This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

I think it should be pretty obvious why I picked up this book. A book of love letters and break up notes from a librarian to the many books she’s read throughout her life. I mean, it’s pretty much the book lover’s book. And I am nothing if not a book lover. In fact, sometimes I think that’s likely my favorite defining characteristic. Plus, I figured the audiobook would be a great driving companion (I was definitely not wrong there).

Annie Spence is a librarian from the mid-western US and has been obsessed with books since childhood (many thanks to her older siblings for that). Her voice in this collection, a mix of memoir and humor in essay/letter form, is warm and familiar, making you comfortable from page one. And the audiobook narrator nailed the reading of it (one of the best I’ve listened to so far) – her inflection and enthusiasm shone brightly and really brought Annie’s inner letter writing thoughts to light. This was entertaining, easy to read, and just really sweet.

I loved a lot of things about this collection. Like seriously, some of the things Annie writes about really spoke to my soul. Reading the letter to Beauty and the Beast was like reading something stolen from my own mind. And there were some things she talked about, like making antisocial choices or having outbursts of rage at my husband because I would rather be reading (or was interrupted at a crucial part and am having trouble leaving the book world behind). The part where she is creeping on the bookshelves in someone else’s house during a cocktail party is very me and we both hate movie tie in covers/editions. I also loved how some things that I thought only I did, like the need to read certain books at certain times: fluffy romances after emotionally wrecking novels or going on binges in similar style/genre reads, are not just me!

As far as the letters to the books themselves, the serious ones – the main love/break up letters – were awesome to listen to. I enjoyed each of them, even the ones we have totally different opinions on (in particular, we feel super differently about The Goldfinch, haha). Honestly, I almost especially liked listening to the thoughts on books that are different from my own – it made me stop and think about the books I have loved or hated in a different light, which is always a cool experience. And of course any time we agreed, I would straight up answer out loud, as if I was in a conversation with someone and not listening to an audio version of their written inner thoughts. And I definitely moved some books up my TBR list after reading (for example, The Virgin Suicides, which she mentions many times as her favorite). But really, she covers a really wide variety of books/genres, from children’s (Charlotte’s Web, Matilda) to classics (a couple Ray Bradbury’s, Anna Karenina, Jane Eyre) to contemporary lit both good and bad (The Time Traveler’s Wife/Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close vs Twilight or Nicholas Sparks in general) to memoirs (Yes, Please) to graphic novels, style books, and more. The letters to super weird books she finds in the library, the ones that are going to be retired, like old “finding your sexuality” or “recipes with popcorn cookbook” or “conversing with calculators” or “cat anatomy” books were entertaining (I mean, who knew there were books for that in the first place, much less that they were still in the library?), but definitely not my favorite.

My biggest issue was in the second part of the book. There are no more letters to individual books, but more general letters to people about books. I liked some of them, like suggestions of types of books to start with to convince a friend/partner who doesn’t read to try again (these are based on what they remember as the last book they read/liked). And I giggled that she had a whole letter about books with ugly covers – it sucks when the outside is not as good as the inside and it does make you wonder how many amazing reads you’ve passed up because of a terrible cover (even though you aren’t supposed to judge based on that). But then things got a little….less absorbing. She spends a lot of time just listing book suggestions based on your mood, or the time of year, or other books that you like, and then giving little summaries of them. I mean, not to be negative, but that’s literally what Goodreads is. Or the internet in general. Or book jacket blurbs. Or really, your own public librarian. Don’t get me wrong, I love book recommendations (receiving and giving them), but I just...I don’t want a list of books to read because you liked them, I want to read about WHY you liked (or didn’t like) them. Especially because there were some suggestions that I did not agree with at all; I felt like there were some much better examples from some of the genres she mentions. But since I already knew we had differences in opinions from before, I wanted to know what it was we disagreed on/why she thought those books were the best options. I just generally wanted more of her feelings in letters to the books themselves and less basic listing. And since that’s the section the book ended on, that’s the feeling I’m left with. Which sucks, because it just started off so promising.

So, my recommendation is that, if you want to try this book, maybe only read the first half…or read it backwards? I’m not sure. I’m really torn about this collection personally. It's not the soul touching collection I was thinking it might be, but perhaps those expectations were a little unfairly high? Regardless, if you are a book lover, it's worth a shot - there will definitely be some passages or letters that truly touch the parts of you reserved for books/reading, and that’s something special.

My yearly craving for romance has hit! Last year at this time, I pretty much made it through almost all of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books (of which there are a truly impressive number) in about 3 weeks. When this mood gets me, binge reading is an understatement. A few days ago, my “winter reading slump,” if you will, crept up on me, and I knew it was time. After a little research, I settled on the Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout. I had heard a lot about this author before, I know a lot of people like her books (though of course with many romances, the detractors are loud), and I figured now was as good a time as any to see what the hype is about.

First, this is successfully scratching my romance itch (in a wonderful paranormal way). Short synopsis: Katy and her mother move from Florida to a middle of nowhere town in West Virginia to start over after the death of her father a few years ago. Katy is a pretty normal girl, on the shy/well behaved side, and a huge book nerd (be still my heart). They move in next door to Daemon and Dee, who turn out to be aliens (super hot ones), and things get intense. Daemon, though beautiful, turns out to be kind of a jerk. (Personal note, due to the dark hair and name, I cannot help but picture Damon from TVD in all their sexy scenes, which is definitely a plus for me.) But since Dee is so nice and really wants to be friends, Katy puts up with him. Things happen, they end up having to spend time together, and a connection sparks between them (literally).

To start, the good things. This is the best example of a slow burn romance that I’ve read in a long time. The sexual tension is real, and exactly what I wanted. Katy is a pretty awesome main character – she has a book blog that she’s super into (and now that I’ve been blogging for about a year, I recognize a lot of the special blog related terms, etc. that she uses and it’s really fun, if cheesy!). The alien thing is a nice change of pace from the zombie/werewolf/vampire paranormal situation that’s been so common recently. And overall, the plot is smooth and not uninteresting, if not spectacularly original. In fact, I will say hard to overlook some of the similarities to the Twilight books (I can’t lie, even though I’d rather not notice), in regards to main character draw, the local “family” of the paranormal variety, and the normal vs paranormal friend groups issues. But definitely between the two, this one far outstrips Twilight in regards to stronger/more self-assured female lead and less creepy possessiveness from the male lead. I particularly liked the ending, as it relates to the relationship between Katy and Daemon – it’s most assuredly not the normal “human girls falls for paranormal hot dude,” and vice versa, ending and it had me all silently applauding Katy.

It’s definitely cheesy, but it’s not completely tasteless/tawdry, and the steaminess is exactly what I needed right now. Also, for the genre, the writing itself (the showing instead of telling, the dialogue, and - always one of the worst parts in this genre - the inner dialogue) is, for the most part, no cringe-worthy. So success there! I’m definitely hooked after book and am jumping into the next one asap.

Here’s my spoiler-free starter for this review. This was a solid second book, but definitely I did not like it as much as the first one. The primary reason was the way things developed with Daemon and Katy’s relationship. Honestly, the slow burn in the first book was amazing and Katy’s strength at the end of it was awesome. The way things started here was good too, but then they just get a little frustratingly dense. However, I was back into it by the end, and I’m back to interested in seeing where Katy and Daemon go now. For more there, see the spoiler part of this review below. Anyways, regarding the rest of it, I think the plot comes more into its own in this novel. Lots more characters were introduced, lots more plot complications came up and in general I just started to care way more about the bigger issues (as opposed to the smaller concerns, with a focus on developing Katy and Daemon, that was the first book). There were some really exciting developments there and I’m now definitely hooked as far as needing to know what happens now. Even though this one wasn’t quite as good as the last one, I’m still hooked and this is still scratching my paranormal romance itch.

And now for the parts with SPOILERS: Relationship wise…they began the book by each changing a little and starting to communicate and stuff, and then we are introduced to a new character, Blake, and things just go to shit. Now, I’m not against love triangles, but that’s not even really what this was. I think my biggest issue was that the problems were not actually coming from Blake, but from a lack of communication between the two of them. Katy was being overly proud and just wouldn’t say how she felt. She internally acknowledged it like 4 or 5 times but never told Daemon. Of course, Daemon’s natural need to be cocky, etc. kept him from saying what actually made him mad/how he truly felt. And they both did a lot of what seemed like willful misinterpreting, which is ok to a point but then got frustrating. I know a lot fo the blame goes to Daemon here, looking at other reviews, but at this point I think Katy definitely plays her own large role in these issues and while he may be overbearing/controlling, she definitely doesn’t do them any favors with her thoughts processes/reactions. I know we all knew this is where it was going eventually, but now that they have finally figured out their feelings, I sincerely hope that that drama is over. My personal biggest pet peeve in reading romance-ish books is the drama after getting together BS…once it’s official, let it be official, let them trust and depend on each other. Dee and Adam - TEARS - where do Katy and Dee go now? And the one other big one – Dawson!! I’m dying to know his story, what’s been happening to him and Bethany for the past few years. Plus, we’re left really open-ended for the Blake and Mo and Daedalus stories, so I’m ready for all the info there too.

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

My first thought when I picked up this book at the library: it’s so small. (My second thought, upon opening it: it smells amazing. I’m weird – sorry not sorry.) It’s like half the size of a normal book, both in regards to actual physical size and length. But definitely do not let its size fool or dissuade you from reading it – it’s simultaneously sparse and full, and absolutely worth the short time it takes to read.

If you have ever been interested in trying to read poetry, but are not really sure you’ll “get” it, this is the perfect book for you. It’s got the scarcity of words that characterizes poetry, but without an accompanying paucity of description. It’s follows a plot more than a poetry collection would, but still gives you a more scattered, surreal reading experience. The combination of poetry-prose is something unique to this book, at least for me, and creates a singular atmospheric journey.

Thematically, we follow our narrator as she gives birth to her first child, Z, only days before being forced out of her London home by an unexpected and disastrous environmental crisis: the submergence of pretty much all of London under flood waters. We follow her and her partner, R, as they face all the challenges of trauma, losing friends/family, fighting for food and somewhere to live, life as refugees. Through it all, our narrator also deals with the fears, trials and exuberances of being a new mother – and we see the universality of motherhood, even through the deepest of disasters and the end of the world as we know it. Along the way, we watch everyone just doing their best with what they were handed, are trying to create a safe, “normal” life for themselves and their children out of the wreckage of what came before.

Hunter’s words throughout this small novel is melancholy and expressive, with a staccato flow that defies the normal cadence of language. And I particularly loved how, mixed in with her “story-telling” passages, are interjections of bits and pieces of different cultural and religious creation myths. They are vague enough as to be merely mood setting, but specific enough to be recognizable if you know what to look for – a gorgeous feat of writing. They parallel the events of our main story in a way that adds a beautiful layer and depth. And they complement the overall parable-like feel of this tale of motherhood and survival as representations of the oft-searched for chance to “start over.”

Overall, this short piece packs all the punch of a longer saga. It is poetry of the apocalypse. It is our yearning for second chances, for renewal. And it’s ebbs and swells will push you along like a tiny
ship adrift between giant waves on the sea.

Ok, there were like a million passages I wanted to quote. Like for real, I was marking almost every page and pretty much wanted to re-write the entire story here in my highlights” section. I did my best to pare it down. Enjoy:

“I sleep like a shark, swimming on through the night. Never stopping the movement, quick as fins in the dark, between complete terror and complete devotion.”

“The window is completely black, the darkness total. We are the only people here. The truth: we’ve always felt like this.”

“In that place, honey-sweet fruit will touch your lips with gold. Sunshine will lay you down and bless you, and moonlight will fill your bones.”

“There is no electricity, but there is the old magic – wood and wick and spark, flames of all sizes.”

“This is the place where snow never falls, where there is no thunder or lightening. All days are silent, and covered in a clear light.”

“Night speeds by, and we lose it in lamenting. Here comes the place, the right turn, where they all live untouched by sorrow.”

“The earth will rise up from the deep one day, from the surface of the waves. Every land will be empty, and covered in morning dew.”

“At the start, there was no sun and no moon. She came from a whole in the sky, and fell slowly towards the water.”

Well this was definitely not a bad 3rd book. I actually liked it better than the second, as far as the relationship between Katy and Daemon goes. I mean, to be honest, they are both still way too “I see your point of view but will not stop thinking that mine is way better” to be honest. But at the very least, I respect the author for allowing them to have these disagreements without it actually affecting whether or not they are “together.” I like the maturity there – it’s not on-again/off-again – it’s more what real relationships look like. Plus (baby spoiler) they finally get it on and I liked it. It was enough detail without overdoing the icky vocab that usually comes with sex scenes. Nicely done. I also like the way Katy and Dee’s relationship changes and progresses after the way things ended in the second book. The timing and feelings seem fairly realistic, considering.

The plot and character development in this book are about on par with each other, which is different from the first two. I mean, things happen, definitely more than we got in book one, but less of the speed and new information than we got in the second book. And, as I mentioned, lots of character development that I liked. I liked the way Dawson started to come out of his shell, and definitely want to see more of him now that we know how it ended with Beth in this book. Also, Blake…man that dude is an awesome character because he just really is so hard to read. You think you know him (for good or bad) and then he still surprises you. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what the heck his story is after the way he acted at the end of this book. (And, relatedly, can we talk about how effing creepy he gets with Katy in this book…like not connected to anything else he does at all, it is really not ok.

There were a few high school/normal things thrown in that I enjoyed this time too (like prom, always a fun flashback read) and Katy’s blog/computer issues. Also the way things are explained to (or not)/handled with her mother I think is one of the best “high school paranormal” situations I’ve ever read, as far as reality is concerned. Last favorite thing to mention, Daemon gets cute AF a couple times in this book and it was…awesome. I like seeing the softer side of him a lot.

Overall, I think I liked this one better than book two and, what with the ridiculous cliffhanger and all, can’t wait to see where things go next!

From L’Engle’s 1963 Newberry Medal acceptance speech: “A book, too, can be a star, ‘explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,’ a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”

I am not usually one for rereads (unless it’s Harry Potter) because there are just so many books I want to read and I always have a hard time talking myself into reading something again instead of reading something new. However, with the new movie coming out for this book so soon (a movie with rockstar women and feminist icons in most of the major roles, including the director herself – can I just say how much I cannot wait), I felt like maybe it was deserving of a refresher. Plus, it’s pretty much a “read in one sitting” sort of book. And I realized that, since the last time I read it was years and years ago, I realized I have no sort of review written for it at all. And for a book that I loved so much as a child, that seemed a bit criminal.

Meg is a bit different… She’s a freshman in high school and incredibly smart, but she’s floundering. She doesn’t really like how she looks and feels like she doesn’t fit in, her father has disappeared while doing some important work for the government, her youngest brother (Charles Wallace) is seen as a little slow even though he’s just a special/new kind of genius, and though her mother is trying to stay strong, she can see the toll things are taking on her. So Meg’s grades start to suffer, her anger and impatience are causing her to act out in school, and she just feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. One night a visitor drops by and everything changes. Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin (a boy from school a few years older than Meg and somehow randomly “called” to meet them) are sent on an adventure through space and time to save Meg’s father. Helped along the way by some special characters, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which, it turns out that they, with their peculiar talents, might be the only thing that can prevent the spread of an evil darkness across the universe.

This is such a fast and absorbing read. Like I said, pretty much a single sitting is all it takes. But it’s fantastic and whimsical and sweet and everything you could want from a middle grade adventure. In rereading it now, I can so easily see why it was one of my childhood favorites. Meg is a wonderful heroine. She’s flawed and imperfect, and even though sometimes those flaws are harmful, she learns that sometimes they can also benefit her. Charles Wallace teaches us that pride can be harmful, but if you allow them, your friends and family can help guide you and use it for good. And Calvin shows us that not everything is how it seems – that people who, on the outside, look like they fit in, are perhaps just as lost inside. All three together go through a transformation throughout the book that will resonate with every young child everywhere: no matter who you are, you feel like something about you is too different to be ok, but that those differences are ok. Our differences make us who we are and what would be the point of living if we were all exactly alike?

There are some things that now, reading as an adult, I could take issue with. I think that Meg is written very immaturely for a high schooler, especially when considered in comparison with Charles Wallace’s youthful precociousness. The references to God are very overt and, for me, frustrating – I dislike the concept of light/goodness does not always having to be promoted in conjunction with some sort of holy power. And there are some pacing and dialogue moments that seem to simplistic or childish, even for a YA/middle grade novel like this. However, all that is easily overlooked when I think about the power of good this book has brought to me and so many others. And the nostalgia in reading it for sure makes any downsides worth it. Plus, there is so much more that I love. Calvin and Meg are adorable. Charles Wallace is the best younger brother character. Meg’s parents are a great mix of nerdy and sweet. The 3 “witches” are still some of my favorite characters of all time, with their little quirks and eccentricities. I would, still, give anything to have them pop up in my life from time to time. And the story itself is just a phenomenal and extraordinary adventure about the power of light, goodness, love and family (no matter what that family looks like).

Straight up, this book is every young girl’s fantasy. The chance to step up and save the day, even when you are afraid, not sure that you can, and are convinced that there is nothing special enough about you that makes you the right choice. It’s the [mostly] hidden need that we all have to be the hero, the one who has what it takes. And it’s so important that the strength needed here, for everyone, to overcome the darkness comes from inside, a strength that is not physical, but emotional. It’s this kind of strength that we are all so sorely lacking today, and as the darkness starts to overcome the world we are living in, it will take heroines like Meg to find the light inside them and spread it back into the world. The message here is universal and timeless, and despite this being a children’s book, it’s a message we all need to embrace and share.

“Maybe if you aren’t unhappy sometimes you don’t know how to be happy.”

“We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Well things pick up in this one! My goodness – everything was sort of breakneck speed here, after Katy’s capture by Daedalus at the end of the last book. First, I really loved the split POV that we get here. It started, I’m sure, because Daemon and Katy were separated for about the first third of the book. But even after they were back together, I was really glad to see it continue. I really enjoyed seeing parts of the story through Daemon’s eyes, getting to know some of his inner thoughts, etc. It was particularly fun to read the more romantic scenes from both sides this time around. Relatedly, this book had quite a bit more romance than the previous ones. I actually saw a couple reviews that got annoyed with all the mushy, but I went into these books looking for that, so I can’t lie, I ate it up. Mmmmm. Their progression was cheesy and perfect. And I love that since their relationship began it has stayed solid and reliable. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but the hot/cold plot device is one of my least favorites, so the consistency of the heat here is something I really enjoyed reading. Plus, there is enough plot going on outside of their relationship to make that extra drama totally unnecessary.

Speaking of which, wow. We learn SO much about Daedalus and their experiments and what Dawson/Beth went through and the history of the Luxen and more in this book. It was graphic and hard to read at times (yikes things got violent/bloody a couple times), but it kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked getting to know more about Luc’s background (or well, a little more…I’m sure there’s a lot more coming) and our new character, Archer, is intriguing as well. As far as other characters, I was happy with where Blake’s story went (I cannot stand him), and Dawson/Beth are adorable and their bomb drop at the end of the book is pretty huge! The one big betrayal of the book is definitely not something I saw coming and holy crap it happened so fast I had to read it again to make sure it had actually happened. There are some deaths that hurt (and others that don’t as much).

The one thing I was iffy about was a certain plot device/ Daedalus plan that is one of my least fav plot tropes – the origins themselves. It’s just…(small spoiler here) the idea of procreation, creating life, is, I get, such as easy “bigger/better end game” to write towards and is used a lot, but I just feel like...I’m not sure, but it’s just not my favorite. Regardless, I was sucked into this 4th book from page one and now I am dying to get started on the last one to see how everything wraps up now. There are so many players, so many secrets, and now with the influx of Luxen, Dawson/Beth’s situation, and whatever Daedalus has planned, things are likely to get even crazier and I can’t imagine how the author will manage it.

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

Confession time: this is my first Agatha Christie. Yup. I’m almost 30 and reading is my self-professed favorite way to spend time, but I have never read the Queen of Mystery before. It took this most recent screen adaptation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq4m3yAoW8E) to get me to pick one up. I’m a little embarrassed, BUT better late than never, I suppose. And to be fair, mysteries are not really my cup of tea - I much prefer other genres. So, it’s not like I have been reading mysteries by everyone other than Agatha Christie. Regardless, I got here eventually and that’s what matters (or, at least that’s what I’m telling myself).

This book is one of an entire set that follows detective/inspector Hercule Poirot. I do not think they need to be read in order, and truthfully, I had no problem getting into and following this particular installment without any prior experience with the character. Poirot is on the titular Orient Express after finishing up with a prior case and en route to another. But, when a murder is committed in the train car he’s on, and the train is stuck for days due to a snowstorm, he is impressed upon to put his mind to the task of solving the crime.

From what I can tell, this is a very formulaic mystery novel. Soon after meeting all the characters and getting acquainted with the setting, but before we get too comfortable with anything, the murder is committed. We are then presented with the physical and remembered evidence. Over time, theories are presented and shot down, lies are uncovered and, in the end, a final pronouncement of Poirot’s suspicions is made. However, since the train is stuck between stations, there are a few things that make this a little out of the ordinary, as far as solving crimes goes. First, there is no assistance from actual law enforcement or real labs/autopsies. The information Poirot is able to gather towards solve the case is very basic – a ranged time of death from an onboard doctor, a few small pieces of evidence and, primarily, the testimonies of the crew and passengers of that particular train car. So, this is one of those mysteries that is solved Sherlock Holmes style: using a lot of psychology, intuition, and deductive reasoning. Second, the chance for things to be resolved and decisions on how to handle it made before anyone from the “outside” arrives makes for a lovely twist at the end.

This limited setting combined with that “twist” ending, if you will, is (in my opinion) likely what makes this particular novel one that is so often adapted onto the stage/screen. It adds a bit of controversy and judgement, a chance to discuss and debate, to what is (or would be) an otherwise straightforward murder mystery. And I am for sure planning to watch this newest movie version to see how the story and characters are adapted. I’m also excited to see how the ending is treated, regarding the consensus of the passengers on how to handle the guilty party, and how conclusive or controversial they decide to make it.

As a general reading experience, I did appreciate and enjoy this book. Christie’s grasp of all the little details that seem unimportant to start, but later change the shape and direction of the story in major ways, is impressive. It is clear that she has masterful control over the minutiae and development of the story, particularly in how/when certain clues and suspicions are revealed to the reader. Pacing-wise, this could not have been better. As with all mysteries, the focus is plot of characters, so I definitely found myself confusing certain ones or forgetting things about them, in my rush to see what happens next and subsequent skimming of certain passages and details. Though that fault is, I suppose, more with me as a reader than Christie as the author.

I definitely found myself enjoying the read and wanting to see what would happen, how the mystery would conclude. I liked how everything came together and I like that I was left thinking a little at the end. Overall, this was a positive first Agathe Christie experience for me! I am happy to say I have finally read her and was not disappointed by the experience. I may pick up another in the future (I think they might make nice one-off palate cleanser books for me), but I don’t think I’ve been converted to the genre.

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

This is just one of those books – the ones that you kind of see everywhere and hear good things about, but don’t actually know much about it. And then you see they’re making a movie based on it (Love, Simon), so you watch the trailer (https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/love-simon) and, finally, read a blurb about the book. And you decide, based on how freaking cute the trailer is, that you just have to see it, BUT you’ll have to read it first (because that’s how you live your life). So, here we are.

It’s a pretty basic plot line: high school student Simon (adorable, theater geek, great group of friends and family) has a secret: he’s gay. Literally no one knows. He ends up email pen pals with another (anonymous) gay student at his school. Cue the following: butterflies-in-your-stomach crushes, various layers of friends and family drama, a little bit of blackmail, a lot of coming out stress, and the best heartwarming happy ending I’ve ever read. But seriously, for all that you know exactly where the story is going, the infectious positivity from Simon, the support of the important people in his life, the big reveal of the secret pen pal – it’s all these little details that develop over time that give the story it’s body and power and livelihood. It’s a totally unputdownable, super fast, absolutely charming story. It’s the happy ending, despite the challenges and roadblocks, that every single person’s sexuality story deserves but doesn’t necessarily get.

Albertalli does a great job tying in some other important high school themes without missing a beat or overpowering the primary narrative. The right women have to their own autonomy, to choose who they are into or interested in dating, all by themselves. The need children have for their own privacy and growth balanced out with the vested interest parents have in that same growth. The importance of everyone’s struggles and the fact that, mainstream or not, we all face challenges that we need support overcoming – the focus needs to be empathy, not comparison. And the need for that to be balanced with each person’s right to tell their own story, share their own struggles, in their own way and on their own timeline. Plus, it’s important to remember that, although this story has the perfect happy ending (one that made me squeak out loud and hug the book to my chest like you wouldn’t believe - in fact, I am STILL smiling just thinking about it), they do not all end that way. In any case, I was quite impressed with the author’s voice and her ability to create a story that encompasses so many high school dramas and makes them all seem real and important (which in some cases they are and in some cases they just seem to be at the time), instead of trivialized and childish. Because no matter which category they fall into, they do all play a role in shaping who we are and what we become…and that is significant. (After reading a little about the author, and now knowing that she helped lead a support group for gender nonconforming youth in DC for years, her grasp of these characters struggles during this time in their lives makes a lot of sense – not any less impressive, but definitely more understandable.)

For the characters in this book, and for all of us as readers, the biggest takeaway (in my opinion) other than the general superiority of Oreos as a cookie, is to be there for each other. Even though we all have our problems, remember to always try to see things from others’ perspectives, before making any rash or permanent decisions (read: mistakes). We may not always know when someone needs support, or how to give it, but being open to offer and learn is what makes the best of humanity. So, right now, go pick up this book and let this little slice of delightful light up your life. Read it, love it, and then join me in throwing support (read: money) at it in theaters to show the world we want to see more representative characters and authentic stories like these!

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

This is not really my normal genre, the whole crime thriller thing. Especially if there isn’t even a dash of fantasy/sci-fi in there. So once again I thank book club for taking me a little outside my comfort zone. And even though I can also say that I don’t think I’ll suddenly convert to a crime thriller lover, this book was really hard to put down. And since I was in the midst of a mini reading slump, a quick, enthralling read was really what I needed and it fit that bill perfectly.
As a quick plot synopsis: a 5-year-old boy is killed in a hit and run accident. The police have few leads, the mother disappears in her grief, and the guilty party is managing to evade the law. As the story unfolds, we see a lot of different smaller pieces starting to come together, including how the past Jenna Gray is running from plays into the unfolding drama/tragedy. There is really very little else I can say without giving away any of the important twists (and that just wouldn’t be fair to you!).

I feel like reviewing thrillers like this is a little hard, especially when any small thing could potentially give away a clue or plot point that will help the reader figure out the ending before they get to it. And I sure don’t want to be the person that does that (I hate those people, haha). So I’ll do my best. First, this was a page turner for real – I finished in two sittings and really had trouble putting it down. The plot development and unfolding is very well crafted and the pacing was generally spot on, though there were a few sections I definitely skimmed through to get onto the next part. (Mainly, these were the “home life” sections of the main investigator on the case…I felt like it was great to add a little dimension to him, but the author added a little too much there. There were issues with both his wife and his son and, though I realize that’s life, the stuff with his son just seemed totally tangential to the story and didn’t really add anything other than more pages to get through.) Other than that, the relationships developed between all the characters, both on the investigative team and in Jenna’s attempts to escape/start over, are realistic. Some are much cuter than others, some perhaps made me kind of angry, but they all came across very genuine. The writing itself was clear and easy, which is great for this type of novel: it’s not anything flowery and beautiful that would be out of place, but it is good, solid writing. Like any book, even though the language isn’t the focal point, if it’s poorly done it could still ruin it.

As far as the big twists mentioned in most of the reviews, I felt like there were three. The first one was about halfway in and actually totally confused for me. The mislead by the author was done almost too well and I really thought I had just missed something and had been reading the whole thing really, really wrong. So kudos there, I think? Haha. Once I figured it out and got back into the flow though, it was totally fine, and that definitely isn’t negatively affecting my overall opinion of the book. As for the second, it came much closer to the end and was definitely one I saw coming from a mile away. To be fair, this particular “twist” may not have actually been meant as one for us as readers, but it definitely came as one to the investigators (so I’m counting it). But even though I saw it coming, reading about the lead up, and the building dread, was nicely done by the author. And the last one…it came out of left field! I completely didn’t see it coming. At the same time, I’m not really sure how I feel about it. I mean it is shocking (always the ending one wants with a thriller) and does a great job giving Jenna the kick she needs to finally “make her move” (that’s me being ambiguous…I’m trying). So from that perspective it’s good. But how likely is it actually? I mean…how realistic is it? I’m not sure…if you’ve read this, I would LOVE your opinion! And speaking of realistic endings/how we feel about endings, I have similarly confused feelings about the “justice” at the end. It’s super definitive (and I’m all for karma, the parallels/connections it creates with other characters’ stories, and the pro “inner strength emerging” feel), but is it right? I can’t tell. Bottom line though, I don’t hate it and don’t feel unsatisfied.

I feel that it’s incredibly worth mentioning that this book should to come with some serious trigger warnings, because it’s totally not anticipatable based on the inside cover blurb. It was, at times, super difficult to read, and it is not even something I directly have experience with. I’ll leave this vague too, just in case, but if you are thinking about reading this and want more info to make sure it’ll be ok before you try it, please let me know and I can give you more details.

Apart from the all the horrible situations in this book, I felt like the author did a great job leaving us with a sort of mixed conclusion – the wrap-up of the crime itself and then the open-ended, mostly hopeful ending for the majority of our protagonists. It’s the sort of ending that one always wants in real life, but doesn’t always get. As I mentioned, I don’t have a lot of experience in this genre, but I would say that if you are looking for an entertaining, well written, page-turning, crime thriller…this is definitely worth checking out.