I wanted to love this collection of kidnapping stories from the Great Depression, however the passive tone of the book left me just wanting to set the book down.

 I had to wait to get the audio so that I could even finish it and even then, I had to put it on 2x to get through it. I probably should've just DNF'd, but I was intrigued by the cases. Even though the cases seemed to be revertive in a sense because honestly how different can kidnappings be from the Great Depression era? I commend the author on his hard work and I can tell that he spent a lot of time researching and writing this book. However, in a time when so many true crime books are being released with interesting cases and a easily readable tone, I'm afraid this one may get lost in the fray. 

If you're looking to learn about some kidnappings from the Great Depression era that are the not the Lindenbergh  kidnapping, I suggest picking this up. 

Thank you  Libro.fm and Simon & Schuster Audio for this ALC in exchange of an honest review. 

TRIGGER WARNING: Plot includes MAJOR inclusion of eating disorders, right from the start. 

I had to mention that right off the get go because it appears no one else wants to even address that. I wanted to LOVE Milk Fed after someone I trust very much and have similar reading tastes to loved it. However, I can't say that. 

If listening to on audio as I did - do not listen around anyone else or with any window partially down. Some people overhead it coming from my car in the Starbucks line and I got some very concerning looks. Perhaps it would've worked better for me had I read it as a physical copy? 

If the talk of disordered eating didn't get you in the first six chapters, chapter seven may get you feeling very icky. I should've just stopped there. 

Don't get me wrong, Milk Fed is very well written and the prose is beautiful, which is mainly the reason I'm giving it a 2 star rating. The plot and several plot points made me say, "what in the world am I listening to?". Plus, I'm not sure there would even be plot had it not been for the inclusion of disordered eating. I also did not find it 'scathingly' funny. 

Redeeming quality - I did like the relationship between Rachel and Miriam throughout most of the book.

Also I will die on this rock -  the cover is not a record as people say it is (are records even mentioned, I don't think so). I'll leave you think about that. 

Other trigger warnings: incest dreams and homophobia 

Thank you Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Forgive me if this review doesn't seem to give Silence is a Sense justice, but I'm finding it difficult to find words for how much I love this book. Silence is a Sense is remarkable. Both lyrical and brutal, I found myself being pulled into the story at every turn. I don't know if I can even think of the last time I read a book that gave me such a sense of place and emotion. 

Be aware that it does cover hard topics and comes with some content warnings as the narrator, whom we are introduced to as a Syrian refugee writing under the pseudonym, 'The Voiceless', shares both non-fiction and fictional depictions on her life in Syria and her journey to England from war-torn Syria. As she watches her neighbors from her windows while having little to no communication with them as she has chosen to be mute, several events concerning her neighbors and her neighborhood lead her to finally find her voice again. 

Please, please consider picking up this book because it deserves to be widely read. The fact that Layla AlAmmar packed so much into under 300 pages is astounding. This book - and Layla AlAmmar - deserve the world and I hope it is nominated for awards. I'll be reading her other works soon because I have a feeling she'll now be one of my favorite authors. 

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Libro.fm for the eARC and ALC for The Good Sister.


Wow. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel and it certainly won't be my last. The Good Sister was right up my alley in the way that I wanted to throw it against the wall because I was so frustrated and HAD to know what was happening next. I was constantly shaking my head and asking myself, "What just happened?" and "Did that really just happen?!". The dynamic between twin sisters Fern and Rose left me wondering who really was the "good sister" for a big chunk of the book and the twists DID NOT disappoint. 

If you're looking for a new psychological thriller with twisted family dynamics, pick The Good Sister up. 

Highly recommend the audiobook