Beautifully told.  I was completely swept up in this story of love and loss amongst the backdrop of violent political unrest in 1953 Tehran.  Lyrically told with endearing characters, Kamali paints an exquisite picture of what it was like to grow up in Persia during that timeframe.  This story made me feel all of the emotions and ultimately gutted me.  Roya and Bahman will stay with me.  

Hilarious and horrifying.  I quickly devoured this book (and wanted more!).  These are stories that need to be told.  They are ridiculous and maddening.  But the way Amber and Lacey tell them, you are able to laugh out loud and also reflect.   

I have to admit that I laughed… I laughed SO HARD.  Many times.  And then I was mad.  And I wanted to yell at my book, “Come ON white people!  We can do BETTER!”  As funny as these stories are, they show the work we have yet to do.  These stories should be unbelievable.  They should be the makings of a good soap opera or movie.  These stories should not be real.  

 

I already know that this is going to be one of my favorite books of this year.  Lacey’s stories and Ruffin’s writing style have gifted us with the perfect way to reflect on racism while enjoying doing so.  Laughter is the best medicine after all.    

 

*Note:  Ruffin is a comedian.  She uses the f-word.  In my opinion, these stories are necessary and worthwhile enough to overlook that one word.  

Riveting and spellbinding.  The Rose Code has a touch of some of my favorite story elements…strong women, beautiful friendships, intrigue, and a touch of romance.  Quinn has a gift for weaving her depth of research into the quintessentially perfect historical fiction novel, and she’s at her best with The Rose Code. The applause this novel has received is more than deserved, and given how phenomenally it is crafted, no review can do this novel justice.  Don’t overlook the hype on this gem.

Delightfully fun read with the most charming and endearing characters!  This cozy mystery has a little bit of everything I love in a book… witty banter, poignant reflections, and clever twists.

 

Osman takes aim at ageist ideology.  Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim may be septuagenarians, but they also have a wealth of knowledge, a penchant for mysteries, and a fervor for life.  Not only was I enamored by the characters, I was reminded of the great value to be found in our senior community.  

 

Is the story a bit tropey at times?  Yes.  Did that impede my enjoyment?  Not at all!  Osman’s strength was in creating complex, loveable characters (I even managed to have a soft spot for one of the “bad” guys).  Because of that, any flaws were easily overlooked.

A grimy, slow burn mystery. Be ready to feel both icky and captivated!  The premise is fascinating.  To become a writer on level with the greats- Stephen King, John Grisham- one must be greatly talented, right?  Or can anyone be a best-selling author if they just have the perfect plot?  But then that begs an even more important question… exactly who owns the idea to a story?  

 

Jake graduated on a high and was considered an author to watch as his first novel released to critical acclaim.  But the acclaim didn’t last, and before long he was teaching others to do what he longed for.  The taste of success is addictive.  Addictive enough to do anything to have it again.  Even if that means benefiting off of the death of a former, now dead, student.  Just as Jake seems to have charmed the world, Steven Spielberg included, with his stolen plot, threats to destroy his life start emerging from the one person he will never win over.  And those threats just might ruin Jake.

 

I loved the “book within a book” idea.  Snippets of Jake’s masterpiece novel, Crib, interspersed throughout Jake’s story gave the plot a depth and complexity that was highly engaging.  I actually wanted more of Crib.   

 

I’m a sucker for a good twisty mystery that needs to be slowly unraveled, and the idea behind this book seemed to be exactly that.  It started out strong, building the foundation and introducing the characters.  But about 40% in, the author spilled the beans.  There was only one way the plot could unfurl.  At that point, I considered putting the book aside.  But I’m glad I didn’t.  While it did take away some of the magic and suspense, I still enjoyed watching it all unravel. 

 

And THAT ENDING.  Wowza!  Even knowing who was threatening Jake, I still didn’t see it ending in THAT shocking, cringeworthy way.  

 

Thank you Jean Korelitz, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

A wolf, a dark woods, and a sacrifice…  Whitten has reimagined a twisty combination of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast (heavy on the Beauty and the Beast).  

 

Redaris’ future is based on hundreds of years’ worth of legend that has been fused with fear and assumption.  Her sister, firstborn Neverah, will be queen.  But Redaris is secondborn, and her value to Wilderwood is in the sacrifice she must become.  The sacrifice has worked throughout history.  The monsters have been kept at bay.  Or have they?  Sometimes evil can look good.  Sometimes good can look evil.  

 

The overall plot for this fairy tale isn’t new or ingenious.  I found the storyline to follow all of the traditional tropes of the genre.  Much like the trees in the story, some healthy and some infested with shadow rot, the writing wanes between lyrical and clichéd.  Beautiful prose often became overwrought and overused.  And unfortunately, the magical system and world building vacillated between workable and muddled.  

 

While I was left wanting overall, I do think this story will hit the mark and be wildly successful with the YA audience.   

 

Thank you Hannah Whitten, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

 

Quick, engaging read.  Prowse’s storytelling drew me in and kept me absorbed.  But I’ll warn you…Bessie’s story is an emotional (and sometimes depressing) one… it takes some rain, after all, to get the rainbow at the end. 

It’s Bess’ 53rd birthday.  She should be at a point in life where she is fulfilled and confident.  Instead, she feels invisible, inadequate, and laden with guilt.  As the day unfurls, she looks back to her 16th birthday and the secret that derailed  her all those years ago.  Since then, she’s been passing time.  Just waiting to begin.  Will this birthday finally be a starting point for her?  

Prowse’s excavation of Bess’ inner thoughts was powerful.  I think many people can identify with some of her inner struggles… Have I made the most of my life?  Am I living to the fullest?  Am I true to myself or to the judgments of others?  

I thoroughly enjoyed the jaunt back to the 80s as Bess’ 16th birthday unfurled… from crop sweatshirts to Duran Duran to mixtapes…I was transported back in time to my childhood.    

Thank you Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Stunningly beautiful and deeply profound.  This book resonated in the deepest parts of my soul.  It’s about the power of relationships.  It’s about allowing yourself to be loved.  And it’s about the possibility of change and learning from mistakes 

How do you write a review for a book that is absolutely, completely, and utterly PERFECT?  Klune has somehow taken the topic of death and made it endearing and whimsical with just the right touch of self-reflection.  He’s created characters that are both impossibly loveable and ones you can’t imagine life without.  And he’s done it all with charm and wit and beautiful prose.  If this doesn’t exhibit writing at its best…if this doesn’t denote an author that is an absolute master, I’m at a loss for what does!   

Wallace liked to think of himself as intelligent, hardworking, and successful.  Others saw him as a crotchety, self-consumed asshole.  But death is an equal opportunity taker.  What kind of life did all of that hard work and privilege really afford him in the end?  After a massive heart attack, Wallace finds himself at an afterlife way station, imbedded in a tea shop, where he must come to terms with his life and death with help from Hugo, Mei, and Nelson. Wallace may be the main character, but it’s Hugo, Mei, and Nelson that delight!  They create a warm, safe space for Wallace to let go of fear and embrace kindness.  Ultimately, it took dying for Walter to find his humanity and to learn how to let people love him.  

Klune explores the hard topics of death and grief through quirky, easy to love characters that are real and relatable while delivering important life lessons through the whimsical backdrop of this afterlife way station.  I couldn't have loved this book more!  
 
Thank you TJ Klune, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

If you’re looking for a quintessential beach/pool read, look no further.  Andrews’ new book is easy to sink into and provides a little bit of everything you might want in a story…mystery, intrigue, romance, and community…all with the nostalgic backdrop of an old, family run beach motel.   

 

Being the new kid is never easy.  Especially when your new because you are on the run and fearful of looming danger. Letty and her 4 year old niece, Maya, end up in Treasure Island, FL where they are taken in by the owner of a vintage beach motel.  Andrews writes a quirky cast of supporting characters that are not easily won over by the newcomers to the community.  But when trouble finds Letty and Maya in FL, even the most skeptical hotel mates have the newcomers’ backs.  

 

Most of the time, I want a book that makes me feel and challenges my thinking, either to learn something or to solve something.  But after reading a bunch of those kinds of books, I also need a book that I can easily lose myself in.  And that was this book.  This book is completely and totally predictable.  The plot was easy to work out and there were no surprise twists.  And there are many things that just are not realistic.  But ultimately, I was able to throw all of that aside and just lose myself at the beach in Letty and Maya’s story for an afternoon.  

 

Thank you Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Horrifying and utterly maddening.  This book highlights the ugly underbelly of capitalism.  Not long after radium was discovered, it was found to have lucrative potential, and American companies quickly cashed in at their young, female workers’ expense. 

 

This book is meticulously researched and brings the Radium Girls voices to life.  To give a full portrait of these women and their struggles, Moore uses their own words from diary entries, letters, and courtroom testimony as often as possible.  While much detail is given to the job, the irresponsibility of the plant, and the eventual courtroom cases, I felt that Moore’s primary focus was on honoring the women as a whole rather than picturing them as sad medical cases.  She gave a fullness to the Radium Girls, their hopes and dreams, and the joy they found in life.  Radium poisoning had grave effects, but it did not diminish their spirits.   Moore has well honored these women and their fight to stand up for their rights with strength and dignity.

 

While these events happened many years ago, this book reminds that any time we profit (of any kind) has greater value than human value, dire circumstances are possible.