This was a story about the (often overlooked) sacrifices and heroics of women during the Vietnam War, and what major (and disastrous) i|| 3.5 stars ||
This was a story about the (often overlooked) sacrifices and heroics of women during the Vietnam War, and what major (and disastrous) impact their experiences, and lack of recognition for them, could have on the rest of their lives.
“Women can be heroes.”
At the beginning the story follows a fresh-faced nurse, Frankie, who naively signs up to the army in the hopes of becoming a war hero and making her dad proud, just like all the many generations of men in her family had done before her. Instead, she is immediately confronted with not pride, but shame from her family for going to war as a woman. Still, she remains enthusiastic and isn’t scared or afraid. She’s certain it won’t be that bad. She is sure she will end up at a fancy hospital, far away from the fighting, and everyone will welcome her back with open arms. After all, she would be completely safe in Vietnam, right? WRONG.
We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor. I wonder if any generation will ever believe again. People will say it was the war that shattered our lives and laid bare the beautiful lie we’d been taught. And they’d be right. And wrong. There was so much more. It’s hard to see clearly when the world is angry and divided and you’re being lied to.
At her first moment of arrival, she will understand how misled she was about the state of the war and about her own role in it. From the very beginning, she will live in dire circumstances, without a moment’s rest, and with constant death and decay around her. Her journey will continue to get worse and worse; more difficult, more extreme, more dangerous, more painful, more harrowing, and more heartbreaking. Still, through all the pain, she will be able to form immensely strong and unbreakable friendships that can only develop from living through a shared experience such as this, but, on the other side, she will also loose more loved ones than she ever thought possible.
From here, the war was almost beautiful. Maybe that was a fundamental truth: War looked one way for those who saw it from a safe distance. Close up, the view was different.
Simply put, she will go through all the horrors we expect from war. As a woman. And thus, upon return, without any of the recognition for her tragedy, trauma or courageousness. Instead, she is received with ridicule, disbelief and disgust. She will find nothing but hatred towards a woman who had the gall to go to war and fight to save other people’s lives. Even more, she will have to deal with the refusal of recognition for the skills she had gathered at war that no longer fit normal life; a life where a woman was meant to sit pretty and smile, but not actually do anything. Nobody wanted to acknowledge her experience, her past, her pain, her trauma, or even the simple fact that women could be veterans too, and Frankie quickly spiraled due to the shame and isolation that was put upon her due to her service.
The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.
Considering the main character of the book is a nurse, I suppose it should be unsurprising that there was a heavy focus on the medical aspect of the war as well; we don’t get to see combat, as everything that happens in Vietnam takes place at a hospital. We see Frankie go from being a (pretty much useless) newbie to being the most kick-ass combat nurse one could possibly be. She had no real experience or skills, but had to learn it all through the most dire circumstances, and learned to do more than any woman would have been allowed to in the real world. She learned everything in the most stressful situations imaginable, and it was extremely admirable. It’s why I understood Frankie’s extreme frustration when she was no longer allowed to use any of her skills after she got back; the outrage at being told it wouldn’t be appropriate for a woman…
“The world changes for men, Frances. For women, it stays pretty much the same.”
I do have a specific complaint, though, namely that I would have preferred the writing in this novel to be a little more emotionally charged. Sometimes it was a little too focused on general descriptions and failed to tell me the details of the wounded men or the specifics of Frankie’s thoughts and feelings about certain situations. I wanted to learn more about the men who needed to get treated, but perhaps the point of the book was that their individual stories didn’t matter; there were so many of them, they all just blurred together… And perhaps Frankie didn’t want to feel or think about certain things, so she wasn't able to give many details about that either… But still, we could have at least gotten more details about how her friendships and relationships formed and developed, because I feel like I was mostly told about that as well, rather than shown. In all honesty, I actually feel like this whole book was more telling than showing. Which is kind of the biggest critique I have of it.
We laugh so we don't cry.
Now, a quick recap of my opinions with regards to the side characters: Barb was the best. A true female icon and the very best friend you could have. I honestly think she would have had a more interesting story to tell than Frankie. Ethel was a nice friend and admirable woman too, but she paled in comparison to Barb. Frankie’s mom was okay, even though she had her flaws, but I think she did the best she could for a woman of her generation. Her dad was the absolute worst, though; he represented the epitome of toxic masculinity and I desperately wanted someone to knock that loser down a peg or two.
Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.
Frankie’s love interests all varied in range greatly. Henry was an amazing guy, but he deserved better than Frankie. I loved him, and it annoyed me to see Frankie remain so blind to all his lovely traits. I honestly started to hate her a little bit for what she did to him. Jamie was definitely a sweet guy too and was, I believe, genuinely in love with Frankie despite his marriage. He was honest about his feelings, but never pushed her to become his mistress. Theirs was the only actual romance I could somewhat believe in, despite Frankie’s insistence that the love of her life was Rye. Speaking of, I honestly don’t even want to talk about Rye and Frankie’s insane obsession with him, but I must. I swear, though, it was obvious to me from the very beginning that that guy was bad news. He was a smooth liar, but I still judged Frankie for not seeing through it. Especially later in the book… She was weak and pathetic for what she let happen between them, and I think it was the final nail in the coffin for my respect for her. To let your life be so derailed by some lying man you think you had love at first sight with, but with whom you never actually had more than lust, is something I can’t quite have sympathy for. Especially since she lost her morals along the way as well.
That was the starting and ending point in life: love. The journey was everything in between.
In truth, I really wish the author had made Frankie’s love-life less… frustrating. I honestly would have preferred there to have been no romance at all, and instead, I would have wanted the book to merely focus on Frankie’s journey of healing her mental health, which I feel was now overshadowed by her love-troubles. Even more, it were her romantic choices that made me ultimately dislike Frankie quite a bit, despite my desperately trying to understand her, which took away from the rest of the story as well. Also, her love-life became way too integral to her grief and suffering in the second part of the book, whereas I think it would have been stronger to let her mental health issues stem solely from her time as a combat nurse in Vietnam; after all, wasn’t that the point this book was trying to make? That the women were important too and that they needed help as veterans, and not as jilted mistresses? I mean, why was it that every time Frankie went crazy, it was about some guy? Why couldn’t it have been about her own trauma?
Maybe happy now, happy for a moment, is all we really get. Happy forever seems a shitload to ask in a world on fire.
Anyway, this all led me to seriously prefer the first part of the book over the second part by a lot. The first part, which showed Frankie’s time in Vietnam and first few months back at home, felt gritty and real and important, whereas the second part, which talked about the years afterwards, was veering into soap-opera territory. The non-stop drama and self-loathing was not only repetitive, but it all became very predictable as well, and some “plot twist” felt a little over-the-top and unnecessary. Even worse, I started to find some of Frankie’s choices to be… questionable, at best. I started to feel annoyed by her, which was the last feeling I wanted to have! I wanted to feel sympathy and respect, but at a certain point I couldn’t help but be exasperated....more
It seems to me that Elisabeth has actually been so lonely and unhappy over the years. Sure, she loved her pack and her children, but sh|| 4.0 stars ||
It seems to me that Elisabeth has actually been so lonely and unhappy over the years. Sure, she loved her pack and her children, but she was clearly missing something. I don’t think she ever felt truly whole.
“One day,” she whispers to it. “One day, my love. I will look upon your face, and all will be well.”
However, the loss, the grief and the guilt never brought her to her knees; she always continued to be strong, courageous and formidable. Nothing could bring her down completely.
This is such a tragic story, but so beautifully written. It’s a story that many queer people used to live through in the past, which ma|| 3.5 stars ||
This is such a tragic story, but so beautifully written. It’s a story that many queer people used to live through in the past, which makes it all the more heartbreaking to read… There’s not much focus here on the build-up of their love connection, but instead it tells the story of how sad and lonely and angry and impossible their lives were because of that love....more
Everyone always says that the books are really different from the TV show, so I thought it would be interesting to check this out. Howe|| 3.5 stars ||
Everyone always says that the books are really different from the TV show, so I thought it would be interesting to check this out. However, although I can see that a lot of the relationships, for example, will turn out very unlike the TV show, this first book was extremely similar plot-wise to the first few episodes, so it was all a little predictable and repetitive for me. That said, I think things will become completely separate later on in this series, so I might just keep at it to get to that point. Because I have to say I do find these books very entertaining. They’re a little trashy, but in a fun and addictive way.
Personally, my favourite chapters were definitely those by Spencer first, then Aria, then Emily, and then Hanna. -Spencer is a character that is very realistic in how much pressure and loneliness she feels. She works so hard, but her parents will never truly acknowledge or love her, always favoring her sister over her, and that understandably breaks her heart. It’s why I kind of understood why she felt it was okay to steal her sister’s boyfriends the way she did… Even though, of course, it shouldn’t be. Besides, her and Wren were honestly kind of cute, even though I actually want her with Andrew. I know he doesn’t have many scenes and he hardly even exists in the TV show, but still. He just seems so utterly adorable and his unrequited crush on Spencer is truly precious. I hope she will start to notice him in the next books, because I know he would be the sweetest boyfriend to her. -Aria’s gentle and quirky yet confident personality was genuinely nice to read, and I personally like her best out of the four girls. I really want to find out what happens to her next: I hope she’ll eventually dump creepy Ezra for good (who was honestly much worse here than in the TV show) and she’ll find a good guy in the end. Maybe Noel has potential? Even though he seemed to be quite dumb so far. -Emily is a sweetheart, but she’s a little too passive and therefore kind of boring. I want to care about her, but so far I don’t really. Her swimming is not something I care about, and her relationship with Maya hasn’t really sparked an interest in me yet either. -With Hanna, I do feel pity and sympathy for her struggles and self-loathing, but I genuinely do not like the person she is right now. That said, Sean deserves to get kicked in the groin for what he said to her and he needs to be knocked off his high-horse so badly. I want to see that happen in the future!
Lastly, I just want to quickly mention that all of these parents are the literal worst. Emily’s parents are racist bigots, Aria’s father is a cheating groomer, Hanna’s mother is a distant workaholic, and Spencer’s parents are cold, unloving and abusive. They all made my blood boil....more
I was afraid I wouldn’t enjoy this novella because we already knew it would have a sad ending due to the previous book, but I shouldn’t || 2.0 star ||
I was afraid I wouldn’t enjoy this novella because we already knew it would have a sad ending due to the previous book, but I shouldn’t have worried. There wasn’t a single moment where I would have felt emotional anyway, regardless of knowing the ending beforehand. I felt zero connection to the characters or story, and I simply didn’t care.
Also, is it just me or was it a little sad that Adena was constantly thinking about Pae like she was some perfect saviour, when we know that Pae never even gave her a second thought once she left Loot. I mean, poor girl… Such a one-sided friendship, and then she even has to die so tragically for it? That’s the worst luck in the world.
That said, Adena’s incessant perkiness and childishness did give me a major headache and her romance with Mak was really superficial as well. Adena truly read as a child 99% of the time, and Mak read like he had the personality of a cardboard box. Their relationship gave me the ick, especially because Adena was way more into him at first than the other way around and it was pathetic. Then, suddenly, for no reason whatsoever, Mak becomes obsessed with her too but it just feels fake and random.
The writing was also insanely repetitive and super cringy, especially in the first half. The first half truly was one of the worst things I’ve read in a while, but the second half was quite a bit better. It still wasn’t good, but at least it wasn’t that awful either. I think it’s because the second half at least had some semblance of a plot, so we didn’t have to focus so much on the awkward and forced romance. Still, the tiny bit of plot we did get felt super rushed and underdeveloped. This novella could have done so much more with it. We could have gotten to see the true friendship between Adena and Pae so that Pae’s upcoming revenge arc would hold more meaning (Update: There was no revenge arc in Reckless) or we could have seen how and why the king did this to Adena, but instead we skipped over every scene that could have told us anything meaningful. I think the only reason this novella will have had some sort of purpose is if Mak ends up playing a big part in the rest of the series, but I’m not sure he will (Update: He wasn’t even mentioned once in Reckless). And even still, his personality was pretty much non-existent in this, so the novella wouldn’t have added much regardless.
Honestly, I just wasn’t a big fan of this whole story overall, and I felt disappointed and underwhelmed. It was pretty bad. It’s as plain and simple as that.
This really wasn’t bad, but I just found it to be kind of boring. I didn’t really feel engaged, whether it was through the characters o|| 2.5 stars ||
This really wasn’t bad, but I just found it to be kind of boring. I didn’t really feel engaged, whether it was through the characters or through the story, so I often found myself losing interest in what was happening (which already wasn’t that much to begin with). The only side character I really cared about was ART; it was such an adorably precious and sarcastically witty robot!
'The Murderbot Diaries': 1. All Systems Red - 2.5 stars 2. Artificial Condition - 2.5 stars...more
Oh, this is truly such a charmingly magical fairy tale! There's just something about Narnia that is so beautiful, even if it seems to b|| 3.5 stars ||
Oh, this is truly such a charmingly magical fairy tale! There's just something about Narnia that is so beautiful, even if it seems to be quite a dangerous place with a lot of fighting and wars and killing. I think this charming feeling is mostly due to the book's gorgeous writing: No matter what is going on, this book makes it sound so pretty and mystical! I think it also really helped my enjoyment that I listened to it on audio. Not only did the narrator have a really calming, soothing voice that felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket, it also gave me all the nostalgic vibes that you used to get when being read to by a parent. The narration really made it so much easier for me to get lost in the story and accept some of its silliness; it kind of made me feel like a kid again!
P.S. I was surprised to find that Edmund was my favourite in this book! Especially since he was the only one I didn't like in the first one.
This was very short, but also very cute. It honestly made me a little giddy. I wish it had been longer though, because the progression o|| 3.0 stars ||
This was very short, but also very cute. It honestly made me a little giddy. I wish it had been longer though, because the progression obviously went way too fast now. I really feel like this had the potential to be absolutely fantastic as a full-length novel.
What a beautiful story. And such stunning narration as well. I am certain I would have never been as moved and touched by this story if|| 4.0 stars ||
What a beautiful story. And such stunning narration as well. I am certain I would have never been as moved and touched by this story if it weren’t for the fact that I listened to it on audio, so I would recommend anyone else to do the same. The main narrator has a beautifully rich and emotive voice that swept me away, and the boy who plays The Little Prince sounded exactly as sweet and innocent as his character. It was lovely.
This story is about a man who gets stranded in the desert where he meets a little boy who fell out of the sky. This Little Prince tells the man the story of his home planet and of all the people and animals he’s met on his travels. It is through these stories that many life lessons are taught: It uses metaphors to give insight into the way people live their lives and what’s wrong or right about that. More importantly, it shows the power and importance of love and hope, which is something so many adults have lost in their purest form.
The ending was extremely melancholic and I have to admit to pinking away a tear or two....more
This is a story about a professional hunter, who gets stranded on an island that has a very strange inhabitant. This inhabitant is a hu|| 3.0 stars ||
This is a story about a professional hunter, who gets stranded on an island that has a very strange inhabitant. This inhabitant is a hunter as well, but explains that he has gotten bored of the hunting game, and now prefers to hunt more exciting animals. After a rather menacing exposition, these newly hunted animals turn out to be humans, and thus, the stranded hunter soon finds himself prey in the most dangerous game he has ever played.
I thought the concept of this story was very intriguing. The psychology and morality behind a hunter suddenly finding himself be a prey, and not being all too keen on that, is definitely interesting.
The tone of the story is creepy, but the writing could have been a little more engaging. Overall, I enjoyed reading it and I liked the idea behind it....more
This is a bold, raw, direct and honest autobiography by a former child star who was pushed into the profession by her mother ever since|| 4.5 stars ||
This is a bold, raw, direct and honest autobiography by a former child star who was pushed into the profession by her mother ever since she was 6 years old. It recounts her career and personal life, talks about the abuse she’s suffered at home by her mother, but also shows the multiple mental health issues she’s developed, among which are various eating disorders, depression, a warped sense of self-image, anxiety, co-dependency, alcoholism, and OCD.
The writing is simple, candid, sarcastic and straight to the point, which often resulted in accurately portraying a feeling of shocking helplessness or numbness, but could sometimes also mean that certain details were missing. Thus, the style had its pros and its cons, but the pros far outweighed the cons, and it was definitely well done.
The story itself was very interesting, and, although I’ve already never had a great impression of the acting industry, this memoir really made me take a step back and realise just how fucked up it all is. And mostly, just how fucked up a parent must be to willingly put their child through that. It truly makes me rethink just how happy and cute all my nostalgic kid shows really were.. and how much of it was actually pretty horrific behind the scenes.
This was hard-hitting, thought-provoking, important and sad. I feel terrible for what the author has had to endure, but also proud for what she managed to put down in writing with this book....more
This book wasn’t necessarily bad at what it was trying to do, it’s just that none of it was really a good fit with my preferences. I’ve || 2.0 star ||
This book wasn’t necessarily bad at what it was trying to do, it’s just that none of it was really a good fit with my preferences. I’ve noticed before that this author’s writing style just does not work for me all that well. It has this certain empty quality to it that almost makes it impossible for me to connect with either the characters or the story. The fact that sex seems to completely dominate the romance and overall plot is a big no for me as well. It was all rather repetitive and kind of bored me most of the time.
Gabe was generally a likable character with his sunshiny confidence, while Marcus was very classically broody and grumpy. It was a nice dynamic in theory, but the execution was nothing to write home about. I didn’t much care for it. The only thing I can truly say I loved in this book was whenever Marcus was being obsessed with Gabe’s gorgeousness and infectious charm: I always love it when the grump is being adoring. Gabe was also completely smitten with Marcus, though, so it wasn’t one-sided. Gabe was actually much more assertive in making Marcus his, which I would have preferred to be the other way around.
Anyway, all in all, this book wasn’t anything special and it didn’t hold my interest all that much. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t really enjoy it either.
Also, can we talk about this guy on the cover? Because he is so fucking hot, I literally can’t. He kind of reminds me of Matthew Daddario, but is somehow even more handsome. If this is what Gabe is supposed to look like in the book then I can see why Marcus was obsessed with him after only one single glance, because um.. Same....more
This was dreadfully terrible. I'm not sure if I've ever simultaneously been this bored and this annoyed.
Warren was literally awful. He w|| 1.0 star ||
This was dreadfully terrible. I'm not sure if I've ever simultaneously been this bored and this annoyed.
Warren was literally awful. He was a complete creep and a complete bastard. He was delusional, crazy, entitled and nasty. I would legit be scared of a guy like this, and I would almost pity Bridgett for being stuck with him if she wasn’t entirely insane and completely exhausting as well. It’s just that I hated this dude so fucking much.
The relationship also did nothing for me but make me uncomfortable. It was toxic, weird, puke-inducing, and literally did not make any kind of sense. The smut legit had me on the verge of tears; it made me want to die. It was not okay at all.
Honestly, this whole thing was just the absolute worst....more
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