Young Jane Young is the second book I've read by Gabrielle Zevin (the first was The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, which was also amazing) and once again I am blown away. I loved this novel so, so much.
At one page in, I was hooked. Rachel's voice was so engaging and the character so well-written, I could hear her voice in my head. And as the narration transitioned to other characters, their voices were alive as well.
Some books you can't put down once you start reading them, and this was definitely one of those books. I simultaneously found myself staying up past bedtime to read just one more chapter and at the same time, trying to make the book last because I knew I would be so sad to leave these characters when it was over.
Young Jane Young is a story of mothers and daughters, of scandal and bullying, mistakes and redemption and really strong women. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer. The ending is very abrupt and somewhat ambiguous and yet, it works.
As always, I'm not giving away details, just trust me when I tell you if you like excellent story-telling, you have to read this book. And if you haven't already read The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, pick that one up too. Along with a box of tissues.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
#fashionvictim
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.
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.
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?
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Reviews Are Coming Soon, I Promise!
Yeah, yeah, I know. I've been slacking lately. Again.
I have reasons, but they'll sound like excuses. The main truth is that most of the books I've been reading aren't going to actually be published for a few more months, and I really like to review those books closer to the time they come out. Plus a lot of publishers request that I not mention them until the week they're out. So, that's put a crimp in my reviewing ability.
The other thing is that I haven't come across a book lately that I love enough to write more than a few sentences. I've been reading lots that I like, but not lots that I love. Make sense?
And then add to that the fact that my laptop died a while back and I've been sharing a computer with my husband and teen aged son and you'll see that I just don't get much screen time. But that excuse is gone, as of today. I finally bought myself a new laptop today, so I should be able to update more regularly again, even if it is just a few sentences here and there.
While I'm here, I'll tell you about what I have been reading lately that's worth mentioning.
First: The Hiding Place by CJ Tudor. If you like Steven King (especially earlier Steven King), you'll probably like this book. Other reviewers have complained that it's too close to Pet Sematary, but I disagree. Sure it shares a plot device with that book, but overall the feel is very different. If I"m honest, I got more of an It vibe throughout the book. I don't know, I just liked it. The characters could have been more fleshed out, but that's probably just me nitpicking. It was good; I may re-read it. You should check it out.
Next: Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty. I liked this one soooooo much more than Truly Madly Guilty. And now that I've (finally) read it, I will finish watching the HBO series.
Finally: The Power, by Naomi Alderman. OMG, this one was so good. A woman in my knitting group recommended it to me and I devoured it in like 2 days. It's a super-interesting thought experiment on what would happen if women gained the physical upper hand over men. How would it change the world and our society.
Honorable Mention: If you have a small child, you need to check out Joyce Wan (if you haven't already). My toddler is obsessed with her books. They're simple and short enough to keep a short attention span happy and they're so cute you almost don't mind reading them 7 billion times in a row. Our personal favorite is You Are My Cupcake, but her latest, You Are My Magical Unicorn, is a close second.
That's it for now. I'll be back soon with new reviews, I promise!
I have reasons, but they'll sound like excuses. The main truth is that most of the books I've been reading aren't going to actually be published for a few more months, and I really like to review those books closer to the time they come out. Plus a lot of publishers request that I not mention them until the week they're out. So, that's put a crimp in my reviewing ability.
The other thing is that I haven't come across a book lately that I love enough to write more than a few sentences. I've been reading lots that I like, but not lots that I love. Make sense?
And then add to that the fact that my laptop died a while back and I've been sharing a computer with my husband and teen aged son and you'll see that I just don't get much screen time. But that excuse is gone, as of today. I finally bought myself a new laptop today, so I should be able to update more regularly again, even if it is just a few sentences here and there.
While I'm here, I'll tell you about what I have been reading lately that's worth mentioning.
First: The Hiding Place by CJ Tudor. If you like Steven King (especially earlier Steven King), you'll probably like this book. Other reviewers have complained that it's too close to Pet Sematary, but I disagree. Sure it shares a plot device with that book, but overall the feel is very different. If I"m honest, I got more of an It vibe throughout the book. I don't know, I just liked it. The characters could have been more fleshed out, but that's probably just me nitpicking. It was good; I may re-read it. You should check it out.
Next: Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty. I liked this one soooooo much more than Truly Madly Guilty. And now that I've (finally) read it, I will finish watching the HBO series.
Finally: The Power, by Naomi Alderman. OMG, this one was so good. A woman in my knitting group recommended it to me and I devoured it in like 2 days. It's a super-interesting thought experiment on what would happen if women gained the physical upper hand over men. How would it change the world and our society.
Honorable Mention: If you have a small child, you need to check out Joyce Wan (if you haven't already). My toddler is obsessed with her books. They're simple and short enough to keep a short attention span happy and they're so cute you almost don't mind reading them 7 billion times in a row. Our personal favorite is You Are My Cupcake, but her latest, You Are My Magical Unicorn, is a close second.
That's it for now. I'll be back soon with new reviews, I promise!
Friday, January 18, 2019
I Owe You One
I'm jumping the gun on this review a little bit. The book doesn't come out until February 5, but I really want to talk about it now, so here we are.
First things first - I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Now, on to the good stuff. I Owe You One is the latest book from author Sophie Kinsella. I liked this one. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, but it was really more like 3.5 stars for me. Definitely better (for me anyway) than last year's Surprise Me, it didn't quite live up to my love for 2017's My Not So Perfect Life. Honestly though, the only thing holding me back from a higher star rating is that the book made me so mad at times!
Fixie fixes things (hence the nickname). She's a capable, reasonably intelligent doormat to her truly awful family. Seriously, these people are horrible. Her brother is a self-important ass and her sister is a vapid wannabe Instagram influencer who is quite possibly the most selfish character I've ever encountered in all of my years of reading. Fixie's biggest flaw is that she puts up with these people and somehow thinks she is inferior to them. I spent a good portion of the book yelling at her to just tell them off already.
Frustrating as it was at time though, this book has a great heart and a fun story that I did enjoy. Once it gets going (which was in a matter of the first few pages for me), you won't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to all lovers of rom-coms and anyone who has enjoyed Kinsella's previous work.
First things first - I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Now, on to the good stuff. I Owe You One is the latest book from author Sophie Kinsella. I liked this one. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, but it was really more like 3.5 stars for me. Definitely better (for me anyway) than last year's Surprise Me, it didn't quite live up to my love for 2017's My Not So Perfect Life. Honestly though, the only thing holding me back from a higher star rating is that the book made me so mad at times!
Fixie fixes things (hence the nickname). She's a capable, reasonably intelligent doormat to her truly awful family. Seriously, these people are horrible. Her brother is a self-important ass and her sister is a vapid wannabe Instagram influencer who is quite possibly the most selfish character I've ever encountered in all of my years of reading. Fixie's biggest flaw is that she puts up with these people and somehow thinks she is inferior to them. I spent a good portion of the book yelling at her to just tell them off already.
Frustrating as it was at time though, this book has a great heart and a fun story that I did enjoy. Once it gets going (which was in a matter of the first few pages for me), you won't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to all lovers of rom-coms and anyone who has enjoyed Kinsella's previous work.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
A Regularly Updated Blog
Y'all, I don't know why but I just can't seem to get my shit together when it comes to keeping this thing updated regularly. I'm reading. I'm reading a freaking TON! You should see my nightstand (and my Kindle). I keep seeing that Marie Kondo meme going around on Facebook, you know the one:
and it cracks me up so much because, well, add an alarm clock (I'm old school... or just old) and a bunch of charging cables and that's my nightstand right now. Okay, always.
After not meeting my Goodreads challenge goal for the last few years, I blew through my list in 2018 and beat my goal by *drumroll please* 41 books. I had set the goal for 52 (a modest book a week) and ended up reading 93!
I get a lot of people in my real life that ask how I can keep up with all that and my answer is simple - I can't. I enjoy just about every book while I'm reading it. At almost 39 years old, with nearly 35 years of reading under my belt, I'm finally becoming one of those people who understands that you don't have to finish a book if you don't like it. So I can honestly say that I enjoy each book as I read it. That said, my favorites are the ones I can tell you about months later. If a book is just "meh" I won't remember much about it within a few weeks. That's actually one of the reasons I'm so thankful for Goodreads. It has saved me from a few re-reads over the years.
My list of favorites from last year is a LOT shorter than my list of books read. At the top is the one I spent all of 2018 recommending to like everyone I know. Seriously, I got annoying about it - Baby Teeth. If you like suspense and creepy kids, this is the book for you.
I also loved the latest Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child. And I've loved going through all the books in the Bosch universe, by Michael Connelly. I've got one left to go (and another season and a half of the show to get through) and I'm trying to stretch it out and savor it because I'm not sure when the next one comes out.
I thought Still Me, by Jojo Moyes was fantastic. I hadn't been such a fan of Me After You, but I feel like Still Me was the perfect end to Louisa's story.
I liked The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson a lot. It's mindless fluff, but who doesn't need that every once in a while? I miss what I think of as the golden age of chick lit a lot. Back in the mid to late 90s when we were all falling in love with Bridget Jones and Jane Green was just getting started with her fluffier books like Mr. Maybe and Jemima J (which, yes, I know, is problematic, but I can't help it, I still really love that book). The Accidental Beauty Queen (and to a lesser extent For Once in My Life, by Colleen Coleman) reminded me of those early books in a way that I haven't experienced in a long time. The last installment in the Bridget Jones series was so disappointing and Jane Green's books have gotten so much more serious over the years. These were a breath of fresh air.
I read all of Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes books and The Outsider this year and loved them. I'd gotten away from reading King over the last decade or so and I'm so glad I've found my way back. He's been one of my favorite authors since I was a teenager and he never ceases to impress me. His Twitter feed is also amazing.
Oh! I also finally read the Harry Potter series. I know. I know. I'm never going to be one of those people that lists them as their favorite books of all time, but I have to say, I'm glad I read them and I really enjoyed them a lot.
So those are my favorites for the year and hopefully I'll be back with more book recs before this time next year.
and it cracks me up so much because, well, add an alarm clock (I'm old school... or just old) and a bunch of charging cables and that's my nightstand right now. Okay, always.
After not meeting my Goodreads challenge goal for the last few years, I blew through my list in 2018 and beat my goal by *drumroll please* 41 books. I had set the goal for 52 (a modest book a week) and ended up reading 93!
I get a lot of people in my real life that ask how I can keep up with all that and my answer is simple - I can't. I enjoy just about every book while I'm reading it. At almost 39 years old, with nearly 35 years of reading under my belt, I'm finally becoming one of those people who understands that you don't have to finish a book if you don't like it. So I can honestly say that I enjoy each book as I read it. That said, my favorites are the ones I can tell you about months later. If a book is just "meh" I won't remember much about it within a few weeks. That's actually one of the reasons I'm so thankful for Goodreads. It has saved me from a few re-reads over the years.
My list of favorites from last year is a LOT shorter than my list of books read. At the top is the one I spent all of 2018 recommending to like everyone I know. Seriously, I got annoying about it - Baby Teeth. If you like suspense and creepy kids, this is the book for you.
I also loved the latest Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child. And I've loved going through all the books in the Bosch universe, by Michael Connelly. I've got one left to go (and another season and a half of the show to get through) and I'm trying to stretch it out and savor it because I'm not sure when the next one comes out.
I thought Still Me, by Jojo Moyes was fantastic. I hadn't been such a fan of Me After You, but I feel like Still Me was the perfect end to Louisa's story.
I liked The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson a lot. It's mindless fluff, but who doesn't need that every once in a while? I miss what I think of as the golden age of chick lit a lot. Back in the mid to late 90s when we were all falling in love with Bridget Jones and Jane Green was just getting started with her fluffier books like Mr. Maybe and Jemima J (which, yes, I know, is problematic, but I can't help it, I still really love that book). The Accidental Beauty Queen (and to a lesser extent For Once in My Life, by Colleen Coleman) reminded me of those early books in a way that I haven't experienced in a long time. The last installment in the Bridget Jones series was so disappointing and Jane Green's books have gotten so much more serious over the years. These were a breath of fresh air.
I read all of Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes books and The Outsider this year and loved them. I'd gotten away from reading King over the last decade or so and I'm so glad I've found my way back. He's been one of my favorite authors since I was a teenager and he never ceases to impress me. His Twitter feed is also amazing.
Oh! I also finally read the Harry Potter series. I know. I know. I'm never going to be one of those people that lists them as their favorite books of all time, but I have to say, I'm glad I read them and I really enjoyed them a lot.
So those are my favorites for the year and hopefully I'll be back with more book recs before this time next year.
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