I’ve had my Puffin in Bloom box set for about three years, and I finally got around to rereading Heidi. I read this aloud with my nine-year-old daughter, and it was such a treat! Heidi is very reminiscent of Anne Shirley, one of our all time favorite characters (and another book in this set). I highly recommend Heidi for a read aloud, as it’s tightly written, humorous, and each chapter is nearly a self-contained story, which makes it easy to pick up where we left off.
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This story of a middle aged woman who's life falls apart grabbed me from the first couple of pages with it's juicy and right-out-of-a-soap-opera drama. Sophie's inner monologue got somewhat repetitive for me, and I found her daughter to be slightly irritating. But the page turning dramatics do not cease until the very end and it was a fast, frothy, fun, sexy, female empowering romp of a book.
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I loved Brown Girl Dreaming and jumped at the opportunity for an early audiobook copy of Red at the Bone, through Libro.fm. So many reviews of the former book gave glowing reviews of the audio, and given it's lyrical prose, I could see why. However, I didn't find Red at the Bone nearly as engaging, and I'm wondering if I just process fiction and prose better on the page. Despite her usual lovely turns of phrase, this felt languid and scattered, never fully grabbing my interest.
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I'm always hesitant to say yes to reviewing a thriller. They are not my go-to genre, and I try to look for books that I'm probably going to enjoy: writing negative reviews is no fun. I did my due diligence on Lisa Jewell and realized that I seemed to be missing out on a beloved suspense novelist. There is so much love for her books out there! I figured that even if I didn't enjoy it, I could check her work off my list and see what all the fuss is about. And lo, this was one helluva entertaining read.
Jewell alternates the perspective in each chapter, which is something I rather enjoy in novels. They are also rather short and conclude with a little cliffhanger, another device I appreciate that keeps me turning the pages past my bedtime. Oftentimes, with thrillers, things can get a little predictable. I'm sure the more voracious suspense reader could see the twists and turns coming in this book, but I sure didn't! The author is perfectly nuanced with her misdirection, and I absolutely fell for a few red herrings.
One thing that leaves me wanting more after reading these types of books is character development. Jewell does not disappoint in this regard, and I felt that the players were well fleshed out, especially Henry. However, I had to suspend a pretty good deal of disbelief when it came to the couple from whom Libby inherits the mansion in Chelsea. There wasn't much explanation of 'why' when it comes to the disastrous decisions they made that set the plot in motion, especially on the mother's behalf. I suppose it can be chalked up to the magnetism of cult leaders, but I wanted a little bit more from Martina's point of view. On that note, trigger warning, there is a fair amount of child abuse.
Overall this was a great read, and I will definitely pick up more of her books - perhaps Then She Was Gone, which comes highly recommended. The Family Upstairs is perfect spooky read for curling up on a rainy (or snowy) fall day.
Many thanks to Atria books for the gifted advance copy!
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I read Relish over the summer and really enjoyed it, but this book made me absolutely fall in love with Lucy Knisley! There were many parallels to my first birth story (preeclampsia and emergency cesarean), yet there is so much beyond birth and parenthood to identify with in this memoir. It may look like a book for expectant parents, but it is about so much more, namely the history of women’s sexual health and gender discrimination. I think it is recommended reading for EVERYONE - my husband would agree it's a great book, after I shoved it in his hands when I was finished.
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Well, this was a delightful book! A fun and unexpectedly romantic novel that is unlike any YA fantasy I’ve read before. In fact, I didn’t realize it was YA even while I was reading- I just happened to realize Book of the Month categorized it as such? Regardless, if you are looking for a refreshing fantasy to cozy up with this fall, I’d definitely recommend this one.
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This alternative version of American and British politics was as fabulous as everyone said it would be - a sweet, funny, and HOPEFUL contemporary romance. I loved the ridiculously fun banter between all of the characters. It does have a strong millennial vibe, but I could appreciate all of the references. And though the general outcome is predictable, there were some satisfying payoffs in the side plots. This was a breath of fresh air kind of read!
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Listening to this audiobook was like drinking from a fire hose of information about the troubles in Ireland and the IRA, making it difficult to focus. But, these are my ancestors and I’ve heard stories about the times, so I may be biased in my fascination and love of the Irish brogue in which it is read. The horrors of that time and the level of secrecy was astounding. It's a harrowing account, as are most recollections of how humans find ways to end up in a quagmire of hate. It also makes me want to go back and watch some of the amazing films that came out in the 90s that center around the Irish: The Crying Game (mentioned in this book), Patriot Games and In the Name of the Father - a MUST WATCH, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
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After enjoying Relish and adoring Kid Gloves, I decided I should start from the beginning and work my way through all of Knisley's books. French Milk is an illustrated travelogue of her weeks long sojourn in Paris with her mother and it was very evocative of being a young twenty-something, with all of her worries about jobs and relationships while away from home. I also related to this as someone who has traveled abroad quite a few times with her mother, and I could definitely see my surly post collegiate self in Lucy!
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It's always lovely to be back in Three Pines with Inspector Gamache, though this was not my absolute favorite. There were a lot of extraneous characters that I got jumbled in my mind, and this story didn't seem as infused with emotion as the previous books. I will say that I had zero clue as to how this murder went down, and that definitely kept me going, as well as all of the dry wit of our recurring characters.
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