Scrublands by Chris Hammer

Hello my lovely readers! 

When I tell you I DEVOURED this book....I DEVOURED this book! I bought this book at Potts Point Bookshop in Sydney, Australia five years ago. So let's get into it!

BACKGROUND
It was January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. I was with my bestie, Laiza to celebrate her birthday and we went to Australia and New Zealand. I later did a four day solo trip to Fiji.

On our way to the Sydney Opera House, we decide to take the scenic route and passed by this bookshop.

The synopsis intrigued me, so of course I purchased it and got a bookmark. Aside from books that I buy when traveling, I love getting bookmarks from local bookstores.

Laiza and I were only in Australia for a week and in Sydney for three days before we headed to Cairns for the rest of the week to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. I thoroughly enjoyed Australia and would definitely visit again. Here's a few photos from my time there...for your viewing pleasure!

    

The Sydney skyline

Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef

Bondi Beach

Hanging out with aboriginals at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center

The Raptures by Jan Carson

 

Hello my lovely readers!

I bought this book when I was in Ireland last year and I started reading in July. It took me a YEAR to finish it. I blame the pregnancy!

BACKGROUND

 Before we get into the review, here are a few pictures from Ireland! This was my first time returning to Ireland in 13 YEARS. I had first visited in 2010 for three weeks as part of a study abroad program with my university. Ireland is one of my favorite countries and this time I got to see it with my husband! We only spent three days, this time around, but we definitely will be back.

We spent most of our time in Dublin, but we did travel to the Cliffs of Moher and had a quick stop in Galway.

As always, I made sure to find a local bookstore, but it turns out Chapters is a bookstore chain. I didn't learn this until after the fact and was a bit disappointed, but what matters is that I FINALLY bought a book by an Irish author in Ireland.  The employees at Chapters helped me decide which book to buy and it ended up being The Raptures by Jan Carson.

Roots by Alex Haley

 

Hello my lovely readers!

I don't think a book has EVER made me as emotional as Roots by Alex Haley. I can't believe it took me this long to read this book. I've had it on my shelf since 2005! Let me tell you how and where I bought it....

BACKGROUND

It was June 2005. I was 15 and embarking on my first ever overseas trip (but second international trip ever) to London, England for a writing trip with Teen Ink's Summer Writing Program.

This was only the second iteration of the program and I, along with 27 other high school ladies, were lucky enough to be selected to go on the trip! I'd applied the year before, but was too young.

Now as a rising junior in high school, I'd be able to hone my creative writing skills and take in the sights of London. It was absolutely divine.

While on our way to our next destination, also known as pounding the London pavement, I laid my eyes on the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. A SIX STORY BORDERS.

 For those of you who don't know, Borders was the better, cleaner version Barnes and Noble. It officially shut its doors in 2011 and I've never been the same since!

There was a SIX-FLOOR Borders in London.  Our group stopped and we were able to look around and buy any books we wanted. I bought six. Roots was one of them.

Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis

 

Hello my lovely readers!

I needed some fiction in my life after my last few books were all history or non-fiction reads. Out of my vase of books, I chose Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis. I bought this book in Canada last year for my birthday...

BACKGROUND
For my birthday last year, my husband and I used our credit on Air Canada to go to Toronto. Originally we were supposed to go to Japan and South Korea in April 2022, but since it was still closed off to the world, we decided to cancel the tickets and go to Canada instead. Bittersweet, but what can you do?

I'd been to Toronto once before with my brother in 2017 and had a wonderful time. I'd even remembered to buy a book there, but I honestly did not like it. This was my chance at redemption! I found a local bookstore called Seekers and got multiple recommendations from both the owner and other patrons to buy Fifteen Dogs. So I bought it, read it and now I'm ready to review it! Let's get into it.

Fasting Girls: The History of Anorexia Nervosa by Joan Jacobs Brumberg

 

Hello my lovely readers!

I recently finished Fasting Girls: The History of Anorexia Nervosa by Joan Jacobs Brumberg and while it was a good and informational book, I don't think I'll keep it on my shelf. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, but it just didn't WOW me enough to keep it.

I actually bought this book while I was in Costa Rica, so let me give you a quick travelogue about my time there.

BACKGROUND
Nico and I went to Costa Rica in August 2021 for my birthday. I've never been too interested in the outdoors and all of those nature activities, but we had a great time! We went whitewater rafting, which was terribly frightening, but I'm glad that I did it.

Me trying not to get my hair wet since I just spent three days braiding it

We were in the La Fortuna/Arenal area for the majority of the trip and stayed at this cute boutique hotel that had an AMAZING view of the Arenal volcano. We also went on an UNBELIEVABLY grueling hike up and down, all the way around the Arenal volcano. I mean, great views, but I was not ready for that in the slightest.

We went back to San Jose (which is about 3 hours from La Fortuna) to catch our plane back to the States at the end of our trip, but of course, I had to stop at a bookstore!

Hello from San Jose, Costa Rica!

We visited La Mora bookstore which is this independent bookstore and has books from floor to ceiling. It's small, crowded and smells of old books, but I loved it. The owner was lovely as well and I ended up finding this book! Let's get into it!