#The Break by Katherena Vermette

[portugalisinsa]

#going into the tags hoping i'd see some book reccs but its all discourse ;w;#well i'm not gonna claim these are all highly intellectual works but here's some of my fave adult fantasies#tainted cup by robert jackson bennett#the thief by megan whalen turner#winnowing flame trilogy by jen williams#locked tomb series by tamsym muir#goblin emperor and witness for the dead by katherine addison#a natural history of dragons by marie brennan#the mountain in the sea by Ray Naylor#god killer by hannah kaner#temeraire and scholomance by naomi novik#october daye by seanan mcguire#i'm also getting into t kingfisher books :)#gods of wyrdwood by r j barker was also good#i really need to find more books by non-white authors tho

No babe it’s so cool and hot that you always insist that fantasy books written to meet a 4th graders’ comprehension skills have more complex themes and a greater sense of praxis than anything written for adults

[thehappyscavenger]

Books Read October 2023

Deliver Me by Elle Nash

Working class Americana with a surreal edge. I've always admired Nash without connecting with her. This one's the best of hers I've read.

My Time Among the Whites by Jennine Capó Crucet

This is one of a billion recs I got during Latino heritage month. LOVED IT. Essays from Capó Crucet on growing up Cuban in Florida and how she came to be conscious of her class and race when she went to a majority white ivy.

The Break by Katherena Vermette

This won about a bajillion awards, was a national best seller and came highly recommended. Absolutely hated it, it was exploitative crap.

Skin Thief by Suzan Palumbo

Excellent collection of creepy short stories. I think there was only one I found kind of boring but the rest were solid to amazing.

Pale Fire by Vladamir Nabakov

I'd been wanting to read this for like 10+ years. I definitely overhyped it in my head. A beautifully constructed work with many of my favourite aspects of Nabakov at play (and play is truly the right word, he is having fun here), but not something I emotionally connected with.

[very-grownup]

Book 37, 2024

The Break by Katherena Vermette

The messy nature of hope and love persisting within the cycle of violence colonialism works to trap Indigenous families and communities within, spiderweb cracked connections tracing back decades without the full awareness of the characters. Multi-generational thing explored from the ignition point of a truly heinous act of sexual violence on a young teen. Some characters have their experiences told in the third person, some in the first, and I think I'd have to read it again, and more closely, to figure out Vermette's intent in that choice.

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

I am the light breath and wind around you. I am the knowing that you are never really all alone. You are all of my strength and none of my weakness. You are the dream my life made.

~ Katherena Vermette

[goodreadsviadiya]

Book Recommendations for June!

With June being National Indigenous History Month and Canada being less than a month away, I want to help in centering First Nations, Métis and Inuit voices by recommending a few books by Indigenous authors! [At the end will be a list of links where you can purchase these books]

First I have “21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act” by Bob Joseph. This book does a great job at explaining how the federal government has used and continues to use policy as a way to oppress Indigenous Peoples, and provides deeper context to better understand some of the issues that Indigenous People have faced, and continues to face today. 

Second is “Seven Fallen Feathers” by Tanya Talaga, which is a beautifully written and heartbreaking account of 7 Indigenous highschool students that passed away in Thunder Bay from the years 2001 to 2011. This book highlights the legacy of colonialism as well as the resilience of Indigenous youth, in fighting against systemic racism. 

“Sweetgrass Basket” by Marlene Carvell is the story of 2 Mohawk sisters attending a Residential School. It’s written in Prose Poetry and describes the power of family, culture and language as a source of strength.

My last recommendation is “From the Ashes” by Jesse Thistle, a phenomenal memoir where Jesse recounts his experiences in being in foster care, substance abuse, homelessness and reconnection to his Métis Identity. I actually enjoyed this book so much I’ve written more about it on my page which you can read here!

More Books I’d recommend: 

The Break & The Strangers by Katherna Vermette

Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowel

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

I have a lot of other recommendations too. I might create a followup post because there’s so many great resources by Indigenous authors and creators that I really enjoyed, not just books. If you have a suggestion of a resource you enjoyed or if you check any of these out feel free to send me an ask!

Where to get these books:

21 Things You Might Not Know About The Indian Act

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/21-things-you-may-not/9780995266520-item.html

Seven Fallen Feathers

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/seven-fallen-feathers-racism-death/9781487002268-item.html

Sweetgrass Basket

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/sweetgrass-basket/9780525475477-item.html

From The Ashes

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/from-the-ashes-my-story/9781982101213-item.html

The Break & The Strangers

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/624145/the-strangers-by-katherena-vermette/9780735239630

Indigenous Writes

https://www.amazon.ca/Indigenous-Writes-Nations-issues-Canada/dp/1553796802 

Five Little Indians

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/five-little-indians-a-novel/9781443459181-item.html 

[sisaloofafump]

Oo I've read a handful of these and they were all very good. Here's a couple more of my favourites:

The Peacekeeper by B. L. Blanchard is an Anishinaabe detective thriller set on a never-colonized Turtle Island. Really great world building.

The Break by Katherena Vermette is an award winning (and heartbreaking) novel about the aftermath of crime on the women in an intergenerational Métis family

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley is an absolutely incredible Anishinaabe new adult crime thriller about murder and community (and hockey). It was one of the best books I read in 2022. Highly recommend.

30 books by Indigenous authors published in the past 5 years

Since 2020, we’ve been sharing lists of books by authors of colour for every new genre we read - and with our non-genre episodes, sharing lists for the genres we covered in our early episodes. The early episode we’re creating a booklist for this month is Episode 009: Aboriginal / Indigenous / First Nations. Our booklist for this episode features works by Indigenous authors that have been published since that episode came out in 2016. All of the lists can be found here.

Fiction

Bawaajigan: Stories of Power edited by Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler

Indians on Vacation by Thomas King

There There by Tommy Orange

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

Non-Fiction

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph

In My Own Moccasins: A Memoir of Resilience by Helen Knott

Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues in Canada by Chelsea Vowel

From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for A Stronger Canada by Jody Wilson-Raybould

Young Adult

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Fire Song by Adam Garnet Jones

Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson

Strangers by David Alexander Robertson

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Picture Books

Bowwow Powwow : Bagosenjige-niimi'idim by Brenda J. Child, Jonathan Thunder, and Gordon Jourdain

You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock by Dallas Hunt and Amanda Strong

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal

Poetry

NDN Coping Mechanisms: Notes from the Field by Billy-Ray Belcourt

Holy Wild by Gwen Benaway

From Turtle Island to Gaza by David Groulx

it was never going to be okay by jaye simpson

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

Comics

This Place: 150 Years Retold

Dakwäkãda Warriors by Cole Pauls

Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett and Natasha Donovan

Pemmican Wars by Katherena Vermette and Scott B. Henderson

Carpe Fin: A Haida Manga by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

[cominy-kiwami]

its been like 3 days i have this book and im already poised to finish in a day or two. this isnt some big achievement but im proud of myself. it helps the book is REALLY good. the break by katherena vermette.

[tomesofthetrade]

📚

[rahmagical]

Rahmagical Reads - Book #13

Book: The Break 

Written by: Katherena Vermette

Summary: (From Goodreads)

When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break — a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house — she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime. In a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim — police, family, and friends — tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. Lou, a social worker, grapples with the departure of her live-in boyfriend. Cheryl, an artist, mourns the premature death of her sister Rain. Paulina, a single mother, struggles to trust her new partner. Phoenix, a homeless teenager, is released from a youth detention centre. Officer Scott, a Métis policeman, feels caught between two worlds as he patrols the city. Through their various perspectives a larger, more comprehensive story about lives of the residents in Winnipeg’s North End is exposed. A powerful intergenerational family saga, The Break showcases Vermette’s abundant writing talent and positions her as an exciting new voice in Canadian literature.

Started on: 17 June 2018

[chadwickginther]

The 2021 Reading List: February

The 2021 Reading List: February

Since one of my writing goals for 2020 was also to read more, and I’ve carried it through for 2021, I thought it would help to keep track of what I knocked off Mount Tsundoku. Here’s as good a place as any to post what I’ve read to keep me honest, and what I thought of each book immediately after finishing. In 2020 I decided to be a little more systematic about my reading plans. I started…

[itskindofareallyniceday]

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, and due to the requests I've received over the years, I've compiled a list of great books written by indigenous authors from all over the Americas.

Part 1, North America:

Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Magical Realism/Mythology/Dystopia: “Elatsoe” by Darcie Little Badger (Lipan Apache) “Moon of the Crusted Snow” by Waubgeshig Rice (Anishinaabe) "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline (Georgian Bay Métis) "Son of a Trickster" by Eden Robinson (Haisla and Heiltsuk) “The Removed” by Brandon Hobson (Cherokee)

Nonfiction/Memoir/Essays: “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi) "A History of My Brief Body" by Billy-Ray Belcourt (Driftpile Cree) “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” by Alicia Elliott (Haudenosaunee) "An American Sunrise" by Joy Harjo (Muscogee) “Dog Flowers: A Memoir” by Danielle Geller "Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City" by Tanya Talaga (Anishinaabe) "The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth" by The Red Nation “Heart Berries” by Terese Marie Mailhot (Nlaka'pamux)

Contemporary/Fiction/Historical Fiction: “Indian Horse” and “Medicine Walk” by Richard Wagamese (Ojibwe) “Jonny Appleseed” by Joshua Whitehead (Oji-Cree, Peguis First Nation) “There There” by Tommy Orange (Cheyanne and Arapho) “The Break” by Katherena Vermette (Red River Métis) “Five Little Indians” by Michelle Good (Red Pheasant Cree Nation) “The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson (Mdewakanton Oyate, Rosebud Sioux) “Birdie” by Tracey Lindberg (Cree-Métis, As'in'i'wa'chi Ni'yaw Nation Rocky Mountain Cree)

Mystery/Thriller/Horror/Paranormal: “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones (Blackfeet) “Winter Counts” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Sicangu Lakota) “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley (Chippewa) "Empire of Wild" by Cherie Dimaline (Georgian Bay Métis Nation)

Poetry Collections: "Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories and Songs" and "This Accident of Being Lost: Songs and Stories" by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (Mississauga Nishnaabeg) "Split Tooth" by Tanya Tagaq (Inuk) “Postcolonial Love Poem” by Natalie Díaz (Akimel O'odham) "Nature Poem" by Tommy Pico (Kumeyaay, Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians) "Disintegrate/Dissociate" by Arielle Twist (Cree, George Gordon First Nation)

Anthologies: “Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction”, contributed to by Joshua Whitehead, David Alexander Robertson, Darcie Little Badger, Nathan Adler, Gwen Benaway, Nazbah Tom, Gabriel Castilloux Calderón, and Kai Minosh Pyle "This Place: 150 Years Retold" (comic, nonfiction), contributed to by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Chelsea Vowel, Katherena Vermette, Jen Storm, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, David Alexander Robertson, Richard Van Camp, Brandon Mitchell, Sonny Assu, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, Alicia Elliott, and illustrated by G.M.B. Chomichuk, Scott B. Henderson, Tara Audibert, Natasha Donovan, Kyle Charles, Scott A. Ford, Donovan Yaciuk, Andrew Lodwick, Ryan Howe “Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 1”, contributed to by Hope Nicholson, Michael Sheyahshe, David W. Mack, David Alexander Robertson, Haiwei Hou, Dayton Edmonds, Micah Farritor, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Menton3, Arigon Starr, David Cutler, Elizabeth LaPensée, G.M.B. Chomichuk, George Freeman, Tony Romito, Jeremy D. Mohler, Ian Ross, Lovern Kindzierski, Adam Gorham, Richard Van Camp, Nicholas Burns, Todd Houseman, Ben Shannon, Jay Odjick, Joel Odjick, Claude St. Aubin, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Andy Stanleigh

More: New books that I haven't read/heard enough about to recommend yet

Part 2: Central & South America

[very-grownup]

I've been doing a decent job writing a little bit about every book I've read over the past couple years and I'm feeling rather down that due to the circumstances and torments, I've yet to write anything about these reads:

35 The Element of Fire (Martha Wells)

36 The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish: Volume 2 (Xue Shan Fei Hu)

37 The Break (Katherena Vermette)

38 Ballad of Sword and Wine: Volume 1 (Tang Jiu Qing)

39 An Uncommon Murder (Anabel Donald)

40 The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Volume 6 (Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou)

41 The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018

42 The Burning God (R.F. Kuang)

43 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick) [reread]

44 Case File Compendium: Volume 1 (Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou)

45 Marks of our Brothers (Jane Lindskold)

46 Guardian: Volume 3 (priest)

47 The Seventh Veil of Salome (Silvia Moreno-Garcia)

48 Unsouled (Will Wright)

49 Convenience Store Woman (Sayaka Murata)

50 Case File Compendium: Volume 2 (Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou)

51 Mammoths at the Gates (Nghi Vo)

52 King Rat (China Miéville)

53 The Shadow of the Sun (A.S. Byatt)

I took last week off so that number jumped significantly, something which could be deduced by an average detective in seeing free books in my house (kitchen counter, dining room table, randomly in the bedroom, table by the couch, table by the green chair).

It doesn't matter to anyone but me; as in all writing it can only ever be for me and this is, I suppose, the advantage of writing without an audience; no expectations or obligations.

But I disappoint myself, I suppose.

As always, I disappoint myself.

[canadiana-eh]

'I don't know if I can be with someone who doesn't understand.' Her young face rests on her knee, looking away.  'Then you will be alone, and that will be fine.'

Katherena Vermette, The Break

[unimportant-ramblings]

1-20

Anon said go crazy we stan

1. Book you've reread the most times?

I should be cool and arty here but the answer is Twilight <3

2. Top five books of all time?

Good question man fuck okay as of this moment, knowing this definitely has some recency bias as well as some cringe

a) Pride and Prejudice

b) Finishing The Hat by Stephen Sondheim

c) Little Women

d) The Sleeping Dictionary by Sujata Massey (what if memoirs from a geisha was good?)

e) fucking ...... Midnight Sun tbqh like yeah maybe I'm cringe but!

3. Favorite genre?

I'll read anything but I read a lot of sci fi, historical romance, and performing arts history

4. What sections of the bookstore do you browse?

Sale 😎😎😎

5. Where do you buy books?

Tbh I don't buy many books? I use the library for almost everything I read, both physically and digitally. I like being able to read as much as I want without having to budget, or picking up a book and having the freedom of just taking it back without the feeling of "but you paid $25 dollars for this :///"

When I do buy books, I shop at the local children's book store for my niblings, I use Libro.fm for any audiobooks I want to own that they have (use libro whenever you can! Support local book stores and you own the book outright!) and I use the Canadian chain Indigo because that's where people get me gift cards from

6. What books have you read in the last month.

These are my books for May thus far

A Load of Hooey by Bob Odenkirk (audiobook, short humor stories!)

The Break by Katherena Vermette (audiobook; intergenerational trauma of indigenous Canadian women ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare (paperback, second major publication of Reylo fanfiction ⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Just like Heaven by Julia Quinn (audiobook Bridgerton sidequest ⭐⭐⭐)

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura ( audiobook women experienced burnout, goes job hunting ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Pride and Prejudice and other Spices by Sonali Dev (audiobook finally a good modern p&p ⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (graphic novel about female werewolves!)

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer (reread, audio, regrettably ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

7. Is there a series/book that got you into reading?

Probably a series of unfortunate events

8. What is the first book you remember reading to yourself?

I really have no clear idea, must have been a comic of some kind!

9. When do you tend to read most?

Because I do most of my reading through audiobooks, almost perpetually. I read a lot when I'm on walks!

10. Do you have a guilty fav?

Like I joke that Twilight is a guilty pleasure and it definitely was at one point, but when something brings you as much joy as Twilight and the surrounding fandom gives to me, it can no longer be classified as a guilty pleasure. I think the crown of thorns and roses books are at a similar level for me now, like not only will i read the next book Sarah j Maas writes in the series but I find myself kind of craving the next one like a sugar fix, even if it doesn't give me any sustenance. I spend a large amount of time frustrated with the book and then I'll cry over the ending. I guess I'm not that guilty about any of the books I read anymore Life's too short for finding guilt and things that genuinely make you happy?

11. Nonfiction books do you like if any?

Fucking love me some nonfiction books! One of the best nonfiction books I read last year was called A Mad Love: An Introduction to Opera by Vivien Schweitzer, cannot recommend it enough if you'd like to get into opera. Stephen sondheim's incredible books on lyrics Finishing The Hat and Look I Made A Hat are both perfect. Last year I read Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad, highly recommend, it's about cancer and being terminally/chronically ill, beautifully written. Oh and Catch And Kill by Ronan Farrow, and the audiobook is narrated by him as well. Nonfiction is good!

12. You enjoy any compulsory high school reading?

Well! I really enjoyed all the plays we had to read, and for the most part I don't think they were bad, but I also did not read them when I was supposed to. So it's a mixed bag

13. Do you have a goodreads?

You think I could read all these books and remember them without a goodreads?

14. Do you ever mark/slash dog ear books you own?

Sometimes! But I'm much more likely to take a picture of something I read.

15. Recommend and review a book.

In addition to the non fiction books above and the children's lit in my other post, the best thriller I read recently was The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I like thrillers in theory but I often don't end up actually liking them much as I want to. Either they are way too intense for my tastes, verging on horror (and I cannot deal with reading the death of a child so that greatly limits the titles I read) or they are tame, like all this mystery and I guessed the end immediately, and it's boring! With The Plot it was the perfect balance. I did guessed the ending early on, but watching it play out was, frankly, thrilling. It was almost a Greek tragedy, the way the end was inevitable. I also really enjoyed the focus on the publishing industry and the nature of story. Really good and a fairly quick read!

16. How many books have you read this year?

I've read 50 books as of this moment!

17. Top five children's books?

Answered!

18. Like historical books? Which time period?

Yes I like historical books!! I prefer my romances to be sent in Regency and I usually don't enjoy books centered around either world war but I'm not overly picky!

19. Most disliked popular book?

I no longer know if these are popular with the youths but they were popular when I read every single one of the Red Queen young adult books and hated every single minute of it I don't understand why they were so popular, they were billed as these young adult game of thrones and they were as shallow as a puddle

20. What are things you look for in books?

Answered!

Thanks for the ask!!!!!

[burningdarkfire]

books i read in april 2022

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to msg me and ask   about individual ones if u want a full review or ask for my goodreads!!]

23 books this month!! my reading challenge is thriving 🥰

piranesi - susanna clarke ★★★★★ (fantasy)

susanna clarke does it again!! insanely beautiful and utterly sunning. i absolutely loved how this book opened and the way we, the reader, have to navigate the faith of the narrator with our doubt until eventually our roles reverse. i’ll be thinking about this one for a while!

jane, unlimited - kristin cashore ★★★★★ (YA, fantasy)

i rarely say this, but i would highly recommend going into this book blind. it’s a very weird, genre-bendy, fun and funny book that i’ll definitely have to reread in the future. i love how clever this entire book is!

heartstopper (volumes 1 & 2) - alice oseman ★★★★★ (YA, romance, graphic novel)

i watched the netflix show and cried and then i reread these two volumes and cried again. nick and charlie are just so so sweet 🥺

the wicked + the divine (all 9 volumes) - kieron gillen & jamie mckelvie ★★★★★ (urban fantasy, graphic novel)

i’ve loved the concept of this series since the beginning and it’s never stopped delivering. the plot suffers at points but the emotional core never falters. it’s a story about living long enough to want to live. it reads so differently to me now in 2022 than it did when i first found it in 2016, and i'm thankful for that

beartown - fredrik backman ★★★★☆ (contemporary)

this was the first annotated book i did with my book club!! i loved the structure and narrative voice, and there was a strong and really well-rounded cast of characters. good exploration of different human facets and i teared up more than once

jujutsu kaisen (volume 0) - gege akutami ★★★★☆ (YA, fantasy)

i watched the movie and then read the manga and i’m actually impressed at how close the adaptation is. love the character beats!

fire and ice - erin hunter ★★★★☆ (children’s, fantasy)

nearly 20 years later and i still hate this graystripe storyline 🤪 anyway isn’t wild how differently the xenophobia of cats reads as an adult? i guess i’m gonna reread all of these books now

a siege of bitterns - steve burrows ★★★★☆ (mystery)

very generic mystery, in the "conventional for the genre” sense. clumsy at points where the detective work didn’t quite convince me but the birder twist was interesting and i love learning. i should read more of these!

ring shout - p. djèlí clark ★★★★☆ (historical fantasy)

tbh i lacked the vast majority of cultural and historical context to fully enjoy this but it was still fun! if you want a story about killing KKK demons then this is exactly what you’d expect

provenance - ann leckie ★★★★☆ (scifi)

the plot and themes are functional. i didn’t like the main character but i know that’s 100% personal preference and leckie wrote her well. i did really like the inclusion of a third set of pronouns though and that was the redeeming factor of the book for me!! very interesting inclusion that def challenged me as a reader

the break - katherena vermette ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

it’s a shame i read this so close to beartown because it just feels like a worse version. the writing was fine, the story had some heartfelt moments, the characters were developed well for the time we had with them but nothing about it stood out to me at all

dowry of blood - s.t. gibson ★★☆☆☆ (fantasy, romance)

this read like the interesting outline of a novel but idk where the actual novel is. incredibly shallow and simplistic

[DNF] all of us villains - amanda foody & christine lynn herman ★★★☆☆ (YA, fantasy)

i gave this a try even though i know i don’t like amanda foody’s writing and it turns out i still don’t like her writing. everything is too dramatic with no genuine stakes. i stopped after a couple of chapters 🤷‍♂️

[DNF] fifty shades of grey - e.l. james ★★☆☆☆ (romance)

idk why i thought i was going to read this for the ~cultural impact but yeah actually i’m just not going to do that LOL i read the first few chapters and skimmed for the explicit and meh!