Susan Scribner
Wonderfully gothic, creepy post-WWI historical fiction. The plot is an embarrassment of riches: an old mansion full of mental patients (or PTSD survivors to use 21st century vernacular); a not-quite-Nurse-Ratched; odious smells, mysterious noises and ghostly visions; and a romance between Kitty, who's not quite a nurse, and Jack, who's more than a patient. Very atmospheric and compelling.
Docked one star for the secondary character who knows exactly what is going on, but won't tell Kitty because Reasons.
The Way We Were, but make it gay. And funny. Farrell Covington portrays the love affair between a Jewish aspiring playwright (parallels to Rudnick's own life are obvious) and the beautiful, rich scion of a WASPy manufacturing dynasty. Over the span of 50+ years, the couple face many obstacles to their happiness including Farrell's virulently homophobic family, AIDS, and Farrell's own wanderlust. The novel is at its most poignant when narrator Nate describes the closeted lifestyle that was de rigueur in the late 20th century: Farrell was consciously disguising his sexuality, as many are forced to do. If all the world's a stage, gay people are often expected to understudy themselves, reinterpreting the truth of their performances, depending on who's out front, and who's paying their salary. And you can tell that Rudnick is writing from personal experience when the casualties of the AIDS crisis include Nate's nearest and dearest. Farrell himself never quite becomes a fully realized character; I shipped the love story without feeling a strong connection to the seemingly perfect golden god who is larger than life (starting with his introductory declaration to Nate: “Farrell Covington. And I may very well be in love with you. Madly in love. Hopelessly in love. Whom would you like me to kill?”)Rudnick/Nate gets a grumpy old man soliloquy towards the end of the novel about 21st century baby queers who eschew the word “gay” because it reeks of cisgender white male privilege, but the overall tone of book is upbeat and triumphant. It's definitely more substantial than the author's 2021 zany romance [b:Playing the Palace 56293845 Playing the Palace Paul Rudnick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1608038079l/56293845.SX50.jpg 68726824]. Highly recommended, whether the 1970s are part of your memories or something you once read about in a history book.
Time travel/time slip/time loop romances appear to be a hot trope for the first time in decades, and I am here for it. I had to suspend my disbelief for this book's premise: a magical NYC apartment occasionally takes its owner seven years into the past (don't look for reasons or logic because there are none). And I had to grin and bear the Manic Pixie Dead Aunt who is remembered lovingly for corny platitudes such as “Dancing in the rain makes you live longer,” and “Always chase the moon.” But after overcoming those barriers, I found a well-written, swoony love story that is infinitely more satisfying than Poston's debut [b:The Dead Romantics 58885776 The Dead Romantics Ashley Poston https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649027850l/58885776.SX50.jpg 91652095] (whose MCs make a cameo appearance here). CW for grief over the death of a loved one by suicide. Why do book blurbs omit anything that isn't romcom material?
3.5 stars. Horrifying and infuriating biography of four identical female quadruplets born in 1930, who were studied like lab rats when they all developed schizophrenia as teenagers. Researchers hoped to solve the nature vs. nurture question through observation, testing, and interviews. But the National Institute for Mental health scientists didn't know the truth about the quadruplets' lives. After a early childhood of being dragged across the country like a traveling freak show to be gawked at, the girls were subjected to brutal physical and sexual abuse by their parents. Unfortunately, nobody was talking about the impact of trauma on the mind and body 70 years ago. The author falters by attempting to use the quadruplets' story to illustrate the broad history of severe mental illness treatment in the 20th century. Although she makes some strong points, especially about racial disparities in care, it's impossible to do this topic justice in 250 pages. For a more compelling read, I'd recommend [b:Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family 50088631 Hidden Valley Road Inside the Mind of an American Family Robert Kolker https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569289026l/50088631.SX50_SY75.jpg 57757323], which did a better job of foregrounding a family in which six of the twelve kids were diagnosed with schizophrenia.
It's difficult to describe the style of Emily Jane's debut novel. The best comparison I can make is [a:Douglas Adams 4 Douglas Adams https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1616277702p2/4.jpg] but with more emotion, or [a:Carl Hiaasen 8178 Carl Hiaasen https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1522420456p2/8178.jpg] but with more aliens. One thing is undeniably true: if you love cats, you'll appreciate this book.One day, a fleet of alien spaceships appear in the sky over numerous cities worldwide. After several days of hovering, while everyone loses their shit, the spaceships turn around and leave without even trying to make contact. The story focuses its attention of the impact of the abbreviated alien visit on three individuals: Oliver, who has been in a vegetative state for 20 years but suddenly regains full consciousness; Blaine, whose perfect wife is acting strange; and Heather, a recent high school grad who feels like she is the odd one out in her over achieving family. The book doesn't work as a satire; we already know how people react in the face of a big unknown (like a pandemic) and we've all seen the worst of social media, so the fact that there is a big rush to profit from the alien visit is no surprise. When we eventually learn more about the aliens, the Earth objects they prize are also predictable (although their description is entertaining). But as the story progresses we start to connect with the main characters, hoping that they will find connection and happiness even if the end result is sometimes unconventional. The author's take on aliens is much more [b:Close Encounters of the Third Kind 975119 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Steven Spielberg https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396112231l/975119.SY75.jpg 533410] than [b:Starship Troopers 17214 Starship Troopers Robert A. Heinlein https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614054412l/17214.SY75.jpg 2534973], so you don't have to worry about violence and world annihilation. And then there are the cats. Emily Jane is obviously a cat person, and the feline population plays a very important role in the book. After all, One could not purchase answers. Answers came when they damn well wanted to come, which was sometimes not at all. Answers were, in that respect, like cats. Would I read another book by this author? IDK. Her style is a little too loose for me (the fact that Blaine always refers to his spouse as “The Wife” is just weird), and her jokes are frequently no better than Saturday Night Live skits. But this debut is unlike anything I have read recently, so I will be interested to see where she goes from here. ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.
Quick, entertaining book about seven TV shows focused on teenagers, starting with Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and ending with Glee. Nothing profound or groundbreaking, but written with enough flair that I even enjoyed the chapters about shows that I hadn't watched (which was three of the seven).
Tries to be too many things at once, and doesn't fully succeed at any of them. A satire of Regency novels needs more subtlety than a mansion named Stabmort and a handsome himbo named Croaksworth. And the weird stuff, like youngest sister Mary being a werewolf, feels like an afterthought that is barely related to the main plot. YMMV if you are tickled by any book with amusing footnotes and gratuitous frogs.
A gentle, heartfelt sequel to [b:His Quiet Agent 35238838 His Quiet Agent (The Agency, #1) Ada Maria Soto https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495953087l/35238838.SY75.jpg 56588931] (which must be read first). Nothing really happens, other than the two MCs showing their love for each other in their own understated, unique way during the holiday season. Arthur is socially awkward; and Martin is asexual, possibly autistic, and dealing with PTSD from an event (still unexplained) that happened in the first book. It's one of those rare books in which holding hands, or sitting by someone's bedside when they're sick, are deeply intimate moments. Unlike the first Agency book, Soto uses dual POV. We learn more about Martin's unusual and tragic past but more importantly, we are privy to his thoughts about how miraculous he considers Arthur's presence in his life. Honestly, just writing about this book makes me want to go read it again. Highly recommended if you are looking for a book that will bring you comfort and joy.
TW: death by suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, homophobia, sexual misconduct, racism
For a book with all of the above triggering themes, Speech Team is surprisingly dull and slow. Four former high school classmates from the Boston area travel to Florida to confront Gary Gold, their former Speech Team coach. The impetus is learning that a fifth classmate died by suicide and called out Gold in his goodbye note for labeling him a “fucking drone robot.” Our narrator, Tip Murray (=Tim Murphy?), still remembers the hurtful homophobic slurs that Gold hurled at him. When Tip learns that the other members of the Speech Team had equally upsetting encounters with Gold, the shared desire for justice sends them on their journey.
Most of the book is spent on Tip's recollections of daily high school harassment from bullying classmates, his descent into alcohol and cocaine abuse, and his recent, tenuous sobriety with a caring, supportive partner. Problem is, it's nothing we haven't read before by better authors than Murphy. Tip's interactions with his fellow team members before they decide to make the pilgrimage are mundane and mostly demonstrate his self-centeredness. The big climactic showdown ends with a whimper, not a bang, although the outcome is unexpected.
The final nail in the coffin for me was the fact that, despite their classmate's suicide, the teammates barely mention him or try to learn more about his life, loved ones left behind, etc. They all agree it's very tragic, but then quickly turn back to their own pain. It felt cheap to use the suicide as a motivating force but then basically forget about it.
Life was different in 1987 when Tip and the others were in high school. YMMV if you want a trip down memory lane to the time before cell phones and internet. Just be forewarned that nobody thought twice about being homophobic, and microaggressions towards POCs (e.g., “I want you to know, I don't think of you as Black”) were often considered compliments.
ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for review.
Major TW: Amy had a miscarriage several months before the book begins.
FMC Amy lost me in the first chapter when she was whining that her twin sister Jo chose their 30th birthday as her wedding date, and her actions through 95% of the book were selfish and downright cruel at times. It was difficult to imagine that Amy and Jo (and Jo's husband Ben) were extremely close growing up because they are estranged through most of the story. Would have been more interesting to see the entire week through poet and free-spirited Jo's POV.
Not romantic. Not a comedy. Kudos, though, to Curtis Sittenfeld for doing her research on Saturday Night Live so she could portray a typical week in the creation of a SNL-like show; that process was more interesting to me than the dull, poorly plotted, unconvincing love story.
(Insert rant here about the scores of romance authors who regularly publish rom-com books that are ten times better than this one, but who do not have the benefit of the marketing and publicity machines available to a “literary” author like Sittenfeld.)
3.5 stars. Marisa de los Santos returns to her beloved [b:Love Walked In 115076 Love Walked In (Love Walked In, #1) Marisa de los Santos https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442893276l/115076.SY75.jpg 3000860] series. Although each book focuses on a different cast of characters, they all include people-loving, sensitive, storytelling Cornelia Brown, who is now in her mid-forties and happily married with two young children. Cornelia narrates this fourth installment, but the heart of the story concerns Cornelia's mom, Eleanor. Eleanor has always been a loving and supportive parent, so when she is the victim of a car accident and ends up in a rehab hospital, Cornelia hurries to her side in Virginia. During her “sundowning” confusion, she implores Cornelia to bring her the Northern Lights. Cornelia has no idea what Eleanor means - as far as she knows, her mother has never witnessed that spectacle. As Cornelia desperately tries to figure out how to satisfy her mother's request, the reader travels back to 1967 with Eleanor. She and her older sister Martha have survived their own mother's irrational and violent behavior caused by mental illness and alcoholism. Now Cornelia is finally going away to college and Martha is moving all the way to Northern Minnesota to serve as a personal assistant to a wealthy man. She looks forward to having the freedom to paint that has long been denied by the need to protect Eleanor. At first Martha's letters to her younger sister are optimistic, full of the joy and excitement she feels about finally being able to pursue her artistic dreams. But when Martha falls in love with a troubled man, she gradually becomes less confident and more guarded. Eleanor is helpless to prevent Martha from traveling such a dangerous path, but when Martha finally reaches out for help, Eleanor responds quickly, only to find herself forced to make a life-changing choice.As always, de los Santos' writing is lyrical and lush, with her experience writing poetry easily apparent. She captures the strong bond between Eleanor and Martha, in stark contrast to the veiled hostility between Cornelia and her own sister Ollie, although the latter pair do eventually reach a deeper understanding. A subplot about a recent trauma experienced by Cornelia and her kids could have been omitted to give more space to Eleanor and Martha's more compelling saga. (Frankly, after four books Cornelia is starting to get on my nerves. It's not Always About You, girlfriend!) And to my disappointment, there are just two types of male characters in this book -almost perfect and rotten to the core - instead of the more nuanced personalities provided to the female characters.As of this book, the Love Walked In series has explored the backgrounds of Cornelia's mother, sister, stepson, almost-daughter, and neighbors. I'm not sure how much more gas is left in the Brown family tank, but I suspect I'll keep reading just the same.ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.
Experienced a death in the family as I was reading this, so I'm taking a break from reviewing for a while. I don't think it was shaping up to be my favorite Mhairi McFarlane anyway; the horrible lying and gaslighting by the heroine's fiancé goes on way too long, overshadowing the friend dynamics and the “true” love interest.
Re-read October 2023: Having read this book again during a physically and emotionally exhausting week of moving out of the house I lived in for 30 years, I can confirm that We Could Be So Good is a powerful antidote to stress and anxiety. Take when needed, repeat when necessary.
Original review: Every word of this was perfect. I will have a book hangover for weeks. Sebastian's best work to date is a beautiful, funny, hot and sweet romance between grumpy Nick (his colleagues have a running bet on whether he will smile more than twice a week) and sunshine Andy (ADHD-coded golden retriever of a guy whose idea of swearing is “rats” and maybe even “gosh”).
The love story takes place in 1958 New York City, when there is just starting to be some hope for queer people's right to be happy together and resistance against being forced to hide who they are. The surprising reactions of the MCs' family-by-blood, and the joy of family-by-choice make the HEA even more satisfying.
Sebastian had me at the first paragraph, in which Nick's gruff catalogue of Andy's faults demonstrates the feelings he can't admit to himself yet.
Nick Russo could fill the Sunday paper with reasons why he shouldn't be able to stand Andy Fleming. Not only is he the boss's son, but rumor has it he's only slumming it at the New York Chronicle city desk - a job Nick has been hungry for ever since he first held a newspaper in his hands - because his father threatened to cut off his allowance. He can't type. He roots for the Red Sox. He has no idea how to buy subway tokens. He has this stupid habit of biting his nails and then, realizing what he's doing, abruptly stopping and looking around furtively to check if anyone saw him. He blushes approximately five hundred times a day. He has a cluster of tiny freckles at the corner of his mouth shaped like a copy editor's caret and, since Nick can't stop looking at them, those freckles are going to ruin his career.
TL; DR: Hollywood is full of white, privileged, rich men who act like assholes, inflicting emotional, physical and sexual abuse. They usually get away with it because they're considered creative geniuses, and you can't have great art without madness. Women, People of Color and LGBTQ+ persons are poorly represented in TV and movies, both in front of the camera and behind it. These conditions can change if we address root causes in individuals and systems, and use unions and grass roots efforts to speak out, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
Burn It Down is well-written and researched, but its length and depth might restrict its audience to other media critics and Hollywood geeks who want all of the gory details.
Tell-all from a former top earner at a MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) beauty product business. Paulson combines her personal story with information from experts about the strategies used by MLMs to entrap and retain women, why so few of the consultants make any money, and the insidious white privilege that is baked into the model. Many well-educated, isolated SAHMs (Stay At Home Moms) who are hungry for connection are easy prey for recruitment soundbites that emphasize financial rewards, friendship, and fun.While she worked at Rejuvenat (a pseudonym), Paulson realized she had an alcohol use problem, and her marriage almost ended. More detail about these challenges, as well as the impact of her MLM obsession on her five (!) kids, would have given the book more emotional depth. But apparently you have to read her earlier book, [b:Highlight Real: Finding Honesty & Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life 51829064 Highlight Real Finding Honesty & Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life Emily Lynn Paulson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565805443l/51829064.SX50_SY75.jpg 72921168] for that part of the story. Still, Hey, Hun is an interesting insider view of the lies you have to accept and tell yourself to make it in the MLM #bossbabe world.
3.5 stars. This is not another one of those cutesy books set in a cozy bookshop in which a) the heroine, who inherited the store from her great aunt, tries to save it from financial ruin; or b) the grumpy owner is charmed by a beautiful, and mysterious customer; or c) the store is staffed by an assortment of lovable oddballs. In fact, while a bookstore brings the three MCs together for the first time, it is reading itself, wherever it takes place, that is explored -specifically how reading fosters empathy by requiring us to think of characters in our books as “fellow creatures.”
Our three MCs are Harriet, a retired teacher who runs a weekly book club at the nearby women's prison; Violet, convicted of vehicular manslaughter at age 19 but recently released from prison; and Frank, the bookstore handyman who is ashamed of having conflicting emotions about his wife's tragic death. Violet is the pivotal character, as she struggles to determine if the bad decisions she made as an immature teenager render her soul unredeemable and her future hopeless. Her mother died of cancer while Violet was incarcerated, and Violet's sister holds her responsible for that death as well. The sister does set Violet up in an apartment in Portland, but she makes it clear that Violet is no longer welcome in their small Maine hometown. Through the kindness of strangers and her own inner drive, Violet makes a new life for herself, although she continues to make some ill-advised choices. But she owns her mistakes (eventually) and I rooted for her in all of her messiness.
Monica Wood has a distinctive voice, unsentimental but not unkind. I wasn't pleased with several of her plotting decisions, but that just means the book wasn't always predictable. Perhaps because Wood is an older adult, she shows the most unfettered affection towards Harriet and Frank. The millennials (with the exception of Violet) are mostly self-absorbed, privileged, and insufferable. OK Boomer!
Pop culture essays by a Black Millennial. Interesting if not groundbreaking. Best chapters discuss being a Black critic of Black art; why so many TV shows/movies are sequels, reboots and remakes; and the 15 minutes of viral fame the author experienced when Fox News' Megyn Kelly took umbrage at Harris' suggestion that Santa Claus isn't a white man.
Reading this book felt like reaching into a bag of potato chips - you start with one chip/chapter, and you try to eat/read a reasonable amount at a time, but invariably you finish the bag/book in one sitting. Suspense is still not my favorite genre, but when I get the rare urge to take the plunge, Lisa Jewell is my go-to author.
From the book's opening, the script for a Netflix trailer promoting an upcoming true crime documentary, we know that podcaster Alix Summer's encounter with her “birthday twin” at a local gastropub will end in tragedy. But it's a long way from an accidental meeting in the ladies room to three dead bodies. Lisa Jewell is skilled at gradually ratcheting up the tension and creepiness. It's right there in the title, but if none of this is true, are either Alex or Josie reliable narrators? Is it possible to feel empathy for someone who does monstrous things? Were there points along the road where the story could have gone a different way if there had been earlier intervention or fewer concessions made?
By the book's final page, you will be reasonably certain that you know the truth, but there will also be a seed of doubt. Because the truths we tell ourselves are often the biggest lies.
ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.
3.5 stars. The constant POV head-hopping drove me crazy, but YMMV if that isn't one of your pet peeves. Might make a good book club selection; people could discuss how and if they would honor “the pact” made by the five friends. CW: One of the MCs has terminal cancer (revealed to the reader in the first chapter), so bring your handkerchiefs.
3.5 stars. I had trouble following some of the technical aspects of Elie's profession, but I got the general gist. Very subtle, slow burn romance with a strong payoff at the end. Major props to Rose Lerner for incorporating the Jewish High Holidays' customs and significance so perfectly into the plot.
Beautifully written memoir/history/psychology of the wide range of people lumped by the American empire into the category of “Latino.” Deserves to be as well-read as Ta-Nehisi Coates' [b:Between the World and Me 25489625 Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451435027l/25489625.SY75.jpg 44848425]. God knows we need to raise up voices speaking truth to power about the fear and anger directed towards the Latino community, both “undocumented” and U.S. citizens. I'm writing this review on May 20, 2023. Yesterday, Fox News deplorable Laura Ingraham reluctantly admitted that her scare-mongering story about homeless veterans being kicked out of New York hotels to make room for “illegals” was a hoax. “Turns out the group behind the claim made it up,” she said, “We have no clue why anyone would do such a thing.”
Comprehensive but superficial hagiography of the recently deceased Queen Elizabeth by an unapologetic royalist. Strangely, Morton notes that Princess Diana wrote a scandalous tell-all memoir, but fails to disclose that he was the listed author ([b:Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words 908053 Diana Her True Story in Her Own Words Andrew Morton https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348114454l/908053.SY75.jpg 2228359]).
2.5 stars. The MC is completely self-centered, his BFF is annoying, and the love interest is perfect/bland. There is far too much time spent on the MC's soul-killing HR job, including descriptions of every employee he has to fire when the company downsizes (none of whom are ever mentioned again). Sidney Karger may be an award-winning screenwriter, but that skill doesn't necessarily transfer to authoring a successful contemporary romance novel.
This might be the best queer YA novel I've read since [b:Red, White & Royal Blue 41150487 Red, White & Royal Blue Casey McQuiston https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487.SY75.jpg 61657690], although surprisingly, the romance plot isn't the highlight. Croucher's YA debut takes place in an alternate medieval England, several centuries after the legendary King Arthur and his Round Table. Nobody believes the magical aspect of that story anymore except a few crazed cultists. The current king's daughter, Princess Gwendoline, has been betrothed since birth to Arthur Delacey, the son of a politically important nobleman. Unfortunately, Gwen and Art, who spent time together as children, viciously despise each other. But now Arthur is ordered to spend the entire summer at Camelot, with the not so subtle hint that it's time to get serious about the happy couple's upcoming nuptials. Gwen is peevish and withdrawn, unhappy that she has no control over her life and confused by the strange feelings she gets when she sees Lady Bridget Leclair, the kingdom's only female knight. For his part, Art knows that he is gay, but due to his future as Gwen's husband, he is resigned to quick meaningless encounters. But there's something about the royal heir, Gabriel...not that Art has any feelings for the quiet, bookish prince, or that anything could happen if he did. Meanwhile, Gwen's lady-in-waiting Agnes and Art's snarky bodyguard Sidney are eyeing each other with interest. The book's tone is light for the most part, with plenty of spirited (and modern-sounding) bro banter between Art and Sidney, and sarcastic one upmanship from Gwen and Art. The story becomes darker and more violent in the last 20% as Camelot's peace is brutally shattered. And despite all of the jokes, the MCs experience significant character growth; Gwen becomes less passive and more daring, while Art learns there are better ways to manage depression than binge drinking and extreme sarcasm.My favorite arc of the book was actually the relationship between Gwen and Art. No, they are not in love, but as the story progresses they go from enemies to mutually-assured-destruction partners to supportive allies. They become less self-absorbed as they help each other, even if they rarely admit their mutual admiration. The romances are....fine, but they are underdeveloped. Art and Gabriel in particular have so few scenes together that it's difficult to worry about the futility of the future king considering an ongoing queer relationship. The found family of the three couples (M/M, F/M, and F/F) is endearing. I wouldn't mind reading more about their adventures in the new, greatly changed Camelot, which would no doubt feature Gwen and Art still messing with each other into their old age.I received an Uncorrected Digital Galley of this book from Net Galley almost nine months before publication, so it may change significantly before release (but I hope it won't).