BookFox
Two Nights is a suspense novel centered around Sunday “Sunnie” Night, a troubled woman with a horrific past that she does her best to never remember. She is yanked out of her recluse lifestyle by a case that tugs at her childhood memories, and once she begins investigating she refuses to stop until she has gotten to the bottom of the whole mess, even if it sparks recollections she would rather forget. While the story is not bad, I couldn't really get attached to any of the characters. Additionally, it was lacking in the science tidbits that I expect and enjoy in Kathy Reichs books. If there is a sequel I will probably read it, but will not be waiting at the edge of my seat for it to be released.
Lincoln in the Bardo is a creative imagining of the night of Willie Lincoln's death, told through historical text excerpts and the voices of the spirits in the cemetery where he is buried. The story flows quickly, drawing the reader from one short chapter to the next. The eccentric cast of characters is quite entertaining and makes that period in history seem more real and relatable. A fun read, especially for history buffs!
A fun cozy, but pretty predictable in terms of who the murderer was. I enjoyed the Leavenworth, WA setting though and all the beer stuff was entertaining!
I would give The Fifth Petal 3.5 out of 5 stars. What first drew me to pick up the book was the setting – I enjoy historical fiction and wanted to learn more about Salem and the witch-trial period. As a fan of police procedurals I was also intrigued by the murder mystery aspect of the plot. The story was interesting and engaging, and for the most part kept me turning the pages. It was a bit too long; the story dragged in some parts, and could have been shorter without losing any plot. Additionally, while you certainly don't need to have read the first book in the series to understand this one, there are a lot of references to the first book (which I had not read, and therefore the many references made me feel I was missing something rather major). Overall though I liked the characters and enjoyed the unique atmosphere of modern-day Salem. A good read for fans of mysteries with a hint of the supernatural.
When All the Girls Have Gone is a fairly typical mystery with a side of romance. I enjoyed the down-to-earth main characters, and the plot was exciting enough to keep me turning the pages. A fun, quick read great for fans of Sandra Brown.
Greek mythology has always interested me, so I was drawn to House of Names - an adaptation of the story of King Agamemnon and his family. I appreciated Colm Toibin's creative imagining of how Clytemnestra reacted to her daughter's death and everything that followed, and the insight in Orestes' life and thoughts. It was an entertaining novel, but never really gripped me. It would have been nice to have more of Electra's point of view, since she became such an influential figure. Additionally, it had a rather abrupt ending. That said, fellow fans of Greek mythology will find the tale enjoyable!
Watching Edie is a “before and after” style book that slowly reveals bits and pieces of a traumatic event from the past while following those same characters in the present day. I admit that my review is probably biased by my tendency not to enjoy this genre - I get annoyed by how little information is revealed in each breadcrumb, and when the switches between past and present are very frequent it can be distracting. That said, this book is well-written and I did not predict the ending. While the story got bogged down by an overload of angst and inner turmoil at times, the ending was suspenseful and left me thinking after it was over. A good read for fans of psychological suspense stories.
A star-crossed lovers story set in the Maryland suburbs of DC, The Lovely Reckless chronicles the challenge-filled romance between a former private school girl from the wealthy neighborhood and an embattled boy from the poor neighborhood. While a page-turner, there were a few too many cheesy moments and a serious case of insta-love that detracted a bit from the overall book. However, I enjoyed the variety of characters and the sweetness of the relationship between Frankie and Marco. A fun YA read that will also appeal to fans of car racing.
The Motion of Puppets is a modern interpretation of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, with a mysterious puppet shop serving as the Underworld. It's hard to tell whether the book is intending to be a suspense/horror story or more of a supernatural mystery/love story. Though a slow read at times, it is fun getting to know the personalities of the different puppets in the shop and to observe the development of the friendship between Theo and Egon. Good for fans of fiction involving the real world with slight elements of the supernatural.
Chasing Phil is an account of one of the FBI's earliest long-term undercover operations, undertaken when the Bureau's culture was still very much against undercover work. The other hurdle was that financial fraud was also not considered to be a crime damaging enough to warrant big FBI investigations. Despite these roadblocks, two young FBI agents persevered and cobbled together an undercover investigation of an incredibly prolific con man named Phil Kitzer.
While it is clearly well-researched and the investigation is an impressive one, the book is somewhat slow and has many abrupt transitions that don't seem to lead anywhere. It may be due to the piecemeal nature of the materials the agents were able to gather, as audio recording back then was difficult to do undetected. The book is interesting but not a page turner.
Wow. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but I was not prepared for the reality. This collection of fictional stories features women from all walks of life experiencing a wide range of human emotions and relationships. Raw and blunt, most of the stories cover topics often avoided because they make people uncomfortable - sexuality, abuse, fractured families, and others. Roxane Gay shies away from nothing, and her stories challenge traditional portrayals of women in literature. This collection is well-written, but not for the faint of heart.
Vassa in the Night is a modern retelling of an old Russian folk tale, and it is an enjoyable blend of magic and the real world. The plot was engaging and managed to involve a good number of unique characters despite taking place almost entirely in one small location. There were a few aspects of the story that seemed insufficiently developed, but not having read the original folk tale perhaps I was missing some references. Overall a good read for fans of modern fairy tales.
In Under Rose-Tainted Skies, Louise Gornall allows her readers to see the world through the lens of mental illness. As if adolescence isn't a difficult enough time for girls, Norah Dean has the added struggle of OCD and agoraphobia. When a cute boy moves in next door and starts talking to her, her world is thrown into further turmoil. A realistic and ultimately hopeful story that will leave readers with a better understanding of mental illness and the bravery required for so many people just to get through each day. If everyone read more books like this one, the world would be a more compassionate place.
What an imaginative book! I was immediately swept up in the rich world of Caraval, where the lines between reality and illusion are blurred. Caraval is a story of two sisters doing whatever it takes to escape from their abusive father and a life of constant fear. Just when you think you have everything figured out, a new twist will appear. Anchored by its strong female protagonist and full of fantastical elements, Caraval is one of those books that keeps you captivated long after you've turned the last page. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood, which in her Frostblood-controlled country is a very dangerous thing to be. She has spent her life trying to hide her powers, so when she is discovered by the Frost King's soldiers she is unable to control her gift and is captured as her village is destroyed around her. She is dying in prison when she receives an offer from two mysterious strangers - help them kill the Frost King in exchange for her freedom. Ruby agrees and is taken to an abbey, where she convalesces and begins to learn how to control her power. She gradually learns more about the plot to defeat the Frost King, but all the careful plans fall apart when Ruby is captured and forced to fight against Frostbloods and beasts in the king's brutal tournaments. Will she be able to complete her mission and get her revenge against the cruel king?
While parts of the first half of the book are a bit slow, it does give the characters time to develop their relationships. Ruby is a realistic heroine, physically weak from her long months in prison but mentally tough and determined to grow her strength and control her abilities. Themes of acceptance and tolerance of differences are present throughout without being heavy-handed. The requisite romance is nicely plotted and has some literally sizzling moments. A great read for YA fantasy fans in general and in particular those who love Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen series.
Nine Women, One Dress is essentially a cross between The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Love Actually. The readers gets a glimpse into the intersecting lives of a handful of New Yorkers, all connected by a designer little black dress. It involved a little too much infidelity for my taste, but overall is it a sweet, lighthearted story about love and the situations that bring people together. A perfect book for the beach!
I really enjoyed this book. It was like a nostalgia tour of my six years studying Latin in middle and high school, and made me regret anew that I did not continue my studies in college. The vocab and grammar expositions, while at times getting a little too into the weeds, were interspersed with enough anecdotes and personal reflections to keep the narrative moving. It is brave of Ann Patty to have written so frankly about her life experiences. Now I want to go audit some Latin classes!
I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book - the possibility that the brief but intense friendship of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne while Melville was writing Moby Dick was romantic rather than platonic. I always enjoy books that bring to life the relationships between famous authors, but this one was particularly captivating due to its intensity of feeling. It would have been nice to have a bit more of Hawthorne's perspective in the narrative, but writing the story through Melville's eyes created more parallels to Moby Dick. All in all an entertaining piece of historical fiction that fans of the classic authors will enjoy.
I always enjoy Shakespeare adaptations, and it was especially fun to read one set in my native Baltimore. Anne Tyler does a great job bringing the classic story of The Taming of the Shrew into the modern world, maintaining the essence of the story while smoothing out some of the misogynistic edges to make it palatable for female readers. An enjoyable summer read!
I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but ended up with mixed feelings. Many readers might be discouraged early on by the amount of Hebrew used with no translations provided. I enjoyed the alternate reality world that Barton constructed, and appreciated the overall message of religious tolerance. However, the book at times got bogged down by continuous theological arguments, and the ending was much too abrupt. Additionally, the unnecessary love triangle was frustrating as it detracted from the main story. Overall, a great fictional world but not a great story.
A great start to an exciting new series! Sullivan has created a rich world with well developed characters. There is a good balance between strong female and male characters, so the story should appeal to a wide audience. I look forward to the rest of the series!
Absalom's Daughters is a tale of self-discovery and the bonds between family members told through the lens of half-sisters, one black, one white, in the 1950s American South. The story shines on light on some of the ways in which racial tensions in America throughout history deeply affect the lives of individuals, which forces the reader to think about the issue while at the same time enjoying the sweet story of two young sisters sticking together through thick and thin. There is one fantastical element to the novel which feels slightly out of place in the otherwise realistic setting, but it serves a poignant purpose. Absalom's Daughters is an easy read that is quite relevant to current times despite its historical setting.
Truly Madly Guilty examines the ripple effect that one event can have on the lives of a group of people. It also offers a realistic portrayal of the messy relationships between friends and family. At once a family drama and a suspense story, Truly Madly Guilty will ensure you never think about a neighborhood barbecue the same way again.
It was extremely refreshing to read a book with characters in my age range - most books skip from teen protagonists right to people in their late twenties or early thirties, which makes it harder to relate. Mix in the fun of imagining that your bartenders and baristas are actually demon-fighting badasses and healers, and you end up with a great read! I look forward to reading a sequel if one is written.
Jude Duarte is a human, but she has lived in Faerie since the age of seven with her twin sister and their half-fey older sister, whose father brought them back from the mortal world. Being human, Jude has never felt like she belonged, but lately things have gotten worse with her tormenters at school. The spoiled, arrogant Prince Cardan appears to love nothing more than making Jude's life miserable. When Jude starts fighting back however, she discovers the faerie royal family may not be entirely what it seems. How far will Jude be willing to go to protect the ones she loves?
The Cruel Prince is a great start to a new YA trilogy that promises intrigue, cunning, badass women, and sacrifice in spades. I look forward to the next installment!