This is the third book I have read this year by Alafair Burke and I just now realized that in addition to being an author, she is also a law professor. No wonder her legal thrillers are always so detailed and realistic. This story focuses on Olivia Randall, a high profile criminal defense lawyer, and her decision to represent her ex-fiancé when he is accused of a heinous crime. I enjoyed this one a lot and realized that I probably read her books in reverse order (whoops!). The protagonist, Olivia, actually appears in Burke's other titles and it was a lot of fun to learn more about her background. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a fast-paced, mysterious read!

Riley Sager does it again. This is definitely his creepiest book yet and I was actually terrified the entire time I was reading. If you are a psychological thriller/horror genre lover, this is a book you must add to your reading list. I also want to note the hidden symbolism/tributes to Stephen King that Sager decided to include in this novel. As someone who loves both authors, I got excited when I stumbled upon these "easter eggs". I am anxiously awaiting Sager's future novels, as it was recently reported that Dutton has agreed to publish three more of his books. Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with Sager's writing as soon as possible.

The way this story was formatted was very confusing. With a variety of narrators and timelines, I could not follow this story easily. Most of the narration is told from the different members of the girl band "Gloss" and to be completely honest I didn't like any of them (except maybe Yumi, at times). If it wasn't for the author's ability to highlight the dark parts of being a celebrity, I would have probably rated this only 2/5 stars. The story's message is really its only saving grace. If you are a fan of books surrounding Hollywood drama, you'll probably enjoy this title. Otherwise, I would recommend leaving this one on the shelf.
(PUB DATE: 9/01/2020)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

The Nickel Boys is a short, but impactful read. While the story is fiction, it is heavily influenced by reform schools (more specifically the Dozier School for Boys) and their horrific practices. The novel follows Elwood Curtis, a young, academically gifted black teenager who suddenly finds himself sentenced to do time at Nickel Academy. Through Elwood's eyes, the reader experiences the horrors that take place at the school. Halfway through the book, Whitehead, the author, makes the decision to tell the story through alternating timelines documenting Elwood's final days at the school and more of a present-day narration. I can't give any more of a summary because it would spoil the poignant story Whitehead has crafted. As the 2020 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction, I knew that I had to read this book. I urge you to add this one to your reading list and experience this novel as well.

When I finished this one, I realized I had read all of the Fab Five's books (except for Bobby... I am waiting not so patiently for him to release something!). While it might not be the right thing to do, I can't help but compare the memoirs of them all.
So here are my rankings...
1. Over the Top - Jonathan Van Ness
2. Naturally Tan - Tan France
3. Antoni in the Kitchen (even though this isn't a memoir, there are some autobiographical passages within the cookbook)
4. Karamo - Karamo Brown
So why did I rank Karamo's book last? Well, unlike the others, Karamo's memoir felt very impersonal. He does touch on intimate topics (addiction, domestic violence, becoming a dad, meeting his husband, etc.), but they were always concluded with a psychoanalysis of why he had those experiences. I understand that is what he does for a career, but it came across as almost dismissive of his harmful behavior. I do not think this book showcased Karamo in the best way and I think he definitely comes across better on television. With that being said, I loved the addition of his personal pictures. It was fun to see a younger version of the television personality we all know and love. Unless Karamo is your favorite member of the Fab Five or you are determined to read all of their memoirs (like I was), I would recommend skipping this one

This is not a book I would have picked up for myself. I ended up agreeing to buddy read it with a group and I am glad I did even if this title wasn't quite for me. The Only Good Indians is an ominous horror novel that deals with the topics of revenge and identity. The story outlines the experiences of four Native American boys who have a shared incident while hunting. This event is haunting (literally) and ends up impacting their lives as adults. Unfortunately, this book was just way too graphic for me to enjoy. There is some very explicit violence against both humans and animals that was really difficult to get through. If you are a reader who can stomach this type of writing, you will probably not be bothered by this aspect. While I did finish this story, I was left with bad feelings because of the amount of bloodshed present in this novel.

Felix Ever After was a cute story. However, as you all probably know by now from reading my reviews, I am not a huge fan of YA Fiction. It was interesting the way Callender, the author, utilized the app Instagram in the plot. As someone who grew up with an Instagram account, I could relate to the conversations through direct messages and the "trauma" of posting a photo on the wrong account. I didn't agree with some of the actions taken by Felix, the protagonist in this story, but I think it is important to remember that he is only seventeen. High schoolers don't always make the best decisions and Felix's choices in this book reflect that. With that being said, the ending was adorable and definitely made me bump up this title's rating from three to four stars. If you are looking for a YA book that focuses on gender identity, this is one you should definitely consider.

The Guest List is a classic whodunnit mystery novel. With the eery setting of an isolated Irish island, I had high expectations for the story to give me the creeps. Foley is a master of descriptive writing and I definitely felt like I was on the island myself while reading this story. However, a combination of continuity errors and a predictable plot led to the three-star rating I decided to give this one. It is obvious that Foley, the author, and her editor(s) missed key details when preparing this book for publication. There are multiple occasions where information is conflicting (example - In one chapter Man A and Man B go somewhere, but in the next chapter Man A recalls the event and says he went with Man C. No this isn't an intentional falsehood or a clue foreshadowing the mystery's resolution, it is simply an editing error). Also, the big ending was terribly predictable. I had most of the "big twists" figured out halfway through the book and only really finished reading to see if I was correct. The structure and plot of this story were not great, but the writing style was notable and ultimately saved this one from a lower rating.

This might be my least favorite book of the year. With it only being August, I can't officially say that yet, but it is definitely my least favorite book I have read thus far in 2020. I enjoyed reading the first 80 or so pages and then I found myself getting bored with the plot. There is a lot of focus on grieving and how people grieve which I have not really encountered before in literature. The Lovely Bones is a depressing story that I forced myself to read because I had a copy in my apartment and so many people champion it as a "modern classic". I definitely didn't enjoy reading this one nor do I understand why it is a popular book. I think I would have enjoyed this title more if it had been condensed into a short story or novella. Unfortunately, I do not think I will be picking up any of Sebold's work in the near or distant future.

The Hierarchies is unlike any other book I have ever read before. Sylv.ie, a humanoid doll designed to serve her "husband", is the narrator of this story. As she is a newer doll model, she is more than just a sexual object (which the more basic models of dolls are primarily used for). She is able to play chess, converse with her "husband" about current events, and many other things. However, throughout the story, Sylv.ie starts to become sentient. She finds herself starting to adopt human-like traits such as empathy and love. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. Anderson, the author, does a fantastic job crafting this dystopian novel with social commentary about the role of women in society. I can definitely see this book being compared to The Handmaid's Tale and being popular with readers once it is published.
(PUB DATE: 8/25/2020)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)