Standalone Saturday!! ep 2
Updated: Dec 7, 2020
I can't believe how long it has been since I've done these recommendation eps (by that I mean more than a month). Thus, I feel bad. Thus, I am going to be recommending 3 books compared to the 2 that I would usually have done. And since I have had a week break from classes.
I have read too many books so I'm basically trying to think of creative ways to recommend them to all of you! 😂
Standalone Saturdays!! is a recommendation post wherein I recommend 2 standalone books for you to read that you could probably finish over the weekend? Maybe? Or something to last you a week until the next Standalone Saturday!
Just like my Friday segments I will be trying to incorporate both Adult and Young Adult books 🌙 I have been reading a lot more standalone books in the past few weeks so it got me even more excited to be writing this post to share some amazings books with you guys. + I gave all of the books in this post 5 stars ✨
┈ The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ┈
"Granddad asks, “Why does it matter if he’s black? The other flamingos don’t care.” And I’m certain what he’s saying is “I love you.”"This book... is a new favourite of all time. Ohmygoodness. The emotions, the feelings, they stuck to me. It's also the only YA book for today.
It's written in vignettes which means we only get parts of the story at a time. Which I think was the best way to tell said story. It focuses on all the right parts and kept it from ever being dragging. The plot ranges from high school to University lives which I enjoyed immensely (as I related a lot more to the University parts).
Tackles different kinds of racism, even among friends, family, and strangers. The dichotomy between all of them were expressed and I just loved it a lot.
Very powerful story that I could personally relate to as a performer, but even then I think you can relate to this by simply being a human being. I don't have much to say, even in my GR review, because I just think you need to read this to understand.
┈ Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas ┈
“Because they have some delusion that to be human and perishable is divine.”This might be the most polarizing opinion out of all the books I have here because this literally has a 3.11 average Goodreads rating which a lot lower than what I would deem as a generally liked book. It's also for sure in the Adult age range.
The thing about this book is that people say there is barely any plot in it. My problem there is that it does have a plot... it's just not tied together at the end. It focuses a lot more on the journey and everything happening at the present than plot progression. Which is all fine by me because I absolutely fell in love with the writing. I was so immersed in it that I didn't even realize that certain things that happened before our main girl came to Catherine were never given an explicit, tied, knot.
The characters were so weird to me but that's what made them interesting to follow, I feel like. It's just really hard to explain more about this book because to me this was just Vibes™️. I buddy read this with some friends on GR and we all gave it 5 stars, so make with that what you will.
I almost forgot to mention that this is labeled as a "horror" book but it's really not, more gothic than horror. Definitely dark academia vibes. Read this if you what a gothic book rec or are looking for something around that mood, without having to deal with the horror aspects.
┈ Beach Read by Emily Henry ┈
“We have to write what we think is true.”While writing this I'm suddenly realizing that all 3 of the books in this list deal with quite serious topics but Beach Read would be the only one that takes those themes into a more contemporary adult romance setting.
You literally get all of the themes that would make a book substantial without having to sacrifice anything that you would find in a rom-com. Definitely would recommend this if you are not super into the trope-y adult romances but want something more light while being a good time.
I was actually laughing out loud with the dialogue. The witty lines... YES! give it to me. They were dropped at all the right points.
I love this cover and I was thinking that it didn't fit the mood of the story at first but I have changed my mind. The point of the story is that throughout all the hard ships, you just need to find the right people to get you through them, as well as learning to forgive and understand people who have hurt you the most... because they are usually the people you love the most.
If I can only read 1 contemporary romance, it might be this book. The way Emily Henry tackled and wrote the topics that were discussed was so beautifully executed.
ngl, I am very tempted to binge read Emily Henry's other books.
Tell me what your reading plans are for the week! I am going to get back to reading while I still have time...
Do you have any standalone book recommendations? I would love to see them!
stay safe, wear a mask, enjoy your books ♡
*I do not own any of the quotes or book covers. All rights to the publishers and authors. No copyright infringement intended.
