Not Like Other Girls

 I read a lot of really good books in 2024. For all that I'm one of those people who will read just about anything and who finds most stories enjoyable, I tend to be a fairly critical rater. I hate the inflationary system we've all been trained to participate in, where anything less than five stars means something is crap. My most common book rating is three stars. To me, three stars means "this book was entertaining and I liked it." It's not going to set the world on fire. It didn't blow my mind. But it was good. I enjoyed reading it and thought it was a nice way to spend my time. I don't regret the time I spent reading it even if maybe I won't remember the details of it in a few months. 

Four stars is a great book. This is one I'm going to remember. I may have even highlighted a passage or two. Maybe I added a quote from it to my list on Goodreads. If it's part of a series, I'm going to finish that series. Four stars means this is an author I'm going to watch for future releases from and will also search out any previous works as well.

A five star book is one that blew my freaking mind. Five star books make me cry without making me feel the manipulation. They make me laugh out loud. They're books I want to start re-reading immediately after finishing. Five star books are ones I re-read endlessly and never weed out of my personal collection. They're the ones I recommend until my friends and family are so sick of hearing about them that they start avoiding book-talk with me. Five star books are books that stay with me and give me that dreaded-yet-wonderful book hangover. 

I read 14 five star books last year. Each of them was special and wonderful and each of them will stick with me for a long time. There were two books though, that just absolutely floored me. One was so good it actually made me angry and you'll be hearing about that one in a couple of weeks. It's not out yet (I was lucky enough to score an advance copy), so I won't talk about it just yet, other than to say that Emily R. Austin is a genius and if you haven't read her yet, now is your chance to read through her back catalog before her newest book, We Could Be Rats, comes out. 

The other 2024 book that stopped me in my tracks was Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo. I first heard about it on BookTok - a book influencer was raving about the advance copy she'd gotten and I was intrigued. The description sounded fun, so I got on the list to listen to the audiobook through my local library and waited anxiously for it to arrive. I was expecting a fun little mystery - a girl goes missing, her former best friend investigates - the description gave off strong Veronica Mars vibes and I was into it. What I didn't realize until I started listening though is that Not Like Other Girls is actually so much more than what I was expecting. The mystery is maybe the least interesting, least important part of the book in a way.

Not Like Other Girls is a coming-of-age story in disguise. Jo-hyphen-Lunn, the main character, is lost and flailing her way through her senior year of high school. She's not like the other girls she knows and yet her story is likely to feel distressingly familiar to a lot of women. This was a book that literally had me in tears. Picture it: I've got a nice, easy workday ahead of me. All I need to focus on is some relatively mindless reporting to run and compile, meaning its a great day to pop in earbuds and listen to my fun, light, mystery novel I've been looking forward to. Cut to a few hours later and yep, there's me, shutting my office door so I can quietly cry in peace while Adamo rips my heart out and forces me to have a confrontation with my own fucked up girlhood.

True confession time - I've reached out to exactly two authors over the course of my reading life. The first was Zoje Stage. I did an eco-critical analysis of her fantastic book Wonderland as my final capstone project for my English degree and she was kind enough to consent to an email interview to give my paper a bit of star power. The second? Meredith Adamo to thank her for writing Not Like Other Girls (and trauma-dump a tiny bit). That's not me. I do not fangirl. I admire from afar. This book though? I had to reach out, connect.

I was a Jo-Lynn. A lot of us were, I think. We were the girls who were too awkward, who never quite felt like we fit in. Some of us were too loud, some too quiet. Some were too "slutty," whatever the hell that really means, some too prudish. We were the girls who got told we were "so mature for our age" and that, yeah, we weren't like other girls. We were special. We'd always felt different anyway because of that outcast awkwardness that we didn't know everyone was experiencing to some extent in high school, so when we were told that we were different, special, we ate it up with a spoon and asked for more. We were the girls who were prey. Adamo gives all of us a voice in Jo-Lynn with this absolutely stunning debut novel that I cannot recommend enough. I loved it so much that the day after I finished the audiobook, I ran out and bought it in hardcover so I can re-read it whenever I want.

Check out Not Like Other Girls.  It's good, I promise. 

And... I'm Back (Again)

 I hate New Year's resolutions. The whole system seems set up for failure - all that pressure to suddenly become the best version of yourself via a series of new rules or promises - it's all just too much for me. Always has been. My resolution for each year for around the last decade or so has essentially been to make no resolutions and, I have to say, it's made me a less stressed person in general, especially this time of year. 

All that said... this year, I'm dipping my toe back into the promise-making waters and resolving to re-start this blog. While in the past the abrupt changes in lifestyle that resolutions tend to bring have been proven to be beyond me - going from being a happy little couch potato to promising myself I'll work out every other day, come hell or high water; cutting out whole chunks of my regular diet to meet some kind of ultimately unhealthy caloric goal in pursuit of my 18-year-old self's body; swearing that this is the year that my introverted ass is going to accept every invitation and put myself out there more - I think that my resolution this year is going to be a little easier to achieve. 

So, here it is: I'm going to keep up with the little changes I've made over the past year. That's it. That's the resolution. I resolve to stick with the habits I've been carefully and steadily building. Habits like "do skincare," "read daily," "write daily." I'm already doing this stuff ever day, all I'm planning to change is what I do with it when it's done. Well, the reading and writing, that is. The skincare isn't something I can exactly share, right? I'm no dermatologist. I'm just a 44-year-old who wishes she'd started using retinol a decade ago. Hardly an expert and, believe me, I've got the frown lines to prove it.

The writing though... after a long break, I've gotten back into the habit of journaling and one of the things I write a lot about is what I'm reading. How it makes me feel, what a story reminds me of, why I connect with a character, all of that. So, it's not going to be much of a stretch to tidy up those bits and pieces a little and post them here. This is a resolution I think I can stick to. In the past when I've written one of these, "hey, y'all, I'm posting again and I'm going to keep posting, I swear!" entries, I wasn't already actively sitting down and putting (digital) pen to (digital) paper on the regular like I am these days, so it was a lot easier to fall right back out of the habit of posting.

So, here I go. Let's see if I can keep it up and stick to some kind of weekly schedule. I've been reading a ton and I've had a lot of thoughts which I plan to share with anyone who's interested. A sneak peek at what to look for over the next few weeks and months is here, in my TBR pile, which I've started fresh for the new year:

                             

and here, in my currently reading pile:

I've also been reading quite a few ARCs lately, so look for those to show up on publications days. First up for those will be Book People by Jackie Ashenden

and We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin.

 

Both come out on January 28 and both were good but one was among my favorite reads recently and I can't wait to tell you all about them a little closer to publication day. 

For now, I'll just say Happy New Year and thank you for reading. I can't wait to talk more soon.

Our Stop

I just this minute finished reading Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams and I had to log right on to talk about it. I actually was offered an advance copy of this back in 2019 when it was first coming out but I was overwhelmed with stuff back then and didn't get around to it in time. Believe me, I'm kicking myself now for not reading this adorable book sooner. 

Our Stop is a fun, silly rom-com that fans of Bridget Jones' Diary, early Jane Green novels, and any Nora Ephron movie will love. It's all about missed connections and plays with the idea that some people are just fated to meet. It's way overloaded on coincidence, tropes, and serendipity, but it all works somehow and comes together as a cute, feel-good story. I definitely understand now why this book hit so many recommendation lists over the last few years and will be looking out for more books by Williams ASAP. I love reading this kind of novel during the school year when my brain is on overload and I need a fun distraction that won't add angst or stress to my day. 

Anyone else read Our Stop and have thoughts to share?

Other Birds

 Sarah Addison Allen has been one of my favorite authors since I first read Garden Spells over a decade ago. Since then, I have devoured each of her books as soon as I can get my hands on them. Her latest offering, Other Birds, did not disappoint. 

Other Birds tells the story of Zoey Hennessey, a girl on the brink of adulthood. Zoey moves from Tulsa, Oklahoma to the small South Caroline tourist town of Mallow Island. She's essentially alone in the world, a half-orphan who, now that she's 18, seems to want little to do with her sole living parent - a distant father who is more interested in her stepmother and half-siblings than he ever has been in her. Zoey takes up residence in her mother's old condo at the Dellawisp and quickly becomes entangled in a mystery and in the lives of the Dellawisp's eccentric inhabitants. 

Other Birds contains Allen's trademark southern magic realism and unfolds at a slow, comfortable pace. If you haven't already read any of Allen's work, this is an excellent place to start. I'm so grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of quirky, gentle, southern mysteries free of an excess of angst. 

Other Birds will be available August 30, so be sure to pre-order now!

Never Ever Getting Back Together

Have you ever gone through a truly heinous breakup? The kind where you not only never want to see the other person again, but you also want to expose every single awful thing they ever did to you so that the whole world knows what a piece of crap they really are? We all know that we're supposed to be mature and let things go and blah blah blah, but let's face it. Sometimes getting revenge is just more satisfying than taking the high road. 

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzalez is a story for anyone who has ever had a fairytale romance go bad. It's for anyone who has been wronged by someone who gets away with bad behavior without repercussions over and over again. In this story we meet Maya, who had her heart broken by her cheating high school sweetheart Jordy two years earlier. Since their breakup, Jordy has gone on to become famous for being the charming, good-looking younger brother to the new princess-by-marriage to a small fictional country. When a reality tv producers reach out to Maya to see if she's interested in reconnecting with Jordy via a new show, Second Chance Romance, she reluctantly agrees, plotting to expose Jordy (and the girl he cheated with) to the world. Of course, shenanigans ensue.

I actually hate reality tv shows like the one portrayed in this book but I love books and tv shows about the behind the scenes stuff. If you liked the tv show UnReal, you will like this book. It's fun, it's funny, it's got great bi representation. All in all, it's a fun, silly read about the scars relationships can leave on us - especially when they're with scumbags - and the value of learning to let go.

My only gripe with the book is that the characters are too young! The relationships that caused so much pain and heartache were literally only months long and among teenagers. I think the story would have hung together a lot better and been more relatable if everyone was in their twenties. But maybe I'm just old. Give it a read when it comes out and let me know what you think.

Never Ever Getting Back Together will be released November 29, 2022. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Take Your Breath Away and more

I finished up Take Your Breath Away a few days ago and it did not turn out to be a dud. I ended up reading the last half in a single, late-night sitting because I could.not.put.it.down! Definitely did not disappoint but I can't add much to the stuff I mentioned in my last post without giving away spoilers and plot twists. Let's just say you think you know where this book is going and then BAM! everything changes. More than once. 

Now it's on to the next thing. I just picked up Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr. I'm only a few chapters in, but so far it seems promising. I'll update more on this one later. 

Another book I'm slowly but surely making my way through is Midnight Rising by Tony Horwitz. This book tells the story of John Brown and the raid on Harper's Ferry. While not as good as Horwitz's classic Confederates in the Attic, one of my favorite books and one which I recommend all the time, it's interesting and gives a lot of detail and insight into one of the most misunderstood men in American history. Brown was taught as a bad guy in my history classes when I was growing up in a small town in Virginia, but that's a very southern view of Brown. In reality, Brown wasn't nearly so crazy and bad as I was taught. Instead, he was a staunch abolitionist - to the point of zealotry. He was a flawed, yet great man who was unique for his time, even among abolitionists, for his acceptance of and true belief that all men were created equal. He was a crappy husband and not the best father, but damn, the guy had a cause and he went for it. We have to admire him for that. Midnight Rising is a bit slow and not Horwitz's most compelling book, but it's still worth a read, in my humble opinion. 

Something New

 Well, it's been quite an interesting few years, hasn't it? I could write a long entry here about what I've been up to and How the Pandemic Has Affected Me, but instead, let's talk books, ok?

I've been all over the place in my reading. From literary fiction to the trashiest romance, it doesn't matter - I've been reading just about everything. I just haven't had time to write down my thoughts about anything. Being in school full time while taking care of a family doesn't leave much freedom to sit and think about what I've read, let alone analyze and draft a coherent review. 

All excuses about not writing more aside, I am committing to bringing this blog back from the dead. Hopefully it can function as something of a portfolio after I graduate next spring. At the very least, committing to a schedule of writing will keep me focused and in fighting (writing) form. 

Now that that's all out of the way, here's what I just finished up: 

Hell in the Heartland: Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls by Jax Miller. I found this true crime story heartbreaking and compelling. One thing that drew me to this book is that the crimes described in it took place in Oklahoma, a few hours from where I live. It's interesting learning about the more rural areas of the state that I haven't visited in my time here. The mystery described is heartbreaking and frustrating - particularly the ineptness of the police assigned to investigate. Miller's writing is at times almost too personal, yet it works. She clearly feels very connected to the case and the families involved and this comes through very strongly in her writing. Anyone who appreciated Michelle McNamara's style in I'll Be Gone in the Dark is likely to also be a fan of Hell in the Heartland. 

I'm reading a whole stack of books right now but the one I find myself drawn to and looking forward to the most is Take Your Breath Away, by Linwood Barclay. I picked it up off of the New Arrivals shelf at my local library on a whim and am so glad I did. This is the first book I've read by Barclay but I have a feeling this is an author I'll be seeking out again. Take Your Breath Away is a thriller/mystery that's giving me very slight Gone Girl vibes in that (spoilers!) it involves a missing woman who is maybe not so missing after all. Basically, it goes like this: Brie Mason goes missing one weekend while her husband is away on a fishing trip. Of course the police suspect her husband, Andrew, because it's always the husband, right? They are never able to build a case against him though and life eventually goes on. Six years later their old house has been sold and torn down when a strange woman unexpectedly pulls up in the driveway with a trunk full of groceries. As she makes her way towards the house, she stops in shock, yells "Where is my house?" drops her bags of groceries, and flees. Was it Brie? And if so, where has she been all this time? I'm just at the part where the action is really getting going and I can't put it down. Highly recommend this one so far. If it turns out to be a dud though, I'll let you know!