With “Solito” I was lucky to have come across a wonderful example of a memoir with a really impactful personal story. A 9 year old making his journey from El Salvador to the US in order to reunite with his parents was a narrative that instantly made me curious to find out more. All in…
Category: 5/5 ★
Within this category you can find all the 5/5 ⭐ reviews about books that I adored and which I would 100% recommend. Most of them are very probably on my “all time favourites” list.
The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister – Olesya Khromeychuk
Another book touching upon the topic of the war in Ukraine and another recommendation from my side! “The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister“, as the title already suggests it, tells the story of how the author lived through her reality of losing her brother due to him being killed on the Ukrainian…
Happening – Annie Ernaux
I have first come across Annie Ernaux’s writing through her book “The Years“ which has been picked to be read by the “Barcelona Women’s Book Club” in September of 2023. Once I got through that one, I was instantly looking forward to get to some more books of the author’s soon. Luckily, “Happening” was chosen…
Elena Knows – Claudia Piñeiro
This book had everything I could have wished for from a piece of fiction and more, so this was a strong 5/5 ★ read for me! It had beautiful style, a captivating story, well developed characters (especially considering over how few pages the story stretched) and some really important themes that have been tackled. You…
Outline – Rachel Cusk
You know how you sometimes come across the right book at the right time? Well this was the case for me with “Outline“. Even though it might sound crazy but I’m adding Rachel Cusk to my list of all time favorite authors upon reading just this one book of hers. I instantly fell in love…
Anfang des Krieges – Yevgenia Belorusets
Durch Bücher wie dieses schaffe ich es, bestimmte Emotionen in Worte gefasst zu lesen, die ich selber schwer zum Ausdruck bringen kann. Im “Anfang des Krieges” verarbeitet die Autorin die Eindrücke der Geschehnisse der russischen Invasion in der Ukraine seit dem 24 Februar 2022 in der Form von Tagebucheinträgen. Darin beschreibt sie die neue Realität,…
Nastjas Tränen – Natascha Wodin
Dieses Buch war ein absoluter Glücksfund. Auf die Autorin bin ich gestoßen, als ich jene gesucht habe, die entweder Ukrainer sind oder ukrainische Wurzeln haben. Letzteres hat mich auf Natascha Wodin gebracht. Ihr Roman ist stark mit ihren persönlichen Hintergründen verwoben, in dem sie über das Schicksal und das Leben einer ukrainischen Frau erzählt, die…
A Bit of a Stretch – Chris Atkins
I found this book to be absolutely brilliant! I would have never thought that I’d pick up a story written by someone who has spent time in jail but I would have expected even less that I would highly enjoy it. It was informative, shocking, touching, emotional, funny, entertaining and simply really well written. If…
Jägerin und Sammlerin – Lana Lux
Die Leseerfahrung von diesem Buch war eine ganz besondere. Die 304 Seiten habe ich in knapp drei Tagen verschlungen, aber wenn ich während diesen Tagen mehr Zeit gehabt hätte, hätte ich es auch an einem einzigen Tag auslesen können. Sobald man sich nach den ersten 10-15 Seiten an den Schreibstil und die Dialoge gewöhnt hat,…
The Cost of Living – Deborah Levy
This book simply ended up being another example of how Deborah Levy is climbing the ladder of my all-time favourite writers, one book at a time. Having devoured “The Cost of Living” in a bit more than a day, it left me hooked on the author’s craft and longing for more of her stories. I…
Things I Don’t Want to Know – Deborah Levy
There’s something mesmerising about Deborah Levy’s writing. Once you get your hands on one of her books, you simply don’t want to stop reading. You can feel how deliberate each chosen word and phrase is, whereas the reading experience still feels light and airy. I have only read one of the author’s novels until today,…
Quiet – Susan Cain
I first picked this book up in its audio version but after just a couple of minutes of listening to it, I knew that I needed to get its physical copy. I didn’t want to miss any valuable information since it sounded like there was so much to take away from it. My first impression…
The Culture Map – Erin Meyer
First things first, I thought that this book is an absolute must-read for people working together with colleagues from a country and a culture different from one’s own! While it’s strongly business focused, I also think that you can take along some valuable insights for personal relations as well. “The Culture Map” had the perfect…
Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Perez
This book has definitely won my personal award of having the highest amount of highlighted passages in a book I’ve ever read in my life. While making my way through it page by page, I went through such a wide range of emotions, going from anger, frustration, disappointment to defeat and hopelessness but most of…
Open Water – Caleb Azumah Nelson
The fact of me having read “Open Water” was once again a classic example of the positive effect book clubs can have by making you leave your comfort zone. Even though I’ve heard quite a bit about the book, I wouldn’t have necessarily picked up something that sounded to be just another love story between…
Diary of an Invasion – Andrey Kurkov
This book is an absolute must-read for anyone who would like to get a good overview of the first six months of the full scale war in Ukraine that was started by Russia on the 24th of February in 2022. The author manages to tick pretty much all the boxes I would have been expecting…
From Scratch – Tembi Locke
Having received “From Scratch” as a suggestion from a friend who watched and loved the Netflix series, I decided to go ahead with reading the book first. This was the best choice I could have made since I really enjoyed the book and wish I could unsee the series. It was made in a completely…
What I Know About Running Coffee Shops – Colin Harmon
This book is THE ultimate bible if you have ever thought of or dreamt about opening up your own coffee shop (which was the case for me)! I started reading it while being in the middle of a 2 week long, intense, all-day training, teaching you all the aspects of becoming a creator of a…
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat – Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks has been on my “to-read” list as an author for quite some time and I was especially excited when it was picked as the book of the month within one of my book clubs. It ended up being such a fascinating read and I can’t wait to discover more of the author’s works!!!…
Eine Formalie in Kiew – Dmitrij Kapitelman
Das neueste Buch von Dmitrij Kapitelman war einfach nur wie Balsam für meine ukrainische Seele. Für diejenigen, die mit dem Land und dessen Traditionen nicht so vertraut sind, kann es zu einer spannenden Entdeckungstour an einer Leseerfahrung werden. Von den ersten Zeilen an wurde ich von nostalgischen Gefühlen überflutet, als man den Autor auf der Reise…
Syria’s Secret Library – Mike Thomson
Prior to reading “Syria’s Secret Library“, I have just finished “The Book Collectors of Daraya” by Delphine Minoui. Both books were written about the hidden library within the Syrian town of Daraya but my curiosity simply hasn’t been satisfied after Delphine Minoui’s book, which was originally published in French in 2018. Upon doing some additional…
Greenlights – Matthew McConaughey
Reading Matthew McConaughey’s memoir is comparable with the experience of sitting down with a good friend and simply having a chat about life. Having a laugh with each other, shedding some tears and sharing some little life lessons. It’s especially ideal as an end of start of the year read, as it manages to round…
Know My Name – Chanel Miller
Going into this book I wasn’t expecting too much besides that the personal story that the author would tell to be really impactful. A story that got a lot of media attention in the US about how a young girl got assaulted by a Stanford student on campus grounds. What I wasn’t prepared for, was…
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone – Lori Gottlieb
This book was everything I was hoping for and so much more! Just as its subtitle says – “A therapist, her therapist, and our lives revealed”, this book will give you an insight into the world of therapy while most importantly diving into the topic of therapists having their own therapists too. It’s extremely satisfying…
Dependency – Tove Ditlevsen
The third and final part of Tove Ditlevsen’s autobiography almost draws you into a dependency to it until you turn the very last page. After a less engaging middle part, “Youth”, this one has definitely left me under an impactful impression. Just as the title suggests it, this part of the story deals with the…
Childhood – Tove Ditlevsen
Here is a case where judging a book by its cover has gone well for me 😉 Never having heard of the author Tove Ditlevsen before, I have discovered this trilogy, Childhood making up the first book of it, on…. Bookstagram! (aka some accounts posting book content on instagram) I was tempted to purchase this…
Couchsurfing in China – Stephan Orth
Nachdem ich ein riesiger Fan von Stephan Orth’s beiden anderen Couchsurfing Büchern war (Couchsurfing im Iran und Couchsurfing in Russland), war ich wahnsinnig gespannt über seine neuen Abenteuer in China. Ihr habt wahrscheinlich die Bewertung im Titel schon bemerkt und ich kann mit voller Überzeugung sagen, dass es absolut lesenswert ist! Ich bin immer noch…
The Discomfort of Evening – Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
I have recently been quite spoiled by 5/5 ★ books and “The Discomfort of Evening” was a very welcome addition into that category! It was a well deserved winner of the International Booker Prize in 2020, in my point of view, and I was really glad to have come across it thanks to that award….
The Fire Next Time – James Baldwin
Diving into my first James Baldwin book, I was simply blown away by how elegant and impactful his writing was. I was glad to have an introduction to his works with “The Fire Next Time” since it’s such a personal account, allowing you to get to know the author better. The way he tackles the…
Was Man Von Hier Aus Sehen Kann – Mariana Leky
Wäre es nicht für “Bookstagram” (= Buchempfehlungen auf Instagram), hätte ich wahrscheinlich “Was Man Von Hier Aus Sehen Kann” niemals gelesen! Die Inhaltsangabe an sich sprach mich nicht besonders an, aber umso glücklicher war ich darüber, dank dem Hype um das Buch herum es entdeckt zu haben. Die Autorin nimmt einen auf eine emotionale Achterbahn…
Born a Crime – Trevor Noah
This book… Was simply unforgettable… I laughed and I cried while reading it, both thanks to dozens of hilarious moments but also to a tragic one towards the end. This book simply hooks you from the first sentences on (which you can see yourself within the first quote) and I applaud either Trevor Noah’s writing…
Was weiße Menschen nicht über Rassismus hören wollen – Alice Hasters
Sogar bevor ich Alice Hasters Buch fertiggelesen habe, war mir absolut klar – das ist ohne Zweifel ein 5/5 ★ Buch! Endlich wieder eines, nachdem mir den gesamten Monat von Juni 2020 keines über den Weg gekommen ist! Gerade mal innerhalb von drei Tagen ausgelesen, kann ich es jetzt mit felsenfester Überzeugung bestätigen – die…
How to Break Up with Your Phone – Catherine Price
While this book is intended to be used as a 30 day plan in order to break up with your phone, I read it in almost one sitting and am more than happy to give it a full 5 out of 5 ★ rating straight away! This book is literally life-changing! I already see it…
Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker
If I was given the restriction to only read 1 single book this year, then I would without a doubt choose Matthew Walker’s “Why We Sleep”!!! I don’t remember the last time I read a book that was so densely packed with valuable information and on top of that “packaged” in such an approachable way…
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous – Ocean Vuong
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong has instantly become my favourite book of the year out of all the 16 I have read so far in 2020. If you were wondering, that is the author’s actual name, it was changed into Ocean by his mother after she has separated from her husband, who…
Mr. Gwyn – Alessandro Baricco
I read the German translation of “Mr. Gwyn” by Annette Kopetzki and I’ve got to say that after this first book as an intro to the author, I’m very curious about discovering other novels by Alessandro Baricco! I got through “Mr. Gwyn” in almost just a single day, one reason being that I was stuck…
What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About – Michele Filgate
This is the perfect example of a book to prove why I love reading so much over watching series or movies. Just like one of the authors mentions, As a child I dipped into books, and everything around me, including my body, faded away. It was a very conscious act. I am very lucky that…
Life for Sale – Yukio Mishima
I thought that this book was absolutely beautiful. Swaying back and forth between 4 and 5 out of 5 stars, I finally settled for the highest grade. It’s an extremely short and easy read, but nevertheless executed perfectly by the author. I loved the way it was structured with short chapters that made you want…
Closer – Sarah Barmak
This book ended up being one of my favourites for the entire year of 2019. I wish I would’ve come across it earlier in my life and wish that literature like this would be part of sexual education rather than the outdated program that is currently still being taught to teenagers all over the world….
Lullaby – Leïla Slimani
The story instantly whips you up into hyper awareness with the way that it starts, announcing the tragic ending on the first couple of pages. The fact that it still makes you want to read on and understand the whole story, is definitely a sign of great writing! The style was simply impeccable, simple, yet…
Sadness is a White Bird – Moriel Rothman-Zecher
I couldn’t have been happier to come across “Sadness is a White Bird” by chance, the book having been selected for a book club that I attended. I have devoured it up in no time, staying up late until the middle of the night. The language flows beautifully and I loved the way the narrative…
The Bookseller of Kabul – Åsne Seierstad
Having by chance stumbled across this book in a bookshop in Cuba, I couldn’t have been more glad to have come across it!! This narrative of a “not so usual” Afghan family is so eye-opening on so many levels. It was specifically for me, since I’ve never dived into the topic about the country or…
Starkes Weiches Herz – Madeleine Alizadeh
An Madeleine’s Buch habe ich mich mit einer Prise Skepsis rangemacht. Sowohl das Buchcover, als auch den Buchtitel fand ich zu kitschig und war sogar richtig enttäuscht darüber, dass diese die Endwahl für das fertige Produkt wurden. Ich schämte mich sogar ein wenig dafür, mit dem Buch in der U-Bahn gesehen zu werden, das einem…
Hot Milk – Deborah Levy
Hot Milk is one of those books that you pick up and can’t stop reading. I’ve never experienced that the reviews (which are actually just short phrases) on the cover of the book corresponded so much with the story and the way it’s narrated. Just as it is described by previous readers/raters, it does pull…
Don’t Be a Tourist in Paris – Vanessa Grall
This book is an absolute must-have for any kind of Paris-fanatic: Whether you’ve been living in the city for years and want to have a new and fresh view onto it or you’re coming to visit for the very first time – there’s something within it for both types of readers! It motivates you to…
A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara
This is one of the best books I’ve read in the last couple of years and it has definitely made it onto my favourites list!!! Yanagihara’s style was absolutely effortless, the story flowed so easily from chapter to chapter that you didn’t even notice yourself flipping the pages. To sum it up, I guess the…
House of Leaves – Mark Z. Danielewski
Even weeks after I’ve finished this book, I haven’t gotten around to the review, since I couldn’t really manage to phrase what I thought about it. What I can definitely confirm now – after getting the book suggested, I was warned that it would be “an experience” rather than a simple read and I can…
Wonder – R. J. Palacio
There are few words that can describe the impression “Wonder” left after reading it and I think you would see best by making your own opinion of it. It was sweet, enchanting, heart warming, extremely emotionally touching (leaving you laughing out loud or even getting teary-eyed at times) and besides all that, so so well…
Couchsurfing im Iran – Stephan Orth
Nach dem Fertiglesen des “Couchsurfing in Russland” Buches, bin ich von der iranischen Version sogar mehr begeistert! Der Unterschied zwischen den beiden ist, dass in der Iran-Ausführung mehr Zeit genommen wurde, über die Personen und die Interaktionen mit den Leuten zu schildern, anstatt den Fokus auf das Land im Allgemeinen zu setzen. Der Erzählfluss war…
Chernobyl Prayer – Svetlana Alexievich
“Chernobyl Prayer” was one of those books that simply took you on an emotional roller-coaster ride while reading it. The collected stories would probably be the most authentic ones you’ll get to read when trying to find the real background stories of people affected by the Chernobyl disaster. With tears of sadness, feeling touched by…
1Q84 – Haruki Murakami
This book leaves you off wanting more. It’s special. Just as so many of Haruki Murakami’s books, this one enveloped you in an extraordinary atmosphere, where you felt so close to the characters. It was a touching, but at the same time an exciting story. Once you started reading it, you simply didn’t want to…
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