book reviews
Reviews of books by relationship gurus, dating experts, and cautionary tale-tellers.
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage is a collection of 9 short stories written about ordinary people living in Canada. Character lines are completely people you can see anywhere, existing sometimes even in yourself. And the story sketched under the pen of Alice Munro is just like everyday stories that mothers often murmur to each other when they have the opportunity to gossip. A woman suffering from a disease, the relationship between her two grandchildren, childhood love now suddenly meets again or the elderly with brain disease are moved to a nursing home. Alice Munro didn't have a big sword, visualizing her characters beyond normal to everyday life.
By Thao Thao Tran6 years ago in Humans
A Single Green Light
A Single Green Light The Great Gatsby (1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald) by Liv Atterson Francis Scott Fitzgerald is one of the greatest American authors to ever live. His works have sold millions of copies and still do almost one-hundred years later. Mostly known for his book The Great Gatsby, a book that is not even 200 pages, is one of the most celebrated works in American literature. This story is told during the summer of 1922 and focuses on the life of Jay Gatsby--a self-made millionaire, who lives next door to our narrator Nick Carraway. With Fitzgerald's novel's known to hold an abundance of symbolism, one of the most iconic symbols being the green light. Is the light at the end of Daisy's dock a symbol of wealth or is it a symbol of desire for Daisy's herself? When readers first see Gatsby he is fixated on the green light and as his relationship with daisy slowly evolves, the connection of Daisy and the green light slowly becomes stronger.
By Liv Atterson6 years ago in Humans
THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (AND THE BEST BURGER IN LOS ANGELES) BY AMY SPALDING
SYNOPSIS: Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people’s lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby’s been happy to focus on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a great internship at her favorite boutique, she’s thrilled to take the first step toward her dream career. Then she falls for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Hard. And now she’s competing against the girl she’s kissing to win the coveted paid job at the end of the internship.
By Ashley Nestler, MSW6 years ago in Humans
'Transcription' by Kate Atkinson (Book Review)
Kate Atkinson is an English writer with multiple novels and awards to her name. Her latest, released in September 2018, is Transcription, a novel following the life of Juliet Armstrong as she enters the world of spy-craft during World War II. However, Atkinson's novel isn't only about espionage, but also includes humor, romance, a look at the reality of humanity, and literary callbacks to other famous works. Atkinson takes the good and the bad of the world and creates a believable, yet also quite an unbelievable heroine/simple girl in Juliet. Readers are unsure of Juliet's true motives (or if she even has any). She's a girl, just like any of us reading the novel, who simply get caught up in the casualties of war. However, Atkinson has audiences rooting for Juliet to find love, to make it through her crazy spy missions, and to maybe even figure out who she really is along the way.
By Kristen Barenthaler7 years ago in Humans
Review: 'Stillwater Dusk' by L.G. Castillo
I have read several books by L.G. Castillo, so when she sent me Stillwater Dusk, I was really excited to dig in. Because of school, I hadn’t had a chance to do a lot of reading the last year, but knowing how good the previous Castillo books were, I had to take some time off from my studies to sink into the newest creation of one of my must-read authors.
By Vanessa Cherron Riser8 years ago in Humans
'Call Me by Your Name'
A lot of things have changed in me since reading this book, and furthermore, watching this film. The way I look at love, the way I understand my sexuality, and more importantly, I've felt emotions I haven't felt in years. I'd like to talk about my favourite part of the novel and what I understand from it. This book is incredible, and I'm so happy that it's finally getting the recognition it deserves. The film, although different, had me in absolute tears, too.
By Caleb Johnson8 years ago in Humans
The Rules: May Not Always Work for Gender Non-Conforming
The good points on the Rules is that it does mention to put yourself first, but you cannot pursue the one pursuing you. The Rules' values being mysterious, not laying it bare on the first date, which I do agree with. One rule I also agree with is ending the date first, so you leave the opposite partner wanting more. The Rules does explain what men want but the concept does not warm up to the modern feminist thought of pursuing the man as an equal. If we are equals, then a woman can do the Rules on a man, and a man can do the Rules on a woman. The Rules is not necessarily about gender equality, however, because it is about the woman allowing the man to pursue her, which means she has him interested in her only, and she doesn’t get treated badly as a result.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Humans
Best Dating Books for Guys
Dating, for a guy, is a pretty lonely ordeal. Most men don't really talk about relationships the way women do. Nor do they often have the support that women do, either. So, it's not surprising that a lot of men end up getting lonely and unable to find quality advice.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart8 years ago in Humans
Best Dating Books for Single Women
If there's one category of relationship advice books that has a flood of authors in it, it'd have to be dating books for single women—and it totally makes sense why this is, too. The dating scene has never been more difficult, and truth be told, everyone can use as much advice as possible.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart8 years ago in Humans
