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Book Review

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Looking to have your heart broken? Look no further; The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is known for its heart-wrenching tragedies. This book made me cry like a baby, not gonna lie. But I loved it for that. The author introduces you to an array of diverse characters, gets you to love them, and then- well, that’s for you to find out. This standalone romance novel explores the harsh realities of Hollywood beginning in the late 50s, and honestly, you’ll be convinced all of it actually happened in real life, because the author is incredibly skilled at creating an authentic world and story. With glamour, love, heartbreak, mysteries & twists, and strong women, TSHOEH is a must-read fast-paced novel that left me in shock.

This book follows a journalist who’s given a daunting but exciting task: Writing the biography of former Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo. In this world, Evelyn is as famous and iconic as our Marilyn Monroe. But there are a few secrets Evelyn has hidden for decades, and now she’s ready for the world to know everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly. When she chooses Monique Grant to write her story, who has no idea how she got on Miss Hugo’s radar, the mysteries begin to slowly unravel, starting with the first of seven husbands she’d married and divorced during her lifetime. The big question: Who was Evelyn’s great true love? The answer isn’t what you expect, and that’s what I loved about this book; unpredictability, always leaving me on the edge of my seat. And the mysteries and twists in this gorgeous piece of work are incredible.

I rate this book 5/5 stars. It both warmed and shattered my heart. TSHOEH explores so many diverse topics and feelings and characters that everyone can see themselves represented. Not to mention the incredibly powerful women who make the world theirs. This book is empowering, while also softening. It makes you think about yourself, your relationships, your identity, and it tells you that you can do anything you damn well want to. In short, this was a fucking masterpiece. Everyone should read it.

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"I disappeared into books when I was very young, disappeared into them like someone running into the woods."

—Rebecca Solnit

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Book Review

Petrichor by Melanie Rees

This is my first ever book review, but I hope it's good.

If you’re looking for a fantastical mystery that tugs at your heartstrings, Petrichor has you covered. This book is written by Melanie Rees and will hit the shelves on October 15, 2021. It’s a short standalone novel that explores emotion, grief, insecurity, family conflicts, and of course, a new side to the world that few people have seen. With beautiful imagery and relatable feelings and struggles, Petrichor is a fast-paced, must-read fantasy based in modern Australia.

This book follows a young boy who just lost his brother— except, he can’t remember anything about his brother’s death, and his parents won’t even acknowledge that it happened. But the loss has struck the family deep, and the main character, Clayton, is determined to fix his family and make them happy again. Their farm is suffering a terrible drought, leaving finances tight and thus putting even more stress on the family. Clayton decides he’s going to try to help, but instead stumbles upon something even more mysterious than his brother’s death; a spirit named Waringa that has inhabited a fox and is now telling him how he can bring rain back to their farm. Clayton fights insecurities and doubts as he starts on an adventure to fix his family. Is he the warrior Waringa says he is? Can he save his family and farm?

The author proved to be very skilled at setting the scene and describing imagery— although, admittedly, I can’t recall any descriptions of the characters themselves such as hair color, eye color, skin tone, etc. I had trouble imagining the characters in my mind, but the world itself was clear as day. I have to admit, at the beginning, I wasn’t so sure if I was enjoying the read; but a shocking twist left me in awe and I had to finish the rest in one sitting. I definitely didn’t see the twist coming, despite some foreshadowing, so when it suddenly hit me, I literally had to set the book down and say, “Holy shit.” By the time I reached the end, I realized how beautifully deep the plot had been all along. The main character consistently doubts himself, but in the end, he learns that the strength was in him all along. I will say the book is definitely heartbreaking at more than one point. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s what makes the story so damn powerful.

I rate this book 4/5. I highly recommend it, although I would like to say it can be triggering, so be aware of that. I also love what the author included after the end, and you’ll know what I mean when you get to it. I found Petrichor to be incredibly relatable, moreso than most other books I’ve read, and I think a lot of readers will see themselves in it. I definitely cried a few times and I applaud the author for that. Although the fantasy element wasn’t my favorite, the rest of the plot was remarkable to me. The realistic part of the plot interested me more than the magic or spirits, surprisingly. That being said, I think anyone would enjoy this book, even if you don’t like fantasy because that’s not really the point of the story.

[littlebookfaery]

Welcome to my page!

Hi, I'm Freya.

I spend a lot of time on booktwt, but I made this tumblr so I can actually blog too instead of writing 140 character posts!

I'm a writer and avid bookworm, and have been for over a decade now. That makes me sound hella old oops-

Some other stuff about me? I'm non-binary, specifically genderfae, as well as aroace and lesbian. I'm neurodivergent and disabled as well.

I'm obsessed with fantasy and horror above all else. I'll read nonfantasy too but not as often. If you have any recs, send them my way!

If you're an author looking for someone to review and talk about your book, hit me up! I'm happy to do reviews for free at the moment.

Oh, and I'll answer any asks, but only if they're book related. That's all this blog is for.

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taking flight 🐞

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“This is what it feels like to be eaten alive.”

– The Merciless IV: Last Rites by Danielle Vega