Reading, Writing, and Me

What It's Like In Words  by Eliza Moss Thank you to Henry Holt for providing an advance copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own. Overview: Enola is a writer, though she hasn't turned in work to her writing group in a year. She works at a cafe with her best friend, Ruth, who is always going on interviews for short-lived new jobs. When Enola meets "him" at one of the writing meetings, there's an undeniable chemistry, and Ruth feels magnetically pulled in. Though the relationship is clearly toxic from early on, Enola's complicated family past and struggles with self-esteem keep her coming back. The novel traces Enola's journey as a writer, as a person, and as a friend over around a two year period.  Overall: 4 Characters: 4 Enola is that quintessential sad girl "unlikable" heroine that you'll know well if you read these types of books. She struggles with self-esteem and unresolved questions from her past. She feels abandoned by her...

The Alternatives  by Caoilinn Hughes Overview: Four sisters have existed in each other's orbit for nearly four decades, falling in and out of touch. But when their oldest sister, Olwen, up and disappears one day, the sisters feel compelled to close ranks. They reassemble from across Ireland, England, and the United States to find their sister and figure out why she wants to detach from society. Back together, they're forced to confront their past, their individual struggles, and what it means to be sisters. Overall: 4.5 Characters: 5 The texture and genuine life of the sisters is undeniable. They're all so specific and unique, and that makes the book feel rich and alive. Olwen is the oldest sister and the one we meet first. She's living in Galway with her boyfriend and his two children, nursing them all back through their grief about his wife's death. She's an earth science expert and teaches undergraduate seminars under the curtain of climate doom that lingers ...