gratitude.

Classroom book for sure. Enough that I’m inspired to create a new Goodreads shelf right now for it and add some of my others on the list of “books I definitely want available for my students.”

Don’t be fooled by the curly font and bright colors: this book is heavy and intense and so, so good

Summary:
Quiet pain: Zoe. Loud and outgoing and determined. Endlessly optimistic and manages to say exactly the right things, even when they might seem like just the opposite. And yet, giving up on her passion for athletics and abandoning her dreams, replacing them with salad and coaching and careful living.

Loud pain: Tristan, re-christened Tree by our aforementioned Zoe. Considering not living, carefully or otherwise. Fallen – or perhaps pushed – from his bright and charismatic self into a depression that is somehow both devoid of feeling and excruciatingly emotional.

Loss ties them together, but being together will help them create something new.

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Reviews

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Posted on March 24, 2019June 24, 2019 by Jennifer

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sweet and honest and unexpected. ☺️

Recommended: yes!
For those who want a different-than-usual read on high school, particularly for those who aren’t neurotypical.

Summary:
From Goodreads: When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

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