serinas's reviews
326 reviews

This was a part of my TBR when I was 16, and I'm turning 26 this year, so 10 years ago since I wanted to read it! 

First: Read the trigger warnings before reading. There are some serious themes in this book, like suicide and bullying. 

The different POVs, from Oscar and Meg, develop together and gives the reader a good timeline of the plot and characters. I really liked the way the POVs worked together, and moved the story forwards. Oscar and Meg were great characters, and I loved to read about them. But Paloma... Paloma deserves a special place in hell, I rarely hate a character this much. 

I was on the fence about whether this would be a great book. Suicide is a sensitive matter, and too many authors fuck up when writing about it. I thought that The Apple Tart of Hope approached suicide in a way that wasn't insensitive, but still with a sense of lightness.

I rated it 4 stars. It was a solid read and a great start to the year, but the characters fell flat (at times, but not all the time). The book was pretty frustrating at times, since you as the reader know a lot more than Meg and Oscar, and it didn't work in the books favor. A little less frustration would've made the book a lot better, in my opinion. 

Still, it was a great book that I'd recommend. It's just about 200 pages, and a light read if you're in the mood for something easy to read.

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS.

The book is a sort of biography of Andrev Walden, where he writes about his childhood. He shows us a unique perspective on growing up with several 'dads' - and the toll it takes on a child. The stories he tells are funny, sad and ffrustrating. Andrev tells the story of 7 dads and how they shaped his childhood - the trauma and life lessons they gave him.

I rated it 3.75. I liked the unique perspective on the different father figures he had throughout his childhood - and how that shaped him. But the writing style and structure wasn't to my taste. That's 100% subjective though. It wasn't bad or boring, it just... didn't vibe with me.

The book hasn't been translated to English, and I don't know if an English translation is in the works or not. 

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I saw great reviews and I was also recommended it personally from a friend - so I knew I had to read it! It was already apart of my TBR at that point, but the recs definitely sealed the deal. This took some time to read, but that was my fault. I started it right before my exams... so yeah, my fault😅

Chain-Gang All-Stars jumps right into action, and introduces us to the concept of the entertainment programme. This is action-packed, but also pretty relateable to the real world. We get to see the MCs everyday-life, and the relationships that evolve.

Everything mentioned in Chain-Gang All-Stars is already true - prisoners are slaves, and most of them are dark skinned. Some are 16 years old, jailed with men that are triple their age. Chain-Gang All-Stars uses the real world, and puts everything in a twisted, dark perspective that you can't look away from. Making a sports event out of prisoners killing other prisoners is grotesque, but a symbolic way to show today's prison system in many parts of the world. The book even uses sources and data from real life American prisons, which makes the story hit harder.

I rated it 4.5 stars. The women in this book will forever amaze me - they're written so well, and have range and depth. Women truly have my heart, especially the ones in this book. Hurricane Staxxx and Loretta Thurwar will always be one of my favorite characters of all time - they are amazing. 

The few downsides (to me) are that the book had so many POVs, it was confusing at times, and the pacing. The book had a span of several weeks, but it didn't feel like that at all. I don't know if I'd change any of it though,  as the book wouldn't be the same if they did. I might not have been in the right headspace when I read it, which would be my fault ofc.

I honestly found it quite disturbing - as I know for a fact this could happen in real life, and people would love to watch a killing match like this. Some would probably not see the problem, and even encourage a match like the ones we see in the book. This is also (probably) part of why I find it disturbing, as I know many would like this concept in real life. 

An uncomfortable read, but in a good way. This should 100% be a book you put on your TBR if you haven't already!

We meet the main character  Tollak, and get to know him and his life. He talks about the love he has for his wife, Ingeborg, and reminisces about the past. There are mentions of death in this book, but otherwise no major trigger warnings one should be aware of.

I rated it 5 stars. It was short and sweet - definitely hit the spot. The foreshadowing and symbolism were great, I love when books make you read between the lines. As this book was 160 pages, I also had the mindset (and energy) to read and interpret it. This was a clear hit to me, and I might read more of Tore Renberg in the future. 

My review contains zero spoilers.


We meet Bergljot and her family in the midst of their drama, this time concerning their inheritance after their parents Inga and Bjørnar. On the outside, it might seem like the drama is all about the inheritance and their share, but it's about much more - it's about abuse and the different childhood the siblings had. There are mentions of incest and sexual abuse, so check the trigger warnings before reading.

I rated it 4 stars. All in all; I liked it. It explores grief and how people experience it in different ways, especially when you have unresolved trauma relating to the dead person. The bond between siblings and parents are well done, and the cycle of grief was phenomonal. There isn't a plot, just a minor one, and the focus is on the characters- specifically Bergljot and her relationships. 

Unfortunatly it felt dragged out. There were chapters that felt too repetetive, considering this book is 350 pages. Since there are so many different 'POVs' that show how the trauma affects Bergljot (and the whole family) in her everyday life, some of the chapters felt unnecessary. The way the book was written was not to my taste, but it didn't affect my experience with the book too much.

I would recommend it if you're interested in this kind of book, or if you just want to read something different. 

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I'm not a fan of romance, smut, erotica, and everything else similar to it, so I wouldn't have read Seven Days in June a year ago. But I'm constantly trying new genres, and I've heard great things about Tia Williams! I was curious about the hype, and saw several people with a book taste similar to me like it, so I decided this was the romance book I should try.

I honestly fell in love. The writing style was just what I needed in the middle of my exams - the prose was easy and the plot wasn't too complicated. Eva and Shane (Audre, Cece, and almost everyone else) was loveable, and I was rooting so hard for Eva and Shane! 

I can't say what made me love it so much - I think it was a lot of things. I loved Eva, Shane, the romance, the MCs story, the build up... Everything was sooooo good. Seven Days in June made me realize that I MIGHT like some romance books, and that I might need to read more of them...🤭

I rated it 5 stars. I don't have much to say, except that I loved it! I will definitely read A Love Song For Ricki Wilde at some point. 

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS.

 I was recommended The Fire Next Time and Giovanni's Room some time ago, and finally found the time to read it. I bought Giovanni's Room this year, but it was quite hard to get my hands on! I had to order it from another country, so I was excited to read it when it finally came. I didn't have the time to read it (was in the middle of exams when I read it!), but I wanted to read it, so I did🤷🏼‍♀️

"And, watching his face, I realized that it meant much to me that I could make his face so bright. I saw that I might be willing to give a great deal not to lose that power."

I loved Go Tell It On the Mountain when I read it, and I still talk about it with my IRL friends. Baldwin's writing just hits the spot, and his stories are so well-written. I had high expectations going in, and wasn't disappointed. Giovanni's Room was another 5 star read to me - truly wonderful.

The way James Baldwin explores sexuality and present the struggles of homosexuality are so well-done, I can't comprehend how he did it! How I wish he wrote more before he passed, his work has felt like a blessing to me. I will definitely read The Fire Next Time when I get my hands on it, as Baldwin might turn into one of my favorite authors of all time.

One of the Boys is an ARC I got from NetGalley,  that is set to release May 15th 2025. I can start off by saying it's a queer book aimed at young adults, and mentions transphobia/homophobia, racism and bullying.

We meet Grace, the main character, who is trans and love American football. She came out a couple weeks ago, and now needs to adjust to her new life as a girl. One of the Boys is mostly a book about friendship, and being a teenager struggling with yourself, but football is also a pretty big part of the book.

I honestly loved it way more than I thought I would. I knew I would like it, but I'm not a sports fan, and thought that my aversion to sports might make the book a little unenjoyable. But it was not a problem at all, and I even learned a lot about the sport!

The queer space is the biggest focus, and Grace herself is trans and lesbian. Her struggles with adjusting to school, sports and her new everyday life are a big part of the book. Finding out who she truly is, and want to be, is tormenting her. 
I think many people will be able to relate to her, even if you're not trans or lesbian yourself. Just being considered a woman who likes more 'manly' things, like sports, might be able to relate to Grace. The struggles with friends and teenager drama is pretty relateable to most folks as well, and this setting is also part of why the book is aimed at young adults (I assume).

I rated it 4.75 stars. The only thing I wish we saw more of was her relationship with her dad. But at the same time - she is a teenager, and will most likely not hang out with her dad that often, which explains why we don't meet him that much. I still think it would elavate the book, and could've worked out in the books' favor. 

Overall, One of the Boys is a great book that I would recommend everyone to read!

This was not for me, simply put.

I read Metamorphosis some time ago, but heard that Letter to His Father was even more personal, so I decided to give it a go. This won't be a traditional review, as I use mostly quotes from the book to show it.

"Dearest Father, Recently you asked me why I maintain that I'm afraid of you. And, as usual, I didn't know how to answer, in part because of my fear of you; and in part because my fear rests on so many details that I couldn't even have discussed half of it. And if now I attempt to give you an answer in writing it will still be far from complete: because I'm still hindered by my fear, and all that flows from it; and because there is far too much my mind to remember and consider."

The start of the letter sums up perfectly what this short book is about, and how complicated family can be. Later on, Kafka writes: 
"And for years I was tormented by the thought that this giant man, my father, could almost without reason come to me in the night, and lift me out of bed, and leave me on the balcony: he was my final court of appeal, and for him I was such a nothing." 
and; 
"And I could never understand why you were insensitive to the sorrow and shame you inflicted on me with your words and judgements - it was as if you didn't sense your own power."

"Your extremely effective and, at least with regard to me, never failing educational talk consisted of: abuse, threats, irony, a mocking laugh and peculiar self-pity."

"But it is true that you barely hit me. Yet the shouting, and your reddening face, and your braces being torn off, and the positioning of the chair back, were almost worse. They were like preparations for a hanging. But a hanged man is dead and all is finished. Yet if he has seen all the preparations, and the noose is before his face, and then he hears about his reprieve - he is left to lament his existence for the rest of his years. And I thought about this many times when in your opinion it was clear that I deserved a beating, but by your mercy I escaped - and I was burdened with guilt. On all sides before you I felt guilty."

I'm honestly at a loss of words. The quotes speaks for themself. We all deserve better.