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justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews
A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog by Dean Koontz
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Here I am having read this just 3 weeks after losing my own Golden to cancer in what seems like a very similar way. What a blessing and a joy she was, though I continue to miss her with every single passing day and every beat of my heart. This book was a bit of a balm to my own shattered and grieving but slowly healing heart. Thank you, Dean Koontz, for sharing your story (and Trixie’s) so that others might find some comfort through the loss of their own heart dogs.
On the Subject of Unmentionable Things by Julia Walton
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Phoebe Townsend is your average high school teen. She has a fairly good relationship with her parents, is on top of her school work, and she loves writing, especially for the school's newspaper. But there's one more aspect to Phoebe that no one knows: she runs an anonymous blog and Twitter account all about sex.
But it's not quite what it appears to be. Phoebe is just naturally curious and loves research, so her blog posts just happen to be about all the things she learns (which is ALWAYS backed up with citations and unbiased sources!).
So what happens when the town mayoral candidate, Lydia Brookhurst (former beauty queen and outraged citizen), discovers that the author of this "scandelous" blog actually lives in their own town? It becomes a battleground between truth and misinformation, personal opinions and desires and facts. Will Phoebe manage to get through it all unscathed and maybe manage to also inform some of her peers while she's at it?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was really well done and fast-paced.
- There was not any point when I found myself bored or felt that the storyline was dragging. Something was always happening!
- As a current junior high librarian working and living in a very politically-charged environment, I appreciated that so much of this book covered what feels like is my every day life. These are the conversations I'm having with parents, adults, other teachers, and kids. I felt like the content of this book was riduculously relevant, and I love how Julia Walton just calls it out for what it is.
- There were some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments especially in the first half of the book and I really enjoyed those moments (all the awkward teenage sort of stuff).
What I didn't enjoy:
- There wasn't anything I really didn't enjoy. The only downside to this one was that I felt it would be best suited in a high school setting and definitely a must-buy purchase for a public library! As a middle level public school librarian, I don't think it would be the best fit that I was hoping for (there is one particular scene that, while not too explicit, is still detailed enough that it would likely be hard to keep it in our library at this level).
Overall:
I really enjoyed this read. The first parts had me laughing out loud and trying to stay a little more quiet in public settings (those are the best kinds of books!). I enjoyed Phoebe's character and her desire to stick with the truth, even when it got hard. I loved the elements of romance that were incorporated, but Walton wasn't at all too heavy handed with those aspects. I especially loved the education approach to sex, how matter-of-fact it was, how informative it was, and how it essentially did everything that Phoebe's own blog set out to do. I think this would be a beneficial and straight forward read for any teen looking to find out more or to ask questions but through a fiction outlet, one that allows them to learn without embarrassment or judgment. I think for adults who enjoy solid YA realistic fiction (with some laughs!), you'll find a good one here!
A big thank you to Random House Children's / Random House Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes August 23, 2023!
But it's not quite what it appears to be. Phoebe is just naturally curious and loves research, so her blog posts just happen to be about all the things she learns (which is ALWAYS backed up with citations and unbiased sources!).
So what happens when the town mayoral candidate, Lydia Brookhurst (former beauty queen and outraged citizen), discovers that the author of this "scandelous" blog actually lives in their own town? It becomes a battleground between truth and misinformation, personal opinions and desires and facts. Will Phoebe manage to get through it all unscathed and maybe manage to also inform some of her peers while she's at it?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was really well done and fast-paced.
- There was not any point when I found myself bored or felt that the storyline was dragging. Something was always happening!
- As a current junior high librarian working and living in a very politically-charged environment, I appreciated that so much of this book covered what feels like is my every day life. These are the conversations I'm having with parents, adults, other teachers, and kids. I felt like the content of this book was riduculously relevant, and I love how Julia Walton just calls it out for what it is.
- There were some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments especially in the first half of the book and I really enjoyed those moments (all the awkward teenage sort of stuff).
What I didn't enjoy:
- There wasn't anything I really didn't enjoy. The only downside to this one was that I felt it would be best suited in a high school setting and definitely a must-buy purchase for a public library! As a middle level public school librarian, I don't think it would be the best fit that I was hoping for (there is one particular scene that, while not too explicit, is still detailed enough that it would likely be hard to keep it in our library at this level).
Overall:
I really enjoyed this read. The first parts had me laughing out loud and trying to stay a little more quiet in public settings (those are the best kinds of books!). I enjoyed Phoebe's character and her desire to stick with the truth, even when it got hard. I loved the elements of romance that were incorporated, but Walton wasn't at all too heavy handed with those aspects. I especially loved the education approach to sex, how matter-of-fact it was, how informative it was, and how it essentially did everything that Phoebe's own blog set out to do. I think this would be a beneficial and straight forward read for any teen looking to find out more or to ask questions but through a fiction outlet, one that allows them to learn without embarrassment or judgment. I think for adults who enjoy solid YA realistic fiction (with some laughs!), you'll find a good one here!
A big thank you to Random House Children's / Random House Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes August 23, 2023!
Little Eve by Catriona Ward
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Off the battered coast of Scotland is a little island known as Altnaharra. Here lives a small group of individuals, maybe even a bit of a family, who are fairly private and have minimal contact with the townspeople on the mainland. It's been a while since they've been seen or heard from, and it's quickly discovered why. Their bodies are discovered in a strange configuration, bird-ridden, their right eyes taken from their sockets. But one is missing. What horror happened here? The story goes much deeper than what the surface suggests: sacred ceremonies, powers gained, the end of the world, but also betrayal, family, and sacrifice.
What I loved:
- I love that Cat Ward continues to "do it again." This is everything I love in a horror novel! Horror and suspense, cultish themes, solid twists, a good heap of the gothic, and multiple POVs (one in the past moving forward along the timeline leading to the big reveals, and one in the present after all is said and done).
- I loved the characters. The villain(s) were exactly that, and I readily cheered for those who were vulnerable that they would come out on top strong conquerors. There were characters to connect to, love, and root for, and other characters to hate and wish for their demise.
- Cat's writing style is fantastic. She has a very unique voice that seems to separate her from mainstream horror novelists, and her stories never seem to lack that 'extra' element, that something special that puts the story in a level above the usual. She expertly weaves storylines in a tapestry that isn't so convoluted that the reader would get lost, but that is complex enough that we spend much of the novel working to unweave her tale (in the best sense) and find little nuggets of twists and reveals along the way. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you missed a thread.
- Cat knows how to build up a tense, gothic atmosphere. Things aren't right immediately, and we all know it, even before anything is revealed. And things continue to not feel right, because she continues to shows us that things are off. I love when tension builds in horror novel like this - that looming sense of feeling a little bit smothered and choked by the gloom and the wrongness, but not too much ... just enough. Just enough of the eerie and the wrong that we can't stop reading until we find out what that tap is behind the door, or what that itch is that needs to be scratched. And even when we think we've discovered it, something else comes creeping up behind.
What I didn't love:
- I love being able to write these kind of reviews where I get to this part and can say confidently, "There wasn't really anything I didn't love," and that's that.
Overall:
All of the stars. I. Love. Catriona Ward. She has turned into an autobuy/autoread author for me, 100%. The first book I read of hers was The Last House on Needless Street, and oh, what an instant fan I became! Then came Sundial, which was entirely different but oh, so good. And here we are with Little Eve, another entirely different read but that, in every way, delivers on suspense, gothic horror, and cultish vibes. I read this one for the first time in August of 2021 (UK edition published by Gollancz), but it's being published now in the States by Tor Nightfire and so I just HAD to revisit it. Put Cat Ward on your auto-buy list. I loved this story, the characters, the way it was all woven together and delivered, and that it was such a great reading experience. It's a book I'll be passing off to every friend that can handle it!
A huge thank you, as always, to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC! This one publishes from Tor Nightfire on October 11, 2022!
What I loved:
- I love that Cat Ward continues to "do it again." This is everything I love in a horror novel! Horror and suspense, cultish themes, solid twists, a good heap of the gothic, and multiple POVs (one in the past moving forward along the timeline leading to the big reveals, and one in the present after all is said and done).
- I loved the characters. The villain(s) were exactly that, and I readily cheered for those who were vulnerable that they would come out on top strong conquerors. There were characters to connect to, love, and root for, and other characters to hate and wish for their demise.
- Cat's writing style is fantastic. She has a very unique voice that seems to separate her from mainstream horror novelists, and her stories never seem to lack that 'extra' element, that something special that puts the story in a level above the usual. She expertly weaves storylines in a tapestry that isn't so convoluted that the reader would get lost, but that is complex enough that we spend much of the novel working to unweave her tale (in the best sense) and find little nuggets of twists and reveals along the way. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you missed a thread.
- Cat knows how to build up a tense, gothic atmosphere. Things aren't right immediately, and we all know it, even before anything is revealed. And things continue to not feel right, because she continues to shows us that things are off. I love when tension builds in horror novel like this - that looming sense of feeling a little bit smothered and choked by the gloom and the wrongness, but not too much ... just enough. Just enough of the eerie and the wrong that we can't stop reading until we find out what that tap is behind the door, or what that itch is that needs to be scratched. And even when we think we've discovered it, something else comes creeping up behind.
What I didn't love:
- I love being able to write these kind of reviews where I get to this part and can say confidently, "There wasn't really anything I didn't love," and that's that.
Overall:
All of the stars. I. Love. Catriona Ward. She has turned into an autobuy/autoread author for me, 100%. The first book I read of hers was The Last House on Needless Street, and oh, what an instant fan I became! Then came Sundial, which was entirely different but oh, so good. And here we are with Little Eve, another entirely different read but that, in every way, delivers on suspense, gothic horror, and cultish vibes. I read this one for the first time in August of 2021 (UK edition published by Gollancz), but it's being published now in the States by Tor Nightfire and so I just HAD to revisit it. Put Cat Ward on your auto-buy list. I loved this story, the characters, the way it was all woven together and delivered, and that it was such a great reading experience. It's a book I'll be passing off to every friend that can handle it!
A huge thank you, as always, to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC! This one publishes from Tor Nightfire on October 11, 2022!
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Emily and Chess, 30-something best friends, decide to take a summer vacation away from everything and escape to Villa Aestas in Italy. Emily is in the process of getting a divorce from a toxic husband and also needs to meet a looming deadline from her publisher for the next book in her cozy mystery series. Chess is working on her next book, full of positive vibes, 'you can do its,' and self-help. Both of them are a little unhappy, but the trip to the Villa is sure to brighten up their outlook on life and their current situations.
Flashback to 1974, where the Villa was the location of a scandal. Up-and-coming musician Pierce, along with his girlfriend Mari and her step-sister Lara all join famous musician Noel for a summer free of inhibitions but full of inspiration. Things take a turn, though, when one of them is murdered.
So what really happened that night? And what secrets can be found when Emily and Chess start digging around, not just into the past lives of famous people and their murder house, but each others' lives as well?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was well done from a literary standpoint (though, that being said, I am the type of reader that prefers more plot than what was given here).
- There was a decent enough amount of suspense to keep me reading initially (which sort of petered out a little before halfway through), and the suspense did come back towards the very end with a few things being revealed.
- I did appreciate that the storyline was inspired by a mix 70s music and real events (the Manson Murders & Percy and Mary Shelley's summer with Lord Byron).
- Some of the reveals and discoveries were enjoyable to learn about and helped spur on some of the plot, which made everything feel like it got more fast-paced (thank goodness!).
What I didn't enjoy:
- This one slogged a bit. Once I got to 40%, I remember thinking, "Gosh, I'm already 40% in and feel like hardly anything has really happened." Sure, there was a bit of scratching like "surely we're leading up to something happening ... I feel like I can feel it coming" ... and then I continued to wait and wait. At that point, I was setting down the book and it just wasn't drawing me back to it. I was on the verge of DNF'ing but decided to stick to it and finish it out. But things only really started rolling and feeling more suspenseful at the 75% mark, and even then, the results of that were a bit lackluster and deflating.
- The characters weren't generally likeable, and that could have been done on purpose but I didn't really feel connected to the main POV characters and really didn't have an opinion one way or the other if things went well for them or not.
- I was hoping for some good twists that would make the slowness and the not-super-likeable characters all worth it, but the twists that happened just left me saying, "Oh. That's it?" Hawkins dropped in one, what I think was inteneded to be, "large" twist at the very end, but it didn't seem to really land with what I think was the intended effect.
- The dual timelines and their characters are very similar to one another (by design) - a bit mirrored - but there were times when the switching back and forth did get confusing especially more in the beginning with keeping the characters all straight in your mind.
Overall:
I was hopeful that this would be a solid mystery/suspense novel but it fell a bit short for me. I do have to hand it to the author for the writing because it was well crafted, but as a reader, I need more plot to help keep the pace up, and I wanted larger, more impactful twists that would leave me with eyes wide and my hand over my jaw-dropped mouth. Because it was well-written and clearly well thought out, I'm handing it a 4 of 5 stars (rounding up what feels more like a 3.5 to me). I do think there is an audience of readers that will enjoy this immensely, but I'll be considerate of recommending this book to those who don't necessarily need big twists to enjoy a storyline and who also don't mind heavier character-driven novels.
A thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes January 3, 2023!
Flashback to 1974, where the Villa was the location of a scandal. Up-and-coming musician Pierce, along with his girlfriend Mari and her step-sister Lara all join famous musician Noel for a summer free of inhibitions but full of inspiration. Things take a turn, though, when one of them is murdered.
So what really happened that night? And what secrets can be found when Emily and Chess start digging around, not just into the past lives of famous people and their murder house, but each others' lives as well?
What I enjoyed:
- The writing overall was well done from a literary standpoint (though, that being said, I am the type of reader that prefers more plot than what was given here).
- There was a decent enough amount of suspense to keep me reading initially (which sort of petered out a little before halfway through), and the suspense did come back towards the very end with a few things being revealed.
- I did appreciate that the storyline was inspired by a mix 70s music and real events (the Manson Murders & Percy and Mary Shelley's summer with Lord Byron).
- Some of the reveals and discoveries were enjoyable to learn about and helped spur on some of the plot, which made everything feel like it got more fast-paced (thank goodness!).
What I didn't enjoy:
- This one slogged a bit. Once I got to 40%, I remember thinking, "Gosh, I'm already 40% in and feel like hardly anything has really happened." Sure, there was a bit of scratching like "surely we're leading up to something happening ... I feel like I can feel it coming" ... and then I continued to wait and wait. At that point, I was setting down the book and it just wasn't drawing me back to it. I was on the verge of DNF'ing but decided to stick to it and finish it out. But things only really started rolling and feeling more suspenseful at the 75% mark, and even then, the results of that were a bit lackluster and deflating.
- The characters weren't generally likeable, and that could have been done on purpose but I didn't really feel connected to the main POV characters and really didn't have an opinion one way or the other if things went well for them or not.
- I was hoping for some good twists that would make the slowness and the not-super-likeable characters all worth it, but the twists that happened just left me saying, "Oh. That's it?" Hawkins dropped in one, what I think was inteneded to be, "large" twist at the very end, but it didn't seem to really land with what I think was the intended effect.
- The dual timelines and their characters are very similar to one another (by design) - a bit mirrored - but there were times when the switching back and forth did get confusing especially more in the beginning with keeping the characters all straight in your mind.
Overall:
I was hopeful that this would be a solid mystery/suspense novel but it fell a bit short for me. I do have to hand it to the author for the writing because it was well crafted, but as a reader, I need more plot to help keep the pace up, and I wanted larger, more impactful twists that would leave me with eyes wide and my hand over my jaw-dropped mouth. Because it was well-written and clearly well thought out, I'm handing it a 4 of 5 stars (rounding up what feels more like a 3.5 to me). I do think there is an audience of readers that will enjoy this immensely, but I'll be considerate of recommending this book to those who don't necessarily need big twists to enjoy a storyline and who also don't mind heavier character-driven novels.
A thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC! This one publishes January 3, 2023!
Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
It's Renaissance Faire season once again! Lulu, a very busy attorney and desperate for a break and an escape, finds herself stopping in at a renaissance fair in North Carolina that might remind her of the faire she's always enjoyed with her grandma back at her cousin's stomping grounds in Willow Creak. In a moment of extreme stress, she makes an impulsive decision to quit her job, throw her phone in a bucket of water, and go off the grid for a while. Hardly any time passes before the enormity of what she's done crashes into her. What will she do now? Can she get her old job back? What does she really want for her life after living it for so long trying to meet others' expectations? Enter Stacey and Daniel (our couple from Well Played), who encourage her to travel around with the band, the Dueling Kilts, as they go from faire to faire over the summer. It might be just the reset Lulu is needing, and the lead guitarist, Dex MacLean, might also make for a great distraction, and maybe even something a little bit more.
What I Loved:
- Fast-paced story, as usual (thank you, Jen!)
- Lighthearted with fun characters that were easy to love and enjoy, with plenty of returning characters but of course a few new ones! It's fun to read about each of their stories with each book in the series and it's also fun to catch up with previous characters to see what they're up to now.
- The Renaissance Faire aspects continue to always be my favorite parts about this book series. The third book didn't have as much faire in it as this one did, and so I'm really happy to say that there was more faire added into this newest edition (I was left feeling like I wanted more in that last book)
What I Didn’t Love:
- I don't know that there was anything I didn't really love in this book. I think the second and third books fell a little short for me in a couple of aspects (the second one didn't feel like it had much depth to the characters and their relationships, and the third book felt like there was even less 'Ren Faire' than ever before), and I'm really happy to say that this book seemed to bounce back to something more akin to Well Met, which will still always be my favorite. (But this one is easily a close second!)
- As a note for readers, the first couple of books have been published in September (still giving off summer and end-of-summer vibes), and the most recent book was published a little bit later in October. This 4th book is slated to be published in December, which I find to be a bit unfortunate because it's such the perfect summer read, and I've been very fortunate enough to have the opportunity to read the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books in the series early over the summer as advance reader copies. I find it to be such a wonderful experience as these books always feel so summery and so perfect for the season. So while I loved so much of this book, I wish that was something that was considered in order to make the reading experience the best it could be for readers.
Overall:
I read this one over a couple of nights before bed and one lazy morning. It's such a fast read (as these books always are) and it brought a bit of lighthearted joy to my reading life. As I continue to say, I realize that no subsequent books in this series will ever be as pleasantly delightful as the first book, Well Met - there was something extra special about that one (perhaps discovering a fun, unique twist to the classic rom-com with the introduction of a Renaissance Fair!). But this fourth book brings back some of that whimsical joy of the Ren Faire, two characters that you can root for, and their summer escapades. As always, I look forward to reading hopefully another book in this series (please keep writing, Jen!).
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an e-ARC of this book!
What I Loved:
- Fast-paced story, as usual (thank you, Jen!)
- Lighthearted with fun characters that were easy to love and enjoy, with plenty of returning characters but of course a few new ones! It's fun to read about each of their stories with each book in the series and it's also fun to catch up with previous characters to see what they're up to now.
- The Renaissance Faire aspects continue to always be my favorite parts about this book series. The third book didn't have as much faire in it as this one did, and so I'm really happy to say that there was more faire added into this newest edition (I was left feeling like I wanted more in that last book)
What I Didn’t Love:
- I don't know that there was anything I didn't really love in this book. I think the second and third books fell a little short for me in a couple of aspects (the second one didn't feel like it had much depth to the characters and their relationships, and the third book felt like there was even less 'Ren Faire' than ever before), and I'm really happy to say that this book seemed to bounce back to something more akin to Well Met, which will still always be my favorite. (But this one is easily a close second!)
- As a note for readers, the first couple of books have been published in September (still giving off summer and end-of-summer vibes), and the most recent book was published a little bit later in October. This 4th book is slated to be published in December, which I find to be a bit unfortunate because it's such the perfect summer read, and I've been very fortunate enough to have the opportunity to read the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books in the series early over the summer as advance reader copies. I find it to be such a wonderful experience as these books always feel so summery and so perfect for the season. So while I loved so much of this book, I wish that was something that was considered in order to make the reading experience the best it could be for readers.
Overall:
I read this one over a couple of nights before bed and one lazy morning. It's such a fast read (as these books always are) and it brought a bit of lighthearted joy to my reading life. As I continue to say, I realize that no subsequent books in this series will ever be as pleasantly delightful as the first book, Well Met - there was something extra special about that one (perhaps discovering a fun, unique twist to the classic rom-com with the introduction of a Renaissance Fair!). But this fourth book brings back some of that whimsical joy of the Ren Faire, two characters that you can root for, and their summer escapades. As always, I look forward to reading hopefully another book in this series (please keep writing, Jen!).
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an e-ARC of this book!
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Harriet is an accomplished author (and on the brink of publishing a new book!), and Edward is her new husband-to-be. Harriet has been an orphan since her tween years, and Edward's family, the Holbecks, offer her the chance at a life full to the brim: not just with a new, large family to call her own, but wealth, status, and power. As Harriet begins to meet her soon-to-be family, she discovers that everyone seems to have sinsiter secrets they're hiding. The catch? She has a very dark one of her own. Now she enters into a long tradition of family games, but the question is whether or not she'll be able to survive.
What I loved:
- This one takes off at a fairly fast clip and it doesn't let up. If anything it just gets going faster until you hit the end. It's a very quick read, and I hardly put it down until I was finished!
- I haven't read all of Steadman's books, but the last one I read was Mr. Nobody, this one was similar in that it all moved quickly, there was enough description to get you settled into the situation, and then before you know it, we're all gripping our chairs hoping the female lead makes it out alive and maybe even somehow on top. I love it!
- This was a fun twist on a classic "cat and mouse" story. The Holbeck family, which feels like the equivalent of America's Vanderbilts or Rockefellers, does play family games, but these games have a very dark element to them. There's chasing, hiding, and then hopefully it all ends with not getting caught and somehow winning (even if winning simply means you survived and may end up needing a little bit a therapy afterwards). There was a near constant element of danger and I enjoyed that.
- There was of course a twist that I entirely fell for. I didn't quite know where it was all going but I was curious, and then when things starting coming together, I thought, "How did I not see that coming, but of course!" I imagine there will be far more adept readers that will see through the smoke and mirrors earlier on than I did, but I enjoyed the ride!
What I didn't love:
- I don't know that there was anything I didn't love, though I think to move this from a 4/4.5 star to a 5 star for me, I would want a bit more background on other characters/family members, find out more of their secrets, and have a bit more of a complex storyline with a few more big jaw-dropping twists throughout. Though by all standards, I feel like this was a really solid and suspenseful mystery/thriller with a solid twist, and it will leave you satisfied by the time you hit the end.
Overall:
Again, this was a solid mystery/thriller from Catherine Steadman. I've come to discover that she seems to be pretty consistent with her writing and her suspensful thrillers. They're not necessarily mind-blowing twisty mysteries, but they're ones that I will recommend to others to read if they're wanting something they can get easily wrapped up in and won't easily put down until they get to the end to find out what's going on. I also really appreciate that her books don't feel like cookie-cutter books that are all very similar to one another. Each one seems very different but you also know you can expect a good twist and a fairly satisfying ending -- something you can pass off to others to read and know they'll get, at the least, a bit of enjoyment from it.
Huge thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC! I'm excited to recommend this one and looking forward to when it publishes in November!
What I loved:
- This one takes off at a fairly fast clip and it doesn't let up. If anything it just gets going faster until you hit the end. It's a very quick read, and I hardly put it down until I was finished!
- I haven't read all of Steadman's books, but the last one I read was Mr. Nobody, this one was similar in that it all moved quickly, there was enough description to get you settled into the situation, and then before you know it, we're all gripping our chairs hoping the female lead makes it out alive and maybe even somehow on top. I love it!
- This was a fun twist on a classic "cat and mouse" story. The Holbeck family, which feels like the equivalent of America's Vanderbilts or Rockefellers, does play family games, but these games have a very dark element to them. There's chasing, hiding, and then hopefully it all ends with not getting caught and somehow winning (even if winning simply means you survived and may end up needing a little bit a therapy afterwards). There was a near constant element of danger and I enjoyed that.
- There was of course a twist that I entirely fell for. I didn't quite know where it was all going but I was curious, and then when things starting coming together, I thought, "How did I not see that coming, but of course!" I imagine there will be far more adept readers that will see through the smoke and mirrors earlier on than I did, but I enjoyed the ride!
What I didn't love:
- I don't know that there was anything I didn't love, though I think to move this from a 4/4.5 star to a 5 star for me, I would want a bit more background on other characters/family members, find out more of their secrets, and have a bit more of a complex storyline with a few more big jaw-dropping twists throughout. Though by all standards, I feel like this was a really solid and suspenseful mystery/thriller with a solid twist, and it will leave you satisfied by the time you hit the end.
Overall:
Again, this was a solid mystery/thriller from Catherine Steadman. I've come to discover that she seems to be pretty consistent with her writing and her suspensful thrillers. They're not necessarily mind-blowing twisty mysteries, but they're ones that I will recommend to others to read if they're wanting something they can get easily wrapped up in and won't easily put down until they get to the end to find out what's going on. I also really appreciate that her books don't feel like cookie-cutter books that are all very similar to one another. Each one seems very different but you also know you can expect a good twist and a fairly satisfying ending -- something you can pass off to others to read and know they'll get, at the least, a bit of enjoyment from it.
Huge thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC! I'm excited to recommend this one and looking forward to when it publishes in November!
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Three girls walk into the woods. Only two come out.
Naomi still bears the scars of what happened that day in the woods. Now, as an adult, she’s drawn back to the small town of her childhood, and what she discovers there will require her to face more than just the truth. Will she make it out of the woods again, years later, for a second time?
What I Loved:
- a main character with flaws—physical and emotional scars—that she continues to try to cope with and heal. There were a lot of lines and passages in relation to that and they really resonated.
- Oh, the beginning. The way it starts is this absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful image of the wilderness, the wildness, that exists in little girls. Marshall captured that feeling so exquisitely. A few passages in particular clutched my heart in their fists and still haven’t let go. So beautiful, while also heartbreaking, remembering having those feelings so strongly as a little girl, yet now having them buried deep under the burdens of adulthood and the “taming” bestowed on us by patriarchal and societal expectations (and so much more).
- The twists and turns in the many reveals. You think you have it fairly well figured out, but then you’ll still have some lingering suspicions, and the. one little and big reveal after another confirms some things while also leaving you with raised eyebrows and maybe also an open mouth.
- Steady pacing! There weren’t any times when I felt I got bored or didn’t feel a little bit itchy to grab my kindle and keep reading until I finished. It caught my attention straight away and held it.
- There was a moment when a few things started being revealed and I thought, “Okay, so that’s probably it. Solid 4 star … but I wanted a smidge more.” And then I was given a few more twists and reveals and got my smidge more, even when I thought I had nearly hit the end and this was the best Marshall had for me.
- The quoteableness of so much of the book, which isn’t very typical of a mystery/suspense sort of novel. I walked away with a decent amount of lines and passages highlighted and I hadn’t expected that.
What I didn’t Love:
- I wish the main character, Naomi, had been a little bit more loveable/likeable, but considering her past and current traumas, her rough-around-the-edges flaws made her what she was, and I can respect that.
Overall:
Solid mystery/suspense from Kate Alice Marshall and my favorite of hers so far of the ones I’ve read. Initially, I felt like it’d get a solid 4 stars out of me, but the bigger reveals kept twisting around more than I thought they would, and after revisiting some passages I had highlighted, the writing also tipped me over to a 5. It was fast-paced and will have you guessing along with the main character about what REALLY happened that day in the woods and what it all ultimately means.
Naomi still bears the scars of what happened that day in the woods. Now, as an adult, she’s drawn back to the small town of her childhood, and what she discovers there will require her to face more than just the truth. Will she make it out of the woods again, years later, for a second time?
What I Loved:
- a main character with flaws—physical and emotional scars—that she continues to try to cope with and heal. There were a lot of lines and passages in relation to that and they really resonated.
- Oh, the beginning. The way it starts is this absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful image of the wilderness, the wildness, that exists in little girls. Marshall captured that feeling so exquisitely. A few passages in particular clutched my heart in their fists and still haven’t let go. So beautiful, while also heartbreaking, remembering having those feelings so strongly as a little girl, yet now having them buried deep under the burdens of adulthood and the “taming” bestowed on us by patriarchal and societal expectations (and so much more).
- The twists and turns in the many reveals. You think you have it fairly well figured out, but then you’ll still have some lingering suspicions, and the. one little and big reveal after another confirms some things while also leaving you with raised eyebrows and maybe also an open mouth.
- Steady pacing! There weren’t any times when I felt I got bored or didn’t feel a little bit itchy to grab my kindle and keep reading until I finished. It caught my attention straight away and held it.
- There was a moment when a few things started being revealed and I thought, “Okay, so that’s probably it. Solid 4 star … but I wanted a smidge more.” And then I was given a few more twists and reveals and got my smidge more, even when I thought I had nearly hit the end and this was the best Marshall had for me.
- The quoteableness of so much of the book, which isn’t very typical of a mystery/suspense sort of novel. I walked away with a decent amount of lines and passages highlighted and I hadn’t expected that.
What I didn’t Love:
- I wish the main character, Naomi, had been a little bit more loveable/likeable, but considering her past and current traumas, her rough-around-the-edges flaws made her what she was, and I can respect that.
Overall:
Solid mystery/suspense from Kate Alice Marshall and my favorite of hers so far of the ones I’ve read. Initially, I felt like it’d get a solid 4 stars out of me, but the bigger reveals kept twisting around more than I thought they would, and after revisiting some passages I had highlighted, the writing also tipped me over to a 5. It was fast-paced and will have you guessing along with the main character about what REALLY happened that day in the woods and what it all ultimately means.
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0