KJK Reads

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: True Crime, Coercive Control, Non-Fiction, Memoir, Abuse, Biography Thoughts: This can be a difficult read at sometimes but is a critical book for anyone who wants or needs to understand coercive control and abusive relationships. It’s all too easy for us to see the stories of abuse and spousal murder in the news and ask why didn’t they just walk away but Victoria shows through her experiences just how hard it can be and how manipulative the abusers are. It’s telling that even after the attempted murder she didn’t realise the danger she was in and even after the police found evidence of what he did and charged her husband, she still shows just how difficult it can be to break the spell.  I also think it’s important to look at how the media obsession and public's comments on the case had such an impact on her life and made an already difficult experience that much harder.  Favourite Quote: "Emile had driven me to a point where I didn’t even recognise mys...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Classics, Poetry, Drama, Plays Thoughts: Romeo falls madly in love with Juliet soo soon after meeting her but it's evident to see in the ways in which they speak about each other how much they truly feel for each other. Although Juliet is just 13 (two weeks before her 14th birthday, and Romeo 16, those ages for commitment and marriages were more acceptable at the time (1690s) than it is today. The deaths show just how easy it is to misunderstsnd a situation and act, for Romeo didn't know Juliet wasn't in fact dead due to a travel and communication issue which in turn led to both their death's. This tale can be difficult for many to read being written in old English but my copy had many translations into more modern words available to make it much easier.

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Graphic Novels, Biography, Non-Fiction, Comics, Historical, Holocaust  Thoughts: The first Graphic Novel I've ever read but the story (and the fact its been banned for seemingly stupid reasons) felt important for me to read regardless of it's format. This is definitely an important story, following one man through his life from pre-war childhood through war and different concentration camps and even the sufferings after the war ended. Through Art himself showing how he got the story and stages of making this book, we also get so see a (somewhat rare) glimpse of how the Holocaust impacted the children of those who survived and their experiences. Favourite Quotes: "Yes Life always takes the side of life, and somehow the victims are blamed, But it wasn't the BEST people who survived, nor did the best ones die. It was RANDOM!"