There’s nothing abnormal about being a little abnormal.
Summary
Gory Details is a collection of short, blog-style chapters by the author of the National Geographic blog of the same title. Engelhaupt says in the introduction to this book that some of these chapters are new, and others are expanded versions of posts that can already be found on the blog. Topics include human anatomy, bugs and animals, human psychology, and more.
My Thoughts
Plot
I am intentionally leaving this section blank because this was a work of non-fiction, and on top of that, the format of this book is not conducive to describing an overarching plotline.
Format
This book almost felt like I was reading a series of vignettes-each it’s own story, but attempting to fit into a larger picture. In reality, it was literally a collection of blog posts. Going in, I did not expect to like this format, and coming out, my mind had not changed. I mean, I am writing a blog post, so obviously I am not against the format in and of itself, but I feel there is a distinct difference between reading a blog online for the articles that you are interested in, or want to learn more about, and an entire book in this style.
Blog posts are not supposed to be all encompassing, and there is an expectation that not everything will be explained fully-but in a book setting, I do have that expectation, and when I have questions that are ultimately left unanswered due to the format of the book, I leave disappointed.
That being said-I don’t want you to not pick up this book because I didn’t like the format. For most people, this style of book is a great, high-level introduction to a variety of topics that are tangentially related. And because each section is self contained, it is fairly easy to pick up and put down with ease. That just did not work for the setting that I was reading this book in.
Writing
Erika has been writing the Gory Details blog on Science News and then National Geographic for a number of years. In that time, she has perfected the blog style, writing in an accessible and easily digestible format. Her writing is informative but also engaging, making the science not only understandable but interesting. I would like to note that Engelhaupt is most definitely a writer, not a scientist-so if you are expecting excessive data and detailed citations, you will not find them here. However, if you are looking for an introduction to some of the more gory sides of science and psychology, this could be a good place to start.
Engelhaupts’ writing style is very conversational. You can almost feel like you’re sitting across from her at a bar and chatting over IPA’s and tapas. But then, the conversation just kind of ends, leaving you wanting more. However, unlike meeting in person, you can’t just start up the conversation where you left off at another time. You’ve simply moved on-almost like you’re Lucy meeting Adam Sandler again in 50 First Dates.
Final Thoughts
Looking at other reviews, most people seem to enjoy this book; finding it engaging and digestible. However, for the setting that I was reading this in (book club), it did not work for me. That being said-I can’t help but wonder if the reason that I disliked this book is because it was the third book we read this year instead of the first. I think that I probably would have enjoyed this much more if I hadn’t already read two other long form nonfiction titles. If we had started with this, almost in preparation for the rest of the year, I probably would have liked it better.
However, that isn’t what happened, and therefore, I can only rate based on how I felt reading it.
For so many years my insignificance and invisibility have been a mask I can hide behind. And in the process I have avoided raking up the past. Raking up the shame.
The Concierge
*Please note that there are DEFINITELY spoilers in this review. Please read at your own risk.
Summary
Jess makes a last-minute call to her brother, Ben, telling him she’s coming to visit him in Paris. Having had to leave her job on less-than-good terms, Jess arrives at his apartment with no money and no plan, hoping to run away from the mess she left behind in London. However, she arrives at Ben’s Paris Apartment only to find that he has disappeared without a trace. A mystery ensues, and Jess is put in a position where she can’t trust anyone she meets or anything she hears.
Jess finds herself surrounded by secrets and questions: Who was Ben really? What was he working on? Did he disappear on his own or did something terrible happen? The other tenants know something but are keeping a tight lip. Jess has to take a chance and do her best to trust those around her-but when she gets lied to left and right, Jess needs to put the pieces together on her own.
My Thoughts
Plot
I really wanted to enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed The Guest List but I just didn’t. I felt like the entire book was filled with constant tension. With nothing to break or ease that tension, the book got tedious very quickly. I also struggled with the fact that not every chapter was in the order of how the events happened, so as a reader, I was aware of some things that Jess (or one of the other characters) was not. This took the excitement out of certain aspects of the story that could have been highly anticipatory.
I think the reveal that the tenants were all a family came way too early in the book. It made it so much easier to piece together everything and made the ending not as jarring. I also think the ‘twist’ at the end was not set up well. I can see how it was surprising, but there was very little leading up to it that would give any sense of what happened. In a whodunnit, the whole point is to leave little clues.
I also found that the plot was wrapped up too neatly. While not all of the characters were happy, I felt all the characters got what they deserved, and I just wasn’t happy with that. I didn’t want everything wrapped up in a neat little bow. After all the tension throughout the rest of the book, the fact that it just ends the way it does was extremely underwhelming.
Lastly, Foley brought up the Paris riots but didn’t really go into what the riots were, and they were absolutely not important whatsoever to the plot. It felt like so much of this book was filler just to pad the number of pages.
Format
When reading a book with this many characters all speaking in the first person, I much prefer the audiobook to a print book. This title is no exception. In this particular novel, each character was narrated by a different individual, making it very clear which chapter belonged to which character (even though the chapters were named). I also felt it was essential to hear the characters differently in order to really get into the story. When reading a print book, we can give different characters their own individualism, but realistically, I find that I don’t. That being said, I did listen to this book at 1.75 speed because I just could not get into the slow tempo. Normally with audiobooks, I do 1.25 to 1.5, but this was just painfully slow to me.
Writing
There was so much potential in this book. Paris is one of those cities that has a rich history and literally all of it went to waste. Jess didn’t even know about the pyramid outside of the Louvre-which has been there for decades at the time this book was written. The Eiffel Tower was not mentioned at all. None of the typical Paris landmarks were included. I didn’t feel like I was in Paris. Like, if the names weren’t French and there weren’t French words interspersed throughout, you could have set this book in the middle of Detroit and nobody would have been any wiser.
Because there was so much gravity throughout the entire book, nothing felt like it was actually dangerous. I couldn’t relate to the stress of the characters. I couldn’t feel their emotions. They just existed for me.
And on top of that, because everyone was so intense, even situations that should not have been intense were. This made everything just so much more unbelievable. Foley knows how to create tension-we all know that. But she doesn’t always seem to know when to pull back.
Characters
Jess
At the end of the book, I feel like Jess had the least amount of character development. The rest of the characters had so many secrets that they were hiding and we needed to pull out of them, that when Jess did not have those secrets, she felt way more two-dimensional than the rest of the cast. She was extremely unlikeable-stealing from whomever she felt like-sneaking into people’s personal space-and being just generally annoying. And the fact that she had said multiple times that her brother often flaked on her but immediately went to “something bad happened” and dropped everything to find him just seemed really out of place.
Ben
Ben is a hard character to write about because we actually hear very little from him. If I remember correctly, there are only two or three short chapters from his point of view. However, from hearing about him from the other characters, I found him to be extremely manipulative and self-serving. For someone who seems to have these character traits, it was difficult to root for them to find out what happened. Since we spent so long thinking he was dead, the fact that he wasn’t, really threw me for a loop.
Mimi
Mimi was another hard character for me because she obviously had a number of mental health issues that were just not addressed. She is obviously obsessive. She obviously is extremely sheltered. But she has also obviously had an abusive upbringing in some form. But nobody really did anything to help her. She was so unstable, and they just continued to make excuses for her. It was a disservice to her character, but also a disservice to the plot. I get how her infatuation with Ben is essential to the story, but I just can’t wrap my head around the rest of the family not wanting to help her in any meaningful way.
Nick
Nick’s character made me so angry throughout this book. It seemed like he was into Jess at one point, but then he was really into Ben, and he also was completely unable to communicate those feelings. And then the fact that he continued to pine after Ben even though he was given obvious clues that Ben was not in fact interested…I just couldn’t. Nick was also obnoxiously private, allowing Jess to make erroneous assumptions that could have been avoided if he just was honest with her. Now I know that the lies are the whole point, but seriously dude…
Sophie
I felt like Sophie was another of those misunderstood characters. She was a former prostitute who married her pimp and ended up the step-parent to two boys and an orphan girl. (Or so we think-we never actually find out who Mimi’s father is). It seems clear to me that all she wants is respect, and never got that respect from her stepchildren or her husband. She instead, became a trophy to be placed on the mantle. That being said, she was still extremely protective of her family-even when they did not deserve it. She supported all of them and tried to do her best for them. Does that make her a good person-absolutely not-but I did recognize that she was at least trying.
The Concierge
I feel for the Concierge more than any other character in this entire book-mostly because she remains nameless. This poor older woman works for the apartment, lives in a tiny hut on the grounds, and is treated like crap by pretty much everyone. She definitely pulled the short straw in life, and I really wish that if anybody had a happy ending, it would be her. I mean, we don’t really know if her ending is happy or not, but I’m guessing with all of the hurt she faced throughout her life, it was probably not as happy as it could have been.
Side Characters
Irina – Even though we never hear from Irina in the first person, I thought her character was interesting. She was useful in giving Jess information that none of the other characters would be willing to give her, and that makes her important. I also like how she was willing to trust Jess just due to the fact that she was related to Ben. That shows how important the work Ben was doing actually was
Antoine – The Alcoholic brother of Nick, I don’t remember if this character ever had a chapter of his own. That shows just how important he was to the plot. Like he could have literally been removed and it would have made little to no difference. He was just a jerk the whole book
Camille – Mimi’s loud, obnoxious, outgoing, cigarette-smoking, bisexual roommate I think is supposed to be the foil to Mimi’s obsessiveness. It doesn’t really work for me though. She doesn’t actually seem to care for Mimi. She’s more there to create situations to move what little plot exists forward.
Theo – Theo is another weird character. He is 100% essential to the story because Jess would have never found out about the sex club without him. However, their random sex scene didn’t seem to fit, and his professional relationship with Ben was not explored particularly well.
Dominique and Commissaire Blanchot are other side characters that appear multiple times but are not super essential. There isn’t even really enough to write about them.
Final Thoughts
I had high hopes for this book, and it, unfortunately, fell flat for me. It had a lot of potential and some really good parts. However, the good did not overpower the rest of the mess.
2.5 stars because it kept my attention long enough for me to finish it.
This is one of those odd times that I review a non-fiction title. And to be honest, this is not the typical non-fiction book, so it will also probably not be a typical review. I’m not going to go through chapter by chapter or section by section. But I digress…
What To Expect When You’re Expecting was first published in 1984 by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway. It is now in its fifth edition. The title is touted to be the “bible of American pregnancy” by the New York Times and has topped the paperback bestseller list on multiple occasions. What to Expect can now boast a website, mobile app, and fictionalized feature film. Not bad for a pregnancy guide.
When I found out I was pregnant, this is literally the first thing I purchased. I had every intention of reading this book cover to cover, absorbing every iota of knowledge thrown at me. I’m sure some soon-to-be mothers are able to tackle this task, but I was not. This book was BIG and the print was small, and there were columns, and sections that referenced other sections, and to be honest, I got very overwhelmed very quickly. This book might be a great guide, but for me, it was a useful reference book rather than an informational non-fiction designed to be read cover to cover.
My plan was to be a chapter ahead (reading month 3 while in month 2). But I found myself regularly skimming through to see if the aches and pains I was feeling were normal pregnancy changes or something else. It didn’t help that I needed to stop my ADHD medication, which made focusing on the sheer amount of information substantially more difficult. It also didn’t help that the entire book was in black and white, and most of it was text. Because there were no colors or images to break things up, staring at page after page was tiring.
But was it helpful? I guess this is the important question right? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but no. To me, this book was more overwhelming than it was helpful. That being said, I’m still glad I purchased it. I do appreciate that it was written as a single book because I think multiple books would become cost prohibitive, but I also feel like purchasing it by trimester might have been more manageable for me-especially since my doctor didn’t even see me until after I was 8 weeks pregnant and the first trimester was essentially over.
The information was semi-useful most of the time, but Murkoff is not an OB/GYN, she’s not a Labor & Delivery Nurse, and she’s not even a medical professional of any kind. She’s just an author. So I felt like a lot of the book was anecdotal, and while I’m sure there was medical science behind the book, there were too many stories for me. I also am concerned that the book did recommend some alternative medical practices like acupuncture and reflexology. There is no scientific basis for either of these practices and encouraging them alongside standard medical practices can be confusing to many people.
One thing that I think we also need to be careful of is the history of this book. It has been around for a LONG time and has become a classic in its own right. However, it is also full of medical information which can go out of date. Buying used copies of this book, or taking hand-me-downs of anything other than the most recent edition could be problematic. This is especially true as things have changed drastically in regard to obstetrics in the past 20 years. Also, it is important to remember that this book should never replace the care of a board-certified OB/GYN or Registered Nurse Midwife. It is a good supplement to help understand your pregnancy but is by no means a replacement.
All in all, I’m glad I purchased this book because it gave me peace of mind to have the resource available to me whenever I wanted it. Looking back though, I probably would have purchased a kindle edition because it takes up less space and is more easily searchable. I agree that it is the most well-known pregnancy book in the United States and for good reason. But I also found the book very overwhelming at times and when you’re already pregnant, being more overwhelmed is probably not the best of situations.
Maybe love shouldn’t be built on a foundation of compromises, but maybe it can’t exist without them either.
Book Lovers, by Emily Henry
Summary
Nora Stephens always sees herself as the person who gets left in the Hallmark Christmas movies. The ones where the city guy goes to east podunk to buy out a hotel, falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the owner, and decides to leave his fiancee and everything he knows behind in order to save the hotel and marry the small-town girl. Nora knows this to be true because it hasn’t just happened to her twice, but FOUR TIMES. But that’s OK because she is a phenomenal literary agent, and represents her clients extremely well.
So when her sister, Libby, drags Nora to Sunshine Falls which is the setting of a book by Libby’s favorite author (and Nora’s client), Nora finds herself in a situation she never dreamed she’d be in. Libby and Nora create a bucket list-type agreement on the airplane that they were going to do these crazy things like throw a party in the town and save a small business just like all of the Hallmark Movies.
But now, Nora is stuck in a town that’s nothing like the book described it to be, with the one person she does not want to be anywhere near, while her sister is obviously hiding something. Nora begins trying to complete these goals without losing her mind.
My Thoughts
Plot
I find myself liking these romantic comedy-type books more and more as I read them. Are they predictable? Absolutely. But are they entertaining? Also absolutely! I found Nora and Charlie’s characters very engaging. I liked the theme that played out throughout the book of things not always being like they seemed. I liked that Nora didn’t always know everything. I liked the tension between Nora and Charlie. I liked the banter throughout.
One thing that I don’t always see in this type of book, but did here, is true character growth and development. Nora starts as a fairly unlikable character due to the fact that she is so rigid in everything she does. But throughout, she grows as a character to see how this isn’t always the most healthy of behaviors. The same with Charlie-though his character development is more along the lines of him being willing to open himself up more.
Even though the plot was predictable, I still found myself completely engaged-wondering how the author was going to get from point a to point b. I liked that the story didn’t really go back and forth to New York, and all of Nora’s interaction outside of Sunshine Falls is through phone and e-mail. It really did remind me almost of a hallmark type movie.
Format
I read a physical copy of this book in just a few hours. I definitely think that was the right decision. I think that I would have gotten frustrated with the characters in an audiobook setting, because in books with a lot of witty banter, timing is everything. That being said, I really shouldn’t compare, since I have not looked into if an audiobook even exists.
Writing
This book is extremely witty, which I absolutely loved. I thought that the writing style was engaging and creative. The descriptions were done extremely well. Even the smuttier scenes didn’t feel super crazy, which I appreciated. I thought that even though it was written in the first person, each character still had a distinct voice that was recognizable throughout the story.
One thing that I’m not so sure about is that this story is billed as a rivals to lovers type, which is always fun. But I wouldn’t call this book a rivals to lovers book. Nora and Charlie had one interaction where they didn’t get along, but I would never call them rivals. They never competed in any way professionally. You could make a better argument for the enemies to lovers trope, but I wouldn’t call them enemies either. More just people who don’t like each other who learn to like each other.
Characters
Nora
I get that Nora was the main character, so we were supposed to love her. But I’m glad that I didn’t adore her right away. It actually took a lot for me to warm up to her. I felt like for a lot of the book she was stubborn and pigheaded and refused to get out of her own way. But this is what actual people are like sometimes. Nora didn’t compromise herself or her ideals just for the sake of the plot. She was a difficult person who had trouble with her emotions, but that difficultness was important to show how her character was able to develop.
Libby
I am surprised at how much I related to Libby. Pregnant with another child, she has always been close (both physically and emotionally) to her sister, but she also needs to take that step to be independent. She’s so afraid of losing or disappointing Nora that she comes up with this elaborate plan to make that transition easier. I totally get how it feels to know that something is the right decision but still have to find a way to break that decision to loved ones.
I wish that Libby didn’t have to be quite so secretive though. Bringing up the fact that her doctor said that a vegetarian diet was not healthy for her or her baby at that point in time would not have been an end-of-the-world discussion, and could have helped avoid a bunch of unnecessary drama.
Charlie
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie…I loved Charlie so much. I know you weren’t supposed to, but I absolutely adored him. I appreciated that he was guarded about what was important to him. I appreciated his dedication to his family. I appreciated how devoted he was to what he believed in.
One of the things that I really liked about Charlie was his attempt to set boundaries in order to protect Nora. He knew that they were both totally into each other, but he didn’t want to hurt her when he knew he wasn’t going to be returning to New York City. I mean, the boundaries didn’t work, but for me, it’s the thought that counts in this situation.
Final Thoughts
You know, I’ve said multiple times that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I am loving this type of romantic fiction style book. This is no exception. I do have a number of other Emily Henry books on my TBR list, and I am more excited to read them after this. Was it a perfect book? No. But it was genuinely entertaining.
“…and it is sad, of course, to forget. But it is a lonely thing, to be forgotten. To remember when no one else does.”
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (pg 77)
Summary
In 1714, Addie is promised to be married to somebody she does not like, never mind love. Her father is forcing the marriage, and all Addie wants is her independence. Independence to choose how she lives her own life. After praying to all of the gods she knew would be acceptable to pray to, but to no avail, Addie goes into the woods at night, and prays to a god she knows is no good. But at least she gets an answer. Addie tells the god (Luc) that she wants to live freely, without thinking about the meaning of her words. She promises him her soul-but only when she’s done with it-and he accepts. Addie becomes immortal, but her promise came with a price. Nobody remembers her.
For centuries, Addie struggles to find comfort-lying, stealing, forging. She travels Europe, and is a part of many historical events, including being immortalized in paintings where she is always somewhat of a blur. Every year, Luc asks her to surrender herself to him, but every year Addie refuses. Eventually though, Addie and Luc do begin an affair that lasts for a number of years. However, they end up in a fight, after which she doesn’t see him for a very long time
Over the centuries Addie learns how to use her curse to her advantage, stealing what she needs, knowing that nobody will remember her if they turn around; until one day somebody does remember. Now, Addie now finds herself in an unfamiliar situation, where she starts falling for someone who can actually share a life with her-except he can’t. Henry had also promised his soul to Luc in return for a year of being loved. Addie won’t allow this to happen, so she makes a deal with Luc-her soul for Henry’s life.
My Thoughts
Plot
The idea of living forever but always being forgotten, I thought was a fantastic idea. I especially liked that Addie was born well outside of our modern time. That made her passage through history all the more real-especially when it comes to her family and her home. And then Henry shows up and everything is thrown on it’s head. I love how Addie needed to re-evaluate how she lived her life, and start to think about what was important to her.
Format
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while I did enjoy it, I think I would have enjoyed it more as a physical book. Sometimes I felt the need to go back to things, and with an audiobook, that is much harder to do.
Writing
You could have taken a third of this book away, and still had the same story. While I loved Addie’s backstory and seeing her interact with history, I think a chunk of it could have been summarized into a smaller section. That being said, I loved how the author really got into Addies mind. However, the drawback to this is that there was very little dialogue for a book this size.
Characters
Addie: Addie starts the novel chasing independence, and gets herself into a load of trouble. She knows better than to pray to the gods that answer at night, but she does anyways, and ultimately pays the price. From then on, everyone who meets her immediately forgets her-AND she becomes immortal. Throughout the book, you are shown how Addie survives her situation, but also the toll it takes on her. I would say that her biggest strengths are her endurance and stubbornness because no matter how lonely she is, how many times she is forgotten, she still loves to live a fulfilling life. She is wise enough to become unforgettable by living her mark on a number of artistic works-from paintings to photographs to songs. That’s what makes her immortality worthwhile, and ensures she is never truly forgotton.
Luc: The villain of this story, Luc is the one who curses Addie. However, I don’t necessarily blame him. That’s his job. He’s essentially the devil. In terms of the story, I think that Luc was probably the most interesting character in the entire story. You really learn what makes him tick. Is he all evil? I don’t think so. I don’t think he’s remotely good, but he’s way more human than I ever could have expected. I wish he had a bit of a redemption arc, but at the same time, I did enjoy how he stayed true to his character. I do wish he had more page time overall. I also wonder how many other people he is using the same way he uses Addie
Henry: Henry, I think, was the weakest character in the entire story. For so much of this, he was blubbering about a breakup. His existence and issues definitely made Addie’s story more interesting, but overall, he fell flat to me. I get that he doesn’t want to die, but like, come on.
Final Thoughts
Please note that I did read this book over a year ago. But I think that that is sometimes a good time to review the book. A year ago, I rated this 5 stars on Goodreads and here was my review…
My goodness…this book…
I loved this story. It was engaging the entire time. Normally I don’t like time jumps, but I think this one did a fantastic job of it. I loved the character development that Addie had. I think that she really grew as a character and learned how to use her curse to her advantage in many ways. I loved Henry’s arc, though I have to say I was a tad disappointed in him towards the end. And Luke-don’t even get me started on Luc…that guy was bad news from the start but was written in such an engaging way. Like you wanted to like him on so many levels, and like Addie, I kept forgetting that he was not human and therefore didn’t experience emotions in the same way.
I think my opinion has changed somewhat, especially in terms of the character development. That being said, there are books I read last year that I can’t remember the title of-and this one I can. Would I rate this 5 stars still? No. But I am comfortable with 4.
“Everybody wants to know. But maybe growing up means accepting that you’re not always able to.”
Graham Moore, The Holdout
Summary
Maya Seale is a prominent LA Attorney. But she had not always been that. Ten years ago, she had no direction in life when she was called to be a juror in the murder trial of Bobby Nock. Bobby was accused of murdering fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, daughter of a billion-dollar business mogul. In the trial, the jurors are told of sexually explicit text messages between Bobby and Jessica, as well as Jessica’s blood in Bobby’s car. The prosecution thinks the case is open and shut, but Maya isn’t convinced. Instead, she persuades the rest of the jurors to vote not-guilty. This decision changed all of their lives forever
Flash forward ten years. A true-crime docuseries reassembles the jurors with the intention of springing new evidence on them during a 10th anniversary special. When one of the jurors, Rick-the individual bringing forth this evidence, is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, Maya becomes the main suspect in his death. Now, she must prove her own innocence–by getting to the bottom of a case that is far from closed.
Moving back and forth in time between the present day investigation of Ricks death and past jurors telling the reader their interpretation of the trial and what happened after, this murder mystery/courtroom drama will keep you on your toes!
My Thoughts
Plot
This book was so engaging. I really loved how it went back and forth between the present day and the past. I especially like that you aren’t given all of the evidence, just like the Jury. That feeling of flailing around for information made the stakes feel so much higher.
I also loved how the narrators from the past were not the same person. There were 12 jurors in that room, so seeing 12 separate points of view really brought home each jurors motives during the original trial.
The whole thing made me think of the jurors on other high profile trials. Were their lives changed in the same way as the characters in the novel?
Format
I listened to this as an audiobook and LOVED it. I do think that I would have loved it just as much if I had read the book. I think the chapters were short enough and engaging enough to keep me engrossed regardless of what was going on.
Writing
This book was a great example of a good crime novel. While I normally appreciate whodunnits where you have all of the information, I actually really liked how you were always given enough information to think you knew what was going on, but never actually did.
I also like how the author brought race and class into play as well. I thought it was done in a way that 100% made sense to the plot. While similar in concept to 12 Angry Men in some ways, I do think that this book would transition to film extremely well without being viewed as too similar.
Characters
This book was totally an ensemble story even though there were only a few “main” characters. I loved the character development throughout the entire story. I especially loved how you got to see through the eyes of each of the jurors. By seeing events as they saw them, the reader was able to glean an understanding of why they made the decisions that they did.
Maya: Maya was so fun. She knew the rules, but didn’t play by them. She was strong, inquisitive, stubborn, and always had the best of intentions. I think that her character arc is what made this plot so engaging. The lost 20something who is called for jury duty and leaves jury duty wanting to go to law school…there couldn’t be a better arc than that.
Rick: Even though you rarely see Rick alive in this book, I do love how you really seem to get to know him and his motivations throughout the book. He again, has all the best intentions. While frustrated with this in the moment, I actually liked how you did not know what secret Rick was hiding throughout most of the book.
Bobby: This poor kid. I feel so bad for him getting the short end of the stick for most of the book. His fear and frustration with the system was apparent. You couldn’t help but feel for him, while at the same time wondering what was true and what was not.
Mr. Silver: This guy was conniving and calculated, and it was obvious that he was used to getting his way all the time. But you couldn’t help but sympathize with the grieving father.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. It was engaging and thought provoking. It especially makes me think about the juries in some recent high profile trials. I get that they are supposed to be impartial, and are not supposed to consume any media related to the case, but still, I can’t imagine how hard it would be to hold somebodies life in your hands like that. 4.5 stars
In regency era England, orphan Cassandra Hale receives a letter informing her that a gentleman there has information about her origins and family history. However, when she arrives at Briarton Park looking for this man, she comes to find that he had passed away more than two years earlier
Determined to find out more about her past, Cassandra decides to stay in the local town of Anston, and continue digging. On her journey of self discovery, she meets with many people-not all of whom she can trust.
My Thoughts
Plot
While this book is somewhat a mystery, it’s really a slow burn regency romance-and I’m all for that! Having read many books set in this time period, The Letter from Briarton Park is a great example of how to do regency romance well. I was engaged through the entire story, even though it was obvious how the romance would end. I still wanted to know who the bad guy was, and there was never enough information to figure it out ahead of time, so I was often just as lost as the characters, and I LOVED it. I also loved the concept of a strong female character in regency England who understood her power as a woman while also understanding how society at the time worked.
Format
While I listened to this as an Audiobook, I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed this just as much as a physical book. The narrator was fantastic, and the pacing was great.
Writing
Sarah E. Ladd is just a super engaging writer. She seems to have this ability to know exactly what to say next to keep the reader on their toes-or else she just has an awesome editor…Regardless, I thought the writing was great. The only thing that felt a bit awkward to me was how often she had the same people using the same descriptions of the same people. Like Mr. Warrington kept describing the curve of Cassandra’s nose in the same way, and it got a bit stale. The next thing that I wasn’t fond of is that I didn’t really get the understanding of distance. Briarton Park is obviously not in the town proper, but I never could get a good feel for how far away it was. That could also just be because I’m American and distance between places is normal. I don’t know. Third, I think the book got lost somewhere between mystery and romance. The mystery was well done, but for a lot of the book I was thinking ‘just kiss him/her already!’
Characters
Cassandra Hale: Unfortunately, Cassandra was probably my least favorite character in this book. I don’t think that that had anything to do with the writing or development, I just think that women of that time period had very little agency afforded to them. She kept telling herself to trust nobody, but would then give excuses as to why she would trust x or y person. I think she was well written, I just couldn’t like her.
Mr. Warrington: I liked Mr. Warrington a lot. I just struggled with how difficult it was for him to stand up to his mother-in-law. I mean, it was obvious that he liked Cassandra. He had his girls best interests at heart. Why couldn’t he just tell the bat to get over herself? That being said, he was an incredibly sensitive character, which I think is often lacking in male leads
Rachel: I loved this girl. She was so fun and spunky. She had had so much loss in her life, and now was looking for anyone to give her attention. It just took some gentle guidance to put her back onto the right path. She is the stereotypical teenager, and yet based in a period where society is totally different. It made her very relatable
Mr. North: I thought North was superbly written. It was very obvious from the beginning that he had a motive, but nobody really knew what that motive was. I thought that his interactions with the other characters were done in such a way that it was always very hard to get a read on him-which made him all the more intriguing.
Betsy: Since so many of the characters in this book are upper class, I am super excited about Betsy. She is a character who has seen both sides of money, so understands the ins and outs of high society, but is not currently wealthy. She was a great addition to the entire story.
Mother-In-Law: Oh my goodness was this woman a bitch. I mean, I get it, but she was a total PITA. She was so concerned with trying to control Mr. Warrington that she made everyone around her miserable-including herself! I think she was a great addition to this cast of characters, because she showed the readers way more about familial structures, and acceptable propriety in the time period. She was also just a great foil.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Does it have flaws? Yes. But it was definitely an entertaining read. Rounding down to 3.5 stars.
The good thing about sins is they don’t have to be atoned for immediately.
Colleen Hoover, Verity
This book. Oh my goodness this book. SPOILERS
Summary
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer who is about to lose everything when she receives a call from her agent. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity, would like to hire Lowen to complete Verity’s last few books after Verity has been injured. He also invites Lowen to spend a few days at their house in order to review Verity’s notes.
Once Lowen arrives, she sets herself up in Verity’s office and is beginning to try to piece together the mass of papers when she discovers a manuscript. The problem was, this manuscript was not a draft of the next fiction bestseller. It was an autobiography.
Lowen is quickly engrossed in the manuscript-page after page of terrifying admissions about Verity, her relationship with Jeremy, and how her twins died. Lowen decides to keep this manuscript a secret from Jeremy in an attempt to save him from more heartache. But as their feelings for each other intensify, Lowen starts to notice that something in the house is not as it seems.
Verity, who it appeared was unable to move unaided, was turning her head to look at Lowen. Items that Lowen was sure she saw started to disappear. Verity appeared at the top of the stairs unaided. Was Lowen going crazy?
After Jeremy and Verity’s remaining child is injured, Lowen decides to give Jeremy the manuscript to read. He is incensed and immediately goes to Verity’s room to confront her. It is in this confrontation that it is revealed that Verity is not in fact injured, but had been faking it. Jeremy can not control his rage, and with the help of Lowen, kills his wife.
Months later, Lowen is pregnant with Jeremy’s child, they have moved out of state, and are returning to the old house to finish emptying it before their baby is due. When emptying Verity’s room, Lowen discovers a hidden space in the floor that hides a missing knife, photographs, and a letter written from Verity to Jeremy.
This letter details how the autobiography was a writing prompt to help Verity get into the mind of the villain for her books, that her children’s deaths were truly accidents, and why she was pretending to be so severely injured. It also details how Jeremy was already aware of the manuscript, and had attempted to kill Verity before her accident.
Not knowing what to make of this letter, Lowen decides to return it to the space under the floorboards, never to speak of it again.
My Thoughts
Plot
Like I said at the beginning of this post…This book. Oh my goodness this book. I finished this book in the matter of a few hours. It was creepy in so many ways. Like I finished the book, turned to my husband, and said “this book is fucked up. Amazing, but fucked up.” Do I think that the plot was believable-not particularly. I mean, professionals would have been able to tell if Verity was truly injured-also there are certain actions that humans do instinctually that Verity was able to train herself to not do. That being said, to me, it didn’t matter if the plot was believable because the book was so engaging.
One thing to note is that there is A LOT of sex in this book. I don’t mind smut books, but I don’t think that that is really what this was. I think that the sex scenes were there specifically to aid in character development, further the plot, and explore the relationship between Jeremy and Verity, and Jeremy and Lowen. If these scenes were removed, the book would have fallen flat.
Format
I read this book as a physical book rather than an audiobook. I don’t know if I would have enjoyed it as much as an audiobook, but it’s much easier to decide if a physical book would be better than to decide if an audiobook would be better. Since I have no real frame of reference, I can’t say if one would have been better than the other. That being said, this book is just over 300 pages and I was able to read it quite quickly.
Writing
Colleen Hoover is a goddess when it comes to writing. This book was engaging the entire way through. I just kept turning pages. One of the things that I loved was how obvious it was when we were in a section of the manuscript vs a section happening in real life. The way the characters spoke was just so different. Her descriptions were so jarring-making the reader feel as uneasy as Lowen did throughout the book. I loved her description of the house-it was just enough to make it seem imposing without being terrifying. And when describing Lowen’s interactions with Verity, I felt like I might be going crazy too! While I normally hate unreliable narrators in stories, I think this one was done quite well, because you never knew who to believe throughout the entirety of the book.
Characters
Normally I break the characters up into individuals to talk about them separately, but I would consider this book an ensemble cast. If one character was not strong, the entire thing would have fallen apart. Lowen, you could tell, was kind of drifting through the world. Jeremy was falling apart. Verity had the mind of a child-or a psychopath-or a loving mother…you never quite know. I thought that each character was developed super well-and especially considering that by the end we aren’t sure of what’s true, I like how the basis of the characters stayed the same regardless of their actions. The side characters were even great. I really liked Alice, the nurse, and Crew was an adorable little boy. The agent (whose name I forgot) I wasn’t fond of, but was still written extremely well.
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly loved this book. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone and everyone who likes thrillers, unreliable narrators, or just wants something amazingly fucked up to read. Five stars.
Happiness is bliss – but ignorance is anesthetic, and in the face of what’s to come, that may be all we can hope for our ill-fated acquaintances.
William Ritter, Jackaby
Summary
Abigail Rook, recently arrived in America, finds tenuous employment with local psychic detective R.F. Jackaby. She is quickly plunged into a new to her reality, where trolls, banshees, ghosts, and more are very very real. In her first case with Jackaby, they are investigating a murder that is not quite as simple as it seems. Jackaby swears that something human-like but decidedly unhuman is behind it. They then meet a man in another apartment in the building who is being plagued with mournful songs that only he can hear. Turns out there is an Irish Banshee in the building, singing a lament for his death-which becomes murder 2. Jackaby and Rook are taken in by the police, and questioned as to their involvement, and are imprisoned as the banshee becomes murder 3. With the help of some begrudging police partners, Jackaby and Rook must save the town.
My Thoughts
Plot
I appreciate that this plot was something slightly new and different. I feel like a lot of books now are realistic or fantasy, but not magical realism. I liked where the author was going. However, I figured out who the bad guy was about 1/3 of my way into the book, and was just waiting for the reveal. Slight description changes or introducing characters later/differently would have resolved this entirely. I kept reading because I wanted to know if the villain was human or supernatural, not because I wanted to find out if I was right-I knew I was right. The ending also felt super rushed in some ways, and dragging in others. I ended up being more confused than I was engaged. Some pieces of lore especially, I think should have been more fully explained prior to the ending.
Format
I listened to this as an audiobook. One of the things I struggled with was the accents that the reader gave to the characters. It was kind of off-putting and I would have much rather she just read them straight. The fake eastern European was probably the worst. Also, the speed at which Jackaby’s character spoke was so slow, even listening at 1.5 speed.
Writing
This book is not an adult book. It is definitely written for a younger YA audience. I wasn’t aware of this going in, so I was expecting a lot more. There was a lot of exposition, which isn’t necessarily bad, but at times it was distracting. The writing style was OK. It was engaging enough, but I found myself lost in some parts, wondering if I missed something, and realizing that I didn’t.
Characters
R.F. Jackaby: To be honest, I really didn’t like Jackabys character. I think the intention was to make him seem a bit aloof to things that were not supernatural. But instead, he came across as pretentious and arrogant. I was expecting some sort of redemption at the end, and just didn’t get that. I did like that he didn’t really care that others thought he was crazy, but the fact that he was always talking down to Abigail didn’t work for me.
Abigail Rook: The entire story was told through the eyes of Abigail. I did enjoy her coming to terms with the fact that the supernatural was actually real. However, for someone who was supposedly very observant, I don’t understand how she did not figure out who the bad guy was beforehand. She was a sweet character, and she was definitely developed-I just wish she was developed differently.
Jenny: Jenny was one of my favorite characters in the book. While not a main character per say, I thought she was cute, funny, and intelligent. I liked her spunk. I wish I knew more of her backstory, since I felt that a lot of it was missing.
Douglas: My other favorite character of the book, Douglas was a man turned into a duck who decided he did not want to turn back into a man. If I were turned into a duck, I think I would feel the same way. He wasn’t your average duck though, understanding English, and still having some human mannerisms. I thought he was a great (though ultimately unimportant) addition to the story.
Inspector Marlowe: I wish I could have liked Inspector Marlowe. He kind of reminded me of Inspector Mallory from the Father Brown TV show. Ornery, and not liking the assistance, but secretly knowing that Jackaby was a good guy. But I just didn’t get that. I felt annoyance rather than humor, which made for an only OK character
Charlie Cane: I was really rooting for Charlie. I wanted him to be so much more than he was. I was hoping that he would have more character development. His twist was a bit less noticeable than others in the story, but I just couldn’t get 100% behind it. I also don’t think that some of the decisions made for this character were necessary. I get that it helped forward the plot towards the end, but surely there could have been other options.
Final Thoughts
I really wanted to love this book, and I did through like 70% of it. But the ending just completely ruined it for me. 3.5 stars
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but that doesn’t mean cats shouldn’t be curious.
Malamander
Summary
Malamander is a middle grade book published in 2019. It is a quirky, creepy fantasy story that is extremely entertaining for kids. Malamanders main character is a young boy named Herbert Lemon, who works as the “lost-and-founder” at the Grand Nautilus Hotel in Eerie-On-Sea. Normally, his job consists of reuniting lost pieces of luggage with their owners, but when a young orphan named Violet stumbles into his storage room chased by a hook handed man, Eerie-on-sea becomes slightly more eerie!
Violet has no idea what happened to her parents. She lost them at the hotel when she was a baby-and since Herbert is the “lost-and-founder” it makes sense that he would help her find them. She thinks they went in search of the legendary Malamander-a magical being that is said to lay an egg that makes all your wishes come true. Violet and Herbert, with the help of the locals, set off on an adventure to not only solve the mystery of her parents but the Malamander too!
My Thoughts
Plot
I really enjoyed this book. I could see how the plot would be engaging for the intended age group. While predictable in some places, I don’t think that it took away from the plot. This story was part adventure, part fantasy, part mystery, part comedy-so I think it had a bit of something for everyone. I was thoroughly engaged throughout the entire thing. I thought the pacing was great, and was very age appropriate.
That being said, this is a solid middle grade book. I would not age this book down. There are themes, characters, and events that I don’t think would be good for an advanced younger reader. This isn’t a bad thing, it just has a very distinct audience.
Format
I read this book, and I do think that you will gain more from reading than listening to this book. That being said, I don’t know if an audio version even exists. The reason that I think you should read this book is for the illustrations. Interspersed throughout the story are pen and ink illustrations that add to the overall whimsy of the book. They really make the characters come to life!
Writing
You really get a feel for this book from the writing. It’s almost like you can smell the rotting seaweed and taste the saltiness in the air. Taylor has great command of pacing, which made this book feel like it went by in a blink, when in fact it is a longer read. The one thing that I would say is that until I heard Herbert talking about Pokémon cards, I thought that the book was based in maybe the early 1900s? But obviously not.
Characters
I thought the characters were a lot of fun. Obviously Violet and Herbert were more developed than some of the secondary characters, I think that the lack of information about the secondary characters actually added to the intrigue. For most of the book I couldn’t tell who was a good guy and who was a bad guy. This made for very fun reading. Unreliable narrators always make a book engaging. I would have to say that my favorite character in the entire story though, was Mrs. Hannover. She owned this odd bookshop with an animatronic monkey that told you what book to read next-and the monkey was always right. The bad guy, Sebastian Eel, I think fits with his name. Throughout the book you can tell he’s a slimy character.
I also love that Violet is written as a strong, black 12 year old. The thing I especially like about this fact is that she was never judged for her color. Herbert and the other characters welcomed her no matter what.
Final Thoughts
This was one of those books that when I finished, I couldn’t stop talking about. I would recommend it to every kid who liked adventure stories. Is it perfect, no. But for a kids book, I loved it. Five stars
Jenn V. Reads 