Category: literary
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Book Review: Setting Free the Kites by Alex George

The Paris Hours is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for several years, marinating. I wanted the perfect time to pick it up, wanting to immerse myself in this author’s prose again. It was absolutely worth the wait…
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Book Review: Straw Shoes by Mathias B. Freese

What a treat this was! Eloquently written, philosophical, and deeply human, author Mathias Freese dubs Straw Shoes as his final work…
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Top 5: Books I Read in 2025 (Fiction)

Better late than never, right? I don’t know how a weeklong flu back in January threw me so off kilter for the entire first half of the year, but here we are. I’ve been struggling to keep up with writing my reviews as I finish a book, meaning I typically have to marathon it when…
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Book Review: The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce

In 1988, we meet Frank, a lonely vinyl shop owner. He has a knack for matching people with the right piece of music. Although deeply attuned to the emotional needs of others, he prefers to keep his distance. Even more so, he wants to keep CDs far away from his shop…
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Book Review: Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali

How have I gone so long without this classic in my life? It’s been a while since I’ve read something so poignant and deeply human. I had high expectations going into this, and those expectations were exceeded…
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Book Review: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Although I’m not particularly a fan of Shakespeare’s work, I’ve been interested in reading this book. I’ve owned a copy for a while, and was excited when it was selected as a book club read. Not being familiar with his life and relationships didn’t leave me feeling like I was missing out on any information…
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Book Review: Gifts by Lesley Bootiman

It’s been some time since I’ve picked up a multigenerational story. Gifts has been like any other I’ve read, with a large focus on a genetic illness along with external life circumstances…
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Book Review: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I’ve been intrigued by this book for so long, but I wanted to wait for the right time to pick it up. While my timing was fine, the book wasn’t quite what I expected it would be…
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Book Review: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

This was my second attempt at reading War and Peace, and I’m glad of my decision to put it down when I wasn’t ready for it. I also kind of regret turning this attempt at reading it into a challenge, but I think that ultimately held me accountable, and now I will thoroughly enjoy a…
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Book Review: The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk

After reading The Winds of War duology by Herman Wouk over a year ago, I was curious to read more by him. Although his writing is slow to build, it does not disappoint…