KJK Reads

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Chess, Young Adult Thoughts: A coming of age story with a twist. Not many coming of age stories are able to focus so intricately on a woman breaking into a man’s world as this book does with Beth and Chess. Watching Beth's journey with the pills and alcohol, addiction starting at such a young age is telling of addiction itself and how difficult a journey it can be on an individual.  Overall, the book is fairly well written with a messy but loveable main character in Bess and well rounded other characters.  Favourite Quote: "She was alone, and she liked it. It was the way she had learned everything important in her life."

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Romance, Academic Romance, STEM, New Love, Fake Dating Thoughts: A rom-com that had me chuckling to myself. Adam is definitely my type which may have swayed my opinion a little but I really enjoyed this book. I loved the sarcasm and banter throughout and was very happy when the two finally admitted their real feelings were more than the fake dating they had agreed to. Tom definitely gave me a sticky feeling and after what he did I hated him with a passion but it was sweet how it gave Adam and opportunity to show just how much he cared for Olive. Favourite Quote: "Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man."

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Young Adult, Mystery, Family, Trauma, Thriller, Addiction Thoughts: A lovely followup/prequel to the first book. I think it's quite a portrayal of old money and the different rules those who have money play by: from the failed acceptance to suddenly in a uni that didn't want him to being able to redecorate and hide a death, the families with money don't have the same barriers most of us do and thus get away with so much more. Watching Carrie slip more and more into substance dependence while seeing what actions and mental cognitions led her there felt raw and natural even though we all knew how badly it would end.  Favourite Quote: "The idea is that we can be forgiven for the terrible things we do as children. That we can be redeemed, given the chance to start again."

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Young Adult, Mystery, Disability, Thriller, Contemporary Fiction Thoughts: Interesting story. I didn't see the ending with the deaths coming but at the same time it seemed to poetically describe the lives of the Liars and their family. Especially with the seeming cover up so that Cady didn't know what had happened and also didn't face any kind of legal reprecussions (or find out while giving evidence), it fitted the messy lives of the young Liars and also the way in which the family interacted with each other.  I also felt a connection to Cady struggling to come to terms with the reality of her life becoming sick and coping with her new condition while feeling suffocated by family and just wanting to feel normal. This was very realistic, especially in a dynamic condition as sometimes you can be your old self and all of a sudden symptoms flare and it can feel like grief for the old you al over again. Favourite Quote: "I don't want to be label...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Romance, Miscommunication, College, New Adult, Dual POV Thoughts: Sweet dual POV romance. I couldn't wait for Mac to see Preston for the dirty snake he was and after it stopped being just revenge was rooting for the relationship and Cooper as a SO. I also loved how Mac found her strength and independence to do what her heart desired and not be dictated to by the rules of old money and family dynasty. Also the nickname princess for a trust fund kid is too perfect. Favourite Quote: "Time to wipe up my smudged mascara and be a bad bitch. Fuck love. Build the empire."

Rating:  4 Stars Themes: Holocaust, Non-Fiction, History, Biographical, Jewish, War Thoughts: This is a difficult but Poignant read. Through the accounts written by the three girls we can see not only the suffering of the Jewish population under the Nazis but also the severity of their treatment in the run up before and understand how much easier the already established anti-Semitism made it to accept the Nazi policies. The entries by Rachel showed the struggle to accept the traumas of what happened and also the struggles many Jewish children faced being sent to Israel before more was prepared and some without any family to go to. Shimon's entries enlightened me to the Jewish soldiers enlisted in the war's plight, especially after capture as POWs. Favourite Quote: "The few Jewish stores still left were marked by large stars of David, and everywhere it said Jude in large type as if it were some incurable disease everyone should stay away from. The few Jews roaming the stree...

Rating: 5 Stars Themes:  Short Story, Contemporary Fiction, Mother Daughter Relationship, Mental Health, Witches, Fantasy Thoughts:  This is an interesting story that can be interpreted in three ways. For instance it can be as on face value that magic and manifestation is real. It could be that the mother is experiencing a mental health difficulty causing delusions which is why she believes in her powers. Or reading deeper it is a much more complex and upsetting story in which the mother does whatever she needs to provide for and protect her young daughter alone with her later admitting she said things to help her daughter feel safe. In this, she doesn't care about what the neighborhood thinks of her as it keeps them coming back and providing income. In all theories there must be some sympathetic for the mother alone to raise her daughter as the father walked away (whether encouraged or not, he decided to completely walk away) and even years later when he reaches out to her as...

Rating:   5 Stars  Themes: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Social Justice, Racism Thoughts: Thought provoking essay on race, police brutality, institutional racism and activism. It highlights the concerns of black police officers facing both in the system from their white peers and in the community from those who see them as a traitor.  Abdul-Jabbar also tackles balancing his sports career with activism and facing people's perceptions of athletes as airheads with nothing of note to say with using his position to bring light onto the systematic discrimination faced by the black people in America. Favourite Quote:  "The problem is we're used to lumping groups together as a monolithic block. Blacks are all this. Whites are all this. Cops are all this. This is inaccurate and, worse, an obstacle to improving our society."

Rating:  4 Stars  Themes:  Motherhood, Psychological Fiction, Short Story, Parenting, Feminism Thoughts:  Such a short but poignant read. It is impressive how Adichie can make strong points in such small books. Zikora is on its surface the story of Zikoras labour and reflections on what led her to this point being a single parent. But interweved through her reflections shows her Nigerian upbringing and the differing traditions there and how they have impacted both her and those around her. From her mothers seemingly cold indifference seemingly caused by her father taking on and moving in with a second wife and sons and her cousins life which was expected of her to marry the rich older man and continue to bear his children we see the different lives that these women lead and the life Zikora was spared by being sent to live in America.  Through the snippets of their lives that we are told we are also able to see just how easy it is to end up feeling alone as all t...

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Feminism, Road Trip, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Psychological Ficion Thoughts: This story is a strong feminist tale about just how hard it can be for a young woman to get an abortion in America. The extremes she feels she needs to go to so she can access the medical procedure are shocking but also a real struggle for many Americans today.  The main characters are strong females with their own views which help us as readers see both sides of the abortion argument from a compassionate view but nevertheless they are able to support and understand each other in the important moments.  Favourite Quote: "I look like I've been through a battle and lived to talk about it."

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Romance, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Disability, , Dating Game Show, Young Adult Thoughts: This is a cute story with a focus on the mother daughter relationship after a difficulty divorce and the struggles of a lack of money. Due to this when an accidental video diary goes viral and they are invited to a dating show with the twist that the child helps the decision they decide to take it for the opportunities it could bring them. But who can you trust when everyone knows they're on tv and may have their own motives? Connor's Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, though a very small part of the book felt so real to me. As a fellow EDSer who also has joint instability falls the comments and being babied and treated differently felt real and honest to me and what I've noticed myself.  Favourite Quote: "For a moment, I trace the innumerable choices that led to this present and wonder whether I ever had more than they illusion of controlling over my own life....

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Thriller, Mystery, Young Adult, Crime, True Crime Podcast Thoughts: Pip is back, although she swears that shes done with investigating but when get friends brother goes missing and the police won't do any she feels she has no choice. This time with a bigger team behind her, Pip again takes to solving a case and feelings like shes losing herself in the process. The Brusnwick child storyline is thought provoking no matter whether you believe in Rehabilitation or retribution in the CJS showing both the remorse and struggle to restart a life after being a child pulled into his fathers crime to the emotional havoc it reaks on those left behind by victims watching them walk free. Favourite Quote: "You know, for what its worth, the justice system is supposed to be this purveyor of right and wrong, good and bad. But sometimes, I think it gets it wrong almost as much as it gets it right."

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Young Detective Thoughts: This book definitely falls into the YA genre with the core problem solving being left to a teenager but that doesnt make it any less of a good story and the book itself doesn't try to hide being YA either, instead advertising it as such. The mystery keeps us working right until the last few chapters with changing clues and evidence so is great for playing detective and trying to guess yourself. The underlying theme with Pip and Ravi was well written and I was definitely rooting for them by the end and found both of their characters spirited and loveable in their own way. Favourite Quote: "Its what we do when someone we love dies; blame ourselves."