Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have not read a book like this before.
A secret hidden world behind a ramen shop that you can only get to if you’re intended to. If you have a regret to sell. Where Hana and her dad will trade it for you at their pawn shop.
This is the journey of Hana whose dad disappears. She and a random visitor that shows up the morning Hana’s dad disappears, Keishin, go through a magical journey where they ride rumors, visit the market in the clouds and fold time all in the path of trying to find her dad and understand what happened to him.
This book is incredible. It’s beautiful, visual, magical, and deeply visceral. It will stay with me for a long long long time. If you like Magical Realism, I cannot recommend this enough.
with gratitude to netgalley and Del Rey for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When it comes to the human brain and the way it impacts our humanity, no one can write stories better than Lisa Genova. Her stories are always real and layered and her characters are always true to the complexities of what it means to be human. And this one is no exception.
Maddy’s journey with discovering, living with, fighting and trying to make it through her bipolar diagnosis is heart-wrenching, scary, and not for the weak at heart. It’s real and gritty and scary and it makes you want to cry again and again.
Bipolar disorder is no joke and Genova handles it with the seriousness and grace it requires. She doesn’t shy away from the really hard parts and she manages to make us fall in love with Maddy even while we feel sorry for her and angry at her. All of the emotions are raw and real. This is exceptional book.
with gratitude to netgalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the story of Darby, a trans man who left his hometown never to come back so he could create the life he wanted with found family in NYC. As a result of several overlapping circumstances, he ends up having to go back home.
As walks through the doors of the bookstore where he used to work, he sees his teenager self behind the counter. Caught in between the now and then, Darby puts both the past and present puzzle pieces of his life together and works towards healing some of his trauma as he revisits his journey.
I loved every moment I spent with this touching and lovely book.
with gratitude to netgalley and Avon for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Adam Haslett has been one of my favorite authors from the time I read his very first book. I wish he were more prolific but I can also understand that it takes time to craft these beautiful stories together because his stories are always quiet, deeply meaningful and beautifully crafted. And this one is no exception.
This is the story of Peter who works as a lawyer defending asylum seekers and is estranged from his mother for decades. His most recent case unlocks deeply buried trauma and memories of his own experience and pushes him to reconnect with his mother and face what he’s been running away from his whole life.
This story is about how trauma can completely change the course of our lives, how we listen for what we want to hear and how each person is broken in their own way and how hard it is for all of us to be in this world caring for each other while trying to heal.
with gratitude to netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you’re into twisty, crazy mysteries that are fast-paced you will love this story of the two women who send the same text about meeting the same guy at a work trip as both mysteriously vanish. The twists and turns keep coming with this one and you will not want to put it down until you know exactly what happened. And you will never guess!
with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This had such a good premise but then I think the author just didn’t know how to finish it. IT went on for too long and ended too absurd for me.
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Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Books that do these over the top startup founders stuff is a bit old for me at this point. Fun, light read but leaves me with empty feeling in the end.
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How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Beautiful story, covering issues around family, love and most significantly mental health. I love books that aren’t scared to show the messiness of mental health issues. True and beautiful.
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Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
TJ Klune can do no wrong if you ask me. His characters, his beautiful dialogue and his giant, incredible heart. I am so grateful for stories like these.
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The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fast, sweet romance read. Lovely beachy location.
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Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story of three sisters who lost their forth sister and are each recovering in their own ways comes together in a beautiful story that will stay with you.
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The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoy Haig’s writing and his ideas are always so creative. This book was much slower moving for me and it also was more unusual than his other ones but underneath it all, it’s still magical, touching and beautiful like all his stories are.
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projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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