OMG, you guys, I'm totes obsessed with this book. Like, WTF?
Ok, I can't keep that up, but read the book and you'll get it.
Others have already made the most apt comparisons before me, so I'll just plagiarize a little - this book is The Devil Wears Prada (but funnier) meets American Psycho (but actually maybe a little crazier?). It's wild. And so over-the-top and insane that I don't think any review I'm capable of writing can really do it justice.
Written by former fashion insider Amina Akhtar, #fasionvictim takes you inside the delusional and psychotic mind of Anya St. Clair as she battles her way to the top of La Vie magazine. It's a fun, fast read and one of my favorites for the year so far.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Dark Sacred Night
Finishing this book made me remember why I tend to wait until a series is finished before I start reading it. I'm too impatient! The next book won't be out until later this year and I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on it.
I spent all of last year devouring all of the books in the Harry Bosch universe by Michael Connelly. For those of you who don't know, Harry Bosch is a hard-boiled LA homicide detective whose character-defining mantra is "everybody counts or nobody counts." He's great at being a detective, but bad at politics so he's just about always in trouble with the LAPD, or whomever he is working for in each book (it varies as time goes by).
Last week I finally got my hands on Dark Sacred Night, the 31st Bosch-universe book and quite possible my favorite to date. Book 29, The Late Show, introduced a new character, Renee Ballard, who I will admit I wan't too sure about at first. Connelly does this every so often - he writes a non-Bosch book still set in the same universe, with overlapping characters. Ballard wasn't my favorite in her standalone book, but her presence in Dark Sacred Night was welcome and understandable. And as the case unfolded, she grew on me.
Bosch is getting old. There's just no way around that. By my calculations, he's getting close to 70 years old and that means he is soon going to have to fully retire or... well, I'd rather not think about it. So it makes sense that Connelly is bringing in this new partner for Bosch to mentor and who can take over when he's gone. Ballard is the first partner I think we've ever seen Bosch work with that feels like an equal. She's a loner with baggage, just like Harry, and she's a hell of a detective, too.
I won't get into the plot details of Dark Sacred Night. Suffice it to say that it's your typical twisty Bosch case with lots of intricate details to obsess over and lots of drama to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
If you haven't already read any of the Bosch books, do yourself a favor and check them out. And once you're fully sucked in, take a look at the Amazon show Bosch that's based on the character and books. It's one of the better book-to-screen adaptations I've seen. Details get changed, of course, but it really captures the feel of the books and the character of Bosch.
I spent all of last year devouring all of the books in the Harry Bosch universe by Michael Connelly. For those of you who don't know, Harry Bosch is a hard-boiled LA homicide detective whose character-defining mantra is "everybody counts or nobody counts." He's great at being a detective, but bad at politics so he's just about always in trouble with the LAPD, or whomever he is working for in each book (it varies as time goes by).
Last week I finally got my hands on Dark Sacred Night, the 31st Bosch-universe book and quite possible my favorite to date. Book 29, The Late Show, introduced a new character, Renee Ballard, who I will admit I wan't too sure about at first. Connelly does this every so often - he writes a non-Bosch book still set in the same universe, with overlapping characters. Ballard wasn't my favorite in her standalone book, but her presence in Dark Sacred Night was welcome and understandable. And as the case unfolded, she grew on me.
Bosch is getting old. There's just no way around that. By my calculations, he's getting close to 70 years old and that means he is soon going to have to fully retire or... well, I'd rather not think about it. So it makes sense that Connelly is bringing in this new partner for Bosch to mentor and who can take over when he's gone. Ballard is the first partner I think we've ever seen Bosch work with that feels like an equal. She's a loner with baggage, just like Harry, and she's a hell of a detective, too.
I won't get into the plot details of Dark Sacred Night. Suffice it to say that it's your typical twisty Bosch case with lots of intricate details to obsess over and lots of drama to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
If you haven't already read any of the Bosch books, do yourself a favor and check them out. And once you're fully sucked in, take a look at the Amazon show Bosch that's based on the character and books. It's one of the better book-to-screen adaptations I've seen. Details get changed, of course, but it really captures the feel of the books and the character of Bosch.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
The Spider and the Fly and True Crime in General
I've never been much of a true crime reader. I prefer to listen to podcasts or watch documentaries when it comes to this subject, for whatever reason.
Recently though, I've started reading more true crime books. It started with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, the truly impressive book written by the late Michelle McNamara. McNamara's beautiful book about the search for the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer was absolutely fantastic and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the genre or just anyone who likes good writing. McNamara's early death was a tragedy for many reasons and the fact that we'll never get to read anything else by her is certainly one of those reasons.
Someone, I can't remember who, recommended I try The Spider and the Fly, since I'd enjoyed I'll Be Gone in the Dark so much. It took a few weeks to get my hands on it (it's still pretty popular with my local library, despite having been out for a few years now) and even longer to read. It's a slow book, but still a good one. Detailing the crimes of Kendall Francois or Poughkeepsie, NY, this book tells a lot about it's author, as well. It's not the traditional true crime book, focused exclusively on its criminal subject, reveling in the salacious details of how and when and what. This book is quieter than that and much more personal.
If you are interested in true crime - books, documentaries, podcasts, whatever, check out The Spider and the Fly (and I'll Be Gone in the Dark, if you haven't already). I've seen some other reviewers call out The Spider and the Fly for being too focused on Rowe, the author, than on Francois, the murderer, but I liked it. It's an interesting examination on why we are interested in these killers. Why do we want to know what makes them tick? Is it simple morbid curiosity, or does it reveal a deeper need inside of ourselves to understand evil and evaluate its presence in our own lives?
Recently though, I've started reading more true crime books. It started with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, the truly impressive book written by the late Michelle McNamara. McNamara's beautiful book about the search for the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer was absolutely fantastic and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the genre or just anyone who likes good writing. McNamara's early death was a tragedy for many reasons and the fact that we'll never get to read anything else by her is certainly one of those reasons.
Someone, I can't remember who, recommended I try The Spider and the Fly, since I'd enjoyed I'll Be Gone in the Dark so much. It took a few weeks to get my hands on it (it's still pretty popular with my local library, despite having been out for a few years now) and even longer to read. It's a slow book, but still a good one. Detailing the crimes of Kendall Francois or Poughkeepsie, NY, this book tells a lot about it's author, as well. It's not the traditional true crime book, focused exclusively on its criminal subject, reveling in the salacious details of how and when and what. This book is quieter than that and much more personal.
If you are interested in true crime - books, documentaries, podcasts, whatever, check out The Spider and the Fly (and I'll Be Gone in the Dark, if you haven't already). I've seen some other reviewers call out The Spider and the Fly for being too focused on Rowe, the author, than on Francois, the murderer, but I liked it. It's an interesting examination on why we are interested in these killers. Why do we want to know what makes them tick? Is it simple morbid curiosity, or does it reveal a deeper need inside of ourselves to understand evil and evaluate its presence in our own lives?
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