Holy Cow: A Modern Day Dairy Tale by David Duchovny | Book Review

5/5 stars!!!

This is a eminently comical book filled with wise-cracks and wit but has surprisingly and effortlessly delivered some really important messages about acceptance, culture, mutual respect and understanding. 

It is a reminder that animals are not the mindless beasts purely there to serve and feed us as many of us in the human race seem to think they are. 

One thing that our MC, Elsie the cow, says in this book really stood out to me. She said something along the lines of: humans shouldn't have the privilege of being called an animal because we don't deserve it. She says that she thanks every blade of grass when she's grazing in the field. 

That's respect for nature at its finest and it is how many of us forget to be. While getting that point across, Duchovny doesn't do it in a preachy way. It's lighthearted and it's FUNNY. 

It's a completely crazy (yet oh so very true!) globe-trotting story that requires you to leave your sense of reality behind. 

This is a bizarre tale of an American cow who sneaks out from her pasture to go flirt with the bulls but instead ends up discovering the horrors of the slaughter house. Planning her escape to a safer life in India where cows are holy and worshiped, she embarks on a journey with two unlikely companions, a pig called Shalom, who has recently converted to Judaism and Tom the Turkey who can't fly. 

The writing is absolutely fantastic. I am so impressed with David Duchovny as an author (and not just because I think he's a bloody gorgeous and extremely talented actor...). His writing is daring and I just loved it!!! I found myself full of laughter throughout this book. 

Favorite Quote from the Book:

"So I guess it's not so important that dreams come true, it's just important that you have a dream to begin with, to get you to take your first steps."

I listened to this on Audible and absolutely adored David Duchovny's narration of his work. I think every book should be narrated by Duchovny #justsaying ;)

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty | Book Review

Pure, sinister, dark and riveting excellence! 

This is a book about a bunch of kindergarden mothers and the scandal in their lives! 

What I had originally thought was a thriller turned out to be so much more! While this book is a murder mystery it isn't 'scary; besides the scariness of reality. Each character has instability and a situation in their life that could happen to any one of us... the characters were so enjoyable and easy to relate to - they seemed like almost real people to me. 

This is a book that really keeps you guessing! Going into this book we know that someone has been murdered but we have no idea who the victim is nor do we know who the murderer is. This book was fascinating, the plot and format is so creatively done. I loved the interviews with the sideline characters at the beginning and ends of most of the chapters, discussing the events leading up to the incident. 

The writing was absolutely fantastic and so descriptive. The story was incredibly mysterious and unputdownable. Even Stephen King had fabulous things to say about Liane Moriarty's, Big Little Lies!

It covers many elements such as domestic violence, rape, bullying and the effects of social media. It makes us realise as a reader just how sickening and fake our online lives can possibly be and how we are all far too concerned about what others think of us. 

As serious as this book is, it throws humour in right where it is needed to give you a bit of a break from all of the motherly drama this book entails. The humour isn't overdone either. It is perfect. The entire book is perfect! PERFECTION.

Every character was so complex! I loved how we got to know each one and their back stories. 

I must admit that there were a few things I found quite predictable in this book but on the contrary there was so much that was so Unpredictable that it really didn't matter to me. 

There's a quote concerning the domestic violence featured in this book that I really want to share and briefly talk about:

"She wanted to let him know that at least one person here today understood all the mistakes he'd made along the way: the times he hit back, the times he stayed when he should have left, the times he gave her another chance, the times he deliberately antagonised her, the times he let his children see things they shouldn't see. She wanted to tell him she knew all the perfect little lies he'd told himself for all those years, because she'd told herself the same lies."

Unless you have personally been in an abusive relationship it really is so hard to understand. If your friends and family know you are in one and you don't just walk away, they judge you a lot of the time. They don't see how hard it can be to cut those ties. They don't see how there is still feelings involved.. feelings and fear and so much more that is so hard to explain but Moriarty did it perfectly. That aspect of this book REALLY hit a nerve with me. I related whole-heartedly and it was so very real and scary to understand Celeste's character as much as I did. 

This book was just... WOW. I loved it. Now for the mini series featuring Nicole Kidman, Reece Witherspoon and Laura Dern :)

September Reading Wrap-Up

Rape, Slut Shaming, Victim Blaming

This is the best book I have ever read... and I have a lot to say about it and what it is about (rape, slut-shaming and victim-blaming):

Laugh at Yourself! Don't Take Yourself So Bloody Seriously!!!!

Book Review: Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

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