KJK Reads

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Holocaust, Memoir, War, Biography, Historical, Sister Relationship Thoughts:  This book is hard hitting, as Holocaust books tend to be, but maintains a theme of determination and hope throughout. From the day Eva fights against her tattoo to her arrival in Haifa and throughout her activism (told in the epilogue/afterword) Eva maintains her determination, first for her and Mirriam to survive and later to educate and influence the next generation.  Favourite Quote: "Our survival depended on each other!"

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Feminism, Contemporary, Abortion, Crime, Drama, Controversial Topics Thoughts: This book is on what cannot be argued isn't an extremely controversial topic, now so even more than when it was wrote, but manages to give both sides of the debate in rationalised explanations as well as the emotive words and attacks used by those arging. Going back in time was a new experience for me and made it feel a little weird knowing someone was going to die when reading about them waking up. But then again isn't that kind of the point, no one knows what events have led up to someone ending up in a center like that but judgements are often made nonetheless. I personally think it was also poignant that many in the center at the time were not there for an abortion but for the other services the centre provide as it can be easy to forget those kinds of centers also support other reproductive health issues such as gyno exams and birth control. Favourite Quote: "We are ...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes:  Murder Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Criminal Justice System, Contemporary Fiction, Black Characters by Black Authors Thoughts: This murder thriller focuses on the main character of a black woman inspector and has other characters of different ethnicities and races which allows them to comment on the sexism and racism that is still weaved through the CJS.  In terms of the murder plot, this writer is able to make Olivier a sadistic and manipulative killer while still giving his motive the back story that some could empathise with (if he wasn't so gruesome in getting his justice). The presence of the copycat shows how some people who have been through a certain kind of experience can come out of it in a mentally unstable state and the dangerous consequences of our societies glorification of murderers, especially serial killers.  Favourite Quote: "They thought they had seen it all, until life presented them with a fresh kind of hell."

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Coming of Age, Psychological Fiction, Book Club Picks, Mystery, Crime, Contemporary Fiction Thoughts: This story intricately weaves a coming of age tale with the isolation and abandonment that Kya experienced and how her early traumas shaped her very existence. Kya's characteris indicative of a child who has grown up feeling isolated and knowing the feeling of near constant abandonment. In this way, the character was extremely well written and even her actions which seem random or we, as readers, don't think are good ideas make sense. I also enjoyed Tate's character as someone who believed so much in Kya as a young girl, helping her learn to read and believing in her about her books.  For me the murder element wasn't needed but it does show the lengths a traumatized person can go to when pushed and feeling cornered and I know that murder mysteries and crime thrillers often sell better than plain psychological fiction books so I guess I can guess ...

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Psychological Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Race, Social Justice, Young Adult  Thoughts: This is definitely a thought provoking book. Reading this post George Floyd and COVID definitely reinforces how little things have changed in the 5 years since the book was published.  The rivalry between Carlos and Maverick can also be very telling in the way in which they both want to change the system for the better but both take different approaches and struggle to understand the others point of view till Starr is vulnerable and needs both sides. I couldn't help but empathise with Starr with all she was going through, especially losing a friend due to their prejudice alongside everything else she was living with.  Favourite Quote: "That's the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What's the point of having a voice if you're going to be silent in those moments you shouldn...

Rating: 4 Stars  Themes: Psychological Thriller, Unreliable Narrator, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Murder  Thoughts: The characters were very well written, making me both feel for Alicia and what she's going through and being creeped out by the boundary crossing and borderline stalking of Theo. I also really enjoyed the writing, the twists that kept me guessing till the end. I don't know if its my background in psychology or just the writing but this book managed to interweave trauma with hope only to come back with the plot twist to left me wanting to throw the book at that ending. Favourite Quote: "I believe the same is true for most people who go into mental health. We are drawn to this profession because we are damaged - we study psychology to heal ourselves. Whether we are prepared to admit this or not is another question."