book reviews
Must-read books for and about women, including thought-provoking novels, business books, memoirs and feminist histories.
The School for Good Mothers: Book Review
All too realistic? The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan is a dystopian fiction novel surrounding the themes of surveillance, free will, perfection, and what it takes to be a “good” mother.
The Summer Cottage: 4 Stars
The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman tells the story of a woman who finds herself later in life. Through her wish to break free of the chains that have held her back for so long she makes a life-changing decision in order to honor the past of her family and her current desires. Below I've included a brief summary along with my recommendation for Viola Shipman's novel, The Summer Cottage.
Leah LawrencePublished 2 months ago in VivaReading Romance Is Self-Care
I'm at a point in my life now where I want to believe in happiness again. There were a long few years where all that seemed to show upon my horizon was bleak, enduring toil and that eroded my mental health like waves upon the beach shore. But I'm older now, and though in a material sense things still seem stretched thin, my mind is starting to fight back for pieces of happiness. In fact, I'll selfishly and boldly proclaim that I want more than just pieces- I want the whole cake dish of happiness and I'm tired of settling for less. One of the ways I'm doing this is by renewing my relationship with reading again. And the number one genre that's helping me get back into that excited, voracious headspace for new literature?
Danny FantomPublished 4 months ago in Viva
2021 - A Year of Adventure Books
I've been a voracious reader since childhood, but haven't really tracked my reading as an adult. I started using Goodreads when I published my first book in January last year, and thought it would be fun to participate in the annual reading challenge. So I set a goal to read 50 books in 2021. I'm fairly certain I didn't quite reach that goal, but it's hard to say for sure, as my tracking left a lot to be desired.
Christine ReedPublished 4 months ago in VivaYoung Adult Fiction Can Perpetuate Unhealthy Beliefs
When I was in the seventh grade, the hit television series Pretty Little Liars starring Lucy Hale and Shay Mitchell finally made its grand debut on Netflix. The older girls at my school had been raving about the books by Sara Shepard for years, so we were excited to see what all the hype was about.
Ilana QuinnPublished 5 months ago in Viva
Top Best Seller Books Every Girl Should Read
In this world, sometimes it’s too hard to get out of stressful work, hair falls, unwanted people, unplanned life, and messy colleagues. In such times, it becomes a dream and an urgent need to escape from all this bitter reality and to be lost in the world that refreshes our soul and gives us new energy.
Tanvi PuniaPublished 5 months ago in VivaGreat Books for Every Woman Who Is Shedding Society's Expectations
Every woman in this world has faced discrimination or disempowerment based on her gender. The patriarchy has created a situation where we have internalized constraints in our own minds. And these constraints are repeatedly reinforced by the people we meet and interact with on a daily basis.
Aditi BalajiPublished 8 months ago in Viva
Review: The Paper Bag Princess
Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko are a world-renowned children's literature powerhouse team. A glance through their website will show you a list of diverse books spanning a multiple decades long career.
Call Me LesPublished 10 months ago in Viva
Defying Your Destiny
From a young age, it was clear to my parents that I was not going to be one of those "girly-girls" dressing up in a princess outfit and hosting tea parties. I was always much more fascinated with dinosaurs and dragons than anything else. I was a quiet kid, often keeping to myself and reading. I was a being seemingly made out of paper. Book after book I consumed like a starving animal.
Robin LaurinecPublished 11 months ago in VivaOutsourcing "Motherhood": Finding Surrogacy and Domestic Work Abroad
Surrogacy and What it Means to be a Mother Former Director of Writers Victoria, Angela Savage, provides a heart-wrenching account of motherhood, grief and passion in Mother of Pearl.
Mel O'ConnorPublished 12 months ago in Viva
Accidental Shero
I called my cousin into the kitchen. She’d been staying with me while working to establish herself in the entertainment arts industry. I knew she’d understand chasing dreams that seem out of reach to most people.
Acamea DeadwilerPublished 12 months ago in Viva
Mothers and Daughters: Feminism in Contemporary Literature
The relationship between a mother and daughter can be more complicated than one can assume it to be. From the moment a child enters the world, the first person she makes contact with is her mother. The bond between mother and child then continues to strengthen while experiencing every milestone in both their lives, this evolution also serves as a test of how strong the bond is between them. Taking a closer look into the bond between a mother and her daughter, from a contemporary feminist approach, one might notice that the mother has high standards and expectations behind the choices that her daughter will make. The mother will even take the extra mile to ensure the daughter makes the right choices in her life from adolescence to rising adulthood. The perception of this type of relationship dynamic can be seen in two distinct contemporary literary works. Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice tells the story of a mother and daughter whose differences push them to realize that they are not as different as they think.
Mikyah HendersonPublished about a year ago in Viva
