Some
books make an impact in our life. Maybe it’s what they say, maybe it’s how they
say it. It doesn’t need to be long, but it packs a punch. Letters from the
Heart is an exercise I believe everyone should engage in. In this short book,
she writes a one-page letter to different emotions, thanking them, or engaging
in conversation with them. The concept is a powerful one and something anyone
of any age, any gender, and any social class can relate to. It’s a short read
which you can read in 20-30 minutes, but it can change a life by inviting
people to look at their emotions in a different light. Wise beyond its word
count, it’s something to share with patients, survivors, students, and humans
of all likes in life. An amazing concept by Cate Evans, which prompts the
question, if this is how you start your writing career, what’s next?
Anaïs
Chartschenko is one of the most powerful poets I’ve ever read. I didn’t say
indie poets. I said poets. General. No alienation from the general population
of writers. She does not pull punches. She does not flinch and she writes
fearlessly. The Weightless One is a novel in poem form and it is raw and
heartbreaking. It is about a young woman who is in a psych ward and it talks
about her experience with an eating disorder and the circumstances that led to
her stint. It is also one of the most important books I read last year and
something I believe ANYONE going through this should read. It is not for the
faint of heart, it goes where you know there will be pain. It is not a gentle
read, she is not a gentle poet, and that it what makes her elite.
What I
expected from this book and what I got are two different things altogether… and
that’s an amazing thing. This is NOT a Batman book yet it is a very Batman
book. It’s about Paul Dini and how his life experiences have been influenced,
impacted, and filtered through the lens of the caped crusader. It is intense,
honest, gorgeously written, and exquisitely drawn and shows that when it comes
to graphic novels, the sky is the limit and the soul is the fuel.
Although
not the only non-fiction book on this list, it might be one of the most
important to read. Although I dare anyone to spell the author’s name right from
the first go, I invite most people to read it to ask themselves the questions
of how to enjoy life more. Powerful, relatable, real. Non-fiction has a bad rep
for being boring, and this is ANYTHIING but boring.
How many flash
fiction books have you read? Odds are not many (and quite a lot of people will
say none). Flash fiction is a literary style not often indulged in book form,
which is odd since people so often say humans nowadays have a limited attention
span, but that’s not why this book is great. This book is great because if you’re
a writer, reading Sarah Brentyn will spark neurons and inspire you to write.
That’s the beauty of the flash fiction in this collection. In just a few words,
your brain is firing on all cylinders… and that’s not just because this is
flash fiction; it’s because Sarah Brentyn is a damn fine writer and she shows
off her brand of magic time and time again.
Big name
stars, artists, actors, musicians, and writers are not people who you can
always relate to…. Except if you’re talking about Neil Gaiman. I often refer to
Neil on a first name basis and it’s not because I know him (though that is a
life goal). I do so, because he’s someone that time and time again seems to be
taking words and paragraphs from my heart and saying them out loud. This
collection is varied and includes intros, letters, articles, and a whole lot of
miscellaneous writing… and I can relate to most if not all of it. Neil is my
fav author because he finds something he wants to do and does it. Not only
that, he has an eerie way of saying things that are in my brain and it gets to
the point where it sometimes scares me… and that is a beautiful thing to
experience.
Terry
Pratchett left us gold in his Disc World series. Every book seems to be a love
letter to the written word and reading the series sequentially, I’m drawn more
and more to him. If you want to learn how to write, you need to read…. And your
brain will thank you for feeding it this Michelin Star author each and every
time.
Neil
Gaiman’s wonderful American Gods is not a perfect book. It’s downright weird in
how it’s made up, with parts 1 and 2 being huge, part 3 being super short, and
part 4 being an unexpected coda to an ethereal work of art. Some people have
issues with certain characters. Some people think that some things were not
well developed. Some people love the damn book. It’s on my list and it’s a
chunky book, so what do you think I think of the book?
Oh how I’m
tempted to write about this book in Spanish, but for this instance, I’ll keep
it in English. Sin Noticias de Gurb is a random tale set in Spain and if you’re
from Spain or have visited, you will adore this book. I have it 4 stars for the
SOLE reason that since I haven’t been in the places mentioned, I KNOW I missed
out on this. Hilarious, random, weird, and funny (because it needs two words
referring to humor). I don’t know if there’s a translated version of this book
and I truly hope there isn’t. Learn Spanish and read this book.
Roald
Dahl books are PERFECT if you’re in a reading slump. They’re naughty, silly,
fun, and clever as hell. From the three Dahl books I read last year, this was
my favorite (the others being George’s Marvelous Medicine and the Giraffe, the
Peli, and Me). Growing up is a trap and any Dahl book is the perfect escape.
Your
inner child needs to read this. Apart from that, this was a very important book
for me to read. Apart from smile inducing, fun, whimsical, and just a good for
the soul read… it validates that what I do with the Daydreams on the Sherbet
Shore is on point. To put it shortly, I needed to read this for validation of
my artistic instinct with that project.
Oh how I
loved visiting back with Pixie and friends. This sequel to the Adventures of
Pixie Piper by indie author Maricel Jiménez is another lovely slice of fairy
lore. It’s fun and starts wayyyyy familiar before gently and steadily leading
you into a world all its own. The end has some fascinating twists and prospects
for the series and shows Jiménez is only getting started.
Another
wonderful poetry collection, the strength of love and vodka is in its variety.
Christina Strigas is a talented word smith and while some people indulge in
fluffy poetry, she offers a wide assortment of word mixology, from smooth, to
biting, she’s someone to read and enjoy however you please.
Another
collection by Chartschenko. This collection shows variety, range, and depth
from this wonderful wordsmith. Like most of her work, it’s not for the faint of
heart but it rewards readers who can take the most intense shots of life
delivered in word form. She has four collections out and I’ve read three… but
she’s so good, I know I can recommend all four and once I read her latest
release, I’ll tell you why a little more. She is someone you need to read if
you want to see how intense poetry can get.
The
Strange Luck series is an odd trilogy because it fluctuates in genre and tone
from one book to the next, which may confuse some people but I think will
reward more. The first book is a darker middle-grade fantasy, while its sequel
is a dark fantasy with some spine chilling scenes with exquisite phrasing and a
very ethereal feel to it. A Darling Secret feels like a mid point between both
previous entries, more YA than middle grade, with some twists and turns, but
where Winters always excels is in her concepts. It’s an odd thing to focus on
but so often I read something and am amazed by how smart a concept it is that
you want to take the idea, grab a hold of it and look at all the angles.
I listened to the audiobook of
this story and I HIGHLY recommend you do it too. The narrator is amazing and
definitely brings this story to life in an amazing way. That said, the story is
also incredibly fun with some nods to Douglas Adams and Pratchett in terms of
humor and overall wit, but for a slightly younger audience.
This is
one of those books they give in business school when it should be given in
philosophy. A LOT of what is written in these pages can be related to life and
is a deeply enriching experience.
You either like Bukowski or you
don’t. There’s probably very few people in the middle when it comes to him. I
like him and he’s the type of poet that can get feelings from me… which is just
the way I like it.
Walt
Whitman might have been partially prophetic because some of the things he
writes feel like they’re from this century and not the 19th. Rich,
deep, impactful. A wonderful poetry collection worth your time and possibly a
place in your library.
For me, Frost
is a polarizing poet and some of his poems are wonderful while others I’m sure
I can’t relate to because I live in another century… but when he strikes gold,
it’s til the end of time. This lovely collection is handy to keep around to
have a read and I particularly like when he limits himself to 1-2 pages per
poem because I feel like he hits the nail home, while longer poems wander a bit
too much for my taste.
I had
been given this book in high school AND college. I’d enjoyed it marginally but
it was assigned, i.e. forced. Picking it up as an adult, it was a refreshing
experience to read and enjoy on my own terms and for the love of the written
word. In addition, it also brought to light how I feel being from Puerto Rico. Although
proud of my heritage and my Island, I love being from the Caribbean and after
Hurricanes Irma and María decimated our collective home, I find myself loving
my Caribbean sisters and brothers more than ever. We’re all in this together
and this collective identity is something I want to promote more.
That's delightful how you posted reviews to each book you read.
ReplyDeleteYour novel is the only novel I touched in 2017 and I'm still reading it.
;D
Maybe I'll read twice as much in 2018?
I want to make it easy for people to see full thoughts and have a clickable access to the books :) And I'm happy to have been worth the read in 2017 and if my book helps get the ball rolling, I did something right :D
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