In the Weeds was a romance with potential that fell flat for me. I never felt connected to the main characters and often felt annoyed by references to the FMC’s “brown skin” without any other reference to her identity. It felt like a half hearted attempt at diversity without an actual commitment to building a diverse and in depth character. 

I did like the farm setting, but I feel it was better done in another romance I read recently. I really wanted to like this book, but romance is all about relatable characters and In the Weeds did not deliver.

Take My Hand is the historical fiction book that everyone should read this year. We begin with young Civil Townsend, a young black woman fresh out of nursing school. She takes a job at the local family planning clinic determined to make a difference, especially in her African American community. Soon, she realizes the clinic is using medicine that is most likely dangerous and she begins down a path to right this wrong. 

Unfortunately what happens is even more horrifying than the dangerous birth control, and Civil is swept into the center of a lawsuit that will attempt to end sterilization of young and impoverished women. Told in timelines from the early 1970s and in the modern day, we learn how this trial and second hand trauma impacted Civil. This story is painstakingly beautiful, a real tribute to the many people who were unethically sterilized in the US eugenics movement. 

Without a doubt come out of this book is heavy and not one you should pick up lightly, I think it is a book that simply must be read because this story needs to be heard. I cannot convey how perfectly written Take My Hand is; you must find out for yourself. 

Wash Day Diaries is a graphic novel about four young black women, both as individuals and as friends. The illustrations are eye catching and vibrant and the storytelling matches that depth. 

As the title suggests, the story begins with each woman on the day they wash their hair. I loved seeing this illustrated in so much detail. Each friend has a significant challenge and their stories are told in distinct chapters. One of the last chapters is called ride or die and it is about how the friends come together to protect one of their own. 

I couldn’t put this one down, and I think the tenderness of the friendship and the ferocity with which these women took care of each other will stick with me for sometime. I highly recommend it! 

Look Closer is about extremely rich and rich adjacent people and of course murder. It begins with the perspective of Simon, desperate to be rid of someone, and his twisted thinking will reel you in quickly. 

Told by more than a handful of narrators, one strength of this book is how distinct each perspective is. I did not enjoy as much when things were repeated in each perspective, because add over 460 pages I could’ve gone without. 

I really enjoyed the perspectives from the detectives working the case, and I don’t normally enjoy detective stories. I found the forensics to be incredibly interesting and the final third of the book was a wild ride. But considering that, the ending fell a touch flat. 

Overall, I think this is a book that I would skip and unless its synopsis incredibly appeals to you.  

Furia is a slow paced YA novel with elements of romance. It predominantly focuses on the main character’s soccer career which is verboten by her family and by most of her culture. The book is mostly uneventful and very much slice of life until the last 20% in which events are very serious and sad. 

I loved the cultural representation and the inclusion of many Spanish phrases. The audiobook is read by a wonderful native speaker that adds to the experience of Furia’s character. 

So I do remember at some point last fall, my husband said “I’m going to turn on a baseball game we’re going to watch it because there is a player so unique that you are not going to believe what he’s accomplishing.” It was Shohei Ohtani. That was the extent of my knowledge when I picked up this audiobook. In case you didn’t know, he is a double position player who pitches and hits at an elite level unheard of since and even surpassing Babe Ruth. 

What this book gives the reader is a statistic rich account of multiple seasons of Shohei’s professional career in the MLB and some of his background playing in Japan. One aspect I really enjoyed was the reference points that were provided for all of his statistics so it was easy to understand without a strong baseball background. It was always clear how Shohei measures up to current and past players. 

If you enjoy lots of data and a compelling non-fiction account of someone who is accomplishing the unheard of, this is a book for you. If you want emotional insight into Shohei, this book does not give that. This book makes me wonder what may be published in ten years or whenever Shohei Ohtani’s career is finished in the record books. Will he stay with the Angels? Will he finally have a winning season? Will he ever make it to the playoffs? So many things about him remain to be seen but this book highlights his outstanding accomplishments so far. 

All Good People Here is a fantastic debut novel from Ashley Flowers of true crime podcast fame. This fictional story transports us to the small town of Wakarusa, Indiana when a small girl goes missing 25 years after a different little girl was murdered. In alternating timelines, 1994 and 2019, we read from the perspectives of Krissy, the mother of murdered January Jacobs, and Margot Davies, a 31 year old reporter returning to her hometown. 

Margot immediately suspects the crimes of these two girls is linked, but her suspicions are not yet founded and she ends up fired from her job. Despite an uncle with early dementia to take care of, Margot throws herself into investigation. But there are ominous threats along the way and each set of answers leads to more questions. 

I loved the rural setting and the character growth of the two narrators. I loved how it kept slowly twisting until the end, wrapping up with an epilogue that will give you chills. 

Many people are noticing similarities between this story and the real unsolved murder of a young girl in the 1990s, also a beloved child with a successful and eerie dance career. If that case intrigues you, this book is an excellent choice. 

Lessons by Ian McEwan is a sprawling saga of one man’s life, delving into each important era of his existence. This novel begins in the 1940s and delivers the reader all the way to 2021. 

Roland begins as a child who goes to boarding school at age 11, there he begins piano lessons with Ms. Miriam Cornell. There is instantly a sexual tension, even Roland can tell at his tender age. He is transferred to another piano instructor, but Ms. Cornell reinserts herself into his life for several years. What follows in piecemeal reflections throughout the novel is an illicit affair and disturbing grooming of Roland. 

As we see, but takes Roland much longer to realize, this trauma of grooming impacts all of his close relationships. McEwan shows us the pain of failed marriage, raising a son alone, and experiencing the joy and grief of finding and losing love at an older age. 

My criticism of Lessons is that we feel little connection to any character until a quarter into the novel, quite a significant chunk of this 500 page book. However, that time is spent building a critical subplot- the impact of WWII on everyone in its generation and those that follow. As a child and adult tied to both England and Germany, this context was important. 

Overall, this is a literary biography of sorts. I felt deeply for Roland as the story went by and now I will miss him. Additionally the narration of the audiobook was fantastic, adding to the richness of this beautiful novel. Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The sequel to The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains has all of Lisa Jewell’s best attributes on offer. It is being marketed as a stand alone, but I do think you should read The Family Upstairs first for the background on most of the characters as well as its excellent cult vibes. 

In The Family Remains, Lisa Jewell gives us consistent intrigue and strong pacing. I didn’t find myself bored at any point, in fact I read this in two and a half days. This is no small feat with a four year old to take care of. The characters are complex, dynamic, and deliciously dark- even the good ones have things to hide. In classic LJ style, we read from multiple narrators and dual timelines. I was even more fascinated than usual to see how the two timelines would come together. And she even made a detective perspective enjoyable for me, something I usually detest. 

I won’t give you any of the plot because I really do think that this is best read as a sequel. I absolutely loved how this tied up so many loose ends from The Family Upstairs but still left a few untied, leaving us with a sensation both satisfying and disconcerting at the end. 

Sabrina is the only graphic novel that has ever been longlisted for the Booker prize. If you think graphic novels are for kids, this book will prove you wrong with its impactful,

Calvin Wroebel is in the Air Force, recently separated from his wife and young daughter. His life is sad and lonely, exacerbated by working night shifts. But then, Teddy comes to stay with him. Teddy’s girlfriend of two years is missing, and this novel focuses on how false narratives and conspiracy theories impact the friends and family of victims. 

Sabrina will have you questioning everything, while also bringing up whatever feelings you have about media sources like Alex Jones and their ilk. It is a book with many more questions than answers. It is a book that demands you think while also building empathy for its flawed characters. 

Sabrina presents very real social issues in an approachable format. I think the illustrations actually make the story feel more real and relatable. Pick this up if you love the genre or if you’ve never tried it, I think you’ll be impressed by the social commentary offered and the reflection this story demands.