Books
This includes reviews, facts, and other bookish things.
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Planning my summer reading
Each season comes with its own reading pros and cons, but I think reading in the summer might be my favorite. I love reading outside, bringing books with me on long weekend adventures, and hearing the cicadas outside my open window as I turn the pages. With May nearly in the rearview mirror, it’s time Continue reading
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Mini Reviews: Productivity, priorities, and gardening
Yet another round up of some eclectic reads. Let’s go! The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing. I loved this book. It’s so many things at once: Laing’s relationship with gardening generally and a garden they recently started tending to; an exploration of the horrific colonial roots of so many famous gardens; a discussion of Continue reading
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Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
“Heroism is often the seemingly spontaneous result of a lifetime of preparation.” Tress of the Emerald Sea follows Tress, a girl who lives on an island that, usually, no one is allowed to leave. She enjoys the simple things, such as collecting cups, and is generally content with her life on the island. Yet when Continue reading
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The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
This novel is like a warm mug of tea, a cozy blanket, catching up with an old friend over coffee. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches tells the story of — well, just what the title suggests. The book follows Mika Moon, a witch in Britain who has consistently moved around with her dog Continue reading
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The Waves by Virginia Woolf
“Like a ribbon of weed I am flung far every time the door opens. The wave breaks. I am the foam that sweeps and fills the uttermost rims of the rocks with whiteness; I am also a girl, here in this room.” Beautiful. Lyrical. Nostalgic. Devastating. Bittersweet. The Waves follows a group of friends from Continue reading
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5 mini reviews: historical fiction, a western, short stories, literary fiction, and sci-fi
Here are my thoughts on an eclectic bunch of books I’ve read over the past few months. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. I read this book for a local book club I attend, and it was so different from what I was expecting (in a way I can’t share, because that would ruin the Continue reading
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The Year of Less by Cait Flanders
“More was never the answer. The answer, it turned out, was always less.” In this insightful memoir, Cait Flanders shares the story of her year of less — twelve months during which she challenged herself to buy only the essentials (groceries, gas, etc.), declutter her home, and break free from the detrimental shopping habits she’d Continue reading
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Autumn reading plans
Last autumn I was really intentionally about planning my reading for the spooky season, and it absolutely paid off. Not only did I read so many more gloomy, cozy reads than I usually would around this time of year, but I also felt much more connected to what I was reading. I can’t wait to Continue reading
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Tortilla Flat and The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Steinbeck feels like such a summer author to me. This summer I read two of his novels: Tortilla Flat (1935) and The Pearl (1947). Although these aren’t my favorite Steinbeck novels that I’ve read so far — I just didn’t connect with the characters or story as much as I did when reading East of Continue reading
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Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
“If you think, from this prelude, that anything like a romance is preparing for you, reader, you never were more mistaken.” Jane Eyre is likely the most popular Charlotte Brontë novel, and perhaps for good reason: it has an iconic romance and main character, it is brilliantly told, and it raises so many interesting themes Continue reading
About ME //
i’m holly — former english major, current twenty-something book lover, allergic to nuts. drop me a line at nutfreenerd@gmail.com or on instagram.
nut free nerd 