To Drink Coffee with a Ghost - Amanda Lovelace - ★★★★

-
AUTHOR: Amanda Lovelace
SERIES: things that h(a)unt #2
GENRE: Poetry
PUBLICATION DATE: September 17, 2019
RATING: 4 stars.


I've read "Break Your Glass Slippers" by Amanda Lovelace and fell in love with her unique poetic style. So when I saw this title amid the Goodreads search results, I knew I'd enjoy it.

The ghost in the title refers to Amanda Lovelace's deceased mother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship. All her angst and trauma seems to come pouring out in the poems. It is a beautiful and heartrending book. 

Read "Break Your Glass Slippers" too if you want to discover more of fabulous Amanda Lovelace poetry.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Before I Forget - Tory Henwood Hoen - ★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Tory Henwood Hoen NARRATOR: Barrie Kreinik GENRE: Contemporary Drama PUBLICATION DATE: December 2, 2025 RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary drama partly focussing on memory and memories. Expected to like this much more, but it felt more like a Hallmark depiction of Alzheimer’s. Many of the plot inclusions weren't my cup of tea. This is an outlier opinion. Plot Preview: Though twenty-six-year-old Cricket is doing decently at her job with a modern wellness company, she feels like she is weighed down under the burdens of a past tragedy and of a present worry: her father’s Alzheimer’s has worsened. When her elder sister Nina declares that they need to move their dad Arthur into a hospice-care facility, Cricket decides to use his health as the catalyst she needed to make a change in her life. She quits her job and moves to their home in the Adirondacks to become Arthur’s caregiver, and in the process, hopes to heal the old rift between them, though he doesn’t rememb...
Read More»

How to Build a Human: The Incredible Design of the Human Body - Scott Goldie - ★★★.½

-
Image
AUTHOR: Scott Goldie GENRE: Children's Illustrated Nonfiction, Science PUBLICATION DATE: January 6, 2026 RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: An illustrated book about the anatomical constituents of the human body. Presented in a humorous way. Quite elaborate, with fairly comprehensible explanations. A good option for older middle-graders. The book delivers exactly as promised by the title and the tagline. The content explores the components of the human body, beginning from the basics. So we get a detailed look at the skeleton, the muscles, the key (and not-so-key) organs, the senses, the constituents of cells and blood, and so on. As the content is organised in terms of role in the human body, the book is highly structured and hence easy to peruse through. Beyond the basic biological information, it also has several fun sections such as ‘Four Facts and a Fib’ and Breakthroughs. While the information does get science-heavy at times ( it cannot be avoided in such a topic after all ), ...
Read More»

A Far Better Thing - H.G. Parry - ★★★.½

-
Image
AUTHOR: H.G. Parry NARRATOR: Nathaniel Priestley GENRE: Historical Fantasy, Retelling PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2025 RATING: 3.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A standalone historical portal fantasy blending Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" with fae magic. Interesting characters and writing; average world-building. Somewhat slow. Excellent as a retelling but it might work better for those who know the original novel and those aware of the French revolution. The author is still among my favourites, but this book isn't my favourite of her works. Recommended but not to all. Plot Preview: (Offering just a barebones diluted version. Reasons below in main review.) London, 1780. Sydney Carton works for the fae but is looking for revenge against them. When he bumps into his lookalike Charles Darnay, he finally has that rare opportunity. It will take time, magic, and shrewdness, but Sydney is determined to do whatever it takes to rectify the injustice done to him. The story com...
Read More»

The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood - A.E. Chandler - ★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: A.E. Chandler NARRATOR: Joel Benedict GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: April 21, 2021 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: The legendary story of Robinhood and his band in the Scarlet forest. True to the original ballads. Don’t expect a Hollywood experience full of swashbuckling flamboyance and charm. I liked the story (not a surprise as it’s about Robinhood), but found the writing style somewhat dry. The use of old English was also a little hurdle for me on audio, though I appreciate the authenticity of the language. With a little more literary flourish, this would have been a more memorable experience for me. But it might work better for those Robinhood fans who prefer authentic, frill-free narratives. This is an outlier review. If you are looking for a genuine story of Robinhood, not the one that you see in Hollywood but more faithful to the original legend and ballads, and if you aren’t fussy about anything other than the storyline, then this book does well. Sadly...
Read More»

Hair Love - Matthew A. Cherry - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Matthew A. Cherry ILLUSTRATOR: Vashti Harrison GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: May 14, 2019 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An adorable picture book about a little girl and her father indulging in some genuine hair love. Great characters, sweet story, fabulous illustrations. One part of the story could be interpreted in multiple ways, so there's flexibility. Much recommended. Plot Preview: Zuri has "hair with a mind of its own". Every day, her Daddy helps her style it whatever way she wants, and she always loves his efforts. But today is an important day, and she wants her hair to look extra-special. Nothing Daddy creates looks outstanding. Will the duo be able to figure out a creative hairstyle before a special someone comes home? The story comes to us in Zuri's first-person perspective. Note: This review contains plot spoilers, but it's just a picture book, so I hope you'll pardon the reveals. I had first heard of this story ...
Read More»