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none of this is true (maybe some?)

Another thriller, another story told in more than one perspective, including one unreliable narrator. In None of This is True, Lisa Jewell weaves a suspenseful narrative that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The story centres around the seemingly mundane lives of its protagonists, who find their paths intertwined in unexpected and dark ways. The novel opens with a chance encounter…

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the only one left (after bad choices)

I recently read The Only One Left by Riley Sager for one of my book clubs. Like other mystery thrillers, it was told from more than one perspective. The novel initially follows Kit, a woman in her thirties who finds herself struggling after a workplace incident, forcing her to move back into her parents’ home. It is later revealed that the incident involved the death of someone in her care, and…

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audiobooks vs everybody

The classic debate and popular “unpopular opinion” that Audiobooks Are Not Books, Therefore Listening to an Audiobook is NOT! Reading. Every so often, some form of “Listening to an Audiobook is not Reading” pops up in r/unpopularopinion that it’s practically popular at this point. It is Book Elitism. Book Gatekeeping. And I say that as someone who grew up as a bookworm. I find that people who…

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there are no women in ba sing se

An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. I forget how this book ended up in my list. There would be days where I put several books on hold on my Libby app that I forget why I wanted to read a particular book in the first place. Popularity? Online recommendation? Part of a theme or genre I enjoy? The title on its own is pretty vague, but the…

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currently reading: ariadne

This is my second Jennifer Saint book. Elektra was my first – and that was an interesting perspective on the Fall of Troy, told from three different women caught in the story. As someone who has grown with a fascination for Greek mythology, thanks to my parents naming me after a (lesser known) Greek goddess, I practically eat any Greek mythology-related thing out here. This is why I own…

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no more waiting

I’ve had a list of things I wanted to do for celebrations. Like a potential bachelorette party or milestone birthday or a celebration for something else. After everything that has happened, I don’t feel like waiting on those milestones to happen. I can just make it happen when I want to. Why wait for a bachelorette party weekend to hit up wineries with my friends? Why wait for my 35th birthday…

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battle-speak

The battle-warrior-fighter-hero language has been ingrained in our society and culture, and it’s something many people use when they try to speak to someone dealing with cancer, chronic illness, mental illness, and even death. There’s a handful inside the cancer community who use it themselves, and it reinforces the idea that the rest of us like this language. Many don’t, including me. I’m not…

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fear of being happy

Even in my youth, I preferred sad and tragic stories. I thought of it as being different, a little edgy, maybe? Tragic stories were more realistic. Happy endings felt unfinished to me. I knew something bad will happen after. No one will stay happy forever. Decades later, I still love tragic ends. When lovers part, when someone dies, when a loss is suffered… As I was talking to one of my friends…

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who rescued who?

The year 2021 involved a lot of loss. I lost my blissful ignorance when it came to my health, which I took for granted. I lost my connection with some “friends” who “meant well” but ultimately only kept tabs on me for their own self-serving reasons. I lost a relationship with a person who I thought I’d be with long after the health crisis. There were a lot of tears. There was a lot of grief.…

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missing the old you

missing the old you

People like to throw that phrase around when they realize you’ve changed after some type of trauma or loss. There’s a part of you, or a version of you, that disappears – dies – after a traumatic experience. When they say the miss the old you, your heart aches a little, because you miss her, too. They miss the old you. They were hoping – praying – the old you would come back once you got…

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to the best investment that saved my sanity

to the best investment that saved my sanity

Back in 2019, I picked up this console for myself as an early present. I got it in the summer, anticipating to mainly use it when the new Pokemon game comes out six months later. I barely used it until December of that year, when I actually got into Breath of the Wild. When lockdown began three months later, this little thing became my lifeline. Both my sister and my boyfriend convinced me into…

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the reverse bucket list

the reverse bucket list

Creating a bucket list is something that’s been suggested to us, usually when we’re about the reach a milestone. As someone who calms herself through organization, a bucket list is pretty much a to-do list with a different timeline. A to-do list we create so that the event that happens at the deadline is a lot less daunting. It can be longer or shorter, just depends on when you started it and…

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not here to inspire

not here to inspire

I have a love-hate relationship with Inspirational Cancer Stories. They’re great for giving hope for someone who’s gone down a Google rabbit-hole of looking up a bad prognosis. I have personally looked for stories of people with a similar diagnosis in the Profiles sections of the LLS site while I was sitting in the chemo recliner, waiting for my three-hour infusion to finish. It’s good to know…

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adulthood is a scam.

adulthood is a scam.

I think many of us, if not all, wanted to grow up and be adults as fast as we can. We wanted that fast-track to freedom. Being told “you’re so mature” was a huge compliment from people we considered adults. For me, the moment my parents responded with “you can buy it with your own money” when I asked for a little treat on a random day, I realized the freedom that adults have. You mean I don’t…

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cosmic relief.

I was raised Catholic, so it should be obvious that I don’t really believe in religion anymore, right? Ah, but don’t tell my grandparents! I started questioning the religious practices we had to follow when I was a teenager. Why do I have to go to confession when God sees everything anyway? Why do I have to give something up for Lent when my non-Catholic friends didn’t have to? Why do I have to…

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too young to be sick.

too young to be sick.

Cancer is a lonely disease and it’s fucking depressing. I found solace in cancer social media, especially AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) cancer social media where the memes are hot and the dark humour brightens up my day. It has been comforting to read and hear stories similar to mine, of lives interrupted by this beast of a disease at a time when our adult lives are about to get started. This…

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positivity isn't enough

positivity isn’t enough

It’s hard to talk to someone who’s going through cancer or grief, we get it. But for the love of all things beautiful, don’t give us advice or “inspirational quotes” when we’re not asking for it. I am tired of the toxic positivity from people who aren’t genuine when they “check in”. Stop calling me your hero or your inspiration. My experience doesn’t need to be meaningful or inspiring for my…

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