An extraordinary house built of the highest quality material but missing plumbing and electricity
Helplessly original and a wonder, this book has violeAn extraordinary house built of the highest quality material but missing plumbing and electricity
Helplessly original and a wonder, this book has violently captured my thoughts since its completion.
Grames has pulled off a remarkable feat—she has created a brilliant world, ripe with intriguing history and complex characters.
The story is set in rural 1960’s Italy in a seemingly charming village where the main character, Francesca, is a fly caught in an intricate web of connectivity—all of the villagers are, at the very least, loosely associated with each other, often tied together by glittering, secret history.
This delightful world and its characters have whispered to my imagination, and this is a book that I feel compelled to talk about.
It has some dazzling, startlingly real characters who at times can seem harsh yet warm.
Looking at Audible, GWTW is just over 49 hours and GOT is nearly 35 hours.
The problem is……….most books over 500 pages aren’t highly marketable.
So The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia is a hair over 400 pages, resulting in irrecoverable sacrifices.
It has three rocky plots: Francesca struggling to open a nursery (a preschool), a love triangle, and a murder mystery.
As far as the nursery, Francesca’s (and therefore the reader’s) connection to the village’s children is too generic. She doesn’t form a deep connection with specific children, so it is difficult to feel invested in this plotline. The stakes didn’t seem high enough.
The love triangle is also underdeveloped, bumbling and clumsy, with Francesca appearing to casually make random, contradictory, and bizarre decisions.
And the murder mystery….The ending was not satisfying, and the reader leaves with more questions than in the beginning.
There are also about a billion characters, and the book needs a family map like in A Suitable Boy. I would imagine the audiobook experience to be torturous.
This book haunts me, a tragedy, because it is bursting with potential—so thick are the rays of brilliance that they are actually visible! The author is clearly promising, and The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia unmistakably has many great things going for it. But the execution just isn’t there yet.
*Thanks, NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
May Cobb is the queen of guilty pleasure; however, this one missed the mark.
Cassidy, a 20-something young lady, goes to LA to recover after a bad breaMay Cobb is the queen of guilty pleasure; however, this one missed the mark.
Cassidy, a 20-something young lady, goes to LA to recover after a bad breakup. She works as a personal assistant to a Hollywood couple when one of them ends up dead.
While Cassidy is supposed to be a young lady, she acts more in line with a mature 30ish year old, going to The Container Store for an exciting night out on the town (sadly not an exaggeration). And I just wanted her to be a bit more irrational and diabolical! Give me a wild Cassidy!
The book also seemed a bit slow, which is strange for a guilty pleasure book.
There are two timelines: a later and a now timeline. And the later timeline is really inconsistent.
This book was ruined a bit by reading Daemon Voices by Philip Pullman, a collection of essays on storytelling. Of course, the exact quote eludes me, but it is something to the effect of “Don’t start a story with the cheap trick of ‘She entered the slowly darkening room’ because readers will instantly be annoyed wanting to know who she is.” Ugh. This book essentially implements this trick and stuck to it like a dog with a bone for 75% of the book.
Now, don’t kill me here because I am going to share something that you may not have noticed before, but you will now be on the alert. For some unknown reason, the word “click” was used 29 times! 29!
Well, I didn’t click with this one………
May Cobb --- I still love your work; we’ll get the next one!
*Thanks, NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
Daughters of Shandong is The Debut Novel of the Year—if not The Novel of the Year!
It is the engrossing tale of a mother and her dMarvelous Masterpiece
Daughters of Shandong is The Debut Novel of the Year—if not The Novel of the Year!
It is the engrossing tale of a mother and her daughters, abandoned in enemy territory with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Chung beautifully captures the complex, tangled web of life’s pressures from the obligation to the family, social norms, economic strain, power structures, and the autonomy of the individual while the ship of fate is being blown about by the wind of desperation, hope for the future, and the ripple effects of kindness.
Set in China in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s, this story follows the Ang family who is solidly in the crosshairs of the newly in power Communist regime. Suddenly, this prosperous family’s old way of life has vanished in an instant. Father, Nai Nai (Grandmother) and Yei Yei (Grandfather) pack up all their worldly possessions and hightail it to safety, leaving behind Mother and their daughters in hostile territory with little more than the grit to survive. Will they ever see Father again? And do they even want to?
Based on a true story, this book dazzles—it has scenes as moving as Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, how one small act of kindness can have such an enormous impact. With the skill of a master craftsperson, Chung impossibly balances the harsh, grim realities of the cruel and dangerous world with the uplifting hope and determination of the women along with the generosity and compassion of strangers (even enemies at times!).
Plus, you have to stick around until the end to see if Nai Nai will finally get her just desserts for being so cruel to Mother.
An unforgettable read that could move a heart of lead, this glowing review couldn’t possibly do this book justice. Captivating, spell binding, extraordinary fail to convey the riveting nature of Daughters of Shandong.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
All the Colors of the Dark is a gritty, bleak, but, at the same time, beautiful thriller.
And my gosh. Chris Whitaker can write a character. Watch out,All the Colors of the Dark is a gritty, bleak, but, at the same time, beautiful thriller.
And my gosh. Chris Whitaker can write a character. Watch out, Charles Dickens! Whitaker’s characters are complexly original—no one is a cliché.
The pages fly; the book is action-packed, compulsively addictive, and the finest of the mystery genre. It is written using perfect structure: short paragraphs, sentences, and chapters. If you liked the pacing in Gone Girl, this is your book. Mark my words. One day, this book will become a fantastic movie!
Two thumbs up for this breath-stealing thriller.
*Thanks, NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher Hardcover Text – $16.95 from Blackwell’s (On July 11, 2023, I preordered this book. The title is All the Colours of the Dark in the UK, and it will be published July 16, 2024 in the UK and June 25, 2024 in the US)
As currently written, this book doesn’t make any sense to me.
The premise of the book is that seven years ago, Diamond’s father (“Pop”) disappears—onlyAs currently written, this book doesn’t make any sense to me.
The premise of the book is that seven years ago, Diamond’s father (“Pop”) disappears—only his shoes, ID, and some money are left behind on the banks of Swift River. Now, Diamond’s mom wants to have Pop declared dead to claims his life insurance money. Two sub-plots occur where Diamond strikes up communication with her father’s family, and Diamond suddenly forms a friendship with Shelley, someone she has known for years.
Swift River initially started off strong, but according to my notes, “the ending really sucks.”
Now, this comes from Chapter 3 out of 25 but might be considered a spoiler. (view spoiler)[Mom and Pop may not have been legally married as Pop sent the preacher away. The lawyer in me was giddy with excitement because this small detail has drastic legal consequences. To my grave disappointment, this was never even brought up. (hide spoiler)]
While the letters from Aunt Lena shed more light on the town’s history, they don’t provide any clues as to Pop’s whereabouts or what likely happened to him. The mystery plot, the main plot, seems to be dropped, and the progress is poorly benchmarked.
The ending regarding Shelley needs to be rewritten—it doesn’t carry an emotional punch, and it isn’t memorable.
Finally, the more I think about this book, the more questions that I have and not in a good way:
-Why would Mom want to stay in Swift River? She has poor job prospects, the town is hostile, Diamond has no friends, no availability of buses, no family in the area. -What about Diamond’s bike accident and knee? -What happened to Rick? -Big spoiler question: (view spoiler)[Why would Pop leave daughter AND cousin? (hide spoiler)]
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
It still makes me nervous whenever I write a negative review for a debut novelist who is still alive (Lately, I have been reading novels from the 1800It still makes me nervous whenever I write a negative review for a debut novelist who is still alive (Lately, I have been reading novels from the 1800’s so not a lot of risk of offending authors there).
To Mr. Ordorica – You have an important voice. Please don’t let this review derail you, and I have been wrong about a lot of books. You also might not have found the perfect editor for you yet.
So….wipes sweaty palms….deep breath….let’s get this over with…..
1. Narrative voice – The book is written in an awkward, weird mix of first and second person perspective. “If you asked me to explain why I chose this constellation to be yours—which of course you would, being you—I’d say that….” It should have been in third person perspective. 2. Formatting was confusing. The header says 1989 and then a character says it is 2011. 3. Far too many descriptions of the landscape. I would start by reviewing every instance of “green” and “rock”. 4. Far too many uses of the word “like”. 5. At least the first paragraph needs to be rewritten. It was so confusing and disorienting that I had to read it 3 or 4 times, partly the confusion relates back to the aforementioned messy 1st/2nd person perspective. 6. If Daniel is a poor student on scholarship, why doesn’t he have a summer job? 7. I didn’t feel vested in the romance which had so much potential. Think of the greatest romances of our time. Jay Gatsby creates an entire empire for Daisy, and Noah builds a house for Allie in The Notebook. What does Sam do? He tells Daniel to go to class. Say what?! What is so special about Sam? Daniel could have taught Sam Spanish, shared tamales, danced reggaeton together. Maybe Daniel has never had a birthday party, and Sam blows up hundreds of ballons in their cozy little dorm room. Maybe they watch a movie, and he gently covers him up with a blanket. Maybe Sam teaches Daniel to drive so every time Daniel drives he thinks of Sam. Maybe Sam teaches Daniel math, Sam tutors him, fingertips brush, and Daniel is so shy that he types I love you into the calculator. But instead they eat pretzels at the food court with Sam’s dad, and Sam gives Daniel a one-time pep talk. Is this what romance is these days?
How We Named the Stars feels like a draft and needs a lot of work.
Mr. Ordorica –You have promise, and I would be happy to proof your future works.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
This isn’t a book that I would ordinarily read but 1) my favorite publisher is Simon & Schuster and 2) this book was on several Most Anticipated BooksThis isn’t a book that I would ordinarily read but 1) my favorite publisher is Simon & Schuster and 2) this book was on several Most Anticipated Books of 2024 lists.
Is the hype real on this one?
Ismael Reyes (“Izzy”) is a young man living with his aunt in Miami. He works as a Pitbull impersonator until one fateful day, he receives a cease-and-desist letter. Now, Izzy is at an inflection point—he has to carve out a new identity for himself. For some reason, he decides to become Tony Montana from Scarface.
At the same time, readers are introduced to Lolita, a captive whale, who lives at the Miami Seaquarim.
Full disclosure: I spent more time learning about whales than reading this book because Lolita, Hugo, even the birds are real! This book might even be viewed as historical fiction as it chronicles the history of a real-life whale, plucked from the ocean and kept in a tiny tank.
If you are interested in learning more about whales, here are some of the videos I watched (please note some of these contain disturbing images and mature language):
Say Hello to my Little Friend is rather entertaining for about two-thirds of the book. Although I have never seen Scarface, I enjoyed Izzy’s quest to find people to play certain roles in his life. The last third of the book is rushed and didn’t land like the first part of the book.
Moreover, while I would consider myself an environmentalist, the topic of global warming was a recurring theme, but it didn’t feel organic with the text—it came across as a bit awkward and felt a bit like pushing it agenda; it might have been okay if it wasn’t so heavy-handed.
Overall, Lolita is the hero of the book, and everyone in my life wishes I would shut up because I keep bugging them with newly discovered (to me) facts about whales.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher...more
Not the next Gone Girl but there is enough here to entertain
One of my favorite mystery tropes pervades this novel—a before and after timeline with addNot the next Gone Girl but there is enough here to entertain
One of my favorite mystery tropes pervades this novel—a before and after timeline with additional pieces of the puzzle being slowly revealed.
Darling Girls is set in Australia focusing on three foster children, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia who all lived at Wild Meadows with their maniacal foster mum, Holly Fairchild.
The overall reading experience was enjoyable, particularly the plot. Take the very first page. Someone is talking to Dr. Warren, the psychiatrist. Who is it?
However, there is one thing holding back Darling Girls from being exceptional—its characters. These characters were not very convincing; they felt flat and predictable. It felt as though Hepworth created a character outline describing the three main characters in two sentences. Some form of the word “organized” was used 23 times!
This weak character development ended up seeping into and tainting the narrative voice and the ending.
The narrative voice was rather dull. For a great modern example of a spectacular narrative voice, explore The Fury by Alex Michaelides . Darling Girls is written in the third person; however, Hepworth should have considered the first-person perspective to increase the suspense, really leaning into the narrator’s desperation and terror, quickening the reader’s pulse. Darling Girls also lacked the humor of Hepworth’s The Good Sister.
Because the characters were cliché, the ending was lackluster and overly cozy—downright forgettable.
Not a seminal piece of the mystery genre but Darling Girls solidly holds its own.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
Imagine watching an interesting fight scene. Except every minute there is a cut to commercial. That is exactly howIf I hear “splinter” one more time……
Imagine watching an interesting fight scene. Except every minute there is a cut to commercial. That is exactly how I felt reading this book.
The underlying plot was interesting—three friends find themselves in the waiting room before death. To escape their fate, they will need to complete three trials.
If this book had primarily focused on one or two characters, I would have liked it; however, there are over 30 characters, and they all seemed to have their own backstory. The Book of Love was so busy playing character whack-a-mole that the plot suffered.
Thomas/Kristopher/Avelot should have been a prequel. Mo’s mom and grandmother should be their own short story.
To try to compensate for the character soup, there is a lot of repetition. For example, there would be a reveal. Then, an off-screen character would join the original group of characters, and someone would repeat the reveal over again.
As far as the title and cover is concerned, they are puzzling to me. How does this book qualify as “The Book of Love”? The cover has moons on it, but the moon wasn’t a very significant part of the book (there was a very small section very haphazardly tacked on at the end).
Overall, the concept of this book is a wonder of imagination (the fight scene in my opening paragraph), but it gets lost in the character building (the commercials). This interfered significantly with the suspense building.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
A village in Greece is reeling after a local real estate developer tries to clear a small patch of land, the fLoved the idea but not the writing style
A village in Greece is reeling after a local real estate developer tries to clear a small patch of land, the fire quickly rages out of control, consuming most of the village, killing, maiming many people, destroying homes and lifetimes of irreplaceable possessions.
Irini discovers the man responsible for the fire, deceased in what is left of the forest. Should she help him? And what happened to him?
The Book of Fire is written in dual timelines told from mother Irini’s perspective.
Although I personally enjoyed many of the themes touched on in the book and found some of the scenes quite touching, this book seemed to really drag.
The paragraphs were too long, and the author got too carried away with the setting, too many descriptions.
Irini also really overexplained things to the point that it felt like YA. Also, why did Tasso spend only 1 day looking for his father? Moreover, the dialogue seemed off. Irini stated that the village had 500 people. I grew up in a village of about 2,500 people, and the first thing that happens when you meet anyone from the village is find out who you know in common.
If you enjoy books about climate change and lots of descriptions about Greece, you might really enjoy this read, but it was just okay for me.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for the free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic copy of text – Free provided by publisher
Listed as one of fall’s most anticipated books, the cover of Hitchcock’s Blondes is stunning especially in a world before photoshop.
Going into this, IListed as one of fall’s most anticipated books, the cover of Hitchcock’s Blondes is stunning especially in a world before photoshop.
Going into this, I expected a TED-talk style, highly engaging, well-organized book, but…….
Let’s off with the band-aid, shall we?
This book didn’t work for me.
Full Disclosure: I have never seen an Alfred Hitchcock film, but I was interested to learn more. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I was familiar with his works.
The editor should be fired because this book is a hot mess. Hitchcock’s Blondes is not well organized, and each chapter should have been titled after the particular actress. At times, the book veers off topic, starting to go into the weeds with the actors. Perhaps a more fitting title for this work would be Old Hollywood?
Also, there are a few photos in the book that are wasted by being placed at the very back of the book. In fact, I missed them the first time through because they are truly the last pages of the book even after the long notes, acknowledgement, and sources. Instead, these should have been strategically weaved in with the corresponding chapter.
The narrative voice was underdeveloped and inelegant. The super quick film summaries didn’t work for someone not familiar with Hitchcock’s work. It was like the author took a big breath and tried to punch through the summary as quickly as possible.
Finally, the tone of this book is a little cringy especially in light of the #MeToo movement. The author attempted to downplay sexual assault and harassment, noting when an actress asserted abuse in later years and trying to pass off uncomfortable, inappropriate jokes.
In one of the last chapters, it is noted that Hitchcock’s secretary would come into his office and shut the door. David Freeman, a screenwriter, thought she was partially undressing to buy a new car.
Unless the secretary wanted this story out, it is shameful to publish it. First, this appears to be based on no more than speculation and vicious rumors. Maybe she shut the door to transcribe some notes? Second, even if this story is 100% true, the inherent imbalance of power is abusive and is the secretary’s story to share.
*Thanks to Putnam Brothers, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion who I am sure will love to work with me after this absolutely brutal but honest review.
The Women details Frances “Frankie” McGrath’s experience serving in the Vietnam War as a nurse. And her transition Hot Take: This book would never end
The Women details Frances “Frankie” McGrath’s experience serving in the Vietnam War as a nurse. And her transition into civilian life.
This book had no plot—it is based on one character. The problem is….Frankie isn’t likeable. She is an entitled, spoiled rich girl. She has everything handed to her, and her reason for going to war was to be on the hero’s wall and not wanting to work her way up at the hospital. Although she constantly pulls on her veteran roommates, she couldn’t be bothered to provide support to nurses that arrived after her. Apparently, she hasn’t heard of paying it forward.
Hannah also never gets into what makes Frankie so unique, what makes her special, what drives her. What about her would the world miss if she was gone?
My favorite author says it best: “Every sentence I write is surrounded by the ghosts of the sentences I could have written at that point but chose not to.” In The Women, I wanted to hear about the other servicewomen. After Part 1, it was time to transition to someone else. How did Major Goldstein, the chief nurse, get to her position and how did she cope with placing the nurses, determining their fates? Why didn’t we shift to Ethel and Barb and what happened before Frankie?
Additionally, Hannah is far too verbose, leaving the reader to wade through needless paragraphs, inserting uninteresting details. Sorry, I just don’t care about the cheap motel especially at the end of the book. Not sorry.
The foreshadowing is so heavy that the book becomes predictable, and there are far too many characters—all of them are undeveloped. The author did far too much telling instead of showing. Show us memories of Finley and Frances. Give us the backstory on Ethel and Barb. Don’t tell us. Show us.
Although I greatly enjoyed learning more about the brave women who valiantly served our country, this book was a chore to read.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
Came for diabolical vengeance and steam but got a boring, watered down therapy session
The local librarian, Daphne Vincent, is happily engaged to PeterCame for diabolical vengeance and steam but got a boring, watered down therapy session
The local librarian, Daphne Vincent, is happily engaged to Peter Collins. Until the eve of his bachelor night when Petey unceremoniously dumps Daphne for his bestie, Petra. Also, heartbroken is Miles, Petra’s boyfriend. Daphne now needs a place to stay, and Miles just so happens to have a slot available. To get back at Peter and Petra, the two decide to “fake date.”
Funny Story had potential for some Jerry Springer like drama. Do not dump librarians. They read lots of stories and have plenty of material to work with.
Take, for example, our villain, Peter. He is a software person, and say he has a keylogger program on Daphne’s computer. Daphne creates some very interesting stories, googles “pregnancy” and “STD testing” and tells Miles how much “better” he is than Peter. Perhaps Daphne gets drunk, googles “hottest people on GoodReads” and wakes up with a few more bookish friends. Or she walks by Peter’s gym, licking an ice cream cone, only she’s too enthusiastic and the ice cream falls to the concrete sidewalk. She smiles and laughs genuinely while Peter runs over, offering to buy her another cone, but Daphne lowers her voice and says in a sultry tone, “No need. I get all the ice cream I need for free,” as she walks away.
But instead of bad librarian, this book went into some misguided attempt to give the characters backstory with characters excruciatingly overexplaining their feelings. The book just plain didn’t bring the fun. Where is our guilty pleasure?
Just for the record, Anne Elliot is the Jane Austen character that I most relate to. To pick a character from P&P is just too pedestrian, darling.
Lacking creativity, lame, tame, and too PG. Needs a bit more May Cobb.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher
The three other Rachel Hawkins novels that I read were gripping and captivating. This was not.
The Heiress is tolMessy Mash-Up of Unoriginal Plot Lines
The three other Rachel Hawkins novels that I read were gripping and captivating. This was not.
The Heiress is told in three varying perspectives: 1) husband Camden, 2) wife Jules, 3) a collection of letters by Camden’s adopted mother, Ruby.
This seemed to be a mash-up of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. What is the basis for this conclusion?
So glad you asked.
Ruby has four dead husbands in her wake. Like in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Ruby reveals what happened to each one.
In Home Before Dark, the main character, Maggie, returns to this creepy haunted house and reads excerpts from her father’s book. In the case of The Heiress, this technique didn’t work because there were too many narrative voices. Personally, I would have cut Jules’s section.
In addition, The Heiress has some plot holes. I still want to know more about Cecilia, the housekeeper, and what happened to all of the missing hikers. And what was the purpose of Libby and Cam’s confrontation about the gate? At the very end, the author tried to pull off a little twist, but it didn’t really pack a punch. The ending needed to be much stronger—in a month, I will completely forget what happened.
A decent read but not Hawkins’s best work.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
How much I spent: Electronic text – Free through NetGalley
Several years ago, I was enchanted by an extremely famous podcast.
The Accused was declaring his innocence, spending his life behind bars as a result oSeveral years ago, I was enchanted by an extremely famous podcast.
The Accused was declaring his innocence, spending his life behind bars as a result of an unjust and inaccurate conviction.
This was a serious allegation against the legal system, and The Accused sounded so sincere.
Of course, Super Lisa was going to solve this crime. I became obsessed with the case: reading the trial transcripts, pleadings, attorney notes, and reviewing the police file.
Spoiler Alert: The Accused is guilty.
But the thing is…..the thing that moved me the most was The Victim’s diary.
The media gave all of the airtime to The Accused, that The Victim’s voice was lost in the circus of amateur sleuthing and sensationalism.
The Victim’s diary transported me back to my teenage years, back to the exquisite, boundless hope of the future, endless possibilities. The Victim was experiencing all of the firsts of adulthood: getting her first car, preparing for college, waiting for decision letters, planning for her first trip to Europe. She was still enjoying the naïve innocent days of being a giddy teenager before the cynicism of life could creep in.
Not only did The Victim prove The Accused was lying, but she made me realize all that she would miss: going to college, earning a living wage (actually enjoying not being broke as a joke), sharing her life with a partner, holding her newborn baby in her arms, watching it grow up, guiding it, traveling the world.
Bright Young Women is a fictional story which focuses on the victims and survivors instead of the offenders. It proposes taking back the narrative from attention-seeking criminals.
Personally, I love the concept (especially given my above experience with True Crime), but the execution left much to be desired.
The book has two POV’s in different timelines. One follows Pamela, the sorority President who is reeling after discovering four of her sisters were attacked in her own house. The other POV is with Ruth, one of the victims.
This is one of those cases where less is more. If the author had Ruth’s diary and wove in Pamela’s experience of mourning the loss of her friend, the book could have been more moving. It felt like the author was trying to do too much. Even though this book is a bit long for a thriller, I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters—the characters didn’t speak to me. The author spent too much time on backstory, covering what seems to be the entire lives of multiple characters.
Further, the pacing was too slow. The book could use a trim of about 100-200 pages. I wanted to feel Pamela’s thoughts flicking back and forth like she couldn’t catch her breath or still her mind. Some pages I just wanted to skip to the dialogue. Ruth’s part was overly depressing with nearly everyone in her life doing her wrong.
Overall, a good reminder to question the media portrayal of true crime and a perfect book to discuss at a book club.
*Thanks, NetGalley and Edelweiss, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
After Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan is back with a punch. Late In The Day includes three short stories: So Late in the Day, The Long and PainAfter Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan is back with a punch. Late In The Day includes three short stories: So Late in the Day, The Long and Painful Death, and Antarctica.
Normally short stories aren’t my jam, but Claire Keegan knows how to expertly tell a story in a short amount of time. Her prose is so smooth that her books flow naturally, captivating the reader.
This collection of short stories focuses on the dynamic between male and female characters. Late In The Day felt so realistic that the male subject reminded me of someone that I know.
My favorite story is The Long and Painful Death. There is some symbolism going on, and I would love to give it a reread. What does the window represent? My windows actually have their seals broken so the view isn’t quite what it used to be. That sounds like the basis for another short story…..
This book is small but mighty.
Perfect if you want a short read for a book club! Or if you just like books that give food for thought.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review....more
How to Say Babylon is a richly observed memoir of familial dysfunction centered on a young girl, the authA Book That Will Stay With Me For A Long Time
How to Say Babylon is a richly observed memoir of familial dysfunction centered on a young girl, the author, living in Jamaica under the rule of her authoritarian father.
This book is fascinating to read, shedding light on the history of Jamaica and steeped in family drama.
The prose is dazzling - the author has a background in poetry, and Sinclair has a masterful understanding of foreshadowing.
Although the narrative is extremely compelling, there were a few flaws: 1) The father was painted in a one dimensional light. He must have done something positive or kind. 2) Sinclair didn't balance light and dark very well, especially covering the sections in her teen and early adult years. 3) The ending isn't strong enough and is unremarkable.
Overall, How to Say Babylon is a highly addictive book, a must-read if you enjoyed Educated or The Glass Castle.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
This book would have been over if the characters had Google Maps (and they all had cell phones)……..
The Hunt is a fictionalized story of a local radio This book would have been over if the characters had Google Maps (and they all had cell phones)……..
The Hunt is a fictionalized story of a local radio station which hosts a contest each year: find a golden egg worth $50,000! However, each year people die mysteriously. Are these deaths accidental or is someone The Hunter?
If someone has a cell phone, wouldn’t you call? Also, wouldn’t you use Google Maps?
The Hunt could have used some better organization. It appeared to be a jumbled mess of thoughts and characters.
The book is supposed to be a mystery/thriller, but we don’t really receive any clues (and don’t feel any closer to solving the main issues). Also, the ending is extremely unsatisfying.
One of the characters thinks that she can buy a new car and start an entirely new life with $50,000. Um $50,000 after taxes isn’t what it used to be with inflation.
The setting for the book is a milk cap factory. Why? It isn’t an interesting setting nor is it spooky. It didn’t add anything to the story.
Some characters seemed to be dropped only to reappear briefly. The book then threw in some lesbian rendezvous (which was honestly the best part) and a very strange rant about abortion access in the middle of a thriller.
Overall, this book felt so ridiculous that it reminded me of when I play games with my family where we start telling a story and then pass it over to someone else.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
Call Justin Timberlake because we need to bring sexy back!
May Cobb is really my go-to author for steamy thrillers, but A Likeable Woman is missing theCall Justin Timberlake because we need to bring sexy back!
May Cobb is really my go-to author for steamy thrillers, but A Likeable Woman is missing the steam and is lackluster as a thriller.
Usually, someone is in their birthday suit by the 10% mark in a May Cobb book but not this time. This didn't feel like a guilty pleasure. In one of the "steamy" scenes, the action is limited to one or two paragraphs.
Also, the narrative voice should have been better, and it took me AGES to finish this book. When I was struggling, someone volunteered to read the book aloud for me. Of course, this volunteer could not stick to the actual words of the text but punched up everything, creating little nicknames like Jack in the Box for Jack, Saddie Sadie, Ethan Hunt, and Michael Jordan for Mike. He had me in stitches, and that was the most enjoyable portion of the book.
Our main character is Kira followed by Sadie, and both of them were very sad and woe-is-me. We needed something a bit more lighthearted and fun. Steamy thrillers aren't supposed to be so dark and heavy.
Sadly, this was a miss for me.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion....more
Before Bill, there was Mel. Melville. When I adopted him at the animal shelter, he looked right at me and called out. We were inseparable ever since.
MBefore Bill, there was Mel. Melville. When I adopted him at the animal shelter, he looked right at me and called out. We were inseparable ever since.
Mel grounded me, gave me unconditional love, and would get so excited to see me when I came home from work that he would run to the door and start meowing as soon as he heard the doorknob turn.
He had his own personality in that he really loved being close to me, but he didn’t want to sit on me. He also hated being picked up. When it was finally time for bed at the end of the day, I would call him, and he would faithfully follow, giving little meows of acknowledgement as his little paws went pattering next to mine.
We had ten amazing years together.
After a lengthy illness, he died.
And his death destroyed me. Every single day, I would cry, pretty much nonstop from the time I awoke until bedtime. Once I saw a flash of a little grey cat tail outside, and I ran outside so fast, never able to locate this mysterious cat.
The world was going on, but my life was stuck. The world was forever changed, but everyone was carrying on as business as usual. Eventually, I ended up going to grief counseling, and I had a great Death Guide.
Outside my house, I have a memorial tree. Right around the anniversary of Mel’s death, the cherry tree blooms in a spectacular fashion.
There can be beauty, mystery, and magic in death.
However, I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home failed to capture that.
The book centers on Finn who is going through a rough time: his brother is in hospice, and his ex-partner, Lily, is battling with severe depression.
The beginning of the book is quite promising. The author has a great vocabulary, and the story felt built up around some really strong quotes.
The downfall of this book is the characters and some of the author’s choices. Personally, I didn’t connect with Lily. The relationship was too fraught and depressing. The author needed to give us a little bit of hope and light.
When Lily and Finn embark on a journey together, I was wondering, “Where is the suspense? Is Finn trying to beat a clock? What are his thoughts? Could Finn fix everything?”
The story that I connected to more strongly was the relationship with the brother, but I was displeased with the off-page resolution.
The potential for an amazing story is there, and the author clearly has a strong command of the English language, but this feels more like a rough draft. It hasn’t fully morphed into a magical moving piece.
There is more beauty in my cherry tree. Love you, Mel.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
Lisa of Troy
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