[REVIEW] The Richest Man in Babylon

The Richest Man in BabylonThe Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2 stars, it’s ok — the message is clear and even important, I would say… but the language made me turn to other books instead and my motivation to keep this one up decrease a lot…

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[REVIEW] My year of rest and relaxation

My Year of Rest and RelaxationMy Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let’s admit it — the main character is not likable at all. But she’s funny as hell.
This lady finds herself without job, in a very unhealthy relationship, and tired of living. But surprisingly enough, she doesn’t want to die. She just wants to sleep!
So she finds a bad shrink that loves psychotropics and takes a lot of notes but seems not to read them before the appointments — the doctor herself is hilariously incompetent.
So the story goes on during her full year under the effect of psychotropics and shows us glimpses of her (traumatizing) childhood and how she got to this point.
If you like a sarcastic character who is not afraid of pooping in an art gallery as a protest, this is for you LOL

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[REVIEW] Les Loyautés

Les LoyautésLes Loyautés by Delphine de Vigan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

C’était mon premier roman de Delphine de Vigan et je suis étonnée par la façon simple qu’elle écrit — possible de se faire comprendre par quelqu’un qui n’est pas natif — mais simultanément complexe pour décrire les émotions des enfants et des adultes.
C’était géniale de lire les adultes en première personne du singulier et les enfants en troisième personne du singulier, vu que la perspective de l’enfant est toujours difficile d’imaginer… et difficile de trouver un auteur qui arrive a bien représenter la réalité…

J’ai aussi trouvé très poignant la description de « l’opinion publique » sur les femmes aux foyer:
“Tout se passe comme si la femme au foyer était, par définition, assigné à résidence et que son cerveau, ayant souffert d’avoir été privé d’oxygène, fonctionnait au ralenti.”

et l’incrédulité de Cécile sur ce qui les gens sont capables d’écrire sur des les médias sociaux sans se faire connaître!
“Drôle le monde qui nous laisse déverser ici et là une parole anonyme, ambivalente ou extrême, sans jamais nous faire connaître.”

Je vais sans doute suivre Delphine de Vigan !

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[REVIEW] The Wellness Syndrome

The Wellness SyndromeThe Wellness Syndrome by Carl Cederstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting point of view about this wave of wellness we see all around us, and how the people that do not fit in (unhappy people, fat people, non-entrepreneurs or non-leaders, etc etc) are seen as incapable, unproductive, lazy...
I am curious to know which syndrome comes next... and if we manage to be part of the herd or not!

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[REVIEW] The Silent Patient

The Silent PatientThe Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a holy guacamole book!
I have to confess I did not predict the end, which was something that does not happen often due to the huge amount of thriller I have read in the past -- but hey, I didn't see this coming and I loved it!

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[REVIEW] Ghost Wall

Ghost WallGhost Wall by Sarah Moss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Easy read: the book is short and the writing is beautiful! Tough themes like domestic violence are featured and the 17 y.o. main character is super smart, I loved her comments and her shy personality.
Definitely an author I will revisit!

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[REVIEW] O vício dos livros

O Vício dos LivrosO Vício dos Livros by Afonso Cruz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alguns ensaios melhores do que outros, mas para quem gosta de ler livros e de coleccioná-los, é um prazer viajar nestas paginas!

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[REVIEW] Educated

EducatedEducated by Tara Westover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now I get why this book is on everyone's TBR or everyone's favourites.... It's a memoir that reads like a thriller, which makes it even more creepy!!!
"holy guacamole, this is not fiction, this lady really lived through this"

I am not summarising the book, many people did that already and in a much better way.
What I will say, however, is that I've been thinking for a long time that education is the solution for most of humanity's problems, but I never quite understood why most people don't like to learn, are not curious, don't use the amazing source of knowledge we have today in the tip of our hands! (yep, I am from the pre-cell phone era, guys)
But this book showed me a glimpse of the isolation people feel when they start changing, shifting, learning and questioning... at some point, in your learning process, you have to decide if you step out of your comfort zone into the unknown (alone, probably you will suffer some of aggression), or if you stay where you are...
Today, I think differently, but the idea is not completely settled in my head... I would say something like this "most world's problem would be solved by the willing of brave people to be educated..."

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[REVIEW] Blue Horses

Blue HorsesBlue Horses by Mary Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“There couldn’t be a more splendid world, and here l am existing in it”
How can someone not LOVE Mary Oliver’s words?


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[REVIEW] Unshakeable

Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom PlaybookUnshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook by Anthony Robbins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this one!
Don’t buy it for poetic words on how to start planning for your financial freedom, he writes the same way as if he was in a coffee shop across the table from you.
But, if you are just starting to think about the money topic, start here!
Then, if you want to know more, there are plenty more books that deep dive in.
Last pages are really precious!

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