The last three months have been emotionally exhausting. Unlike two years ago when the pandemic hit and I was voraciously reading and posting reviews; this year, when Russia invaded Ukraine, current events have pretty much overtaken my life. All I've been reading is news trying to make sense of what is happening. So reading has taken the backseat. I have started many books, but finishing them has proven to be impossible.
I did manage to get through some books and below, I'll include three of the most recent ones. Overall, reading has been hard when the world is seriously talking about the nuclear threat and a major war is going on in the middle of Europe.
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
This is a fairly short book. I listened to it on audio and it only took me 4-5 hours to get through it. This is a story of 4 women who all live in the same apartment building in Seoul. Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the women. Each of their stories is tragic and heartbreaking in its own way. They all just want to survive in a way that preserves their decency and independence. The novel is also a social commentary on the impossible beauty standards in South Korea, on women's rights in that society, pervasive nepotism and generational issues. I really liked this book. I think it is an important read now that the world has been overtaken by K-pop and K-dramas. It is important to see and understand the dark side to the pretty picture we see on streaming services. At their core, the issues are not new, they just have a local flavor. Highly recommend. 5 out of 5 stars.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
This is a great book to bring to the beach or on a long airplane ride. It is a romcom in a university setting. If you know anything about PhD programs, you will enjoy this book. It is angsty with a fake relationship trope, and I loved every minutes of it. I will definitely pick up more of Hazelwood's books. She has a few novellas out and a new novel is coming out later this summer. Content warning: there is an explicit sex scene in this book, so be aware of it, if this is something that you like to avoid in books. It is also pretty easy to skip it.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray
