Contemporary – World of Bai

Book Review: “A Man Called Ove” By Fredrik Backman

After reading “Anxious People” By Fredrik Backman almost two years ago and hating it, I vowed to never read another book by this author. Well ever since I read that awful book I have been seeing people rave about “A Man Called Ove”. I kept pushing off reading this one due to the author but I finally caved and started to listen to it at the beginning of this month, man oh man did Ove tear my heart apart!

“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

About The Book

Author: Fredrik Backman

Publisher: Atria Books

Published Date: July 15th, 2014

Page Count: 337 Pages

Main Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor

GoodReads Rating: 4.37

“He went through life with his hands firmly shoved into his pockets. She danced.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

Synopsis

Ove is a grumpy widow who only wants to join his wife in death. However, his neighbors have different plans for him. To Ove it seems that no one in his neighborhood can actually fend for themselves, he gets interrupted time and time again to fix things for others or help someone in an emergency because if he doesn’t who will? Even though he might be a grumpy old man you will find he has a heart of gold that will make you melt and a past that will leave you sobbing.

“And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead. And when time no longer lies ahead of one, other things have to be lived for. Memories, perhaps.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

Rating

“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

Review

I was in literal tears through most of this book. I promise, you will need a box of tissues to read this book.

I don’t know how he did it but Fredrik Backman had me hooked from the first chapter and I never once looked back. This is a super heavy book that has changed my life and will probably forever hold a place in my heart.

I loved all the characters despite the fact I typically hate grumpy characters in books. Ove is easy to hate at the start but once you start hearing about his background you fully understand why he is the way he is and you will end up loving him.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone but I would also like you to understand before reading this that there are some major trigger warnings to be aware of. First and most importantly, suicide. The mention of suicide is in basically every chapter. They also go into details about several different ways one can kill themselves, so if you are not mentally and emotionally in a good place please don’t pick this up till you are ready. Second is death of a loved one, besides suicide death is mentioned over and over in this book and if you have lost a spouse, child or close loved one recently please take care of yourself. Lastly, somethings that were briefly mentioned; Cancer, car crash and vulgar language.

If you are on the edge of reading this please do! However please take care of yourself while reading this book.

“We always think there’s enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like ‘if’.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

QOTD: What is the saddest book you have ever read?

Book Review: “Daisy Jones and The Six” By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid has wrote eight books, well technically nine, with “Carrie Soto is Back” Coming out in August 2022. I have now read Three of her most popular books and one of her short stories, the titles of which are; “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, “Malibu Rising”, “Evidence of the Affair ” and now “Daisy Jones and the Six”. I see myself reading her back log but I can’t say that she will be an auto buy author for me Just because after reading Daisy Jones and Malibu Rising, I just am not too impressed, despite how much I loved Evelyn Hugo.

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else’s muse.
I am not a muse.
I am the somebody.
End of fucking story.”
Direct Quote From The Book

About The Book

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published Date: March 5th, 2019

Page Count: 355 Pages

Main Genres: Fiction. Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Average GoodReads Rating: 4.24

“Men often think they deserve a sticker for treating women like people.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Synopsis

At a young age Daisy started to find a love for the reckless life of a rock and roll star. Hanging around bands and being exposed to sex, drugs, and booze; she thought this was the life she was meant to live. Her time spent amongst these bands lead her to finding her voice in both singing and writing, she knew she was meant for big things but what she didn’t know is that she couldn’t get there alone.

Pretty soon after, a producer for a big band, The Six, Heard her singing in a bar and he knew that she was the voice that could make The Six reach the top of the charts. The hard part was convincing the bad to let her join. Will Daisy catch her big break or watch her life come crashing down from her addictions?

“It’s like some of us are chasing after our nightmares the way other people chase dreams.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Rating

“All I will say is that you show up for your friends on their hardest days. And you hold their hand through the roughest parts. Life is about who is holding your hand and, I think, whose hand you commit to holding.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Review

When I picked this book up I knew it wouldn’t surpass my thoughts from Evelyn Hugo, One of my top reads in 2020. What I did know is that I would like it more than Malibu Rising, However I liked it about the same if I am being honest.

It seems to be very Hyped for the most part though on Bookstagram and TikTok so I knew I needed to give it a try. I do personally believe this book has been over hyped because I really didn’t fall in love with this book like many others. Now, I do believe this book would have been better on audio just because of the interview writing style, but I didn’t want to pay for it, I know regret that decision.

The writing style grew on me once I got to the end, but it was really hard to enjoy at the beginning because no other book I have read has been written in this format. Like I said I think you need to just bite the bullet and listen to it on audio.

Over all I found Daisy and Billy very annoying and exhausting. I think this was very much so intended by the author, but it really wore me out while reading it. I did like the fact that they were so similar as characters though because it tied the story together real well in the end. I started to actually care about them as people in the end which I think saved this books rating from a two star if I am completely honest.

I will say that this book had a lot of powerful quotes that I marked and will look back on. Taylor Jenkins Reid has always had a thing for great writing and pulling at your emotions and this book talks about some really tough topics but she writes them tastefully, With this said, please read up on trigger warnings for this book!

Really, This book was exhausting but interesting enough to keep you reading till the end. I don’t feel much towards this book, nothing to love, nothing to hate, just a different kind of story that you can find a musical connection too.

“Confidence is being okay being bad, not being okay being good.”
Direct Quote From The Book

QOTD: Which Taylor Jenkins Reid book is your favorite?

Book Review: “The Hate U Give” By Angie Thomas

This book has been listed as a banned book based on vulgar language and police brutality. It was banned in schools and when it did come back kids were required to have a permission slip signed by their parents in order to check it out from the school libraries.

I had recently joined a banned book club where we read a banned book every month and this book was picked for April and I was really excited to see why parents and school leaders were so against this book. Continue reading to see my thoughts.

“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”
Direct quote from the book

About The Book

Author: Angie Thomas

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Published Date: February 28th, 2017

Page Count: 454 Pages

Main Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary

GoodReads Rating: 4.50

“At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.”
Direct quote from book

Synopsis

Starr is a sixteen year old girl that lives in a poor neighborhood but attends school in the suburbs. Living two separate lives proves to be a big challenge but only gets worse when she witnesses her childhood friend get shot and killed by a police officer. Being the only witness to the murder, it quickly becomes Starr’s word against the officer’s.

The officer thought Kahlil had a gun: he didn’t. People believe Kahlil is a drug dealer: he had nothing on him. The officer thought Starr was a threat and kept his gun on her: she was compliant.

It is up to Starr to break the misconceptions and bring justice to her friend.

“People like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.”
Direct quote from the book

Rating

“Don’t let them put words in your mouth. God gave you a brain. You don’t need theirs.”
Direct quote from the book

Review

I knew this book was going to deep dive into the Black Lives Matter movement and I knew it was going to be an emotional and tough read; I wasn’t wrong.

My heart broke every other chapter in this book and I quickly fell in love with Starr’s brave character. I have no clue how she was strong enough to stand up for not only herself, but her friend who could no longer speak for himself. I am not sure I personally could have recovered from something this traumatic and gone on to find the same courage Starr did. I will forever remember this book and the strength real people find when coming face to face with these tragic and horrific events.

I truly believe that this is a book everyone needs to read at some point in their life. I personally can’t see why it was a banned book, but because it was banned it brought awareness to Starr’s story; a story that needs to be heard! This book really brings awareness to an issue that sadly is far too common these days and one that more people need to be educated on. It will break your heart but I promise that you won’t regret the time spent reading this amazing story.

“Your voices matter, your dreams matter, your lives matter. Be the roses that grow in the concrete.”
Direct quote from the book

QOTD: What is one of your most recommended book?

Book Review: “Lucky” By Merissa Stapley

I went to Target on Sunday just to grab some essential household items and of course I stopped in the book section because they have an amazing selection. Well, you guessed it, I found a book that’s cover was too beautiful to pass up and walked out with more than what I came for. How can you say no to a cover that looks like this? Did I even bother to read the back of the book? The answer is no you can’t pass up a beautiful book cover and no of course I didn’t read the back of the book!

“The world’s like that. What matters in one moment, it doesn’t matter the next. Things that fall apart eventually come back together again. Everything passes. You can be sure of that.”
Direct Quote From The Book

About The Book

Author: Marissa Stapley

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published Date: December 7th, 2021

Page Count: 232 Pages

Main Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Thriller

GoodReads Rating: 3.70

“No problem. People deserve second chances. And third chances. All people do is make mistakes. If we never forgave, we’d all be alone.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Synopsis

Lucky has lived a life on the run. Having a con-artist as a father, Lucky never got to experience an ordinary life, just one of crime and fake Identities. All Lucky ever wanted was a shot at some normalcy: a house, a stable job, some kids and a dog. She thought she would finally get this life when she and her boyfriend decide to settle down in Idaho. But when one last con goes horribly wrong, Lucky is found all alone and forced to stay hidden from the cops with a multi-million winning lottery ticket tucked away in her wallet. Her whole life could change, but is it worth cashing in the lottery ticket just to get caught by the cops? Or should she continue to stay on the run?

“The world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Rating

“The lottery is the greatest con of all time, kiddo. Proves our government is just like us, tricking people into thinking any dream can come true.”
Direct Quote From The Book

Review

This cover… Just wow!

I new the moment I saw this book, sitting on the shelf at Target, that it was going to be coming home with me. Little did I know that it would quickly rise to one of my top ten all time favorite books!

I had no clue what I was getting into when I sat down to read this one but man oh man am I so happy that I didn’t waste anytime to dive into it! I was first pulled in by the cover but quickly fell in love with Lucky and her hunger to get a grasp onto a normal life.

I will be honest, In the beginning I had an idea of where this book would end up going but this book had me guessing on ever page! This made it so hard to put down the book, I needed to know what was going to happen to Lucky and if in the end she would end up being ok!

This book swaps perspective from present day to back when she was growing up and in the end the two timelines catch up and have you basically in tears from the life this girl has had to live through. Living on the run your whole life and making no meaningful connections with anyone has to be miserable! Also the fact that you never truly had a secure home to live in, wow this girl is one tough cookie!

I highly recommend this book to everyone! You don’t have to just by it for the pretty cover, I promise you this book will leave a mark in your sole and you will fall in love with it just as I have.

QOTD: What would you do with a winning lottery ticket?