Meg

This is my first Colson Whitehead novel. I have a number of his books on my TBR but I always tend to put off reading books that are what I put in the category of “heavier novels”. However, this one was a great balance.

This book chronicles the life of a business owning black man in 60's era Harlem. Ray Carney comes from a crooked family. Raised by his father who was a known crook. As an adult, Ray went to college and got his business degree and now owns a furniture store. He's legit and provides for his wife and 2 children. Even he if does meddle in products that were acquired by less than honest means. He's only “a little crooked”. There is also a heist of a prominent Harlem hotel that Carney is pulled into by his cousin Freddy, that doesn't go all that smoothly.

I loved Whitehead's writing. There were points in the book that fell flat and made me a little bored but they were easy to get through due to the beautiful writing. This book chronicles what is was like in 60's Harlem as a black man, an entrepreneur, and as a crook. The characters are all interesting and there's even some humor that if you don't pay attention, you could miss. I am very excited to read his other books now that I've dipped my toes. I recommend this for those that enjoy a good crime book and historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Double day for providing an eARC for an honest review.

I. Was. Creeped. Out. I am not the easiest to scare or creep out. I enjoy a good horror movie, story, book, etc. but I am so picky about what truly frightens me. And this book gave me the creeps. And I think what made it so creepy was how much the story was believable. Tiffany Jackson's writing made me think and feel like I was in that situation. This book is so much more than just a haunted house too.

The next thing I truly appreciated was the portrayal of anxiety and how people with it struggle and become desperate to ease the storm that goes on in our brains daily. The issues that it arises with family and friends and how it can be such an apparent issue but also something that you are so disconnected from to be able to control.

Finally the subtleties of class and color discrimination. It isn't written in a way that's in your face but you cannot be blind to it. The control and dominance are so subtle. Yet, you're regularly left wondering what can be gained from the motives of certain characters throughout this book only to realize it doesn't matter. It's all about the control and manipulation of the town and the people in it.

Weed. Marijuana. Grass. The devil's lettuce. Whatever you call it - it is a prevalent topic in this book. It's a unique perspective as well that I think people will find intriguing (especially in today's society).

Finally, the ending throws you a curveball. And if you pay attention it's honestly not the biggest surprise but it is very well executed. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would LOVE for there to be some sort of continuation to it. I'm also excited to get to Grown (also by Tiffany Jackson) which has been sitting on my shelf for too long.

If you are ready for a clusterf*&%! of a story dive on into this one! When I started reading this I tried to get a handle of what was going on but it wasn't until I just let the story unfold as it did that I started to enjoy this. There are about 7 different storylines and not all of them make sense to the story. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The characters are interesting - some loveable, some hateable. The premise of the book I haven't read before. I think I was just in the mood for a book that messed with my mind and kept me on my toes.

THIS IS NOT A HAUNTED HOUSE STORY!!!!! Between the cover, description, and book lists I really was expecting a haunted house story and was INCREDIBLY disappointed when no haunted house action was happening. Once I got over hoping the “haunted house” vibe would come I started to enjoy this more. So, if I can save someone from going into this being disappointed my job is done.

I am a big fan of monsters. I believe that there are unexplained beings all around us and there are things we don't understand. I don't believe that we are the only intelligent being in the universe. If you are like me, I think you would enjoy this book.

This book combines fantasy and the real world issues that we are facing today, but puts different faces to them. What do you think would happen if it was revealed on a global scale that monsters existed? And as you're trying to get a handle on that all of a sudden all of the proof is wiped from existence and all you're left with is the question of what you actually saw. A question if you just conjured those images in your mind or if you did see it and you realize there is a force powerful enough to wipe viral videos from existence (we all know how hard, if not impossible, that is).

This book has a lot of points of views. I think this helps with getting the full scope of the story and seeing the way it affects different people that are within this story. This allows for empathy and clearly is something I wish we had today - a way to see an issue from all sides. However, this does add to the confusion. This book is kind of all over the place which I think is also the allure of it. It's from many different perspectives and it goes between different time lines, different universes, and doesn't fully explain each monster and god. Instead, it gives you tid bits that you won't understand without following the whole book. There are still things left open ended that hopefully future books (this is meant to be a series) will address.

Overall, I enjoyed this. Once I got the rhythm of the writing and understand each POV, their roll (as much as I could understand) and how they related to each other I thought this was an incredibly interesting book. This was an audio book for me and the narrator did a fantastic job as well.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced eCopy for an honest review.

If you are looking for a fun, light, mysterious haunted story, behold this gem of a book. It jumps right into something that is mysterious, exciting, and a bit scary. From there it takes you on a ride with the delightful MC Keira. It gives you the cozy feeling of being in a small town with a bunch of likable characters. Yet, there is always that bit of mystery and danger lurking. Throughout the book, I fell in love with the town, Keira, and the group of people that she's surrounded by. And then finding out there is a second book to this really made my heart soar.

Overall, this is a great book for those that love a bit of a scare but are not ready to get too dark or creepy.

I am going to begin by saying that I could not wait to read this book! I have read all of Riley Sager's other books and very much enjoyed all of them. So this was a highly anticipated read for me. I was also born in the 90's and was looking forward to some 90's nostalgia.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed. I'm not sure if it's from the book overall or just being a bit let down because I was looking forward to it so much.

I'll start by saying what I liked about the book. I think the premise of this is very interesting. I do enjoy his writing and it flowed well. The illness that ailed the MC was interesting. I actually liked the ending but I don't want to say why because it would be a spoiler. Lets just say that for loving the thriller/horror genre I have a thing for a certain type of ending that is rarely seen.

Now to get to what I did not enjoy. I did not enjoy the MC. I thought she was incredibly stupid - because she wasn't naive, she knew the decisions she was making wasn't the greatest. Most of the twist I saw coming very early on, however, the extent of it I did not. The reason for that is, it was a bit far fetched. (However, this kind of ties in at the end so this didn't have bearing on my rating). There was very little 90's nostalgia. Other than having to use payphones (lack of cell phones, etc.) and SOME pop culture nothing much was said. The MC is a movie buff but it's not what I was hoping for, unfortunately. (And my own personal opinion, but I'm a bit played out of the classic movie trope, but if you like it you'll probably enjoy that part of this book)! And I just kind of felt bored through the whole thing. Sager is so good at making you feel the anxiety and stress of his characters and playing the guessing game. I never felt that with this one. Even the action parts I felt a bit bored and just wanted to get through because I just had a feeling of how it was going to end.

Overall, my least favorite Sager book. I'll be looking forward to his next one though! I also always like to add to any negative reviews that this is my OPINION and your experience with the book may be very different. I know a lot of people who very much enjoyed this. Happy reading!

*Audible listen

This was a feel good book for me. Which is strange because there is death and sadness in it. However the story is based around a quaint town with the most _ characters. There is a paranormal aspect of it that is more thought provoking than creepy (even though there is a creep factor to it). I do wish that the supernatural aspects of the book were touched on more but that's because I'm a huge fan of supernatural. The story had an intriguing story line that left me satisfied with the ending.

If you ever wonder what makes someone more susceptible to join a cult this is the book for you.

Cultish takes a deep dive into cults and the building blocks that makes one and what makes people join a cult. Montell goes into not only the infamous cults like Jonestown and Heavens Gate but the everyday cults we see in modern day. She breaks down the most important ingredient to a cult; language.

This book is incredibly interesting and Montell's writing style is so easy to digest and follow along with. She includes personal tidbits from her own experiences, friend's experiences, family's experiences, and the vast research she's done. While her own opinions are apparent throughout the book, she is balanced and relies heavily on research and studies. I find cults fascinating so I knew a lot of what was mentioned but also learned a lot. This is the most up front book I've read that gives the answers that we all ask when discussing cults.

I highly recommend this book!

This book is not for the faint of heart. Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault, mental and physical abuse, suicide, religious ideation.

Jonah is an aspiring writer that recently moved to New York City. He finds himself alone and broke - barely hanging on and about to get thrown out of the apartment he's not able to pay for. He then meets Richard, an older man that happens to be a famous play write. Jonah's life starts to look up as he starts a relationship with Richard. Richard starts helping him pay rent, takes him out to lavish, star studded parties, and invites him to stay the summer at his Hamptons home. Jonah is thrilled and eventually quits his serving job to spend the summer writing at Richards Hamptons compound that he shares with a few friends. Jonah can't seem to believe how lucky he is. Jonah's luck quickly turns as he realizes he's stepped into a nightmare. The events of that summer will forever shape his life and he'll struggle for many years to come.

This book is so heartbreaking. I spent 90% of the book completely pissed, 70% completely horrified, and about 75% feeling completely sad and tender towards Jonah and the other characters. I don't want to give too much away. I will say that this book did a very good job at capturing how the times change, how victims are viewed by others and themselves, and how fame and money can mask a lot.

I would recommend this book to those that enjoy books that are a bit on the heavy side. If you have issues with any of the trigger warnings I listed above I'd say to move on from this one. It is heavy and stays with you after you've finished reading it.

This story gripped me. Like, put my nerves on end the entire time. The premise is two cousins, Maeve and Andrea, whose lives get upturned as children after they leave the cult they were born into. After many years, they finally reconnect as adults. Maeve is coming to terms with her past, present, and future while reconnecting with her cousin that was her best friend as a kid. But not all is right and life quickly becomes a nightmare.

This book is gripping. It left me guessing and needing to keep reading to figure out what is going on. The ending is enough to turn your blood to ice. Maeve is also such a likable character and I was rooting for her throughout. This book also brings up, of course, motherhood and being a woman but not a mother. I've met many women who have strong opinions about motherhood and this book highlights the extreme way people can view it and their fellow women.

Highly recommend!

I have always been a big fan of mythology, however, I've always found it a bit confusing. With that being said, this book was the perfect book for me! It was so unique and a great take on a modern day Greek mythology.

Many years ago Zeus created the Agon-every 7 years the Gods will walk the earth as mortals for 7 days. And for these 7 days bloodlines of the great heroes of past can hunt them and, if killed, take their immortality and power. Lore is one of the last of her bloodline and has turned away from the very secret world of the hunt after her family was brutally murdered. Now, 7 years later, Lore finds herself being drawn back in after Athena herself comes to her for aid and an old friend, thought dead, returns in her life.

I, unfortunately, have become one of those people that falls asleep every time she starts to read. If that wasn't the case I feel like I would have spent many sleepless nights with this one. There is adventure, betrayal, friendship, romance, and, of course, Greek mythology. The relationships and characters are easy to like and to relate to. Lore is an incredibly strong and intelligent woman and works through her flaws and her self awareness through the span of the book. I love a book with some good character growth!

Overall I would highly recommend this book to those that love fantasy and especially retellings of mythology. Even if you are just a sucker for some strong female leads you will probably enjoy this book!

If you are a fan of true crime I would highly suggest this book! I am an avid listener of true crime podcasts. I watch Murder, Mystery, and Makeup with Bailey Sarian every Monday, religiously. I watch true crime documentaries regularly. Yet I don't read enough true crime books. With all of this being said, I had also not heard of this story. I understand that things can get lost over the years, especially in New York City, but this man murdered numerous men (at least 4 that's known) and was convicted in 2001. I am surprised I haven't heard about him before learning about his book.

Last Call follows these gruesome murders from beginning to end. It started in 1991 and the last body was discovered in 1993. Elon Green goes into great detail about each victim, their life and the circumstances leading up to their deaths. He also adds in information about the murderer, Richard Rogers, including his history growing up. You also get to follow the investigation through the years. This was so informative and had a nice flow.

It was easy to read (although there is a lot of information) and did a good job of creating a suspense of who done it (I was proud of myself that I did not google this case before I started reading the book). I will say, as a member and supporter of LGBTQIA+ community, it was difficult reading the realities that gay people faced during that time. It was infuriating to see how they were treated by both their fellow man but also by those that were supposed to keep the community and citizens safe. It is still a reality today, however it is a controversial matter. During this time it was completely fine and even expected for this community to be treated as less than human and their lives to be constantly in danger. It was interesting to see how the AIDS pandemic at it's inception and the height of it was reacted to. Especially after experiencing this current pandemic.

This is a book club read for September 2021. I don't know if I would have picked it up otherwise. But I am very glad that I did. This fairytale retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses was a rollercoaster and so unique.

I'll begin by saying this book seems to be a hodgepodge of genres. It's fantasy with murder mystery, romance, suspense, and horror. It's layered and a few times I felt like I went from reading one book to a completely different one. I adored the MC. The sisters and other side characters all added unique personalities to this already unique story. There were so many twists and turns that I did not see coming and few that were spelled out in neons signs to me. However, even the ones I expected, their circumstances I did not see coming.

Overall a great read. The first half is a 3 star read but the second half is a 5 star. So it equals out to 4 stars. I recommend for those who enjoy fantasy, romance, and horror.

Review to come

This book was a fun read. I found myself easily putting it down at times and other times saying “just one more chapter” until I basically read half of the book. #1 positive thing I noticed about this book: SHORT CHAPTERS!

I'll start with the characters. They are unlikable. They are morally all over the place (some gray, some straight black, some all over the place). Even the likeable ones are a bit off. Yet you don't really hate them, but you don't really like them. The book is written from multiple POV's and I think this aids in the characters (even the worse ones) aren't completely hateable. I like when characters have layers and keep you guessing if this is someone that you would be friends with IRL. Or if you they were a friend and you found out their deep, dark secrets, would you still remain their friend?

Next; the setting. This is set in a private school that children of the wealthy attend. These students are on track to go to Ivy League schools and their parents demand it. This level of stress is not at all schools. These specific private schools breed this stress. And also some of the best students in the country. This setting is perfect to set the mood for teachers who believe that they are incredibly special. The students AND the teachers all have egos to deal with. This sets up the plot perfectly!

Finally; the plot. The characters and the setting set up for the plot nicely. And it gets wild. At times a bit crazy and I felt that some things were a bit far fetched but had fun with the different characters I didn't even mind. There are a few side plots that get thrown in that aid the main plot that comes in at different times with no notice. and the ending was good enough for me.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read and a wild ride. I'd recommend for people that like thrillers, murder mysteries, true crime, and the like.

Review to come

I had this book in my Audible library FOREVER. It was high on my tbr list but I also put it off. I really thought by the time I got to it, it would blow me away. I always try to stay away from reviews because they tend to stick in my head and I don't want them to influence my reading experience. However, this is one book that I wished I would have read the reviews first.

Firstly, I think the premise of this story is so interesting. The mix between sci-fi and horror is on point. I also think that the writing is well done. However! I was so bored. Even when there was exciting and/or tragic things happening I was bored. The characters weren't necessarily unlikable but they definitely weren't people I'd want to hang out with in my personal life. I think the character I disliked most was Eleanor Queen - it's always both names, they never shorten it. There is just something about children that act too adult that bothers me. If that was the only thing I would have just moved on and gotten over it, but mixed with the slow pace for me I think grated on me more than usual.

Even though this fell flat for me, I look forward to reading more from this author. I have Baby Teeth already on my TBR.

Voices in the Snow is dread inducing but also cozy at the same time.

Clare wakes up in an old, gothic home with a stranger and little memory of the last several hours. The stranger claims that he found her on the road in bad shape and brought her back to his home that is vacant for the winter (and very remote) to help her. She's stuck in the house for now as she's injured and there's also a strange snowstorm. Soon Clare starts seeing and hearing strange things and beginning to think the house may have something sinister in it, but her companion at least seems nice and is helping her. As bits of her memory comes back she starts realizing the danger that they're both in.

Darcy Coates writes some of the most atmospheric and eerie yet cozy horror. One minute I was wishing I could be in the remote house and the next I'm quickly changing my mind. When I think of snowstorms I think of curling up by the fireplace with hot cocoa and a book but the reality in this book is that this snowstorm is very claustrophobic and almost sinister. It creates the perfect backdrop to the other happenings going on.

Another thing that Darcy does so well is writing great characters. Clare is someone I can see myself being friends with. Dorran embodies what makes “weird” people so enigmatic but also charming. The plot, the setting, and the characters along with Darcy's writing style had me quickly moving through this book and excited to read the next book in the series. It's the perfect winter read.

This was my first Christina Lauren book. I love a good romance, but it's not my go-to genre so they are few and far between. I was in the mood for something fun and light and that would get me in the Christmas spirit. I picked the PERFECT book for it too.

I'm not going into too many details because, spoilers, but I will say this was a fun read. It made me happy. It made me laugh and even had me tearing up at parts. It made me think of all of the light Christmas movies that come out each year. The ones that put you in the mood to do holiday activities and fall in love. I believe that I will be reading more Christina Lauren books.

I'm going to start by saying that I am a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars and Once Upon a Time and this book says that it's a mix of the two. And honestly, I saw that. There was drama, mystery, some murders, and a curse with storybook characters. I'm ALSO a huge fan of those OG fairy tales that aren't surrounded by princes and princesses and happy endings. And that's what this story is all about. So the premise is great and imaginative and had me hooked. However, I was slightly disappointed, but I feel like this is book 1 in what will be a series and I am very excited about that (if it isn't I am going to be incredibly disappointed and would change this review drastically).

The characters made me like and hate the book (in a good way). Some of the characters here were the worst. I won't give any spoilers but a main character that I was expecting to love, I loathed. She was mean for the sake of mean with no backstory that warranted it. I'm all for the villains of stories, but it's their stories that made them interesting. But maybe, if there are more books we'll get to learn more about this particular character. There were also some characters that were so sweet and earnest. And all said and done I think this perfectly highlighted the different personalities and moods teenagers have/go through.

Also, I loved the visibility. I love a book that is diverse and highlights different backgrounds, religions, sexualities, and cultures. All of the main characters are a plethora of sexualities and it's a boarding school in Switzerland that accommodates kids from all over the world. There was a lack of different races, however, that was noted in the book and I think will be touched on more (again, hoping for some more in a series).

This would have been a 4 star read other than the fact that I never felt excited. I never had the drive to learn what happens next. I don't know if that's due to my mood while reading or the writing, but I would definitely reread later to see and DEFINITELY read any other books related to this one to see how the story continues to unfold.

I recommend those to love fairytales (especially the twisted ones), boarding school dramas, and a bit of magic.

3.25 Stars

The reviews for this book made me extremely excited to read it. So many people talked about the beauty and heartache of the story and that is right up my alley. I am disappointed to say I did not love it. While the story is incredibly interesting and the writing is beautiful, I felt bored most of the story. The last 25% of the book saved it for me but not enough to redeem the whole thing. I was disappointed in the little I learned about the narrator. She lived such a long life and overcame so much and I just wanted to be emerged in that story line. Instead we got a love story that she questioned if it was even love to the very end of the novel. Her story line with the dark was what had me enthralled and that even seemed a bit half baked.

Overall amazing writing, interesting story but was hard for me to get through and left me wanting so much more. I think the hype is what had me feeling so let down. I am, however, very excited to read more of this author.

This book was a breath of fresh air. After reading a lot of thriller and horror books, a YA was just what I needed. And as much as this one has action, twists, and turns, it leaves you feeling good. I'm used to dystopian style books (especially those in a series) leaving your stomach in knots. This one left me with some hope.

This book has a wonderful romance trope (won't tell you what to not give it away). There are multiple points of views that are done very well. The main characters all have layers and secrets that make their stories very interesting. Tessa has a wonderful personality. She's strong willed, kind, and honest. She's a great female protagonist.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. It was such a nice change of pace. I'm excited to read/listen to the rest of the series when it comes out. I'll be waiting patiently. I listened to this on Audible and the narrators were wonderful as well.

Highly recommend for those that like dystopian, YA, romance, royalty, and medical dramas.

I have to put my heart back in my chest before I can write this review. This was such a heartbreaking but mesmerizing read.

Ruby has enjoyed summers in her family's chateau in France ever since she can remember. The summer she turns 12, the chateau is filled with friends old and new of her family's. This plunges Ruby into a tumultuous summer that leaves her and everyone that stays that summer changed forever.

This is my first book of Phoebe Wynne and I will absolutely be reading more of her work. The writing is beautiful and I could not stop reading. This is clearly meant for people like me who remember vividly being put in uncomfortable situations with older men that “mean no harm”. Comments and forced hugs aren't harmful, right? I felt strongly for every character, whether that was disdain, love, or my hear breaking for them. Each character was written so perfectly and the way we see them through Ruby's eyes was masterful.

This book is listed as a thriller on some platforms, and while there is a thriller component that's done really well, I'd consider this contemporary fiction for the most part. There's also mystery throughout the entire book which isn't revealed until the very end. The story is through Ruby's eyes though there is a dual timeline aspect where you can see the viewpoint from a person in present day, whose identity isn't revealed until later in the book. This is another part of the writing that I thought was brilliant. It added to the mystery and propelled me forward to learn who this narrator was and their connection to the chateau.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. Definitely my favorite read of July and maybe the year.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this ARC.

This is the slasher I've been wanting! Quinn and her father move to a small midwest town from Philadelphia for a fresh start. They end up moving to a town that is at war. The young and the old are at odds but to an excessive degree. As the tag line says “The kids are not alright”.

I think I'm lucky - I'm at the age where I grew up without having a computer or internet connection in my home because it wasn't that common (unless you were the cool house) but it was available so I had more access to information than my parents had. I didn't have a smart phone until I was an adult, but I remember going to my friends house to chat on AIM in middle school and then check my MySpace in high school. So I can see how abnoxious how important technology is to kids these days is but am also an adult that relies on it every single day. I've also rolled my eyes and thought “Okay, Boomer” multiple times in my life. For a war on the young and the old I'd be right in the middle, but this book makes you pick a side. And by the end there's a clear good or bad side that may not be so clear in the beginning.

I did a tandem read/listen to this book and I flew through it. If you don't include my time on vacation I finished this in a day and half. The writing is entertaining and very easy to read. The slasher aspects of it, even though it's a YA book, did not disappoint. It's gory and it's graphic. There's chainsaws, knives, bows, and the less exciting but still violent guns.

I highly recommend those that are slasher fans (both young and old). If you're an audiobook fan I highly recommend the audiobook - the narrator was great.

After a traumatic event with her mother, Eleanor moves in with her aunt and uncle that live in a small, pleasant town. It's the town her mother said never to go to, but after recent events Eleanor isn't feeling very trusting towards her mother. The town seems pleasant even though she keeps seeing things she shouldn't. Things that shouldn't exist and no one else sees. Until she meets Otto and Pip who happen to share the same birthday, Halloween and who happen to see the “wrong things” too. So Eleanor, Otto, and Pip are learning about the town's sinister secret and how they fit into it and it's up to them to stop it.

This was a great adventure but also heartbreaking in so many ways. The book tackles some big feelings and tough subjects that many kids face which made me love it more. The friendship that starts to form between the three has me excited to see where the three go in the next book. And the imagery of the wrong things and some of the characters is so well done.