10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World

 Elif Shafak

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression
Having never read anything by Elif Shafak before, I went into this book with no expectations. That said, I’d heard so many good things about both the story and the writing. It’s been sitting on my TBR for a while, so I was excited to finally dive in.

Summary
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World opens with the death of its protagonist, Tequila Leila, whose body is found in a metal rubbish bin on the outskirts of Istanbul. Despite her heart having stopped, her brain remains active for ten minutes and thirty-eight seconds. During that time, her consciousness drifts like a tide pulling away from the shore, and her memories come flooding back, blurring the boundaries of time.

In these final moments, Leila revisits key episodes from her life: her birth in the city of Van, her father’s rejection for not being a boy, and being raised by his first wife as an “auntie” to her own self. She remembers the loneliness of her childhood, the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her uncle, and the way her religiously conservative family pulled her out of school. Eventually, she runs away to Istanbul with just five lira and twenty kurush in her pocket.

In Istanbul, Leila is forced into sex work, sold to a brothel by hustlers. Life in the red-light district is unforgiving, but she finds a love interest, and that is D/Ali, a leftist artist and student. Their relationship shows a rare moment of tenderness and equality, until it’s shattered due to a grave event.

The novel unfolds like a series of vivid memories, with each chapter peeling back a layer of Leila’s life as we inch closer to understanding her murder. It is more like the story going backwards to understand what happened. The central themes—memory, identity, belonging, and chosen family—are explored with raw honesty and compassion.

Characters
Shafak develops her characters through a rich, non-linear lens, revealing their inner worlds and traumas while grounding them in Istanbul’s complex social fabric.

Tequila Leila is the heart of the novel. Her final minutes are filled with memories that reveal a life marked by pain, strength, and love.

D/Ali is Leila’s great love. A politically active artist from a Turkish-German guest worker family, his untimely death haunts her.

Nostalgia Nalan is a trans woman and one of Leila’s five closest friends, who plays a key role in trying to give her a proper burial.

Sabotage Sinan is Leila’s childhood friend from Van. Bookish and gentle, he was her earliest ally, sneaking her books and news like a "sabotage radio".

Jameelah is a young Somali woman trafficked to Istanbul and forced into sex work. She meets Leila at a venereal disease hospital.

Zaynab122 is a spirited Arab woman with dwarfism. She defies expectations and reads fortunes in coffee grounds.

Hollywood Humeyra is a nightclub singer who fled an abusive marriage. Her new identity is both a shield and a reinvention.

These five friends represent Leila’s chosen family—the ones who stood by her when the rest of the world turned away.

Writing Style
This was my first time reading Elif Shafak, and I didn’t know what to expect. Her writing is layered, lyrical, and deeply immersive. She weaves personal stories with social critique, often using a fragmented, non-linear narrative. While I usually don’t enjoy that structure, I found myself pulled in by the beauty of her prose and the emotional weight behind it.

Setting and Atmosphere
Set in Istanbul, the novel breathes life into the city through vivid sensory details—smells of tobacco, sweat, fried food, and perfume. Shafak calls Istanbul a “she-city,” and this feminine portrayal adds texture to a setting that's both brutal and beautiful.

The city itself becomes a character: oppressive, chaotic, but also a place of unexpected grace. Whether it's the brothel, Leila’s modest apartment, or the shadowy streets, every place is infused with memory and meaning.

Overall Impression
This is a novel that stays with you at least for some time. It explores resilience, the search for dignity, and the power of chosen family with heartbreaking honesty. Shafak doesn’t shy away from hard truths—violence, societal rejection, abuse—but she also highlights moments of love, solidarity, and human connection. This is something that I really appreciated in the book.

The story’s emotional impact comes not just from Leila’s journey, but from the strength of the bonds she forms with others who, like her, live on the margins. This makes it a great choice if you are looking for a character-driven story. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World is thought-provoking, painful, and unexpectedly hopeful.

Key Themes

• Death and the Afterlife
• Memory and Trauma
• Identity and Belonging
• Chosen Family vs. Biological Family
• Resilience and Survival

The Wedding People

 Alison Espach

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Initial Impression
This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for readers’ favorite fiction last year, so I was very curious to see how it measured up for me—especially since many of my friends had given it high ratings and glowing reviews. I went into it with high expectations, which is normal when the hype is really big.

Summary
Phoebe Stone arrives at the Cornwall Inn, a nineteenth-century Newport hotel, having left St. Louis and everything behind—the husband, the house, and the luggage after her divorce. Her true purpose for being there is to end her life by suicide that evening, viewing the hotel as her happy place for this final act.

Upon her arrival, she is immediately swept into the unfolding preparations for a wedding, realizing the hotel is teeming with "wedding people." A striking encounter with the bride, Lila, in the elevator leads Phoebe to reveal her intention to die.

However, Lila's distress over the prospect of a suicide during her wedding week inadvertently begins to pull Phoebe back from the brink. Phoebe later has a significant encounter with Gary, the groom, in the hot tub, where she reiterates her suicide plan but also admits that she has decided not to go through with it. This moment creates an unexpected connection between them, fostering a sense of being "alive" and seen.

When Lila’s original maid of honor is unable to attend, Phoebe steps into the role, further immersing herself in the wedding events. Through conversations and shared vulnerabilities, Phoebe eventually helps Lila to realize something important and take a very daring step that changes everything.

Characters
The author did an excellent job with the characters. The story features a diverse cast of characters, each contributing to Phoebe Stone's journey of self-discovery and the unfolding events of the wedding week.

Phoebe Stone: The main protagonist of the story. The book is narrated from a third-person perspective, but the narration has a strong focus on Phoebe’s internal thoughts, feelings, and observations. To be frank, due to the character’s name, Lisa Kudrow was all the time in my mind while reading this book. She was Phoebe for me! Phoebe is struggling with many problems, like divorce, infertility, and several miscarriages. When she comes to the hotel, she is full of burdens. However, this trip transforms her life in a way she didn’t expect—leading her to unexpected connections.

Lila: She is the bride, and her wedding is the central event. While on the surface she is beautiful and almost perfect, underneath she also has her own struggles. She faces lots of pressure to be the special person she is not.

Gary: He is the groom and a gastroenterologist who is older than Lila. He is a widower whose first wife, Wendy, died of cancer. He has a daughter, too. Gary is portrayed as a kind, sincere, and perceptive man who has learned to prioritize making others happy after Wendy's death, often suppressing his own feelings.

Matt: Phoebe's ex-husband, a philosopher and professor. He had an affair with Mia. Matt is initially portrayed as distant and uncaring about Phoebe's struggles. However, he becomes deeply concerned when Phoebe disappears and eventually decides to do something about it.

Jim: Gary's brother-in-law, an engineer. He was very close to his sister, Wendy, and was deeply affected by her death. He plays an important role in the story.

Marla: Gary's sister, a lawyer and mayor. She is often critical and judgmental, particularly towards Lila and her choices. I found her to be unintentionally funny due to the absurd remarks and statements she kept making.

Writing Style
Being the first book I read by Alison Espach, I had no idea how the writing would be, so I had no expectations there. The author used the third-person style of narration to focus on Phoebe’s emotions and feelings. To me, the writing was more in line with Phoebe’s internal voice—analytical and quite self-deprecating. When you read the book, you will definitely experience a blend of wit, cynicism, and frankness. It serves the story very well.

Setting and Atmosphere
The Cornwall Inn, a nineteenth-century Newport hotel—a grand, historic location—serves as a central stage for the unfolding events. The initial atmosphere you will feel when you start the book is more about despair, since the main character is trying to attempt suicide. There is heavy isolation and the presence of the wedding and wedding people creates an overwhelming feeling of chaos (in Phoebe’s perspective). Soon, that atmosphere changes to hope, connection, and self-discovery. So the reader will feel a contrast and a shift in the atmosphere clearly.

Overall Impression
The Wedding People is basically an insightful journey through the mind of its protagonist, making it an engaging read worthy of a strong four-star rating. I liked the characters and the atmosphere of the book. I feel it is a book that many readers can have a good time with. Although it appears to be a simple story on the surface, it has an underlying depth to it. Why was this not a 5-star read? Maybe I expected more? Or perhaps the hype felt a lot more than what was delivered—regardless, I had a good time following Phoebe’s story.

Key Themes

• Lonliness
• Isolation
• Divorce
• Infertility
• Wedding
• Hope
• Self-discovery
• Grief
• Self-acceptance
• Reinvention

The Paying Guests

 Sarah Waters

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction + LGBTQ+

Initial Impression
I bought this book from Book Depository in 2018 when I found it in the bargain bin. A hardcover edition in the bargain bin was something hard to pass up—especially since I heard lots of great things about Sarah Waters’ writing, so this was a good opportunity for me to get one of her books to experience her writing style myself. For no particular reason, the book stayed on my shelf unread since then. When it appeared on my “Physical Books to Tackle” challenge on the wheel of TBR, I was so excited to dive into it.

Summary
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters is a story set in South London in 1922. The story revolves around Frances and her mother. The two ladies are struggling with their financial situation after the funds were mishandled by the father. After he passed away, they were left with nothing but debts and the large house they owned.

The best way for them to survive during these difficult circumstances was to take in lodgers. So they accept a young married couple, Leonard Barber and his wife, Lilian. At first Frances has a sense of panic and unease towards the couple, but soon things start to change when she becomes friends with Lilian, and eventually things will get more complicated.

Characters
The author did a great job with the characters. They are multifaceted, and as the reader progresses in the story, they get to know more about the other side of them, which was not apparent in the beginning.

Frances Wray: She is one of the two main protagonists. A single woman in her late twenties living with her widowed mother in a large house. She handles everything now that her father has passed and left them nothing but debts. As you progress in the story, you will learn that she had a past love affair with a woman named Christina.

Lilian Barber: Leonard’s wife and the other main protagonist in the story. She is 22 years old, stylish, and has exotic tastes. She forms an intense bond with Frances that at first she finds difficult to understand.

Mrs. Wray: She is Frances’s mother. A widow in her fifties who is also struggling financially. Her initial fondness for Mr. Barber creates a good contrast to what her daughter feels about him.

Leonard Barber: He’s Lilian’s husband. Works in an insurance company and annoys Frances with his suggestive remarks towards her.

Writing Style
The novel is narrated in the third-person style. I feel the author deliberately concentrated on Frances’s thoughts and feelings in the narration. It seems her perspective is the main focus of the story. Being my first Sarah Waters’ book, I think her writing is rich and she uses a descriptive language style. Most of the narrative is about diving deeply into Frances’s thoughts so that as readers we see the relationship from her eyes.

Setting and Atmosphere
The author did a good job depicting London in the 1920s. That historical atmosphere can be felt very clearly in the story. This is when it comes to the setting. When it comes to the narrative atmosphere, it keeps shifting according to the state of the characters. So it is safe to say that the atmosphere was highly dynamic, and it kept shifting from unease to intimacy to tension and finally to guilt and turmoil.

Overall Impression
If I were given one line to explain my feelings about this novel, it would be: I wish I liked it more. While the writing kept me engaged and shows the author’s expertise in her field, it took me a long time to feel invested in the story and the characters. The pacing is very slow, and to be frank, this story didn’t need over 500 pages to be told. 200 pages could be easily trimmed from the novel without affecting the story. I don’t own any other Sarah Waters book on my shelves—this is the only one—but even if I had more, I would not rush to read them.

Key Themes
- Forbidden Love and Desire

- Social Class

- LGBTQ Love

- Secrecy and Deception - Identity and Self-Discovery

Since We Fell

 Dennis Lehane

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller

Initial Impression
Starting Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane was a bit challenging for me, especially since the only other book I’d read by him was Mystic River—one of my all-time favorite mystery thrillers and a solid 5-star read. So, naturally, I had very high expectations going into this one.

Summary
Rachel Childs is a woman plagued by frequent panic attacks and mental health struggles. A very public breakdown ends her career as a journalist, prompting her to withdraw from the world, which strains her relationships with family and friends.

Her difficult childhood, marked by the mystery surrounding her father’s identity, leads Rachel to hire a private investigator named Brian to find him. The two form a close bond that eventually turns into marriage. Brian helps Rachel re-engage with life, but soon she begins to suspect that Brian is hiding something. The story leaves readers questioning whether Rachel’s suspicions are justified or if they’re a product of her fragile mental state.

Characters
Dennis Lehane is skilled at crafting strong characters. While I didn’t have a clear favorite in this book, I think he did a solid job with the main characters. The relationship between Rachel and Brian is the heart of the story.

Portraying a protagonist struggling with mental illness adds emotional depth not just to Rachel but also to the plot. Brian plays a key role in a subplot I won’t spoil here, but readers will gradually uncover his true motives.

Writing Style
Lehane’s writing is undeniably excellent. Known for his detailed descriptions and realistic dialogue, both qualities shine through in this novel. Although Since We Fell is categorized as a mystery thriller, Lehane blends in elements of drama and espionage, creating a genre mix that keeps the story layered.

Setting and Atmosphere
The story moves between two main settings: the hectic streets of New York City, where Rachel once worked, and a quiet small town where she isolates herself. The dominant atmosphere is one of psychological tension—whether it’s the turmoil inside Rachel’s mind or the external suspense of the plot.

Emotional distress permeates the story. Rachel’s fear, distrust, and sense of betrayal keep the tension alive, and you can feel that unease vividly throughout the book.

Overall Impression
Overall, Since We Fell was an okay read for me. It didn’t live up to the high bar set by Mystic River. The pacing felt slow, and Rachel’s ongoing mental health struggles, while important, sometimes weighed the story down. I understand the significance of portraying these issues, but when reading a mystery thriller, I expect a bit more engagement and entertainment alongside the emotional weight.

Key Themes

• Mental Health
• Trauma
• Identity and Self-Discovery
• Reality vs. Imagination
• Trust and Betrayal

Passion of Dolssa

Julie Berry

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction + Young Adult

Initial Impression
This book has been sitting on my shelf since 2017. I picked it up after watching a YouTuber rave about the story, characters, plot, and the author’s writing style. It immediately appealed to me, so I got a copy, but for some reason, it took me years to finally read it.

Summary
Set in 13th-century France, the novel follows Dolssa, a young noblewoman who is condemned by the Catholic Church for heresy after claiming a divine relationship with Jesus Christ. Branded dangerous and sentenced to execution, she narrowly escapes and flees into the countryside—wounded, weak, and alone.

She’s found by Botille Flasucra, a village matchmaker who, along with her two sisters, takes Dolssa in and nurses her back to health. As Dolssa recovers, she begins performing miraculous healings through prayer, drawing attention far beyond their small coastal town.

Word of her abilities eventually reaches the inquisitors, who descend upon the village in search of her. They interrogate and torture villagers to force out her location. Will she be found? That’s for you to discover.

Characters
The story is told through multiple points of view, but even though it revolves around Dolssa, she narrates far less than Botille. I think that was a deliberate choice by the author—to have us see Dolssa through other characters’ eyes. Honestly, it makes sense. If Dolssa were constantly claiming she’s gifted and performs miracles, she could easily come across as a delusional narcissist instead of someone truly spiritual.

The characters are well-written, no doubt about that. But I didn’t connect with them as much as I hoped. Maybe it’s because they didn’t feel especially engaging to me, or perhaps the historical setting created a bit of distance. Whatever the reason, I just wasn’t fully invested in them.

Writing Style
This is supposed to be a YA novel, but honestly, it didn’t feel like one while I was reading. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Either way, the book didn’t click with me the way I wanted it to.

That said, it’s clear the author did a ton of research, and it shows in the details and in the writing itself. I appreciate the effort, even if the result wasn’t entirely my thing.

Setting and Atmosphere
The setting—13th-century France—is richly drawn. You can absolutely feel the atmosphere of the period in every chapter. The author does a great job of blending historical fact with fiction, making the world feel both grounded and mystical. There’s a spiritual and almost ethereal tone to parts of the story, thanks to Dolssa’s character, but it never goes over the top.

Overall Impression
I expected to enjoy this book more than I did, and I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t. With a story like this, it’s important to feel close to the characters—especially when the world-building is already so strong. I understand that the writing style was meant to reflect the time period, but sometimes that came at the cost of engagement. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: big parts of this book were boring, and boredom is the graveyard of a reading experience.

Key Themes

• Resistance and courage
• Persecution and intolerance
• Mystical and religious devotion
• Female solidarity and sisterhood

The Kite Runner

 Khaled Hosseini

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Literary Fiction

Initial Impression I’d heard a lot of good things about Khaled Hosseini’s writing and stories, but since this was my first time picking up one of his books, I didn’t know what to expect.

Summary The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is set in 1970s Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir is a privileged young boy from the dominant Pashtun group, living with his father, Baba. Amir often feels a distance between them and suspects that his birth—during which his mother died—has something to do with it.

Amir has a loyal companion who loves him like a brother: Hassan, the son of their Hazara servant, Ali. Despite the class and ethnic divide, the two boys share a close bond, flying kites and telling stories together.

Eventually, something very disturbing happens, and everything changes. Ali and Hassan end up leaving. Later, with the Soviet invasion, Amir and his father flee to the United States. Years later, Amir finds himself drawn back to Afghanistan, needing to rescue someone. I’ve deliberately kept the details vague—this is a story best read without knowing too much.

Characters The characters are incredibly multilayered, each written with depth and emotional complexity. The story is narrated by Amir, beginning in his childhood and continuing through his adult life in America.

Amir: I hated Amir as a child—for what he did and for not standing up for his friend. Worse still, he pushed Hassan away because he reminded him of his own cowardice. I believe this is exactly the reaction the author wanted to evoke. As Amir grows up, we slowly begin to root for him—to step up, to face his past, and to finally do the right thing. Even though Amir later has to go to Afghanistan to rescue the important character, I feel this was more about Amir rescuing himself. 

Hassan: Hassan is the heart of the novel. A loyal, pure-hearted friend you can’t help but love—and feel deep sorrow for.

Baba (Amir’s father): At first, Baba seems wise and balanced, but as the story unfolds, we see that he is a flawed human being who makes big mistakes too.

Soraya: She’s an interesting character, as are her parents. I really admired Soraya for her honesty—how she told Amir her secret before marriage. That moment added a lot to her character.

Writing Style Hosseini’s prose is beautiful and full of depth. With just words and situations, he stirs a whole range of emotions. His poetic writing style makes The Kite Runner an unforgettable experience.

Setting and Atmosphere The author portrays Afghanistan vividly—both before and after Taliban rule. He brings the setting to life so well that you feel like you’re living there, experiencing the joy, the sorrow, and the tension firsthand. Later, the immigrant experience in America is also portrayed thoughtfully, especially the struggles of those who fled a war-torn homeland.

Overall Impression This was a 5-star read for me because it delivered everything I expect from literary fiction: a compelling story, well-developed characters, strong narration, and beautiful writing. It’s a powerful tale of redemption, regret, and personal growth. I couldn’t help but draw a comparison to Ian McEwan’s Atonement—different stories, but both explore characters trying to make amends for the past.

Movie Adaptation I had to watch the movie adaptation after finishing the book. It’s a decent film, but it doesn’t quite capture the emotional depth of the novel. I think it was a missed opportunity not to use narration for Amir’s perspective—it could have made a big difference. There were also a few cultural inaccuracies, such as the burial scene, that should have been handled better. While the actors were well-cast, some of the book’s most emotional moments—like Baba’s grief when Ali and Hassan leave—were not translated effectively on screen. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Key Themes

• Guilt and redemption
  

• Loyalty and betrayal
  

• Father–son relationships
  

• Ethnic tensions and conflict

Descent

 Tim Johnston

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Descent is a mystery thriller that follows the Courtland family during their summer vacation in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. When 18-year-old Caitlin and her younger brother Sean go for a morning run in the mountains, Caitlin disappears, and Sean is left injured and traumatized. This is where the family’s nightmare begins — not knowing how to find their daughter or what exactly happened to her.

When there’s a loss like this, many families either break or grow distant. In this case, the mother decides to return home while the father stays in Colorado to continue searching the wilderness for his missing daughter. Meanwhile, Sean struggles to grow up with the weight of trauma he can’t shake off. Each member of the family copes with the emotional aftermath in their own way, and the narration shifts between them to capture their inner lives and the slow, aching toll of grief.

The strongest aspect of the book, for me, is Johnston’s beautiful literary prose. His writing is often poetic and deeply reflective. If you enjoy literary fiction, there's a lot to appreciate in the way he describes both the natural world and the emotional terrain of his characters. Unlike many thrillers written today, Descent feels grounded and realistic — at least for the first 80% of the story. The ending leans more into conventional thriller territory, and that shift, in my opinion, undercuts some of the realism built up earlier.

Descent has a lot going for it: rich, thoughtful writing, well-drawn characters, and a convincing portrayal of grief and survival. Where it falters is in its pacing. This book is marketed as a thriller, and while it starts off that way, the entire middle section felt much more like literary fiction. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — I enjoy both genres — but when I pick up a thriller, I’m usually in the mood for a fast-paced, tension-driven story. Likewise, if I pick up a literary novel, I expect a slower, more introspective read. This book sits somewhere in between, and that can be frustrating depending on what you're expecting going in.

The issue, really, is that it tries to be both, and for me, that didn’t fully work. Had it been structured entirely as literary fiction, I think the story would have felt more cohesive — especially with a different kind of ending. The one we get is more suited to a thriller, but it doesn’t quite match the tone or pace of the bulk of the book.

Caitlin’s sections, which should’ve been the most gripping emotionally, are also too limited for much of the novel. We do get to see her strength, especially toward the end, but I wanted more of her voice earlier. And when the ending finally comes, it feels rushed — almost too quick and clean after such a slow, heavy build-up.

Overall, I think Descent is a decent read, but it’s best approached with the right expectations. If you're looking for a literary exploration of trauma with occasional bursts of suspense, this will likely resonate with you. But if you’re after a page-turning thriller, you may find yourself disappointed by how slowly it moves.