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Book Review: The Women by Kristin Hannah
The Vietnam War is still something many people don't like to talk about. There's a discomfort there, a veil of despair and shame that is never fully drawn back the way it could be. It's like witnessing a haunted hush that falls over a large clamorous crowd generation after generation, with memories trapped behind eyes in cages, with words dying on tongues and then eroding into silence to become lost stories of sacrifice, of heroism, and of suffering that never makes it into the history book pages. As a result of that, there is still so much we don't know or understand about that time. About the people who were affected. There are still so many veterans - soldiers, nurses, and doctors alike - who were or have been all but forgotten.
This book gives voice to some of them. The Forgotten.
I think partly what makes The Women such a powerful read is that Kristin Hannah does not shy away from peeling back the veil around Vietnam, or around the women who served in Vietnam. BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE, TOO. In fact, she makes it a point to thrust readers directly into the heart of turbulence right alongside her characters, especially Frankie, her protagonist. By doing that, she makes this both an intimate coming of age story about an idealistic young woman turned Army nurse turned disillusioned war veteran as well as a searing commentary on how women's service and commitment to their country has long gone unacknowledged.
I haven't been moved by something this much in a long time. The story is evocative, insightful. It's a kaleidoscope of politically divisive, culturally explosive, war-torn color, and I couldn't help but marvel at its ability to reveal the real Vietnam with all its mucky tangibility and soft, aching, hopeful pulses of humanity.
Frankie's journey is painfully realistic, not just because her youthful idealism is blighted by the atrocities of war but also because she struggles to assimilate when she returns home, battling shame from her parents, anger from her fellow Americans, and PTSD with little to no recourse. She's a courageous and resilient character, though. Understandably flawed. You feel for her, you cry with her, you find a way to survive with her.
The Women is a lyrical and emotional tour-de-force, for sure! One of my favorite reads of the year. I won't be surprised if (or when) it's one of the biggest books of 2024.
I'm incredibly grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.
5/5 stars
**Follow me on Goodreads
#the women#kristin hannah#arcs#historical fiction#vietnam#recs: ashlee approved!#read september 2023#published february 2024#bookblr#booklr#book reviews#book recs
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what is bro looking at
#ticci toby#ticci toby fanart#toby rogers#creepypasta#creepypasta fanart#my art#works#still trying to get used to drawing him#if ur reading this u should send art ideas ive been so juiceless brain-wise recently#september 2023
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10.09.23, sunday
no motivation for anything today, except that while I was on a run, a toddler went ”FAST!” and their mom ”yes she’s going very fast” and I’ve never had more motivation for anything ever
things done today:
??? sort of glanced at a project for 10 minutes
a run
#bookblr#studyblr#booklr#aesthetic#books#study#reading#read#book#studyspo#dark academia#chaotic academia#september 2023#2023
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Bad: [Trying to lasso Pac for a bungee trick] Oh hey, Pac! Hey, what's going on?
Pac: Hi! Oh, I'm doing just great, how about you guys? Richarlyson told me you guys have something to show– [Gasps] Hi Chayanne! Hi Tallulah!
Bad: Pac, can you stand right here?
[Pac gets distracted by Etoiles and accidentally steps on the elevator]
Richarlyson: tio bad, dad pac is the most precious brazilian, be very careful with your doings
Bad: Oh, ok. [Proceeds to ignore Richas' warning] Hey Pac– stand over here for a second.
#Richarlyson#Pactw#QSMP#Badboyhalo#Etoiles#Mikethelink#Mike#Pac#Bad#BBH#September 4 2023#THE WAY MY HEART JUST *MELTED* INTO A PUDDLE HEARING THIS#You could hear Bad in Pac's POV saying ''dad pac is the most precious brazilian''#and I ZOOMED to open the VOD spreadsheet list to pull up Bad's VOD#This is the sweetest thing ever bro I'm crying 😭😭😭#You're so right Richas Pac IS the most precious Brazilian 😭😭😭#Well Richas and Pac are both precious but in different ways#(They are also both Certified Bastards)#lmao#I love that Bad just totally ignored Richas' warning pftt#but agh do you notice how before Pac can read the signs Richarlyson hurriedly breaks them?#Oh my heart#Edit: Aint no way it took over half a day for this thing to post wtf
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I have never seen anything but incredible cute cywhirlgate art but knowing how absolutely filled with melodrama cygate was toward the end of the idw run I think cywhirlgate getting together would be so messy at first. Like Whirl joins them on their travels and him and Cyclonus start having a ton of close and intimate moments right. Cylonus is just as dense about as he was when he was first falling in love with Tailgate like "wow I love traveling with my boyfriend who i love very much and also now my best friend who I care for so very very much and have had a charged history with and charged moments with constantly now that surely mean. nothing more" meanwhile whirl is sitting there while Cyclonus tenderly holds his claws as a friend or whatever with a constant internal subliminal monologue like "I am not in love with Cyclonus I am NOT in love with him i dont even like this guy i dont like anyone and I dont want to get in between anything I am not in love with him. FUCK."
MEANWHILE Tailgate is like oh my god am I losing my boyfriend to WHIRL of all people. What is happening here. Like to him Whirl was that one friend that you dont necessarily dislike but youre just cordial with because of your significant other you know. Very third wheel type situations happening for Whirl. But suddenly its not that anymore. And as time goes on Tailgate is letting it get to how he acts with whirl, like being more stand off-ish. And whirl being whirl he cant help but do the same in response. And cyclonus does not notice this. But THEN right as this is boiling over Tailgate and Whirl end up in some Locked Room situation. Where theyre away from Cyclonus on their own for a little while, like days. And things get so heated and angry that they. make out a little about it. have hate sex even. Then after that since theyre STILL stuck with each other in the locked room, they air it out and bond over their shared love of cyclonus and inclinations towards violence and chaos. And break out of their locked room situation with said violence and chaos. Then they get back to an incredibly worried Cyclonus and Tailgate is holding hands with Whirl and happily goes "me and Whirl had sex, is that great?" thinking this would solve all their problems. only for Cyclonus get all worbly eyed and be like "you cheated on me?* 🥺 You wanna break up with me? 🥺🥺" And Tailgate is ready to flip some tables as he has to lay out how Cyclonus and Whirl have been acting recently. And how all evidence points to Cyclonus being in love with him. Whirl is wisely silent for once, which is basically taken as affirmation by all those who speak whirl-ese. Then Cyclonus is like "so you want me to break up with you... to be with whirl? " because Cyclonus is too stuffy and old fashioned to know what polyamory is or think about being in a threesome*. so only THEN, once whirl and tailgate awkwardly and patiently explain all their feelings and make their case for being polyamorous do they all get together. and theres is a least like three other overdramatic hullabaloos about it when theyre in the introductory phase because they (cylonus again) kind of sucks at polyamory at first.
*this is assuming conjunx is default assumed monogamous. Which. Amica arent. hello mr roberts would you care to comment on polyamory among transformers and how it relates to mpreg pspsps
#draft clearing#draft date of origin: september 19th 2023#this post is actually both correct and funny BUT i know it gives off huge 'i aint reading all that' energy#like. the formatting alone.#cywhirlgate#mtmte#tf blogging#maccadam#transformers#mincedthoughts
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figured i'd do this again..bit early i guess..
#to cheer me up.. i feel bad atm.. these things don't even make me feel very good tho bc i'm such a narrative/sketch-based artist..#but Proper Beautiful Finished Pieces are what grab attention and look good at the end of the year all neatly lined up lol.....#so looking at a “yearly review” where i can only choose 'the best image of the month' (??) is like...What have i even been doing...#i did a month by month look back on twt for myself instead..but even that doesn't express the quantity of comic-based stuff..#that i do put a lot of time/heart into..but alas i feel bad bringing even them back..RTing/reblogging my own art simply feels bad lol..#AND WHY IS IT ALL B&W...trying to accept that i LIKE doing that and sketching and scribbling..not like i'm trying to like..Get Artist Job..#this year was so profoundly lonely at times bc i spent all my time drawing instead of socialising and trying to find friends....#please please please have achieved more of your dreams in the future so you can look back at 2023 and think..#It was good that happened so that it got me further to the future. Or whatever i guess.....................#regardless i did have a great amount of fun drawing and improving this year and dwelling deeply & heavily on witch hat atelier.#art-wise and emotionally....march july & september were the best months i think..AUGUST WAS SO WEIRD SUMMER IS SO EVIL ALWAYS.#thank you very much if you are reading this for enjoying & leaving nice tags & such like <3 i've realised how fulfilling that is to receive#really keeps me posting stuff here instead of keeping it all to myself in my head#i wish everyone in this world could have a safe and happy end of year. i wish living in this world were easier
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What good things are happening for you this month?
Pick a pile/picture
Pile 1:
Shadow side, Moon, The Dark Knight: You will be exploring and dealing with your shadow side. This may not be easy at first because the shadow side is the ‘bad’ side and things we suppress and want to ignore. But it’s necessary to address it and face it in order to move forward in your life. After that, you will be happier and feel free.
Pile 2:
Alchemy, Ancestor Guides: You will be working with your ancestors or guides to bring your creations into life. Alchemy is about turning one thing into another like manifesting. So you will be manifesting your desires.
Pile 3:
Contracts, Career, Commitments: You will be receiving some type of commitment or contract. This may be a relationship, a job, a new house purchase, a car purchase, a phone, etc.
#tarot#tarot reading#tarot community#pick a card reading#pick a card#astrology#tarot daily#zodiac#zodiac signs#astrology signs#zodiac reading#pick a pile#pick a picture#pick a image#divination#september#september 2023
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• Dean Winchester
God Only Knows by @minefield-of-a-ninja
The Raven : Part 8 by @roonyxx
Saints Are Sinners Too by @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior
New Record by @kaleldobrev
Beloved Corn Dog by @holylulusworld
• Soldier Boy
Bad Dream by @eclecticqueennerd
A Simple Misunderstanding by @kaleldobrev
• Boaz Priestly
♥︎ any way that you want me ♥︎ by @deanbrainrotwritings
• Jensen Ackles
♥︎ master of puppets ♥︎ by @deanbrainrotwritings
#What Did I Read This Month ?#September 2023#fic rec#amazing writers#amazing fics#dean winchester fic#soldier boy fic#jensen ackles fic#boaz priestly fic
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Anyone else heard this rumour before? (tweeted 13 September 2023) x x
It would explain why the caps at Lodz and Vienna. Maybe Krystle had to return home for some reason?
#rumours#I havent read about any fan saying this even after the huge amount of content we got after Louis meeting fans after FITFWT Lodz#but she would have had to be gone for at least 3 days now#hope everything is ok with her#I would love to see Louis with his soft minimally styled hair#Krystle Gohel#it would be hard bringing a replacement like one of the musicians I guess#UA#FITFWT Lodz#11 September 2023#Louis Tomlinson#13 September 2023#FITFWT Vienna#mine
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Further volumes in the horror comic series about a secret society that hunts monsters who feed on fear, especially children's fear
Flashbacks to the origin story of monster hunter, Erica Slaughter, in volume four
#the flashbacks called me pain. erica and aaron were very little…#something is killing the children#comics#lulu reads comics#lulu reads something is killing the children#i'm not really sure how long this series is supposed to run#seems to still be going so i'm not sure if there's a specific planned run#2023 reads#lulu speaks#lulu reads#would you believe i read these in september i am so bad at doing these little reviews
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Book Review: The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
The Unmaking of June Farrow is precisely the type of book I look for to usher in the cozy-spooky-quiet of fall time. Not only is there a quaintness to the setting, which nestles itself comfortably amid the farms and the flower fields of a small town in North Carolina where everyone knows each other, but there's also a magical realism element that frays timelines, blurs ancestral ties, and unravels family secrets and curses.
As the story opens, June Farrow is waiting to be claimed. For madness to take her like it has taken all Farrow women before her. She is determined to be the last of her name, to never fall in love, to never pass the family curse onto another generation. However, after her grandmother's death, a flurry of clues arrive that are connected to her mother's disappearance, leading her to step through a mysterious red door in search of answers. What she finds on the other side is both unbelievable and uncanny, but it also reveals something she's secretly always wanted.
The journey June embarks upon challenges every belief she has about herself, her family, and the history of her beloved town, Jasper, that she thought she knew. It's an intricately plotted and suspenseful tale with a slow unraveling that'll keep readers hunting for answers right alongside June.
The story itself is a bend of different genres and tropes - from murder mystery to fantasy, from time travel to thriller to unconventional second chance romance - which gives it an unorthodox pulse, making it both offbeat and comfy all at once.
If I had to categorize the book as a whole, I'd say its themes and cadence lie somewhere between Practical Magic, The Time Traveler's Wife, Dark Matter, and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. Reading it is like stepping through a door and into a portal world where an unsolved mystery shadows the town and love can cross any boundary of time. Perfect for anybody who likes atmospheric reads in the autumn!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my review.
4/5 stars
**Follow me on Goodreads
#ashlee bree's book reviews#the unmaking of june farrow#adrienne young#arcs#fantasy#magic realism#mystery#recs: ashlee approved!#read september 2023#published october 2023#bookblr#booklr#book reviews#book recs
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My September wrap up!
#bookblr#books#book blog#reading challenge#reading challenge 2023#reading wrap up#September reading wrap up#September wrap up#bookworm#book stack#bibliophile#reading#book spines#reading list#book spine#book stacks#September#book journaling#book journal
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01.09.23, friday
coffee, honey-mustard pretzels, laundry, pumpkin chai tea
#i’m trying this new thing of posting daily-ish bc idk maybe it’d help be distinguish days from each other and could look back like ’’oh okay#so that’s what I did couple days ago’’ lol#but that means; get ready for some very average/repetitive posts sorry in advance#bookblr#studyblr#booklr#aesthetic#books#study#reading#read#book#studyspo#dark academia#september 2023#2023
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books I’ve read in 2023 📖 no. 128
The September House by Carissa Orlando
“I had grown accustomed to solo trips through hell over the years. It seemed counterintuitive to invite company.”
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Forever: Hello. Cucurucho. Welcome to my Presidential office. [Cucurucho hands him a book] Aw, no buenos dias?
Cucurucho: [ Good morning Mr. President, how are you feeling? ]
Forever: I’m feeling alright, I’m- I think this is what you want to hear, but I’m actually not- not wanting to explode the whole island anymore. [Cucurucho nods] And thanks goodness not taking that medicine you give me anymore. Is this what you want to talk Cucurucho? You want to make sure that I’m ok?
Cucurucho: [ I am glad the medicine is helping. Do you have enough? Should I give you some more? ]
Forever: No Cucurucho, I don’t need the medicine anymore, I’m fine. I’m happy enjoying the Island and trying to find my child Richarlyson.
Cucurucho: [ Are you sure? The medicine is good for you. We highly recommend taking it for your health. ]
Forever: Cucurucho I– I’m fine, I’m not- I’m not in anger like I was before, I’m not trying to explode the whole Island, I’m not doing anything that can be bad for you guys of the Federation, playing cool, trying to make sure that everyone in the Island's ok, but I would- I will accept your offer, Cucurucho. Can you- can you give me more meds?
Cucurucho: [Throws him some medicine.]
Forever: Thank you. Thank you, Cucurucho.
#ForeverPlayerG#Forever Player#QSMP#Cucurucho#The Federation#Forever#Also just to be clear: Forever isn't asking for these because he wants to be on them again#That should be obvious if people read the transcript but u know.#Edited#This clip was like 4 minutes originally but I cut it down#I only cut out the long stretches of silence where Cucurucho was writing#September 19 2023
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youtube
Before you all freak out on me about the previous reading, check out this one on where/how Harry will be five years from now:
He’ll be either married, engaged or have a serious partner. He’ll feel at peace.
He will have reconciled romantically with someone from his past, retuning to a cycle from ~2015/2016. This person has dark blue, like turquoise eyes and medium natural blond hair color. They might have their sun or moon in cancer.
This person is a people pleaser as well, and very good at seizing opportunities, like a mastermind. They’re very consistent and hardworking. A perfectionist who is passionate about what they do.
Head over heels, never ending cycle energy. Reader is seeing June in her head.
He will explore a new way to express himself. Maybe a new outlet or new genre.
He’ll be more confident in himself, grounded, responsible and feeling like his life is more than he’d ever hoped for (aww).
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