Libby Reads A Latte

I Play Video Games, Now.

LibbyLatte — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 02:48:48 +0000

Hey, it’s been a while! I have multiple drafts that I have started writing in the past year or two, but I never managed to finish any of them.

I’ve still been reading, but I haven’t been into writing reviews. I think that unless a book is harmful in some way, I feel bad criticizing it. I am considering only mentioning books that I really like on here.

I’ve developed some new hobbies, though! I now play cozy games, collect records and watch K-Dramas. Would you like to know what my favorite cozy games are? Great, here is my list:

Stardew Valley- I’ve recommended this game to friends, and they have almost immediately given up on it. However, if you stick with it (which you should), it’s the absolute best. It has SO much to do, and is especially great if you are the type of person who likes collecting/achieving goals when you are playing a game.
Animal Crossing- This was my gateway drug to cozy gaming. It’s so cute and relaxing. I’ve legitimately strengthened real life relationships with friends and family through this game.
Wytchwood- I <3 crafting and that’s pretty much all you do in this game. The art style is my favorite, which makes it even more enjoyable.
Unpacking- You unpack and organize items in this one. I really liked trying to analyze the life of the person whose items I was organizing.
Gris- This is a beautiful game. The artwork, music and emotion are all A+++.
When the Past Was All Around- This game broke me, but there is something very soothing about the music and puzzles that you solve. It is VERY sad, though.

I think those are the top games that I would recommend. I just started Bugsnax, which is good, but admittedly hard for me to play for too long because the first person camera makes me queasy.

I’m hoping to write in this blog on a more regular basis (like maybe not wait another year and a half to update…). Bye!

Sunday Scaries

LibbyLatte — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 23:47:20 +0000

I tried to practice some self-care in order to help combat the Sunday scaries and I think that I was pretty successful!

The weather was beautiful, so I took a walk into town with my boyfriend. We stopped in a crystal shop and bought this really cute incense holder (for only 3 dollars!) and an incense stick called, “Shooting Stars.” I’ve never used incense before, but I have some samples that I got in Salem that I am very excited to try out. I think it fits in nicely with my shelf of vaguely witchy items.

After the walk, I started reading a book called, “How to Break Up with Your Phone.” Even though I’m only ten pages in, I’m intrigued. It really is amazing to think that so many of us have addictions to our phones. I’m hoping to become less dependent on social media, so this book seems like it could be a good start.

I’ve also been playing a lot of Animal Crossing. Do you play Animal Crossing? If you don’t, you should. I contemplated getting a Switch for a solid year before I finally bought it, and I am so happy that I did. Josh’s cousin found this bot that allows you to order any item that you want, which has really been helpful with decorating. We just created a spooky themed house for an extra resident, and we are both pretty proud of it.

I think I am going to try and read a little bit before bed or watch something cozy. Bye!

Learn it. Live it. Love it.

LibbyLatte — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 03:53:32 +0000

Book Subscription | Authentic Books

LibbyLatte — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 23:50:48 +0000

I don’t think that book subscriptions can get any cooler than this one. Authentic Books is an immersive and unique reading experience that includes an item to go with each sense. Each item is related to the book in some way (and has a corresponding page number that indicates when you should use it). Each box comes with a pamphlet that outlines each item, and a custom bookmark. Here is the makeup of the box:

Sight: Subscribers pick from two newly released, hardcover books. Both of mine have been signed by the author (some include an author’s note specifically for Authentic Books Subscribers). There is also a fancy (removable) wax seal with the Authentic Books logo.

Touch: A relaxing boutique item that pairs with the book. I have received custom sugar scrubs and bath salts that were made specifically for this subscription. The labels on the items pair with the book, as do the scents. I also received face masks in my boxes (which were not custom for the book, but still nice).

Taste: Drinks (and treats if you pay for the most expensive membership) that pair with the book. I chose tea over a cocktail for each box . A recipe card and drink card were also included with meals and drinks that pair with the novel.

Smell: Hand poured custom made candles. These have smelled so good and I think it’s amazing that they are named after things related to the book.

Sound: A custom playlist that transports you into the book.

The books that I’ve received have been 5 star reads. I chose The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins and Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan. I’ve absolutely loved reading both books, and I feel like these boxes have been really great ways of practicing self-care. There is a certain comfort in having a list of relaxing things to do while reading a book, and feeling like I’m immersed in the story. I think this subscription will be taking my money for a loooooong time.

Sidenote: there are different subscriptions that you can select (mini, full and premium) and 5% of your membership goes towards children’s education.

Book Review | A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

LibbyLatte — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 22:10:37 +0000

This is the first arc that I’ve ever received, and that is very exciting for me. I was drawn in by the adorable cover art, and the buzz that I have seen about this book on instagram. As expected, it made me very hungry, and since I have no impulse control, I ordered takeout while I was reading it.

I would describe the story as a modern Romeo and Juliet involving Vietnamese food. Bao and Linh are Vietnamese-American teens who fall in love, despite the fact that their families have been feuding for years and are competing against one another in the restaurant business.

This is a YA novel, and I feel that the story is definitely geared towards that demographic. With the exception of a few f-bombs, it’s pretty wholesome and it seemed that the main characters were written appropriately for their age group. The novel focuses heavily on the parental pressure that both Bao and Linh experience in terms of being successful and having viable career paths. Contrary to many YA novels where the parental figures are absent, this one features the parents quite frequently. It was interesting to read about the different pressures and expectations that the children of immigrants may experience. I was also interested in the family history and resulting trauma that the parents endured, and the way that this shaped their attitudes.

There were some things that I would change about this book. I think that it would have been better had it been about 150 pages shorter. The middle seemed too long, and as if it didn’t really need to be there…I had difficulty pushing through this part. I also would have liked to see more of the restaurant aspect. Oddly, I was more interested in the preparations involved in running a restaurant than the love story (but maybe I’m just weird). I also would have liked more context clues around some of the Vietnamese phrases, because I wanted to understand them and couldn’t.

Overall, this was a very young, cute and unique read. I would give it 3/5 stars.

Book Review | Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

LibbyLatte — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 03:04:29 +0000

In the stunning and hard-hitting sequel to the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin, incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American prison system.

Shortly after teenager Quan enters a not guilty plea for the shooting death of a police officer, he is placed in a holding cell to await trial. Through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce, the protagonist of Dear Martin, Quan’s story unravels.

From a troubled childhood and bad timing to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Nic Stone’s newest novel takes an unflinching look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American justice system (description via Goodreads).

I can’t stress enough what an important book this is. Everything about it is perfect, particularly the two notes from the author. If I had any sort of power, this would be required reading in schools. A large part of this book addresses the school-to-prison pipeline, and I think that implementing important literature (like this) can impact that. Reading this would not only be beneficial to students, but also educators, as they are in a powerful and unique position. When I think back to some of the books that I was forced to read in high school ( “classic” books written by white men), I really wish that I could replace them with this one. Books that teach empathy and understanding trump anything else, in my mind.

I will admit, this was hard to keep picking up because it’s sad. I’m thankful that the author gave us some hope by building in a support system for Quan, even though she mentions in her note that this support system is the most unrealistic aspect of the novel. I would highly recommend this to anyone and their mother.

5 Key Components That I Look For:

0=No 1=Yes .5 =Kind of

Was the book interesting? 1
Was it easy to finish (even if I didn’t like it)? 1
Was it emotionally engaging? 1
Was it memorable? 1
Would I read it again? 1

5 stars

Subscription Review | Juniper Books

LibbyLatte — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 01:10:13 +0000

Juniper Books is a specialty bookseller that focuses on creating custom libraries and unique book sets. Everything that they produce is crafted by hand, and their book sets make for some of the most aesthetically pleasing bookshelves that you will ever have the pleasure of laying your eyes on. They offer many different sets and series, each with a uniquely designed book jacket.

As far as their subscription service goes, I accidentally received one month of their Books Everyone Should Own subscription. I say accidentally because my boyfriend tried to cancel the order when he saw that it cost 60 dollars for only one book. By the time he figured that out, it was too late to cancel, and I ended up with the most expensive novel that I’ve ever owned. The novel that I received was “The Butterfly Lampshade” and sadly, I was not a fan. I wasn’t wowed by the design of the cover or the book selection. I don’t feel that it was worth my money, and I would not recommend this subscription unless you have money to throw around for kicks. In my opinion, that’s a lot to pay for a book that you might not even like (and one that is easily accessible at the library or Barnes and Noble).

However, if you are a collector, I do think that one of their series could be worth the money. They have some beautiful sets (I’m going to post some examples below) and if you love a particular book, I could absolutely see it being worth the investment.

Sorry About That Gap

LibbyLatte — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:27:07 +0000

Friends, please gather ’round and listen to my story about being a medical marvel.

A few months ago, I went to an ENT in hopes of finding an answer to my never-ending headaches and migraines. I wasn’t actually expecting doctors to find anything, but it turns out there was something bizarre going on with my sinuses. Given that I have no medical training, and really don’t understand this myself, my description might
be a little off. However, it seems that I had a little gap in my skull, which was causing cerebrospinal fluid to leak out and form a pocket in my sinus. Whether or not this has been causing the headaches is still unknown, but I do know that I’ve most likely had it for my entire life, and it is probably what caused me to nearly die from bacterial meningitis as a kid. Fun side-note: the doctors told me this often occurs in obese individuals (I’ve always been naturally under-weight) and babies (I’m not a baby). They asked me if I suffered head trauma as a kid, to which I said, “I fell off the swing-set
once,” and they said, “No, not like that. Have you ever been kicked in the head by a horse?”

It was obviously not a good thing to leave this untreated, so I had to have surgery.

I was very nervous going into the surgery, because to be completely candid, I’ve
had post-traumatic-stress disorder related to hospitals and ailments since I was first sick with bacterial meningitis. However, little things like a card from my friend (she wrote, “Sorry About That Gap” and drew my brain which is still cracking me up) and care packages/calls/texts from friends and family were really nice immediate ways to cheer me up. I also found it funny to tell people that my brain was in my nose, even though that’s not really the truth. The actual surgery and night in the hospital went smoothly (even though they discovered two gaps, not just the one) and I was thankful, but then when I went home, things were not so smooth.

I ended up back in the emergency room last week, and I’m still freaked out by it. A New York City hospital in the midst of the pandemic is NOT a fun place to be. I was literally the most terrified I have ever been, and I didn’t sleep for the first few nights that I came home.

After my 16-hour trip to the emergency room, I was admitted for observation. They didn’t observe a whole lot until I was getting ready to leave and started having massive convulsions. I’m told that I looked like I was in the exorcist. It was very painful, and the
whole neurology team had to come down and “oooh” and “ahh” at me, but they eventually determined that I had serotonin syndrome. Not only did I have serotonin syndrome (rare), but I recovered from it within 24-hours (very rare). I ended up spending another day in the hospital while my friendly nurse sang Frere Jacques to me and spent all too much time mixing a singular pill around in a medicine cup. The whole thing has been quite the experience and I would rate it a 0/10: would not recommend.

I have, however, realized how fortunate I am to have such wonderful people in my life. I feel so supported and lucky. Every single person who has reached out to me has been so appreciated.

I have a list of things that I’ve wanted to post about, and I’m hoping that I can get back into the swing of things (writing/talking have been hard). Thank you, and good night.

Book Review | The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

LibbyLatte — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:21:39 +0000

Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does. (Description via goodreads)

I liked the first few chapters of this book and was interested in the setting, as well as the henna and healing aspect. That interest disappeared at around the 30% mark. I didn’t really want to pick the book up, and thought that it was a bit dull. Then, it turned into a soap opera and I was not about that.

I really wanted to like this book, but I did not. It was too over-the-top for me, and the characters were difficult to empathize with. They weren’t written with much depth, and instead of relating to and understanding their obviously poor decisions, I was irritated by them.

I saw online that this is going to be a TV show, which I probably will not watch.

Was the book interesting? .5
Was it easy to finish (even if I didn’t like it)? 1
Was it emotionally engaging? 0
Was it memorable? .5
Would I read it again? 0

2/5 Stars

Goodreads Choice Awards

LibbyLatte — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 23:03:44 +0000

I decided to read some of the nominees from the Goodreads Choice Awards. Some selections have already been eliminated because I’ve been too lazy to write this post and the final round voting is now over. My brain is also in my nose (this may be a slight overdramatization), so I’ve cut myself some slack on updating. Anyway, here is a very brief summary of how I felt about each of the books that I have read:

1. Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas

This one goes first because I love it the most. I would HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook. Seriously, you will not regret it. R. Eric Thomas is hilarious, endearing and relatable. He will without a doubt be receiving a creepy, fan-girl message from me someday soon because it is our destiny to be best friends. This book of essays was unjustly knocked out before the final round, but I’m going to go ahead and pretend that it won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Nonfiction, because I can.

5/5 Stars

2. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

I voted for this book in the Best Fiction category because it absolutely ruined me. It follows a young woman named Gifty, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana and basically got chewed up and spit back out. Gifty’s brother died from a drug overdose, and her mother experiences severe depression and suicidal tendencies. In order to make sense of these traumas, Gifty throws herself into her academic studies and looks specifically at the neuroscience behind addiction and depression in mice. As she conducts this study, she finds herself recalling her evangelical upbringing and questioning her own faith and experience. It’s a raw and heartbreaking book. The brother’s story hit me really hard, and I still think back to specific chapters and cry a little on the inside. Ultimately, this book will destroy you, but it will be worth it.

5/5 Stars

3. The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

Here is another one that was knocked out in the earlier rounds of voting. I initially gave it 4 stars, but now that some time has passed and I have practically no memory of reading it, I think I may need to reevaluate. This thriller is about a controversial rape case in a small town. The case is being covered by a true crime podcast, and the host of the podcast inserts herself into the drama surrounding the trial, as well as a potential murder that took place years prior. I think that I initially gave it 4 stars because I was invested and tore through the book. I also empathized with many of the characters. However, now that I’m reflecting on the plot, it seemed all too convenient. I also did not like the ending and felt that there should have been more closure. I would classify this as an “okay” read.

3/5 Stars

4. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

This book is nominated in the Romance category, despite the fact that it is most certainly NOT a romance! Oopsie, Goodreads. It has a lot of hype surrounding it, which is why I pushed myself to forge on, even though I was immediately annoyed with the main character. She’s meant to be a Type A personality, but I thought that this was taken to the extreme and I was not able to picture her being a real and functioning human being. Am I happy that I forced myself to read this? I am not. This was sad and depressing. If I’m going to read something upsetting, I would like to at least have some warning. This story was ultimately about friendship. It’s a lovely friendship, don’t get me wrong, but I did not sign up for what this book threw at me. Also, the ending is for lack of a better word, dumb.

2.5/5 Stars because even though I liked the writing and the friendship, I was deceived.

5. Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

People on Goodreads absolutely love Colleen Hoover. Anytime I look at reviews for her books, I’m bombarded with fanart and dream celebrity castings. That woman has an enthusiastic fanbase. Personally, I have a complicated relationship with her books. I love her writing and am almost immediately drawn in. However, more often than not, I have an issue with some aspect of her books. She’s big on insta-love and relationships that don’t strike me as being healthy, which are two of my pet peeves. This one focuses on a mother and daughter who desperately need therapy and stronger communication skills. It was incredibly frustrating to read, and most of the characters were terrible people that I struggled to empathize with. This is far and away my least favorite Colleen Hoover book, but I still had no trouble reading it because she’s a very engaging writer.

2/5 stars

6. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

**There is an itsy bitsy half spoiler in this review.

This could have been such a good book. The premise is amazing–it’s about a young woman named Eva, who is a gifted forger and uses her talent to help hundreds of Jewish children escape the Nazis during WWII. Unfortunately, this was a huge letdown and even a bit offensive. Instead of focusing on the forgery and resistance, the reader is accosted with an out of place romance. As Eva falls in love, she becomes insufferable. I wanted a strong female protagonist so badly, but this one just talked about her crush and went around spilling all kinds of confidential information. This book has very little about the children or the resistance, but is full of so many close calls and narrow escapes because the main character is alarmingly reckless for someone whose life is on the line. I also think it’s a big no-no to have a “Nazi with a heart of gold” and a Jewish man who turns his back on the resistance FOR MONEY. That’s offensive. However, this book has rave reviews and very few people have the same issues that I had with it, so you might want to take this review with a grain of salt.

2/5 stars for Eva’s father and what this book could have been

If you are reading this and have any opinions on the Goodreads Choice Awards, let me know! I saw some posts on Reddit suggesting that they might be rigged (ahem, Obama’s book making the finals before it was even released), but I still use them to find book recommendations.