This was my third read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. What I enjoyed most from this story was the narrator. He is definitely untrustworthy but I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him throughout the book. (Please note that there is a graphic scene of the narrator attempting suicide in this story. If this is a trigger for you, do not read this book.) The plot itself was interesting and I thought this was a solid short story. I always wonder when authors craft characters who are writers/poets if there are some autobiographical aspects to them. After this short introduction to her writing, I would like to read more of Unger's work in the future.

This memoir is written by a journalist turned private investigator after she witnesses the death row execution of Jesse Tafero. After spending time solving other people's mysteries, she decides to try to solve the case that has been haunting her: was Jesse Tafero really guilty of the crime that ultimately led to his death? As someone who is really interested in prison reform and the abolishment of the death penalty in the United States, I thought I would really like this one. However, I found the writing to be very repetitive. McGarrahan talks to many people connected to the crime (Jesse's girlfriend, defense attorneys, medical examiners, witnesses, etc.) and once she writes about those interviews, she sums up what she now knows about the case. For some people, this might be helpful in order to keep track of the information she is providing, but for me it got boring and I skimmed through her recaps. Basically, if you are interested in true crime (death row cases specifically), there are better pieces of literature out there and I would advise skipping this one unless you have a specific interest in Tafero's case.
(PUB DATE: 02/02/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

If you're looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller, this might be the book for you. Told from the perspective of a psychologist, this story highlights her work with a patient who is a confessed (only to her) murderer. Because of confidentiality rules, she cannot report what she has been told and works with him to overcome the grief and trauma from this event. I really loved the characters, the setting, and the plot of this one and thought I would for sure be giving this title five-stars. However, the ending really ruined this story for me. I can't say much without giving away any spoilers, but it was just so unrealistic and did not fit the writing style of the rest of the book.

The Vanishing Half is one of the most well written and interesting books I have read this year. The main characters in this one are twin sisters, Desiree and Stella, and their daughters, Jude and Kennedy. While they are black, the skin color of the twins is light enough that one of them (Stella) decides to “pass” as white and disappear from the other twin’s (Desiree) life. The story focuses on this idea of "passing as white" and jumps back and forth in time from the perspectives of different characters. The structure and the content of the story is truly original and Bennett's writing is remarkable. I already have another one of her books on loan from the library (The Mothers) and I cannot wait to read that one as well.

This was my fourth read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. Having read and loved Braithwaite's debut novel last year, I went into this one with high expectations. Luckily, these expectations were met. Once again, the author sets her story in Nigeria and succeeds in giving the reader an unpredictable story while still touching on more serious issues (classism and the dangers of social media being the most prominent ones).

This was my fifth read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. While the author does a commendable job of crafting a story that highlights the dichotomy between truth and illusion, I did not enjoy this one. This piece lacked excitement and I did not feel any connection to the characters. I was really disappointed as I am usually a fan of Ruth Ware's work and I know that this piece does not accurately portray her storytelling abilities.

Punching the Air is a fantastic collection of poems written by Ibi Zoboi. Some of the writing is inspired by Zoboi's friend Yusef Salaam's own experiences in prison which makes this book even more powerful. Zoboi and Salaam are able to effectively show how the United States justice system is broken by creating the character of Amal, a black, Muslim teenager who is wrongfully incarcerated. Through both words and drawings, Amal's story unfolds, and the horrors of imprisonment (especially as a juvenile) are showcased. As someone who has an interest in prison reformation, I loved this one. However, I do not think you need to have any background knowledge on this topic to understand and appreciate the beauty of this story.

This was my sixth read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. Similarly to Gaylin's "The Gift" (another story in this collection), I felt that this title wasn't long enough to completely develop the plot. The climax of this story seemed to come out of nowhere which didn't make it an enjoyable read. When I read mystery or crime fiction titles, I prefer when the author foreshadows what is going to happen. As a reader, this makes the plotline seem more believable to me. Despite this issue, Lippman did a fantastic job developing both Liz and Phil, the main characters of this story. For this reason alone, I would be interested in reading more of her work in the future.

The LGBTQ+ book club that I participate in read this novel back in May. However, my library had not yet ordered this title because it was a new release. I read the blurb here on Goodreads and couldn't justify buying the book for myself because it didn't sound like something I would really enjoy. I decided I would skip the reading and discussion that month and maybe read this title on my own once my library had a copy. I am so glad that I did eventually end up reading this one because I absolutely loved it. I am kicking myself for not buying the book and reading it with the group earlier this year. Yes, this one was totally out of my comfort zone and is unlike any book I ever have read. I do not often read titles in the Adult Fantasy genre, but this novel was just pure happiness. I dare you to read this one and try not to like it. It is simply impossible.

While the writing itself was pretty good, this book took me (what felt like) forever to get through. That is because this title has the slowest paced plotline ever. Berman weaves the Hollywood #MeToo movement, the LA drug culture, and the oh-so-familiar curse of childhood actors into the story of Grace Turner's, a fictional celebrity, mental breakdown. Also, in addition to being a slow read, The Comeback has an insanely predictable ending which is one of my biggest literary pet peeves. Honestly, I probably should have rated this one lower, but it is difficult to give a book a "bad" rating when it is so obvious that the author has a true talent for writing. I would love to read another title from Berman in the future because I know she can write something better than this piece of literature.