Wow.

Okay, I finally finished this book. I wanted to like this series so much more than I actually did. I feel pretty much the same about this book as I do about Queen of the Conquered, but this book’s storyline was less compelling. Or, I guess, the flaws of the book were more apparent and detracted from the reading experience to the point where I couldn’t overlook them and enjoy the story. 

First off: this plot is GOOD. It’s brutal, and the ending is bleak, but I appreciate the message that Callender is sending with such an “unpopular” conclusion. I have never read a fantasy novel like this. Sigourney is such an interesting character, and I may have enjoyed the first book more because it was from her POV. 

However, the writing is what got me. There is so much tell-not-show text, and SO much of it is repetitive to the point where I was skimming some paragraphs. Some characters died, but they weren’t even an integral part of the narrative. They were just mentioned as being integral, not mentioned again, and then brought back only to die. I feel like a lot could have been edited out, and the descriptions could have been better. I was not able to sink into this story in the way I thought I would. Overall, this duology has an interesting premise and a lot of potential, but just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I mostly enjoyed this because it is a Jane Eyre retelling. It was fun to see how the author adapted the story into a modern-day thriller. Lots of red flags and ambiguity, which I enjoyed. 

 I really enjoyed this book. All of the characters are wonderful and so well-written. I feel like Henri, Corinne, and Ming are still out there, living their lives. This book addresses the very real pressures and struggles of high school students at a high performing school, plus there’s a cute rom-com element. Most of the book is smooth-sailing, but then one of the characters makes a shocking decision in the last 1/4 of the book that really changes the narrative. I liked how it was handled and how it carried the story to its conclusion.

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed is an incredibly disturbing collection of short horror stories. I loved it.

Most of these stories f-ed me up, in a good way. A neighborhood begins deteriorating when a stranger leaves his cart of belongings behind; missing children suddenly begin reappearing in local parks years after they have disappeared or been pronounced dead; a woman is followed around by a slightly scary baby ghost that only she can see. All of these stories touch on social issues present in Argentina and beyond. Enriquez pulls you in with ghosts, scaries, and body horror, but leaves you feeling unsettled about your own complicity in a world that is scarier than fiction.

Content warning for basically everything. Some of these stories were a bit too much for me because they contain personal triggers. Some stories contain pedophilia and child abuse, which are an absolute “no thanks” for me, so I did not enjoy those. But overall, if you are a horror fan I recommend this collection. My personal favorite stories are The Cart, Angelita Unearthed, The Lookout, The Well, Kids Who Come Back, and Back When We Talked to the Dead.

This was a very well done domestic thriller. I wouldn't even really call it a thriller. Maybe an intense domestic drama, plus murder? I really enjoy the audiobook author, and I think Jewell does a wonderful job of building up these characters and their intertwined suburban lives. Everyone has a secret, and nothing is what it seems. Most books of the thriller genre have "surprise" plot twists at the end nowadays, and they are usually silly and make no sense. Thankfully, that doesn't happen in Watching You. The slight twist was just intriguing enough without trying too hard, and it didn't have me rolling my eyes. Did I see it coming? Yes, but I didn't care because I was so engrossed in these people's lives and their secrets! Overall, this book is fun brain candy that uses the theme of surveillance to its advantage.

This is a fast, entertaining read that imagines the story of Agatha Christie’s still unexplained 11-day disappearance. This book is a great fit for people who are fans of Agatha Christie, as it recreates her life as imagined by the author. I personally like historical fictions that imagine unknown parts of history, so I enjoyed this. 

If you’re not a Christie fan, then I’m not sure how enjoyable this book would be. The writing isn’t the strongest, and some parts were kind of cringey, to be honest. The end felt a little rushed, even though I knew what would happen. But overall, it’s a fast beach or vacation read. I put this under the category of “borrow from the library.” 

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Last read of 2020! I really enjoyed this series. (Is it going to be the last one?!) love the drama, love to hate Daphne. 

This book got off to a slow start and I felt like a lot of dialogue/explanation could have been edited out, but overall I enjoyed it. I like both of the main characters, and their personal struggles and insecurities are realistic. I also thought the main conflict and resolution were emotionally realistic. Some of the sexy times were a bit over the top and I literally laughed out loud at times, sorry! Also, that bit in the epilogue WHY?!

A boy dies at age 11 in 1596. A few years later, his father writes one of his most famous plays: Hamlet.

So, before I started this book I knew it was highly likely that would love it. It has everything that I freak out about: historical fiction; flowery language; educated speculation about how people lived their lives; emotional family drama. Maggie O’Farrell delivered on all fronts.

This is my first book by O’Farrell. I absolutely love her writing. It’s emotional, descriptive, and flawlessly sews multiple timelines and characters together. In O’Farrell’s imagining, Hamnet dies from “the pestilence” (The Black Death) and the ramifications of his family’s loss is written in a heartbreakingly beautiful way. This book isn’t about the never-named Shakespeare. It’s about Agnes and her life as a healer, mother, and wife in late 1500s England. It’s about a marriage and a family. It’s about life and the tiny moments that echo into the future.