Flash Book Reviews
May have forgotten this account for too long
I’ve read so much over the past few months that don’t exactly fit within the vibe of The Macabre Magazine so I figured it was time to revive my original blog to review them now! Be warned now, I have forgotten stuff.
DOWN THE DRAIN BY JULIA FOX
I listened to this on audiobook and absolutely loved it. While a part of me sincerely doubts Fox is able to remember this many specific details about her childhood, it was an incredible book that delved into her traumatic and devastating childhood. It feels rare that the most fascinating aspects of a celebrity be the parts that precede their celebrity status. Fox was involved in a staggering number of jaw dropping situations as a minor. It’s genuinely a blessing she survived to gain the status and influence she now has, something she acknowledges. As a huge fan of Fox, I was really impressed with her writing and her ability to storytell. Occasionally her stories meander from one to another and her language can occasionally overcomplicate her meanings, but none of this detracts from the standout quality of the book overall. Definitely one of the best I’ve read in a while.
DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP BY ERIC OZAWA, SATOSHI YAGISAWA
I had just gotten my Kindle and was looking at all the free books available and this one caught my eye. Marketed as a cozy read with a touch of romance all set in a bookshop, I couldn’t help but pick it up. I thought this was going to involve a romance with the main character Takako but it actually involved that of her uncle and his estranged wife. A genuinely heartwarming tale that involves familial reconciliation, finding yourself, and moving on. Really sweet book and very short.
MONGREL BY HANAKO FOOTMAN
This was also free on Kindle! I definitely recommend it. This book delves into the difficulties of identity while being mixed-race which will always get me to pick up a book. It also delves into the difficulties of immigrating across the world at a young age. Something that will also get me to pick up a book. And the sisterhood bond that connects two women across the world. I think this book is best when you don’t know anything going into it so I won’t say too much. It is just definitely worth a read. My only issue being I think the ending is a bit too abrupt and unsatisfying but the book excels in all other aspects.
LIKE ME BY HAYLEY PHELAN
This book was kind of a mess. It was about this girl obsessed with an internet influencer who vanishes, leading her to rise to fit her place. The book revolves around the inner machinations of this girl’s mind and how obsessive and destructive she is due to her obsessions and desires to be famous. Is it a critique of the modeling industry? Kind of? This book doesn’t really know what it wants to be. It meanders, it conflates its concepts, and it ends in a conservatorship. Is it a critique of an industry that chews up women and spits them out? I’m not sure. There’s also a vague murder that never really gets dissected enough. This book just never really knows what it wants to be and really left me wanting more.
RED RISING BY PIERCE BROWN
Easily the best book I’ve read in months. Lately everything has been letting me down so it felt incredible to finally pick up something that made me want to neglect every other thing vying for my attention. Loved. I find the color caste system a bit ridiculous in terms of an allusion to real life oppression and racism. If you’re looking for an excellently put takedown on racism and segregation this definitely isn’t the book for you. It’s still an entertaining read that mixes Roman Empirical aesthetics with space and The Hunger Games. A weird mish mash of things that somehow all works. I would recommend it.