|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0C4JL9GPG
| 3.59
| 1,504
| Apr 30, 2024
| Apr 30, 2024
|
it was ok
|
**Many thanks to @CeladonBooks and Peter Nichols for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** THUD. No, that isn't the sound of a large chunk o **Many thanks to @CeladonBooks and Peter Nichols for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** THUD. No, that isn't the sound of a large chunk of granite being hurled into a harbor. (And yes, though that has little to do with this book, that IS one of the images that came to mind when I first heard this title.) I'm sad to say that instead, that THUD heard round the world....was the sound of my head slamming into the wall after finally (and I mean FINALLY) finishing this book. The premise of Granite Harbor is quite simple, albeit not that unique: a serial killer has ravaged a small coastal town (yes, you guessed it: Granite Harbor) and the denizens of the town are desperate to get the maniac off the streets. In a historical landmark known as The Settlement, where reenactments take place, a body has been hung for all to see...with a cryptic message INSIDE, spilling out. (Ick.) With such a small population, there aren't many who are willing (or ABLE!) to take on the case...save for the town's only detective, Alex Brangwen. As a former novelist, he's feeling more than a bit shaky and insecure about being able to suss out the killer...but with no other volunteers, he bravely steps up to the plate to give it his best shot. Meanwhile, the mother of one of the murder victim's friends, Isabel Doerr, might be living the single parent life...but she's more than willing to try to assist Alex in finding the perp. Her child wasn't the only friend of the victim that's close to the investigation: Alex's DAUGHTER is also part of this former trio, making these two fast allies against the evil that is lurking in the shadows of Granite Harbor. Could these two have just the insight needed to get to the bottom of this bizarre and disturbing case? Is anyone inside - or outside - of the Settlement safe? Or is the first murder only the beginning -- and perhaps an ominous warning -- of the horrors to come? I'll be honest, it's been a minute since I had the pleasure of putting this book in the rear-view mirror...and even after the WEEKS that have passed and time to reflect and step away...I have to admit that of ALL the adjectives that come to mind? 'Pointless' is probably the first. The story starts with a long, plodding description of some characters interacting at the Settlement before the body is found, leading me to believe that reenactment was going to be a MAJOR part of this story. Well...it isn't. I suppose it served as atmosphere (?) to put our characters here, but they could just have well been hanging out in someone's backyard for all of the effect they had on me. What authors like Stephen King do SO well when describing places like Maine is to set the scene and allow what is already a creepy environment sort of get under your skin and function as another character - always lurking, menacing, in the background. Nichols instead worked so hard to try to make this book sound Literary with a capital L that any chance for this sort of brooding creepiness to take center stage got lost amidst a sea of clipped sentences and 'fancy sounding' words. And trust me, there is PLENTY of that to go around. We spent so much time randomly diving into backstory (like the mostly irrelevant backstory of Alex's wife, for example) that I figured it just had to be leading somewhere, and all of the attempts at highbrow wordsmithing would SOMEHOW pay off. Nichols gives us gems like "His dour, mordant Mancunian wit" AND phrases like "He noticed the play of pronounced but firm buttocks beneath the flapping vent of her jacket."...on the same page. The writing is truly all over the place, and I had a hard time keeping pace with what the 'tone' of the book was supposed to be throughout. I kept waiting for things to get scary, or interesting...but they were just sort of off-putting and strange. There's nothing wrong with a literary book that weaves a mystery in, but I'm not even sure I can call this THAT... I truly just don't know WHAT to call it. Nichols also needs to take a page from the psychological thriller writers of the world and figure out HOW to end a chapter. The number of times this book sort of randomly trails off, seemingly mid-thought, felt like he just decided he was done writing for the day and said, "Eh, I'll just start a new chapter in the morning." I honestly just didn't get it. I'm not saying each chapter's ending needs to feel like a punctuation mark on everything preceding it, or even necessarily be leading somewhere specific...but I think most readers would agree the reading experiences FEELS much better when this happens. I didn't find the 'twists' (if you could call them that) that surprising, the perp that surprising or interesting, and the number of times I thought "is this ever going to end" was innumerable. There is also a bit of animal cruelty that is pretty horrible (even for me, and as much as I adore animals I usually am able to stomach reading fictional stories about such things) and yet AGAIN...I just questioned WHY. There is a fine line between disturbing and distasteful, and Nichols all but steamrolled that division here. I think what bothers me most about it is that most of the ickiest parts of the book felt sort of gratuitous and frankly, didn't serve the plot at all. There is even a section of the book where characters have bowel movements on another character's face in order to degrade them...so you've been warned. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Apr 29, 2024
|
May 02, 2024
|
Apr 29, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0593200381
| 9780593200384
| 3.72
| 30,436
| Mar 05, 2024
| Mar 05, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Simone St. James for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 3.5!!** "I danced with the Devil, he tried to ge **Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Simone St. James for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 3.5!!** "I danced with the Devil, he tried to get my soul Didn't recognize him on the dead man's road Oh no, he's dead and cold Don't go down the dead man's road" - Dead Man's Road, Doc Holliday It's the summer of '97, and April and Eddie have tied the knot...and now it's finally time for a peaceful, relaxing honeymoon. Headed to their quiet resort town along the lake in Michigan, they can almost hear the lull of the waves and feel the warm sun on their faces already...even though it's nighttime. But when they stray off the beaten path and end up on a strange stretch of road known as Atticus Line...the vibes are a lot less Good Vibrations and a lot more 'Oujia Board on Halloween'. They see a hitchhiker stranded on the side of the road, and despite their better judgment (and the obvious kink in their original plans) they stop to help the young woman out...and it's only then they notice that she's COVERED in blood. Eddie and April get the woman (named Rhonda Jean) to a hospital...but unfortunately not soon enough to save her. What they later learn is that she's far from the first to disappear on that fated stretch of road...Atticus Line is known for missing hitchhikers, and one particular hitchhiker is known by all of the locals as "The Lost Girl." This Jane Doe has never been found, and with a string of other unsolved murders taking place on this SAME stretch of highway, police begin to narrow their focus onto the two people who just HAPPENED to be there when Rhonda was found soaked in blood: Eddie and April. Desperate to clear their names and get to the bottom of the case, the married duo tap into local resources: the owner of the B&B they are staying at, Rose, and true Hardy Girls in the flesh, the Snell Sisters, who are teens obsessed with the murders and doing a bit of detective work on their own, and attempt to tackle the last 30 YEARS of unsolved cases to find out just what happened to all of this missing wanderers...and if their spirits are still haunting the same eerie stretch of highway. Can Eddie and April get to the bottom of the mystery with all eyes cast upon them? Or does The Lost Girl have her eyes on a NEW victim...or possibly a pair of victims...and won't stop until she FINALLY exacts her revenge? I have to admit, I've been on the fence about continuing to read Simone St. James' books since my very first. I have always felt like I loved the IDEA of her books more than the finished product itself, and have relied heavily on her fantastic use of atmosphere and her AMAZING ghosts to keep me hooked and hoping for something more each time I pick one up. Oftentimes in the past, her plots have felt very convenient to me, with everything and everyone being in the right place, at the right time for everything to work, with a certain level of suspended disbelief ALSO required just to get me from A to B in terms of plot. I've never felt compelled to keep reading OTHER than to revisit her ghosts again and again, which is a bit bizarre, but just speaks to the quality of her writing when it comes to the paranormal. But with Murder Road, I am thrilled to say that St. James took EVERY aspect of her writing to the next level...and the result was a thriller that was spooky, dripping in 90's nostalgia, and a TWISTY page turner that kept me EASILY enthralled from beginning to end! St. James' atmosphere is ALWAYS on point, but as a 90's kid with a soft spot for the aforementioned era, I feel that she absolutely NAILED the essence of the 90s. This cover says it all: it could just have easily been on a Christopher Pike or R.L Stine book from the same era...and I mean that as an ABSOLUTE compliment! There are plenty of references thrown in along the way to remind you of the time period, but rather than beat her readers over the head with them, for the most part St. James slyly tosses them in as background or scene setting material, from TV footage around big news stories of the time to music playing on the radio during one of April and Eddie's many car rides...and THIS is how you do it. Lots of gentle nods, but nothing in your face: she played it JUST right. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Mar 02, 2024
|
Mar 06, 2024
|
Mar 13, 2024
|
Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1982198788
| 9781982198787
| 1982198788
| 3.98
| 6,901
| Jun 18, 2024
| Jun 18, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to Edelweiss, Atria, and Marcus Kliewer for a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review!** There is something truly fascinating a **Many thanks to Edelweiss, Atria, and Marcus Kliewer for a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review!** There is something truly fascinating about the art of stop motion animation when you view the finished product. Sometimes it's hard to remember that at first look, everything that appears so fluid (and in movies such as the Nightmare Before Christmas, so creepy!) was once a bunch of still puppets sitting on a miniature set...who were moved one painstaking moment at a time, and that one frame of film can take hours and even DAYS of filming to get just right. But in the case of stop motion animator turned author Marcus Kliewer, the finished product that is We Used to Live Here not only was missing this sort of eerie fluidity...but lacked the sort of cohesion to make it make any ACTUAL sense. The premise starts off simply enough: Charlie and Eve are two house flippers who also happen to be a loving couple...and their latest find seems too good to be true. The giant house has all sorts of promise, and they can't believe their good fortune at being the lucky two who are able to snatch it up. One day, Eve is home alone when she hears a knock at the door...and it is none other than a family of former occupants, led by Thomas, who want to take a quick jaunt down memory lane and poke around his old stomping grounds. Although Eve finds this slightly off-putting, she figures they seem harmless, and even though the snow is falling, they won't stay too long...right? Everything takes a quick and dramatic turn, however, when Thomas' daughter manages to go missing in this short amount of time...and refuses to come out. Eve begins to panic, but Thomas assures her this behavior is normal and that she will soon emerge. However, as time goes on, Eve starts to notice frightening, unexplained noises she has never experienced before...and the winter storm raging outside means that the family is seemingly here to stay. But have they brought something other than their memories with them...something unseen, mysterious...and evil? And why does everybody have such a hard time believing Eve when she reaches out for help? Why hasn't Charlie returned...or could there be a doppelganger hanging around? Can Eve figure out what the house wants from her...before she gets 'lost' for good? I was 100% on board to jump at the chance to read an early copy of this one after a few rave reviews AND after reading the rights to this book have already been snapped up by Netflix and a movie staring Blake Lively is in the works. A good creepy house tale is the sort of horror I can usually jump into quickly, with a few recent examples (like Sager's The Only One Left and the Due's eerie The Reformatory) coming instantly to mind. A well-written house with a vendetta normally screams Halloween BUT at the same time, seemed like a welcome break from the standard fare of summer thriller season, so I was chomping at the bit to dive into this tale. But to be honest...I think I sort of tripped on the doormat and never quite recovered. Finding out this story STARTED as a series on Reddit makes a whole lot of sense: it has a certain disjointed, piecemeal feeling that may read foreboding to some, but just left me unsettled and sort of confused for the entire read. There are random bits of news clippings, interviews, home listings, and the like sprinkled throughout the book which is normally a device I LOVE because I honestly find nothing more enticing in a horror story than some solid backstory, but let's just say you can't go into this book expecting ANYTHING to be fully explained...at all. Some readers will LOVE this (and have, evidenced by so many early 5 star reviews!) and there are certain aspects I enjoyed too: the atmosphere was foreboding, there was a mystery afoot almost immediately (although you're going to have to parse out exactly what that mystery IS in your mind!) and there is plenty of fodder for creepiness, speculation, and a slow build to a crescendo of craziness. I'm not so much a fan of a slow burn, however, so I kept wanting to SEE this book rather than reading it: the novel almost reads more like a screenplay at times, or like one that was first imagined in a visual sense and THEN translated to the page. I can't tell you how many times I've watched a movie with a twisty ending and then thought...NOW I need a second watch to catch all of the details I missed the first time, and this is absolutely THAT in bookish form. This is no disrespect to Kliewer as a writer: in fact, it's sort of a compliment in that he could add so much extraneous detail that seems important but isn't easy to piece together from the off. At the same time, though, as much as I had a thousand questions upon finishing...I really had no desire to tromp through it again. The sort of unhinged nature of the last 20% was enough to make up for earlier inconsistencies...or at the least, enough to convince me I NEED to watch the Netflix adaptation to see if this was simply a case of right story, wrong medium. But if it turns out that Blake Lively can't save it? ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 20, 2024
|
Jun 23, 2024
|
Mar 01, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1668046857
| 9781668046852
| 1668046857
| 4.06
| 3,033
| Jul 09, 2024
| Jul 09, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria, and Vi Keeland for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!** In writing, much like in life, just becau **Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria, and Vi Keeland for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!** In writing, much like in life, just because you CAN? Doesn't mean you SHOULD. Vi Keeland's first journey from the world of romance writing into the somewhat over saturated thriller genre unfortunately served to remind me of this adage over and over...and OVER again. Meredith McCall is in desperate need of a Mc(Wakeup) Call. Years ago, she was living the dream with her hunky hockey playing beau, Connor, when a horrifying injury took him out of the game, and led him down a dangerous road...quite literally. When he ends up at the helm of a dangerous accident, his erratic behavior affects more than his wife...and the lives of another family are forever changed. Meredith can't quite let the devastation go and her guilty and curious conscience leads her to a familiar place, looking for a familiar person: Gabriel Wright. He's the one who has truly been destroyed by Connor's behavior and Meredith can't help but wonder what he's up to...so one day she decides to go to a place he will be and to follow him...you know, just for a WHILE. But when Meredith's compulsion becomes a bit of a habit, she finds herself unable to get enough...and her behavior starts to resemble obsession. And as she attempts to dive back into her psychiatry practice, imagine her surprise when a very familiar face shows up at her door wanting therapy: none other than Gabriel himself. Meredith panics, thinking Gabriel HAS to know everything and that's why he's here...but why does he have to be SO attractive? Could she be imagining it...or is there CHEMISTRY between them? What exactly is Gabriel's agenda anyway...and does he KNOW who she is? Can she really turn down an opportunity to treat him and assuage her guilty conscience AND feed into her unbridled curiosity? Or is there a more intricate web of deception being spun...and a ploy for revenge that could turn her 'harmless' crush into a permanent nightmare? First off, hearing such rave early reviews for this book MAY have set the bar unreasonably high for me. Although I was a bit wary going in, I couldn't help but be thrilled to read a stalker narrative which promised twists and turns AND a bit of spicy romance, and I was hoping this would go the way of say, an A.R. Torre tale. Instead, this book, which promises to be 'chilling, exciting, and addictive' is a narrative tinged with the promise of exciting 'obsession' that ends up falling into the same well-worn patterns of many before it...but with cringe-worthy dialogue, a messy narrator, and too much needless spice to meet ANY of the aforementioned criteria. Meredith is supposed to be QUITE the stalker, at least according to the premise...but to be honest, she seemed more like someone who just was looking for a roll in the hay with someone attractive...and Gabriel just sort of became that 'lucky' guy. Keeland tries to make her seem obsessive, but I felt like Meredith spent plenty of time doing other things, and was pretty harmless overall anyway. There are mentions made of Joe Goldberg and YOU, but again, I feel like this was just to push the narrative that she was a stalker rather than SHOWING her doing anything I'd deem dangerous. Granted, nobody should follow someone around in general, but when I read a thriller who wants to paint itself in this light, there's a certain LEVEL of creepiness needed in the narration to truly make that pop, and I felt that element was missing here. What we got instead was PLENTY of stereotypical booze-fueled behavior, and a long drawn out plot to boot. (Yawn.) I think Meredith spent more time bopping over to the liquor store than she EVER spent hunting down Gabriel....especially because eventually, he ends up coming RIGHT TO HER for sessions. (Convenient much?) For someone who casts a side-eye at others' addictive behavior, Meredith could take a bit of her own advice. The number of times she rattled on about how it was her FOURTH glass, or the ever popular 'Might as well finish the bottle!" made me feel a lot better about an occasional second glass, I'll tell you that much! The only time I DON'T mind this device in thrillers is it rings of realism, or if the alcohol/drugs aren't a defining characteristic...but in this one, they took up FAR too much time...so for those who despise it, be warned. (Not to mention why on EARTH anyone thought Meredith was in a place to be practicing therapy again...but that's an entirely different tangent!) And then there's Gabriel, the object of Meredith's 'obsession'. It's sad to say this, but Keeland leaned HEAVILY on her habits from romance writing when it came to this pair and their lusty interactions, and after a while, I just grew tired of it. At times it almost seemed like we were supposed to root for them as a couple (!?) which in a thriller like this one, just seemed WEIRD. I wanted more tension, more adversity, more blurring of the lines between patient and therapist...NOT for them to wax poetic about how much one character wanted to bend the other over a desk. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jul 03, 2024
|
Jul 06, 2024
|
Mar 01, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593548434
| 9780593548431
| B0CL5ZKZNN
| 4.41
| 5,700
| Jul 16, 2024
| Jul 16, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Jessica Joyce for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** Georgia Woodward figured that Eli Mora was finally in the **Many thanks to Berkley and Jessica Joyce for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** Georgia Woodward figured that Eli Mora was finally in the rear-view mirror for good...after 5 YEARS of carefully putting the pieces of her life back together after a heart-wrenching breakup. Sure, the two had a passionate relationship and a very deep bond, but there's a REASON they broke up. Keeping a sense of harmony between them is especially important because they share more than just a romantic past: they STILL share a friend group. Being the type A list maker that she is, Georgia finds that one of the best ways to keep the peace is to hold fast to a set of rules she has developed to be followed at all times (and all costs) when interacting in any way shape or form with Eli...and so far, her type-A tendencies have paid off. But when their mutual friend Adam (unsurprisingly) makes the pair a central part of his wedding, all bets are off. As co best man and best woman, Eli and Georgia once again not only need to be in close proximity, but have their own individual lists of wedding tasks to complete to bring the big day to fruition. And when the wedding venue literally burns to the ground...the task of pulling off the wedding takes a quick jump from big to monumental... and the clock is ticking. There's cake tasting to be done, a new DJ to book, and oh yeah...finding a new LOCATION in short order in glamorous Napa Valley. Though Georgia had sworn their story was over, the more time she is forced to spend with Eli, the more time she finds herself WANTING to spend with him...and all of those rules suddenly seem not only limiting, but worth revisiting. But does this new and improved Eli feel the same? Will all of the romance swirling in the air be enough to reconnect these two former loves? Or, like the wedding venue itself, will what's left of their friendship BURST into flames? This is one of those stories that sounded a bit simplistic in terms of premise, but being a fan of Napa Valley (although I haven't been yet, I've had many a glass of Napa Valley wine...does that count?), a true second chance romance with friends to lovers at its core, and a wedding story to boot, The Ex Vows seemed to have all of the components to be a light, breezy, and yet still emotionally charged summer romance. Throw in an MC with the same last name as me (!), who's a Type A list queen to boot and it seemed like I just couldn't miss. But not only was this the end of any similarities between the MC and myself...because try as I might (for almost 400 PAGES!) I just couldn't understand WHY these two broke up in the first place! Take our aforementioned MC, Georgia. Despite being described as sort of a fastidious rule-follower, we hardly even get a sense of what these rules are...nor are they as important to the plot as the blurb (or the title of the book!) would imply. Georgia's biggest issue is simply asserting herself...and to be honest, also her standards. She seemed to be ready to sell her soul to be with Eli back when they were first together...but allowed him to pick his job over her and that was reason enough to break up the relationship? (Have these two ever HEARD of long distance?) And not to give anything away, but Georgia is not exactly 'married' to the area she lives in currently, to put it mildly...and she is presented as quite a catch at her current place of employment...which also begs the question, why didn't SHE just move to be with Eli? And therein lies the rub with this particular romance: the conflicts...weren't really conflicts. This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine in the genre, and perhaps the one factor that makes it so hard for me to buy in to scenarios like these. The biggest 'obstacles' these two overcame together were ALL wedding and venue related (don't expect to get to know too much about the betrothed couple or any of their friends...they are only mentioned sporadically and with no clear character development) and it didn't make it quite as satisfying in terms of a second chance romance when I couldn't understand why they both let a JOB come in between their first chance. There was no overly dramatic third act conflict (at least not one I deem memorable a week later!) and nothing really standing in the way besides jobs and a bit of geography. I realize these two factors may seem like an easy deal breaker in your twenties, but as someone who chose to move along with my boyfriend (and now husband) for work, I found it very hard to relate. And no, the job opportunity in this book wasn't even some sort of overseas, once in a lifetime opportunity....trust me when I say you'll probably be shaking your head a bit too. And what could have sparked SUCH a dramatic change in the other half of this power couple? What could have possibly made Eli SUCH a changed man between the past and present of this book? Well, it all comes down to what I (unfortunately) deem to be Eli's character-defining trait: ...He went to THERAPY. Joyce mentions this not once, not twice, but at LEAST three times (it may have been more) and there are long passages of Georgia fawning over what a huge difference these sessions have made (apparently) although it's never REALLY revealed why his character needed therapy so much in the first place. The way she puts so much weight on going to therapy alone was completely bizarre: it's one thing to go to sessions and another thing to IMPLEMENT the changes in your life, and none of that was explicated here. Eli didn't seem to be buried in trauma in the flashbacks presented, wasn't abusive (verbally or emotionally) and if anything, perhaps just needed to be more vocal or insistent at times (?) which doesn't really justify in MY mind all of this life-altering therapy. I think that rather than having moony passage after moony passage at the end between the two lovebirds, Joyce could have used this bit of information as a springboard to make Eli a much more complex character and delved into his psyche a bit more...but this was yet ANOTHER missed opportunity. I also learned after reading that Joyce is a bit of a Swiftie and I think this book in general lends itself MUCH more to Gen Z than the Millennial set. (Although I believe I am TECHNICALLY an elder millennial...but let's put that aside ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jul 11, 2024
|
Jul 15, 2024
|
Feb 16, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593640977
| 9780593640975
| 0593640977
| 3.77
| 23,947
| Jun 25, 2024
| Jun 25, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Ashley Poston for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** "I know you I walked with you once upon a dream" - Once Upo **Many thanks to Berkley and Ashley Poston for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** "I know you I walked with you once upon a dream" - Once Upon a Dream, Sleeping Beauty A charming and soothing blend of fantasy, fact, fiction, and ALL of the feelings, A Novel Love Story will have you twirling around the room like Sleeping Beauty herself (well, maybe minus the group of cheerful animal companions!) ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 24, 2024
|
Jun 29, 2024
|
Feb 16, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593540700
| 9780593540701
| 0593540700
| 3.83
| 834
| Feb 13, 2024
| Feb 13, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin - Putnam, and Richard Roper for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.13!!** "If I could you know I would Just **Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin - Putnam, and Richard Roper for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.13!!** "If I could you know I would Just hold your hand and you'd understand I'm the man who loves you" - I'm the Man Who Loves You, Wilco Brian feels like Lily's only been gone for a moment...but at the same time, it feels like an eternity. He can still picture her in that vivid blue dress, smiling at him from behind the bar as though it was yesterday...but it's been almost SEVEN long years without her...and without any explanation as to why she left him. In that time, Brian has tried his best to keep the bar he ran with Lily afloat, and keep all of their dreams alive until she returns...because with the anniversary of her departure coming up, he knows in his GUT that she will be back soon. But one day, Brian catches himself doomscrolling (or is it stalking?) TripAdvisor and finds a username that catches his eye: PinkMoonLily1972. With his Lily's affinity for musician Nick Drake (and especially his album PINK MOON) and her name in the username, Brian is convinced he's finally found her. PinkMoonLily has been all over the place, writing reviews of her adventures...and there even seems to be a method to her madness. Brian takes this as the sign he's been waiting for, and leaves the bar in the hands of his two employees to go out on a quest to bring Lily home to him at last. With a half-formulated plan in mind, Brian sets off, not knowing what to expect...but hoping he can stay two steps ahead of Lily and run into her at long last. But with memories of their long and complicated past flooding back to him along the way....and a curious female stranger named Tess who...catches him off guard, to say the least...will Brian's quest end in triumph? Or with such a tumultuous and at times tortured past between them...is it simply too LATE for their love to FINALLY conquer all? I'm new to Richard Roper, so going into this read I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The beginning of the book is a little bit jarring to start, with bits and pieces of Brian's memories of Lily presented in flashes or as lists, and I was a bit nervous it would take me a while to find my footing and dig in to this read. However, by about 20% in, not only was I used to Brian's narrative style, I can only describe my reading experience as the best kind of mix between Fredrik Backman and David Nicholls....and I was nothing short of ENTHRALLED! I love a story that brilliantly blends past and present, and this narrative slowly unfurled, showing us flashes of Lily and Brian's relationship as it developed over time, but bouncing back over and over to Brian's current quest without feeling disruptive in the slightest. This is a relationship you won't EVER quite understand...because Brian doesn't fully understand it either. He's self-deprecating, but never in an overly dramatic way, and at the same time, he both sees his worth and doubts it constantly. Lily's family and Lily herself are complicated creatures, and since we only get to know Lily through Brian's recollection, she is as much a mystery to us as readers as she is to Brian during her mysterious journey. Brian's sense of humor might take a bit of getting used to also...but as I mentioned earlier, he is right at home with the likes of some of my favorite Backman characters and has the perfect blend of wit, silliness, and still an air of melancholy about him...all with a heart of gold beneath. Though I won't give ANYTHING away, because trust me when I say the journey is worth it, there is a WHOPPER of a twist towards the end of this book...and it is nothing short of a gut punch. I actually gasped out loud and said "No way" TO my Kindle while reading...it is that kind of breathtaking moment that feels eerily reminiscent of the most shocking moment in your OWN life, where you had to stop and look around for a second to make sure the Earth hadn't suddenly fallen off its axis. Once you come back into your body and start breathing again, Roper gives you a fitting AND intriguing end to Brian's story, with a charming final chapter that feels like taking the first sip of hot cocoa on a cold winter night: it'll warm you up from the inside out! ☕ And though I won't say exactly WHERE Brian's journey leads him (or to whom!) Marcel Proust's thoughts on the nature of discovery sums up this quest perfectly: "The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes...but in having new eyes." ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Feb 04, 2024
|
Feb 07, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593640535
| 9780593640531
| 0593640535
| 4.50
| 2,879
| May 07, 2024
| May 07, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Eve J. Chung for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 5.7!!** "There are two powers in the worl **Many thanks to Berkley and Eve J. Chung for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 5.7!!** "There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women." - Malala Yousefzai While some may be overjoyed at the birth of ANY child, in 1940s China, having "just another daughter" is nothing short of a curse. Amidst the poverty of the rural community of Shandong, the wealthy Ang family are desperate for a son to carry on the family name and the family wealth, leaving Hai and her sisters feeling like less of a blessing and more of a burden. With the Communist revolution knocking at their doorstep (quite literally) the girls try to keep their heads down and hope to remain out of the fray...but the rest of the family flees when soldiers arrive. Hai, as the eldest girl, is chosen to be representative for her family and must bear the brunt of the soldiers cruelty... and feels lucky to make it out alive. Hai and her sisters know now is the time to make their escape, and with practically nothing but the burlap sacks they fashion as clothing (and flour they hide inside) to take with them as they are forced out...they have NO Idea if they will even make it to their destination alive. Their travels take them from Qingdao to Hong Kong to Taiwan, relying on the kindness of few along the way, with Hai keeping headstrong sister Di on the right path and hoping to lean on her intelligence to land a teaching job, the girls scrap, scrimp, and struggle their way across the countryside, determined to face the men who wronged them and forge a new path for themselves - one that doesn't revolve around producing yet another faceless male heir who will demand their subservience. As they finally reach family in Taiwan, will all of Hai's struggles and the arduous journey she has faced so far be worth the pain in the end as she is able to make a TRUE stand against injustice? Or will the firm grasp of the patriarchy keep these women "in their place" and stifle ANY chance for REAL independence? With historical fiction, it's sometimes easier to get swept away by the text if you're very familiar with the place, era, and the events taking place...and in this case, I had little familiarity coming into this book about all three of those elements. I have to admit I spent a lot more of this read getting acclimated to what was going on at any given time, keeping track of where we were geographically, and keeping track of the characters and their activities than I would have liked, and this did take me out of the 'flow' a bit while reading. Chung is a very talented writer, but I felt like this read a bit more like a text rather than fiction at times, where there was a great deal of focus on the plot, where we were heading next, etc. so this style of HF reads a bit dry to me in comparison to others that have a more balanced approach. However, I also DO feel if I had the historical background coming INTO the book, this probably wouldn't have been noticeable or bothered me in the slightest, so it was one of those instances where I wish I'd taken a few minutes to do a little preemptive research before reading (and perhaps next time I will!) What I honestly wished there was more of in this book was character development - because every glimpse we DID get into these fascinating women left me wanting more. At the beginning, I thought the harsh words from the girls' grandmother about how useless they were for not being born male etc. were going to play a bigger part in the overall goings on...but I felt like despite Chung's best efforts, there was so much plot content to get through, that I didn't get as thorough of a glimpse inside the minds of Hai, Di, and the others as I would have liked. I understood their struggles through the action, sure; but with such dynamic and intelligent personalities, it would have been even more impactful to get a firm sense of their INNER selves. I'm not saying this book could have necessarily functioned as a series of diary entries or the like, but I think utilizing that sort of device would have given an extra layer of realism and emotional connectivity that I personally look for in some of my favorite historical fiction reads. What DID elevate the overall experience for me, however, was the detailed and fascinating author's note Chung includes at the end of this one, where she reveals that this book was in fact based on her OWN family's personal history. Her attention to detail and careful consideration while telling her family's story alone was enough to get me to bump up my rating. This is one of those author's notes that makes you want to read an entire BOOK (or maybe watch a documentary?) about the writing process because there is simply too much detail to fit inside an addendum. I know it probably isn't feasible, but since this is only Chung's debut, perhaps in the future she could delve into what happens next for our beloved women of Shandong! And although I won't reveal whether or not grandmother Nai Nai has to eat her own words by the end of this harrowing tale...I WILL reference one other quote that sums up the power, the resilience, the determination, and the fortitude displayed by ALL of the Daughters of Shandong: "If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something DONE, ask a woman." Perfectly stated, Margaret Thatcher. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 02, 2024
|
May 06, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593546040
| 9780593546048
| 0593546040
| 3.79
| 720
| May 14, 2024
| May 14, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Jennifer Probst for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 5.14!** "True friendship resists time, **Many thanks to Berkley and Jennifer Probst for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 5.14!** "True friendship resists time, distance, and silence" - Isabel Allende Maddie has never been the center of attention...at least, not in the way she would hope. As a quiet, tall, redhead who would rather pore over poetry than party, she doesn't have the confidence to talk to the 'cool' kids and feels like a very tiny fish in a large pond as a freshman in college. So she's nothing short of stunned when two of the popular and fun girls, Ava and Chelsey, come up to her and seem interested in being friends. Ava is at the center of the group, with her drop-dead gorgeous looks and personality, and Maddie feels special to be chosen as one of her nearest and dearest. The three spend countless hours together, with Ava and Chelsey encouraging Maddie to follow her TRUE dream of being a unique social media influencer, whose goal is to bring quirky fashion and a unique vibe to the mainstream...and of course, gain a social media following and earn a living along the way. The three are inseparable over the years, navigating life and love as a group and tightening their own bonds...and when Maddie meets the ultra hunky Riggs at a bar and slowly falls for him, it seems all of the pieces of her life are coming together. But Ava's special attachment to Maddie and her neediness as a friend slowly starts to erode the edges of her relationship and Maddie starts to question if what she's feeling could be forever...or if her friendship and her business should be her TRUE priority. As she slowly climbs to greater popularity with Ava's help, one unfortunate incident calls their ENTIRE friendship and group harmony into question...and ultimately leaves the girls at odds with one another, their friendship estranged and seemingly a thing of the past. UNTIL one day, when Maddie receives a wedding invitation...AVA's wedding invitation. She's getting married in gorgeous Lake Como, Italy...and the girls had made a pact to be part of EACH wedding day back in their college years. After a scandal online, Maddie's career is hanging by a thread and she finds herself questioning if this is the moment for reconciliation....but with such heartache and betrayal in the past, is there any hope for a new future? Can Maddie, Chelsey, and Ava reclaim the magic they once had as a unit...or has life and growth forced them apart for a reason...and for good? New to Jennifer Probst and not knowing what to expect from the third in a series, I am happy to report that this book is very firmly a light romance whose focus is more on female friendship AND that it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone book. (From what I gather, it's the location that makes this part of a series rather than any recurring themes or characters.) And although this one looked a bit long given the subject matter (400 pages!) I have to admit I got swept away initially by the promise of an enchanting locale to come, as well as the sort of "introverted fashionista comes out of her shell" premise. But somewhere between 30-50% of this read, I came to realize that what came off as fun and fresh in the beginning was moving into more shallow and redundant 'fluff' territory...and not even the promise of the enchanting Lake Como could keep me FULLY invested. For starters, if you aren't a fashionista or would rather grab the NY Times than Vogue...I'd steer clear of this book. There are endless (and I mean endless) descriptions of what everyone is wearing, what their outfits look like, designers et. al for about, I don't know, 30-40% of the book? Yes, I know that Maddie's passion is fashion and that is fine to an extent...I love watching the Devil Wears Prada and ogling designer dresses on Say Yes to the Dress from time to time...but when it gets to the point that I'm rolling my eyes waiting for the clothing's description to be over so we can move on...that tells me it's a bit MUCH. It's also very hard to fall in love with the female friendships in this one if you don't see the merit of the relationships...and with these three, the initial 'depth' of Maddie felt like a bait and switch. The minute her character decides to go full bore into social media influencing...I already felt my eyes drooping. At first, I was hoping she was going to be a different kind of influencer (although in many ways I doubt such a thing even exists), one who was far more focused on her purpose than her adoring fans...but nope. Ava's influence sort of just brings out what was present in her all along...a desperation to be popular and beloved, and to turn her page into a cash cow. Any sort of respect I had for Maddie sort of withered as the book went on, and honestly, once Ava went so far as to betray her? I was pretty disgusted. And then there's the character of Ava. Painted as the sort of beautiful, hypnotic enigma that you just can't help but love...but I felt the opposite. She read classic narcissist for me from almost the first page, and despite Maddie's insecurity, I felt like someone as smart as she was should have easily been able to see what a toxic person she was in many respects. Although by the end of the book some transformation has taken place, I STILL wouldn't have been able to forgive her transgressions. Poor Chelsea, the third member of this trio, is the most likable BY FAR...and yet gets the least amount of 'page time' (rather than screen time) and we are all worse off for it. Chelsea is the only one of these three who resembled a fully functioning adult (even by story's end!) and I just didn't understand why she got the bum rush. Maddie's parents also play an important role in her background, but although interesting character development could have come from exploring THOSE relationships too...they are hardly mentioned. All of this leads to what can only be called a messy, Jerry Springer-esque ending that honestly sort of turned my stomach. As much as I loved the idea of a little jaunt to Italy, I felt like so much of the focus was on the drama that it took away from any true 'growth' most of these characters could have experienced in the interim. As much as this is a pretty readable book (if you don't mind all of the fashion and influencer chat), I spent so much of the read frustrated by the characters and their decisions that I felt compelled to bump down my rating on that basis alone. I'm sure the 20 something set will be satisfied with a lot of the content here, but as a book that I expected to be aimed at a bit of an older audience (perhaps older than me, even!) it was about as deep and resonant as a tiny toy drum. And although this cover and picture paints a beautiful picture of an idyllic love story in a spectacular locale...this book felt more like a cautionary tale of the dangers of both being an influencer and of BEING influenced by justTHAT kind of narcissistic friend. 3.5 stars, rounded down from 4 ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 13, 2024
|
May 16, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593640225
| 9780593640227
| 0593640225
| 3.84
| 3,007
| Apr 04, 2024
| Apr 09, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Etta Easton for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 4.9!!** Amerie Price is desperate to find **Many thanks to Berkley and Etta Easton for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 4.9!!** Amerie Price is desperate to find a lucky star...but all she's been seeing lately are LOTS of clouds. After a breakup that left her crushed AND losing her job, she is scrambling to put together enough money to pay her rent. She feels terrified at the prospect of having to gamble on herself by jumping headfirst into her very own business venture as an event planner...but simultaneously hopes she has the goods to make it all happen. In this vulnerable state, she grabs a coffee at her favorite local Java Joint and bumps into NONE other than the ex she's been eager to forget.. and he has his shiny NEW girlfriend in tow. Looking for the upper hand, Amerie takes a chance encounter with a VERY sexy, Tall, Dark, and Handsome stranger (one that resulted in coffee being spilled all over her), grabs the handsome hottie, and presents him as her boyfriend. The man in question, she will later learn, is Vincent Rogers, and he's got the kind of job that sounds as unlikely as "CIA operative" or "bodyguard to the stars": Vincent is a certified, bonafide ASTRONAUT. Despite his glamorous job, Vincent's been dealing with struggles of his own...namely, a family that is DESPERATE to see him paired up with a nice girl with marriage on the horizon. Vincent decides to play along with Amerie's scheme...by hatching one of his own: Amerie's that one special girl, and he has her move into his pad to help her save some cash AND further the idea that these two are in a long-term, committed relationship. But when family health struggles come up on Amerie's side, and Vincent's family grows increasingly worried that his next mission could be catastrophic...Vincent and Amerie begin to bond in a REAL way...and on a level that neither expected. With so much at stake, can Vincent fulfill ALL of his dreams? Will this next journey into space be his last? And will Amerie have the courage to ask him to stay with her...or is she in line for ANOTHER devastating heartbreak with the 'one who got (lightyears!) away'? This is a debut novel, and since I had no point of reference coming into this story, I figured it would go one of two ways: VERY cheesy fake dating or adorable, charming fake dating with two MCs you just couldn't help but root for from beginning to end. ...And I am thrilled to say there was NO moon cheese here, folks! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Apr 08, 2024
|
Apr 12, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593439503
| 9780593439500
| 0593439503
| 3.93
| 399
| May 21, 2024
| May 21, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Sidney Karger for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** How do you know when you're REALLY ready for kids? Biz and **Many thanks to Berkley and Sidney Karger for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** How do you know when you're REALLY ready for kids? Biz and Wyatt aren't sure they know the answer, but after a long, dedicated surrogacy journey...they think they are ready to take the plunge and find out. The pair are a gay couple who have had their ups and downs romantically, but think that despite their frequent sniping at one another and the fact that they aren't married yet (much to Biz's dismay) that now is the PERFECT time to bring a baby into the mix. (Sigh. More on that later). In fact, they decide that they are in desperate need of a Babymoon and figure a cross country roadtrip from NY to CA prior to the birth of the baby is a way to check both boxes. They load up their dog Matilda into the back of their tiny VW Cabriolet and head for the open road, trying to leave all their cares behind. But IS this match made in heaven a pair of soulmates...or are they simply too different? Biz is a magazine writer who used to be a child actor and although he writes about food for a living, he feels like there's something missing in his current day-to-day...and Wyatt hasn't exactly been helping him find it. His beau Wyatt, on the other hand, is more of your typical Type A personality, and thrives on the order and structure he finds in his work as a TV director...or does the loud and crazy side of Biz clash too harshly against his own rigidity? As the journey takes from a supposedly relaxing trip to Provincetown (read: it isn't) to a spontaneous baby shower with Biz's vivacious Italian family to a bizarrely random Star Wars themed wedding, the miscommunications multiply and BOTH men in this relationship are hiding pretty substantial secrets from one another. With the days ticking down until delivery, can Biz find the maturity Wyatt feels he needs to take fatherhood seriously? And can Wyatt open his heart to the possibility of making their relationship a LOT more permanent? Or will this new baby deepen the cracks of an already fractured relationship... and splinter it for good? I can't say that I've ever read a story about surrogacy with a gay couple as the parents before, OR a Sidney Karger book before...so needless to say, I had no idea what to expect from this story...except the HOPE that it would be both a) very romantic and b) very funny. But instead of a smooth ride...all I kept hitting were speed bumps. From the off, I could tell I was going to have trouble relating to both characters, Biz and Wyatt, and this gut feeling (like many gut feelings) was spot-on. Not only did I feel like I didn't really KNOW the characters, I also just found them both a bit insufferable in their own ways. The story opens with Biz and Wyatt lamenting the change they are about to face becoming new parents...but as surrogate parents (not to mention surrogates who live ACROSS THE COUNTRY from the birth mom) the part they ignore entirely is that the woman giving birth to their child has ALREADY given up so much autonomy and given so much of herself...and there's a reason why MOMS are the ones who need a babymoon. While I champion their passion in many ways, the naivete and sort of thoughtlessness they both demonstrate towards the woman who is ACTUALLY doing the hard work was a huge red flag for me. If you can't even appreciate how difficult and demanding pregnancy can be (even in theory) how on EARTH are you ready to raise an infant on any level? Which brings me to the next issue with this plot, and frankly, an age old problem in general: having kids does NOT solve relationship problems. Almost ever. If both parties learn to work together or coexist better, I can understand that...but kids are not Band Aids. I was so annoyed with the fact that both of them had such misgivings about their future together, yet figured they should go ahead and bring an innocent child into the mix (not to mention a kid who isn't fully biologically theirs...they also have zero clue about how THAT challenge might pop up in later years) and honestly, it left me wanting to bop both of them upside the head. Talk about La La Land...I guess there's a reason both of them are in show biz! I honestly felt their conversations often lacked depth and just served to illustrate their 'problems' more than anything else...but there was a problem with that, too. ...I just didn't 'buy' their relationship strife. I get that not every troubled relationship has slamming doors, yelling, prolonged segments of the silent treatment, etc...but these two had some slight miscommunications at best (or worst?) and that was basically it. The other problems (with their own families, the secrets they kept from one another, etc.) seemed to FAR outweigh any actual relationship trouble. By making their 'fighting' seem more along the lines of good-natured banter and ribbing each other about their idiosyncrasies, it didn't seem like there was much to resolve...moreso that they just needed to TALK to one another. (Go figure!) I thought there might be some third act drama that left me hanging or unsure how this one ended, but alas. It was just as predictable as you'd expect. I kept waiting for all of the big laughs I thought I'd been promised from the start...but unless you find the dog's antics funny, you're going to be be waiting a LOT longer than 9 months for that laugh (if you catch my drift!) ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 31, 2024
|
Jun 05, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593550463
| 9780593550465
| 0593550463
| 3.62
| 1,073
| Mar 19, 2024
| Mar 19, 2024
|
liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Elizabeth Everett for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.19!** In a world dominated by men, **Many thanks to Berkley and Elizabeth Everett for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.19!** In a world dominated by men, Lucinda (better known as Lucy) Peterson is determined to stand out. She works at an apothecary and is INCHES away from finding the cure to a very common malady: croup. Lucy's business is a family business, making it even more vital for her to do her father proud, and working in tandem with siblings Juliet and David, she feels certain this new discovery will cement her and her family as the most beloved and innovative apothecary in town. So imagine Lucy's surprise when she learns her secret formula has been STOLEN...and in an appalling twist that adds insult to injury, she learns it is none other than her former flame, Duncan, who has taken the goods. Furious, Lucy is MORE than ready to get her formula back before it's too late...and she enlists the help of a gruff PI, Jonathan Thorne, to help in the effort. Working as the apothecary's bookkeeper, he slowly gets to know Lucy and her family...and the two can't ignore the fiery sparks between them. But with a tortured past that has left him a single father, Jonathan keeps his heart firmly under wraps. As Lucy and Co. continue to fight rival political groups over a woman's right to choose and Lucy struggles with whatever feelings may or may not be lingering between her and Duncan from the past, her passion for Thorne continues to grow...and she wonders how long she can suppress her feelings...or if she even WANTS to hold back anymore. Will Lucy restore her rights to her formula, take on croup once and for all, AND find love in the end? Or will Thorne be a 'thorn' in her side after all...leaving her formula-less...AND brokenhearted? I'll be the first to admit I've never read anything resembling this sort of book before...and after finishing this one, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I'm always game for a strong female protagonist, and it is refreshing to read STEM representation more often in the genre, if not simply to give us as readers a change of pace. Female scientists of all sorts have been pushed to the footnotes of books for FAR too long (that is, if they were included in the book at all!) and a more complex, intelligent heroine is always more fun to read than a swoony, "I'm a woman and therefore NEED saving" sort of MC any day of the week. Throw in some feminist rep (with Lucy's pro-choice support, which was potentially even MORE of a hot button topic in the Victorian era than it is today, although at this point it's probably a toss up!) and this book seemed to have the foundation for a thought-provoking, interesting, but still comfortable, predictable HEA romance. So...why couldn't I exactly ENJOY this reading experience? For starters, the characters in this one felt simply...inaccessible. For a woman who was so brilliant, Lucy seemed to have forgotten that she could both possess book smarts AND common sense...and this led her to a lot of decisions I couldn't really understand or connect to at all. Her siblings were even more of a mystery, as neither of them felt fully developed at all and were simply names on the page for most of the book. To be honest, a week after finishing this, I had to LOOK UP what their names were: they were that forgettable. And then of course there's Thorne, the almost stereotypically stodgy yet devilishly handsome single dad who to me read more like a sixty year old man than a Casanova...I just didn't get the appeal. And this dialogue? Just did not work for me. It felt very much like the author was making an effort to make it seem as though it read 'of the time period'...but at the same time, the characters randomly would say things that felt very 'of' the modern day...especially in the bedroom scenes. While I'm not suggesting that this talk never happened, to go from the very stilted formal dialogue to rather explicit language between the sheets just felt very odd. For instance, all of Thorne's chat about condoms (which he sometimes called condoms and other times prophylactics) which was APPROPRIATE...but still felt strange to hear coming from the mouths of these characters. Because Thorne read as older to me, it made it even MORE strange to 'witness' a romantic rendezvous between the two...and almost a bit icky. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Mar 19, 2024
|
Mar 23, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593437055
| 9780593437056
| 0593437055
| 4.45
| 5,185
| Mar 12, 2024
| Mar 12, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to Berkley and Stephanie Dray for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.12!** "Being a woman has only bothere **Many thanks to Berkley and Stephanie Dray for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.12!** "Being a woman has only bothered me in climbing trees." - Frances Perkins It is this frank and fearless nature that sets Frances Perkins apart...and from the moment she arrives in New York City, destined to bring about change, she truly has her work cut out for her. Working with some of the poorest in Hell's Kitchen's tenements, it is apparent that working conditions (and living conditions) are not sustainable for the people of her fair city. She has several compatriots, each with a fire for revolution in their bellies: there's Upton Sinclair, a cheeky young fire-haired writer who longs to be more than just friends with Frances, a wealthy but kind socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, and a brooding, sensitive young reformer Paul Wilson, each determined to change the landscape in their own way. But after witnessing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire firsthand (with workers literally LEAPING out of the burning building to the ground below), Frances knows that labor conditions need change: immediate and DRASTIC change. Though she isn't directly involved in politics herself, Frances gets word that Franklin "Feather Duster" Roosevelt, a rich and haughty man she encountered at a party once (who wasn't exactly her number one fan, to put it mildly!) is running for office...and he might actually WIN. Roosevelt has a plan that will take him up through the ranks, and quickly: a plan that will end with him in the White House. When all of this comes to pass, NO one is more surprised than Frances when FDR not only recognizes Frances' passion for reform and labor policy, but wants to appoint her to be his Secretary of Labor...making her the very FIRST woman in the presidential cabinet. Although Frances is honored and perhaps more passionate and driven by her work than anyone around her, she is met with push-back and criticism over and over again. Many men assume she can't do her job AND be a wife and mother...but Frances isn't going to let anything stand in her way. But balancing the severe troubles experienced by members of her family...acting as an indomitable force during FDR's tenure...AND fighting for social security and labor reform proves to be nearly overwhelming for Frances, and she starts to wonder if she can TRULY make all of these dreams come true. Will her bold determination start a blaze of glory that will continue on for generations to come...or will everything she has worked for crumble before her very eyes? I'm a bit ashamed to say that before picking up this book, I probably hadn't heard the name Frances Perkins since elementary school...and since this may have been back in the 2nd or 3rd grade I couldn't have told you a THING about her. After reading this book, it's not only shocking but saddening to me that such an integral part of history was not a MAJOR focus in the curriculum. As someone who is very passionate when it comes to workers' rights (and as a former Union member myself, when I had the opportunity to be in one!) it was easy for me to become VERY invested in Frances' mission as she fought to keep children out of factories, to enforce more limited working hours (No more fourteen hour days...and we think we have it bad now! ) and to establish programs like social security which would benefit ALL citizens, not just those born into wealth. Sadly, many of these fights persist today, but they would have been Dead on Arrival PERMANENTLY if not for the tireless work of Frances Perkins. To say this book is enlightening is an understatement: I feel I owe Frances a debt of gratitude! Dray also does something special with this narrative: this is technically historical fiction, but almost reads more like a diary or a memoir. Perkins takes you through so many years of her life, but the chapters are fairly short and manageable, and there is a solid balance between Perkins' work life and her personal life. There is romance and heartache, inner turmoil and also an exploration of the power of friendship. While Perkins and FDR have a rocky start, the two learn to work in tandem in a truly powerful way, and like all of the relationships explored here, has a complexity and a beauty all its own. Perkins' choices are never easy, and this is the recurring theme underlying her entire career. Being a woman during this time was hard enough in and of itself, but to make some of the 'radical' statements and decisions Perkins was forced to make at times was what set her apart...and I am SO thrilled Dray chose to share this history in such an interesting way. This book is also 500+ pages (!) which is usually somewhat of a red flag for me when it comes to historical fiction, but this one is written in such a way that it never feels overly long or complex. The chapters move along at a pretty good clip, and as a reader I felt that the only reason the book was this length was to make sure she captured as much detail about Perkins' life as possible: this one is meticulously researched, with Dray highlighting at the end any areas where she took creative liberty, but these are few and far between. There's always a stark difference between authors who TRULY do their research in historical fiction and those that rely on more 'basic' tropes and commonly known information. I applaud Dray's dedication to preserving the integrity of Frances Perkins and EVERYTHING she accomplished during her truly impactful time in office. And through Dray, by the end of her journey, Perkins makes an observation true of so many bold and brilliant, brave and breathtaking revolutionaries of the past, present, and future: "So maybe a spark of madness is what it takes to accomplish anything truly revolutionary in this world." One tiny, seemingly insignificant, but POWERFUL spark! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Mar 10, 2024
|
Mar 14, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1728265770
| 9781728265773
| 1728265770
| 3.91
| 2,175
| May 14, 2024
| May 14, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and Terah Shelton Harris for an ARC of this book!** |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 22, 2024
|
May 30, 2024
|
Feb 12, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0593656563
| 9780593656563
| 0593656563
| 4.17
| 432
| Jul 09, 2024
| Jul 09, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to Shelf Awareness, Penguin, and August Thompson for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** It takes a special kind of book to mak **Many thanks to Shelf Awareness, Penguin, and August Thompson for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!** It takes a special kind of book to make you wonder "Is this a memoir? Or is this fiction?" August Thompson's compelling debut, Anyone's Ghost, is JUST that kind of haunting, memorable, emotionally penned, and evocative read. Our story begins with a shocking message: "It took three car crashes to kill Jake." Theron Alden is more than devastated to hear of this passing...he is forever altered. As he returns to attend Jake's funeral, we then jump back in time to a summer when Theron was just beginning to find himself...but not knowing where or how this journey was supposed to start. A strained relationship with his father has left him in a vulnerable place, but when he takes a summer job at a store in his tiny New Hampshire town, he meets Jake and is instantly blown away by this effortlessly cool 17 year old who is EVERYTHING Theron (or David, as he is called by everyone else in his life) wants to be: edgy, funny, and a bit dangerous. The pair bond over their love of the same rock music, and Jake gets Theron intimately involved with drugs, theft, and a dangerous joyride or two...until one day, everything changes. Theron begins to realize that his feelings for Jake aren't brotherly love, or the simple, unspoken kinship of two teenage boys: they are reminiscent of first love. At first, Theron doesn't know what to make of the emotions and hormones that are coursing through him...and he's also terrified to lose the person closest to him by exploring anything more or making his intentions known. But after a planned trip away together falls apart and Jake goes off the grid for a while...Theron knows that this MUST be something more. When the two reconnect, however, Theron discovers that Jake has spent a significant portion of this time with his fiancee, Jess...and something deeper than jealousy grabs hold. After a devastating car crash that both boys are lucky to escape, however, something changes...and for the first time Theron gets an indication that perhaps he isn't the only one with burgeoning feelings. But is Jake held hostage by what society and his fiancee 'expects' him to do? Or are some feelings just too strong and too complex to be ignored? Has all of the tension building between these two been leading to a crescendo of passion...or will Theron finally get his answer and be forced to repair his broken heart all alone, WITHOUT his best friend at his side....before he eventually loses him forever? While I respect and applaud Thompson's brilliance in starting the book with the revelation that Jake would not survive his third car crash, I have to admit, this beginning made it difficult for me to immediately jump into the story. This opening points to how vital Jake is to the story, but without the context of his character, the mentions of death and the funeral from the jump felt almost off-putting to me as a reader. I was a bit concerned I wasn't going to get into the book at all, and knowing such a vital and saddening piece of information from the beginning ALMOSTmade me question whether I would feel the emotional push and pull I had initially anticipated. Much like Adam Silvera's They Both Die at the End, giving away THAT much from the very beginning can make you question the author's intent or if the story to follow will be ABLE to surprise you. But by about 30% through this book, I honestly was questioning whether this was fiction or fact: Theron's vulnerability, openness, and frank reflective nature felt just THAT real. This book is part coming-of-age, part light buddy comedy, and part love story...but with all the emotional heft of a no-holds-barred memoir as Jake lets his readers in on not only his transformation from boy to man, but the exploration of his sexuality and the blurred edges he experiences over the course of many years with Jake. The interplay of Jake and Theron's other relationships with their respective girlfriends, as well as Theron's complex relationship with his father are also interspersed throughout the book and help to give depth and breadth to the complexity of his journey of self-discovery. Although you know the period that will come at the 'end of the book's sentence' (so to speak) every word is worth reading along the way. Though I haven't read Call Me By Your Name (a source of inspiration for the author), Thompson also credits a long list of musical acts at the end, from the National to Metallica, and as a music aficionado, THIS I can confirm: the songs here are chosen with a purpose, and you'll almost feel as though you're riding along in the car with Jake and Theron, wind blowing in your hair, as you let the thumping bass move through you: it's simply that visceral. Theron's connection to Jake is far more than skin deep, and despite their somewhat disparate life journeys (and Jake's untimely demise), one passage in particular sums up the pain of being alive and the sort of unwavering devotion that only the purest and most selfless kind of love can deliver: "He told me I didn't need to say sorry because it wasn't my fault. I could never understand why people needed to clarify that. That I'm sorry is not an apology from me to you but an apology for being. I'm sorry that life is this difficult. I'm sorry that there's so much harm to be found. I would give anything to change the nature of the world, even if I could just change it for you." ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jul 06, 2024
|
Jul 10, 2024
|
Feb 09, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1668024608
| 9781668024607
| 1668024608
| 4.00
| 1,871
| Jul 02, 2024
| Jul 02, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Ethan Joella for an ARC of this book!** Jack Schmidt is proud to call Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home...but pro **Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Ethan Joella for an ARC of this book!** Jack Schmidt is proud to call Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home...but prouder still to continue the legacy of his family's beachfront restaurant, Schmidt's. Three generations in, the restaurant has weathered all sorts of storms, and Jack might not have much in the way of a social life due to his workaholic ways...but he has a staff that feels like family and has kept the doors open and the balance sheet in the black...and there's part of him that can't imagine life any other way. Sure, after so many years he would LIKE to kick back his heels and relax in a beach chair...but he OWES his family, especially after his father's passing, and Jack isn't one to let others down. But when wealthy restaurant group DelDine, who own several restaurants in the area and beyond, come along and make Jack an offer to buy the restaurant to add it to their portfolio...Jack can't help but consider the prospect. He would be handsomely compensated, and could finally have some TIME to explore all of the things in life he's been missing...and perhaps even rekindle an old romance. But what does DelDine ACTUALLY have in mind for the property? Can he trust a couple of strangers who know just what to say to maintain the integrity of Schmidt's and show the same type of care and compassion for the staff that are truly family to him? And when Jack gets some SHOCKING news about his past that is set to change the course of his life forever...will he be brave enough to make the first move and finally get answers? Will this be the impetus he needs to pull the trigger on the sale of the restaurant...or will his fears keep him trapped in a hamster wheel of indecision, where DelDine will end up with the upper hand... and Schmidt's as he knew it will cease to exist? This is my first Ethan Joella novel and NOW I get what all the hype is about! This book reads like a perfect blend of contemporary and literary fiction, with ample doses of nostalgia, quiet reflections about the past, plenty of angst about the present, and an air of uncertainty about the future. I appreciate that though it feels like a bit of a genre hybrid, it is very much in the vein of literary fiction I appreciate most: one grounded in reality rather than an air of pretentiousness. At the center of the conflict is an exploration of family, what it means to 'owe' your family, and how found family and blood relations can sometimes intersect...and sometimes in the unlikeliest of ways! It makes a LOT of sense that Rehoboth Beach is the setting for this story and that it practically leaps off the page with authenticity: the author lives there currently, and did an excellent job capturing the sort of 'endless summer' feel of the area. The book is interspersed with little snippets from a 'guidebook' about the town, and while at first I wasn't a fan of the device, by the 2nd half of the book, I was eagerly anticipating these segments. But be warned: although the setting is technically the beach, this isn't EXACTLY what I'd call a beach read. There are heavy topics aplenty here, from addiction, abortion, and abandonment, to estrangement, so NOT exactly a light and sunny read. By the same token, this setting sort of helps to balance the tension and ground the book at times. Although I had assumed this was set in summertime (both due to the book's release date and by the cover) the tale actually starts off in November (right before Thanksgiving) so in that sense it can really be read ANY time of year (and part of me wishes it had come out in winter as more of a 'remember how great the summer is?' sort of read!) Aside from the beautifully depicted setting, the beauty of this book lies in its characters, led by our multifaceted narrator Jack. We watch as he revisits snips of his past, deals with the strife of his present, and imagines what his future could be...and although he is our only narrator, this is HIS story, so it completely works. We see all of the other characters through his lens, but Joella's characterizations are subtle and effective. These seem like people you COULD know or that you might know already, and they all fit effortlessly into the world of Rehoboth Beach. It's hard to say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but although the 'main' plot of this one revolves around the sale of the restaurant...this is just the lynch pin that holds the novel together and gives it a beating heart. You may change your mind about certain characters along the way, but despite Jack's indecision and foot-dragging when it came to whether or not to sell the restaurant, I never quite felt frustrated with him. This was simply a journey he needed to take on his own, in his own way, and as you might have guessed there is more to this story than a simple restaurant sale: like winter to spring, a transformation of sorts takes place...but unlike a simple changing of the seasons, it is both beautiful and unexpected, in the best possible way. And though I won't spoil the ending, Jack's revelations by the end of this one were akin to Dorothy's in the Wizard of Oz right before her return to Kansas: "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with." 4 stars ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
Jul 03, 2024
|
Feb 08, 2024
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 3.93
| 28,336
| Jun 18, 2024
| Jun 18, 2024
|
really liked it
|
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Liv Constantine for an ARC of this book!** "Revenge is sweet and not fattening" - Alfred Hitch **Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Liv Constantine for an ARC of this book!** "Revenge is sweet and not fattening" - Alfred Hitchcock Amber Patterson Parrish planned EVERYTHING out when she decided she would stop at nothing to become the wife of wealthy Jackson Parrish...except what she would do when he got out of prison, that is. Amber's scheme (detailed in the first book of this series, The Last Mrs. Parrish) involved leaving her questionable past behind, sidling up to Mr. Moneybags, earning his trust and his love...and then getting him locked up for tax evasion and enjoying a lavish lifestyle on her own, scot-free. After all, when it comes to love or money? It's ALWAYS been an easy choice for Amber. But as Jackson's bank account dwindles and the clock continues to tick, panic sets in. Will Amber's social standing in Bishop's Harbor and the life that has become second nature to her be ripped away when her 'Darling' Husband returns... with his own axe to grind? Meanwhile, Jackson's first wife Daphne has her own connections to Jackson that keep her tied to her horrifying past...her beautiful daughters. She too knows that Jackson's time in prison is coming to an end, and although she vowed to keep her life as separate from Jackson as possible, her children miss their dad and beg for the chance to spend some time with him upon his release. Daphne is more than a bit reluctant, with memories of the verbal, mental, and physical abuse her family endured still fresh in her mind, but she feels she cannot deny her kids the opportunity to see their dad, so she gives in. But once she spends some time around Jackson he APPEARS to be a changed man...and wants to lure Daphne back into his bed. Will her dark and disturbing relationship past be enough to keep her away from Jackson's arms...or could she fall BACK under his spell? And then there's Daisy Ann, a woman out seeking revenge of her own...for the murder of her late father. Daisy is a successful business owner now, but she hasn't been able to overcome the loss of her beloved dad...and KNOWS in her gut that his 'accidental' hunting death was far from an accident. Though the evidence has never emerged to prove anything conclusively, Daisy Ann hasn't given up hope that all will be revealed and the party who is TRULY responsible will be brought to justice. And it just so happens that this woman MAY be incredibly wealthy and prominent in Bishop's Harbor...at least, for now. When this suspect ends up poised to take away Daisy's company, WHO will end up with the spoils? Will Jackson's release allow him to FINALLY catch up with BOTH of his 'loves'...and will he finally get the chance for revenge HE has been craving? Or does Amber have ONE final trick (or perhaps, rare and expensive diamond ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 16, 2024
|
Jun 19, 2024
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||||
| 067101434X
| 9780671014346
| 067101434X
| 3.46
| 473
| Jun 01, 1997
| Jun 01, 1997
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
not set
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0671016954
| 9780671016951
| B001L9UFP4
| 3.62
| 378
| Feb 01, 1998
| 2000
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
not set
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0671021206
| 9780671021207
| 0671021206
| 3.52
| 232
| Nov 01, 1998
| 1998
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
not set
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
Paperback
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 3.59
|
it was ok
|
May 02, 2024
|
Apr 29, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.72
|
really liked it
|
Mar 06, 2024
|
Mar 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.98
|
liked it
|
Jun 23, 2024
|
Mar 01, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.06
|
liked it
|
Jul 06, 2024
|
Mar 01, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.41
|
liked it
|
Jul 15, 2024
|
Feb 16, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.77
|
really liked it
|
Jun 29, 2024
|
Feb 16, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.83
|
really liked it
|
Feb 07, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.50
|
really liked it
|
May 06, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.79
|
liked it
|
May 16, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.84
|
really liked it
|
Apr 12, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.93
|
liked it
|
Jun 05, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.62
|
liked it
|
Mar 23, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.45
|
really liked it
|
Mar 14, 2024
|
Feb 13, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.91
|
really liked it
|
May 30, 2024
|
Feb 12, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.17
|
really liked it
|
Jul 10, 2024
|
Feb 09, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.00
|
really liked it
|
Jul 03, 2024
|
Feb 08, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.93
|
really liked it
|
Jun 19, 2024
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.46
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.62
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.52
|
really liked it
|
not set
|
Jan 30, 2024
|
Loading...
