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onmalsshelf
WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS. I can’t believe I finished this 699 page book in just over 24 hours. The character and plot development that Sarah J Maas puts into her books is just...**chef’s kiss**.
Listened to on Libro.fm. I highly recommend checking out their Anti-racism playlist for an large amount of options.
A must listen/read for your anti-racism journey!
This was a quick audiobook to listen to as it was less than 4 hours. I highly recommend only listening to it on 1x audio. I usually go up to 1.5x speed, but I felt like I would miss something if I went to that speed.
My favorite quotes (no page # available as I listened on audio):
“White people desperately want to believe that only the lonely, isolated “whites only” club members are racist. This is why the word racist offends “nice white people” so deeply. It challenges their self-identification as good people. Sadly, most white people are more worried about being called racist than about whether or not their actions are in fact racist or harmful.”
“When you believe niceness disproves the presence of racism, it’s easy to start believing bigotry is rare, and that the label racist should be applied only to mean-spirited, intentional acts of discrimination. The problem with this framework—besides being a gross misunderstanding of how racism operates in systems and structures enabled by nice people—is that it obligates me to be nice in return, rather than truthful.”
“White institutions are constantly communicating how much Blackness they want. It begins with numbers. How many scholarships are being offered? How many seats are being “saved” for “neighborhood kids”? How many Black bodies must be present for us to have “good” diversity numbers? How many people of color are needed for the website, the commercials, the pamphlets? But numbers are only the beginning. Whiteness constantly polices the expressions of Blackness allowed within its walls, attempting to accrue no more than what’s necessary to affirm itself. It wants us to sing the celebratory “We Shall Overcome” during MLK Day but doesn’t want to hear the indicting lyrics of “Strange Fruit.” It wants to see a Black person seated at the table but doesn’t want to hear a dissenting viewpoint. It wants to pat itself on the back for helping poor Black folks through missions or urban projects but has no interest in learning from Black people’s wisdom, talent, and spiritual depth. Whiteness wants enough Blackness to affirm the goodness of whiteness, the progressiveness of whiteness, the openheartedness of whiteness. Whiteness likes a trickle of Blackness, but only that which can be controlled.”
A must listen/read for your anti-racism journey!
This was a quick audiobook to listen to as it was less than 4 hours. I highly recommend only listening to it on 1x audio. I usually go up to 1.5x speed, but I felt like I would miss something if I went to that speed.
My favorite quotes (no page # available as I listened on audio):
“White people desperately want to believe that only the lonely, isolated “whites only” club members are racist. This is why the word racist offends “nice white people” so deeply. It challenges their self-identification as good people. Sadly, most white people are more worried about being called racist than about whether or not their actions are in fact racist or harmful.”
“When you believe niceness disproves the presence of racism, it’s easy to start believing bigotry is rare, and that the label racist should be applied only to mean-spirited, intentional acts of discrimination. The problem with this framework—besides being a gross misunderstanding of how racism operates in systems and structures enabled by nice people—is that it obligates me to be nice in return, rather than truthful.”
“White institutions are constantly communicating how much Blackness they want. It begins with numbers. How many scholarships are being offered? How many seats are being “saved” for “neighborhood kids”? How many Black bodies must be present for us to have “good” diversity numbers? How many people of color are needed for the website, the commercials, the pamphlets? But numbers are only the beginning. Whiteness constantly polices the expressions of Blackness allowed within its walls, attempting to accrue no more than what’s necessary to affirm itself. It wants us to sing the celebratory “We Shall Overcome” during MLK Day but doesn’t want to hear the indicting lyrics of “Strange Fruit.” It wants to see a Black person seated at the table but doesn’t want to hear a dissenting viewpoint. It wants to pat itself on the back for helping poor Black folks through missions or urban projects but has no interest in learning from Black people’s wisdom, talent, and spiritual depth. Whiteness wants enough Blackness to affirm the goodness of whiteness, the progressiveness of whiteness, the openheartedness of whiteness. Whiteness likes a trickle of Blackness, but only that which can be controlled.”
A cute, Solstice themed novella to connect A Court of Wings and Ruin to the fourth book to be released January 2021 (preordering now because at the rate 2020 is going, I NEED something to look forward to in 2021).
I absolutely adore the moments we got of Feyre and Rhys in this novella and how the lives of the Court of changed after the war against Hybern.
Of course, there was really no plot driven moments, but this was a cute novella to Segway to the next installment.
“To the stars who listen...to the dreams that are answered”
I absolutely adore the moments we got of Feyre and Rhys in this novella and how the lives of the Court of changed after the war against Hybern.
Of course, there was really no plot driven moments, but this was a cute novella to Segway to the next installment.
“To the stars who listen...to the dreams that are answered”
Thank you Avid Reader Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this memoir. While some may say it's just another "I survived an alcoholic parent and survived", I believe it is much more than that. Kirkland shared how he grew up with two brothers and how each of them took much different roads in the future with how their parents shaped their lives.
Much for than a "I survived and thrived" memoir. It's more of a self discovery while learning to love yourself despite the hand you've been dealt memoir. From a parental divorce, to moving to Bermuda and dealing with an absent and alcoholic parent, to escaping back to the US for schooling, Kirkland's memoir shows that it is okay to take a path away from your family while still remaining in the picture when family needs you.
I enjoyed this memoir. While some may say it's just another "I survived an alcoholic parent and survived", I believe it is much more than that. Kirkland shared how he grew up with two brothers and how each of them took much different roads in the future with how their parents shaped their lives.
Much for than a "I survived and thrived" memoir. It's more of a self discovery while learning to love yourself despite the hand you've been dealt memoir. From a parental divorce, to moving to Bermuda and dealing with an absent and alcoholic parent, to escaping back to the US for schooling, Kirkland's memoir shows that it is okay to take a path away from your family while still remaining in the picture when family needs you.
Thank you Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First off-Yellow Bird is a mix of true crime plus history of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and how the Bakken Oil boom affected the Reservation. If you're looking or a story that is all true crime, look elsewhere.
Written by a white journalist, Yellow Bird is the story of Lissa Yellow Bird's journey to find justice for a missing man who disappeared from his worksite on the reservation. Sierra Crane Murdoch wrote Yellow Bird in first person as it is coming from her perspective of hearing Lissa's story as well as the history of the Reservation through elders.
Yellow Bird brought light to issues that many choose to ignore during this time: limited resources on reservations, missing Indigenous men and women, how oil booms affect the reservation populations, and how outside companies can influence reservation politics.
I thought that Yellow Bird was very well written and researched. While I thought the family drama from Lissa's family could have been removed from the story at times, it did make sense overall to include it as Lissa's family and their experiences played an important role in Lissa digging for justice for KC.
I would read any other books that Sierra Murdoch would write.
First off-Yellow Bird is a mix of true crime plus history of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and how the Bakken Oil boom affected the Reservation. If you're looking or a story that is all true crime, look elsewhere.
Written by a white journalist, Yellow Bird is the story of Lissa Yellow Bird's journey to find justice for a missing man who disappeared from his worksite on the reservation. Sierra Crane Murdoch wrote Yellow Bird in first person as it is coming from her perspective of hearing Lissa's story as well as the history of the Reservation through elders.
Yellow Bird brought light to issues that many choose to ignore during this time: limited resources on reservations, missing Indigenous men and women, how oil booms affect the reservation populations, and how outside companies can influence reservation politics.
I thought that Yellow Bird was very well written and researched. While I thought the family drama from Lissa's family could have been removed from the story at times, it did make sense overall to include it as Lissa's family and their experiences played an important role in Lissa digging for justice for KC.
I would read any other books that Sierra Murdoch would write.
If you choose to pick up this book: Buckle up everyone, you're in for a ride.
What I thought I was getting when I picked up this book: tea on President Trump.
What I got: Tea on the entire Trump family and man is it hot.
Note: This was very well researched. From using articles and even memories from her aunt Maryanne, I believe that every word in this book is true.
While reading this book, I found myself saying, "this is overpromised and underdelivered", and "this is maybe only a three star read", but then I realized we don't need to know anything on what the President is doing now because he shares that all day long in his Twitter rants.
I can see why the Trump family has moved to try to block the publication of the book. Point blank, this book makes the family look like a pile of trash on fire.
Starting with Donald Trump's father, who although he claimed and Donald claims was a "self made man", he was a man who wouldn't be where he was without his mother who helped him start the first Trump company. Not a single person in that family is self made thanks to a step a WOMAN made to help her son after her husband died, not that anyone in the family probably wants to admit.
Mary focused most of the book on her father, Freddy Trump- Donald's older brother, and his fall from grace in the family due to alcoholism and not being the kind of business, tough son that Fred wanted. Donald became that son in Fred's eyes and became the one that would take over his real estate empire. The Trump family ignored Freddy and couldn't get him the help he needed and when he died- any care for Mary, her brother, and her mother went out the window.
I learned a lot from this book. I hadn't known anything about Donald Trump's siblings or the history of the Trump empire.
I can't help but think: "Where would Donald be if Freddy had been the kind of son Fred wanted?" and honestly, I'm pretty sure the answer would be "Not in the White House". Also, where would he be if his FEDERAL JUDGE sister had spoken up during the 2016 election?
If you're looking for Mary's thoughts on Donald during the current atmosphere, look to Chapter 10 and the Epilogue. That's the REAL hot tea.
Should you pick it up? I don't know.
Will it change your thoughts on the President and his family? I sure hope so.
I hope this quote from the book makes you uncomfortable as it made me: 'Donald, who was wearing gold clothes, looked up at me as I approached as if he'd never really seen me before. "Holy shit, Mary. You're stacked."' (pg. 151). Yes- that is the United States President telling his NEICE, that she's stacked, aka well-endowed in her upper chest.
'Unlike my grandfather, Donald has always struggled for legitimacy as an adequate replacement for Freddy, as a Manhattan real estate developer or casino tycoon, and now as the occupant of the Oval Office who can never escape the taint of being utterly without qualification or the sense that his "win" was illegitimate.' (pgs. 200-201).
"When things turned south in the late 1980s, Fred could no longer separate himself from his son's brutal ineptitude; the father had no choice but to stay invested. His monster had been set free. All he could do was mitigate the damage, keep the cash flowing, and find somebody else to blame" (pg. 103)
See it on the blog: https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-too-much-and-never-enough/
What I thought I was getting when I picked up this book: tea on President Trump.
What I got: Tea on the entire Trump family and man is it hot.
Note: This was very well researched. From using articles and even memories from her aunt Maryanne, I believe that every word in this book is true.
While reading this book, I found myself saying, "this is overpromised and underdelivered", and "this is maybe only a three star read", but then I realized we don't need to know anything on what the President is doing now because he shares that all day long in his Twitter rants.
I can see why the Trump family has moved to try to block the publication of the book. Point blank, this book makes the family look like a pile of trash on fire.
Starting with Donald Trump's father, who although he claimed and Donald claims was a "self made man", he was a man who wouldn't be where he was without his mother who helped him start the first Trump company. Not a single person in that family is self made thanks to a step a WOMAN made to help her son after her husband died, not that anyone in the family probably wants to admit.
Mary focused most of the book on her father, Freddy Trump- Donald's older brother, and his fall from grace in the family due to alcoholism and not being the kind of business, tough son that Fred wanted. Donald became that son in Fred's eyes and became the one that would take over his real estate empire. The Trump family ignored Freddy and couldn't get him the help he needed and when he died- any care for Mary, her brother, and her mother went out the window.
I learned a lot from this book. I hadn't known anything about Donald Trump's siblings or the history of the Trump empire.
I can't help but think: "Where would Donald be if Freddy had been the kind of son Fred wanted?" and honestly, I'm pretty sure the answer would be "Not in the White House". Also, where would he be if his FEDERAL JUDGE sister had spoken up during the 2016 election?
If you're looking for Mary's thoughts on Donald during the current atmosphere, look to Chapter 10 and the Epilogue. That's the REAL hot tea.
Should you pick it up? I don't know.
Will it change your thoughts on the President and his family? I sure hope so.
I hope this quote from the book makes you uncomfortable as it made me: 'Donald, who was wearing gold clothes, looked up at me as I approached as if he'd never really seen me before. "Holy shit, Mary. You're stacked."' (pg. 151). Yes- that is the United States President telling his NEICE, that she's stacked, aka well-endowed in her upper chest.
'Unlike my grandfather, Donald has always struggled for legitimacy as an adequate replacement for Freddy, as a Manhattan real estate developer or casino tycoon, and now as the occupant of the Oval Office who can never escape the taint of being utterly without qualification or the sense that his "win" was illegitimate.' (pgs. 200-201).
"When things turned south in the late 1980s, Fred could no longer separate himself from his son's brutal ineptitude; the father had no choice but to stay invested. His monster had been set free. All he could do was mitigate the damage, keep the cash flowing, and find somebody else to blame" (pg. 103)
See it on the blog: https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-too-much-and-never-enough/
Thank you Algonquin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For TW, see below.
This was my first Larry Watson book and also the first book I've read that took place in Montana.
The Lives of Edie Pritchard gave off an old-time vibe that I love, especially with the first setting in the book, when Edie is with her first husband, Dean. It's not often that a male author can write female character that is strong-willed well, but Larry definitely accomplished that and I appreciate it because she was a very well written character.
I have to say that I did enjoy Part 3 the most, as Edie was older and obviously more developed as a person and it showed that Larry had her character develop throughout the book.
Please note, while the title may seem like a time traveling book, it is NOT time travel. The three timelines in which we follow Edie - 1967-68, 1987, and then 2007, are three distinct times in her life, but were very well interconnected with the inclusion of the Linderman brothers. Dean, the first husband, and Roy, the fraternal twin of Dean. Throughout the whole book, Roy was there to help Edie along the way when she needed help, but he wasn't a complete lovesick, jealous man. Each timeline did not get boring. I enjoyed the family dynamic of Edie with her daughter and her granddaughter in parts two and three as well as the growth in the relationship between Dean and Roy between parts one and two.
TW: Spousal domestic abuse, car accident, underage drinking
For TW, see below.
This was my first Larry Watson book and also the first book I've read that took place in Montana.
The Lives of Edie Pritchard gave off an old-time vibe that I love, especially with the first setting in the book, when Edie is with her first husband, Dean. It's not often that a male author can write female character that is strong-willed well, but Larry definitely accomplished that and I appreciate it because she was a very well written character.
I have to say that I did enjoy Part 3 the most, as Edie was older and obviously more developed as a person and it showed that Larry had her character develop throughout the book.
Please note, while the title may seem like a time traveling book, it is NOT time travel. The three timelines in which we follow Edie - 1967-68, 1987, and then 2007, are three distinct times in her life, but were very well interconnected with the inclusion of the Linderman brothers. Dean, the first husband, and Roy, the fraternal twin of Dean. Throughout the whole book, Roy was there to help Edie along the way when she needed help, but he wasn't a complete lovesick, jealous man. Each timeline did not get boring. I enjoyed the family dynamic of Edie with her daughter and her granddaughter in parts two and three as well as the growth in the relationship between Dean and Roy between parts one and two.
TW: Spousal domestic abuse, car accident, underage drinking
Thank you Algonquin and NetGalley for an eARC and a finished copy of Hieroglyphics.
See my review on my blog https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-hieroglyphics-by-jill-mccorkle/
Hieroglyphics follows Shelley, her son Harvey, and husband and wife duo Frank and Lil. Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives. Shelley and Harvey have perspectives from the present while Frank's perspectives switch from flashbacks to current time, and Lil's perspective is told from letters she has written to her family. Frank and Lil have recently moved from Boston to the town that Frank grew up in North Carolina where Shelley and her son currently live.
I liked that as a reader, I didn't find out why Lil's perspective was only told by writings and I thought that the reveal was well done. I love that Jill researched the two historical events that take one parent from Frank and Lil. I would have liked to see more building on what exactly bonded the two together.
However, overall Hieroglyphics was much more character driven than plot driven and as a reader that prefers a mix of both, I think I would've enjoyed this story a bit more if there had been more plot building around all of the characters. I wanted just a little more background of what happened to Shelley before she moved to North Carolina as well as what exactly did Frank do with his colleague that had Lil uncomfortable? McCorkle also revealed some plot points within the last thirty pages, and while I enjoy that in thrillers, I think it fell short in this piece of fiction. If the reveals had been revealed just a little bit earlier, I think that this book could have been more successful for me as it felt like a disjointed conclusion to me.
As perspectives moved around between flashbacks, current time, and letters, I often found myself confused by what exactly happened.
If you like character driven stories told from multiple perspectives, I highly suggest you pick up Hieroglyphics because I think it will be for you.
See my review on my blog https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-hieroglyphics-by-jill-mccorkle/
Hieroglyphics follows Shelley, her son Harvey, and husband and wife duo Frank and Lil. Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives. Shelley and Harvey have perspectives from the present while Frank's perspectives switch from flashbacks to current time, and Lil's perspective is told from letters she has written to her family. Frank and Lil have recently moved from Boston to the town that Frank grew up in North Carolina where Shelley and her son currently live.
I liked that as a reader, I didn't find out why Lil's perspective was only told by writings and I thought that the reveal was well done. I love that Jill researched the two historical events that take one parent from Frank and Lil. I would have liked to see more building on what exactly bonded the two together.
However, overall Hieroglyphics was much more character driven than plot driven and as a reader that prefers a mix of both, I think I would've enjoyed this story a bit more if there had been more plot building around all of the characters. I wanted just a little more background of what happened to Shelley before she moved to North Carolina as well as what exactly did Frank do with his colleague that had Lil uncomfortable? McCorkle also revealed some plot points within the last thirty pages, and while I enjoy that in thrillers, I think it fell short in this piece of fiction. If the reveals had been revealed just a little bit earlier, I think that this book could have been more successful for me as it felt like a disjointed conclusion to me.
As perspectives moved around between flashbacks, current time, and letters, I often found myself confused by what exactly happened.
If you like character driven stories told from multiple perspectives, I highly suggest you pick up Hieroglyphics because I think it will be for you.
Thank you NetGalley, LibroFm, and MacMillan Audio for ALC audiobook version of this book. All thoughts are my own.
See my review on my blog here: https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-his-hers-by-alice-feeney/
Rating: 4 Stars
TW located below review in case you need them.
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Audio performance: 3.5 stars
Resulting in the 4 star rating
This is the first novel that I've read by Alice Feeney and I will definitely be open to reading her other thrillers.
His & Hers is a twisty, psychological thriller that is perfect to listen to on audio and get lost in the plot twists while going about your day.
What kept it from being 5 stars for me:
I am getting tired of the main character being an alcoholic. It seems that many thrillers these days are using this trope - can't you use some other kind of trope?? The narrator for Anna was a bit boring and I found that all characters that she narrated were a bit one dimensional.
Also: Why do authors villainize the only Queer characters in their thrillers?? It's becoming apparent that it is still a big trope of thriller authors.
What I liked:
I liked that the Alice wrote from three perspectives: Anna (the reporter), Jack (a DI in Blackdown), and a mystery third person that you learn more from throughout the plot. Alice seamlessly blended in flashbacks into the plot of the story and it helped develop the plot. I would say that His & Hers is a mix of plot driven and character driven as flashbacks helped drive the plot and the development of the characters through connections with the flashbacks helped drive the characters forward in how they could be connected with the crime.
This may be one of the only UK set thrillers that has kept me interested in the plot right until the very end. I usually find UK thrillers hard to get through or I'm not surprised by the ending.
I truly believed that someone else was the murderer up until the very end, and that is what I love about thrillers. I highly recommend that you pick this one up
TW: rape, animal abuse, drugging, dementia, and child death
See my review on my blog here: https://mainlymallory.com/book-review-his-hers-by-alice-feeney/
Rating: 4 Stars
TW located below review in case you need them.
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Audio performance: 3.5 stars
Resulting in the 4 star rating
This is the first novel that I've read by Alice Feeney and I will definitely be open to reading her other thrillers.
His & Hers is a twisty, psychological thriller that is perfect to listen to on audio and get lost in the plot twists while going about your day.
What kept it from being 5 stars for me:
I am getting tired of the main character being an alcoholic. It seems that many thrillers these days are using this trope - can't you use some other kind of trope?? The narrator for Anna was a bit boring and I found that all characters that she narrated were a bit one dimensional.
Also: Why do authors villainize the only Queer characters in their thrillers?? It's becoming apparent that it is still a big trope of thriller authors.
What I liked:
I liked that the Alice wrote from three perspectives: Anna (the reporter), Jack (a DI in Blackdown), and a mystery third person that you learn more from throughout the plot. Alice seamlessly blended in flashbacks into the plot of the story and it helped develop the plot. I would say that His & Hers is a mix of plot driven and character driven as flashbacks helped drive the plot and the development of the characters through connections with the flashbacks helped drive the characters forward in how they could be connected with the crime.
This may be one of the only UK set thrillers that has kept me interested in the plot right until the very end. I usually find UK thrillers hard to get through or I'm not surprised by the ending.
I truly believed that someone else was the murderer up until the very end, and that is what I love about thrillers. I highly recommend that you pick this one up
TW: rape, animal abuse, drugging, dementia, and child death