thelovelylibrarylady's Reviews (1.1k)

I consumed The Stepford Wives in one sitting. Just like with Rosemary’s Baby, another title written by Levin, I was completely captivated by this story. While it was initially published in 1972, the topics in this novel are still relevant today. I absolutely loved Levin’s dark, satirical takes on gender inequity, especially in regard to the importance given to the fulfillment of men’s sexual desires. I have not seen either of the film adaptations of this novel so I cannot speak to their quality, but I can say with confidence that this is a book that you will want to read if you enjoy dystopian fiction and/or cultural critiques. 

After really enjoying the first book in this series, I was so excited to read this title before its publication date. I loved The Night In Question even more than its predecessor. The mystery of the death of the actress, Mona Moody is a central storyline in this novel. It was briefly mentioned in the first book and I am glad the authors decided to focus on that plot line for this one. I hope that Glasgow and Lawson continue writing this series. They definitely left the ending open for the possibility of more adventures for Alice and Iris. 

(PUB DATE: 05/30/2023)

(I received an audio recording of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I was pleasantly surprised by this YA mystery. The novel’s setting, Castle Cove, is so idyllic and the vibrant descriptions of the town made it feel like a real place. The mystery of Brooke’s death kept me on my toes and I had fun following Alice and Iris during their investigations. There are some serious moments in the novel, as both protagonists have difficult home lives, but the authors made sure to balance out these scenes with more lighthearted ones. Overall, I recommend reading this book!

Bodies Are Cool is a wonderful picture book that teaches children that no matter what someone looks like they are worthy of respect and love. The illustrations are gorgeous and depict people of all skin tones, body shapes, and abilities. We, as a society, teach children not to point out the things that make people different, but this book normalizes those differences which is a fantastic lesson for young readers. 

I heard this book was about a fictional sex cult in the Mexican jungle and I was in. Honestly, I will read anything about cults, real or fictional, because they fascinate me. While The Vicious Circle kept my attention and managed to surprise me at certain points, it just wasn’t that great. If you want to read something from St. John, go with her debut novel: The Lion’s Den. 

(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)