_lia_reads_'s Reviews (757)

This was a fun YA mystery story. Loved the setting in a late 1920s speakeasy. Our heroine is spunky and the conceit of the story reminded me almost of a Nancy Drew novel. Because of that, however, the novel is also a bit predictable. This didn't deter in any way from the fun of the story, but I did find myself unsurprised by how the story unfolded. That said, I am not the target audience of this book, so it is likely that a younger reader WOULD be surprised.

What I appreciated the most about this book was the diversity of the characters, especially the main characters. Lambert has given us a cast that is composed of different races and sexual orientations that are not as common in novels written about this time period (despite the obvious existence of people beyond white heterosexuals throughout history). It was refreshing to having this diversity and important for younger readers to be exposed to this in an historical mystery novel.

3.5-4 stars

TW: Murder

I really wanted to love this one more than I did, but it fell short for me. On the surface, this book sounds spectacular: an epic journey across China, based on true events during the late 1930s, with an element of magic added in. I am still in awe over how hundreds of Chinese university students had the strength and courage to make this journey largely by foot to shelter from the war with Japan.

That said, this felt like two books that don't fit together cohesively, despite having the same characters. In the first half, the students are making their way to their final destination. You follow Shao and Lian the closest throughout, though are exposed to several secondary characters that they are friends with. Their determination is admirable, though so much is crammed into this first half that many events (especially the more horrific ones like the bombings they experience) feel glossed over. Then, partway through, Shao and Lian head back to Shanghai to rescue a friend and see a sick family member. Suddenly, the book isn't about their journey but about their time in Shanghai, in the international sector that is relatively safe from the war. All of the sudden, it is as if the war isn't happening any longer and the biggest concern are this friend and family member. There are vague mentions of the university students who have continued their journey but the second half felt so separate from the first.

The magical elements also felt very forced. I liked the idea of these heavenly creatures being a part of our world, but it didn't feel like it added much to the story.

Overall, I had high expectations for this book and was a bit let down by how it ultimately turned out.

3 stars

Vanessa Lillie has done it again with this twisty thriller. Jules Worthington-Smith is the protagonist that you love to hate (or maybe just hate). She has a lot of complex problems, caused by her family and herself, that ultimately entangle her in a murder that she may or may not have committed.

I enjoyed the format of the book, alternating between traditional prose narration and the scripts of the Vlogs that Jules is creating as she tries to track down the killer. You watch as Jules tracks down leads in the case and basically proves to be a pretty horrible (and aggressive) detective. But however bad her own detective work is, the introspective work that she does makes this book an interesting read. Plus, there are a couple twists at the end that I didn't see coming!

This was a quick read for me, in part due to the Vlog scripts and in part because I just wanted to know what happened! Jules was not my favorite, and I really struggled to feel bad for her until the end, but I found the portrayal of her self-destruction realistic. As a Rhode Islander, the name-dropping of different restaurants, bars, street names, etc. was a lot of fun. It felt like I was there, following Jules around on her investigation. I also liked the callbacks to Little Voices, with Phillip Hale, making it clear that the two stories exist in the same universe.

Overall, this was a gripping read that you should read if you like thrillers!

Thanks to Vanessa Lillie and Thomas & Mercer for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

4 stars

TW: murder; alcoholism; infidelity; death of a child

This book was short but had a lot packed into it. I believe that it should be required reading for everyone. I learned so much about what it is like to be undocumented in the US and the reasons people risk it all to come here. Mixing the author’s own experience being undocumented and living with undocumented parents along with interviews with undocumented workers, Cornejo Villavicencio provides readers with a variety experiences.

I was particularly struck by the chapter on 9/11, where the author highlights how much of the contributions of undocumented workers goes unacknowledged out of fear of being deported. Many of these workers helped clean up in the aftermath of the attacks and now suffer health problems because of what they were exposed to. But for a variety of reasons they cannot get treated for these ailments.

Overall, this is a raw and heartbreaking portrayal of undocumented life in America. Cornejo Villavicencio has a unique way of writing that feels conversational, accessible and profound all at the same time.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review

TW: deportation; death of a family member; discussion of mental illness, especially suicidal ideation and depression; alcoholism

Billed as part memoir, part “user’s manual,” Cheney chronicles the everyday struggles of living with bipolar disorder. The book is broken up into different sections like “System Overview”, “Maintenance,” and “Troubleshooting,” that define the mental disorder and explore what it is like to live the different aspects of it. Within these sections, she presents anecdotes of her life, like what she has been told her manic stage is like, her struggles to find the right medication, how the disorder affects those around her etc.

While Cheney says the book is to help those who live with bipolar or who love someone who has it, I also found the book compelling in its portrayal of the everyday experience of bipolar disorder. It is heartbreaking to read what she has been through but simultaneously uplifting when you think about how far she has come. This is not Cheney’s first book on bipolar; Manic, her first memoir, was a NYT bestseller. Modern Madness is a very digestible look at mental illness and the way that those with a mental illness are treated in society.

TW galore but the biggest ones: attempted suicide; suicide ideation; vivid depictions of mania and major depression

Thanks to HachetteGo for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is SPECTACULAR. There is a reason that N.K. Jemisin won a Hugo award for literally every book in this trilogy. This is one of the books I finished this weekend and I regret not listening to EVERYONE who told me I should have the next two books ready to go. I NEED to know what happens next.

A great follow-up to the first book. Unlike a lot of second books in trilogies that serve solely to move the plot to its climax in the third book, this book was full of drama and intrigue that kept me hooked. I enjoyed getting to know more about the characters and learning more about the mystery that began to unfold in the first book.

As with the first book, Jemisin is a master at creating the worlds that these characters live in. This book brings us to a couple of new settings and I felt like I could see them in front of my eyes based on her descriptions of them.

Overall, a strong follow-up to the first book. I am officially hooked on this series.

This collection of short stories was quirky, at times a little too quirky. The stories are less fully fleshed out stories as they are vignettes of life. You briefly meet people, sometimes in strange, metaphorical situations. One of my favorites was “The Nearby Place,” in which a girl pushes an older man down a seemingly infinite hallway, towards a place that promises to be better. Ultimately, however, I found this collection difficult to connect to.