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kuleighbaker's reviews
267 reviews
A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
slow-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? No
3.5
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Maidens follows Mariana Andros, a group therapist (who is dealing with her own past trauma), as she investigates the murder of her niece's friend on the campus of her Alma Mater. I love a good campus novel and was intrigued by the premise of dark academia vibes meets psychological thriller. I had pretty high expectations for the book after seeing lots of rave reviews but after reading it I’m not sure I’d recommend it.
Things I liked:
college campus setting
short chapters
alternating (and unreliable) narrators
references to Greek literature/mythology
Things I disliked:
lack of character development
pacing
For a thriller, this book didn’t keep me engaged. There were many times (especially in the beginning) that I might have put it down and marked it as DNF. It was definitely a case of the description sounding super interesting and then the storytelling itself falling flat. The Maidens had a lot of potential but ultimately there were too many plot holes, unnecessary and undeveloped characters (hello, a million red herrings), and an unconvincing reveal. I wasn’t surprised by the killer, but the motive took me off guard. The last few chapters of the book made the reading worth my time.
Things I liked:
college campus setting
short chapters
alternating (and unreliable) narrators
references to Greek literature/mythology
Things I disliked:
lack of character development
pacing
For a thriller, this book didn’t keep me engaged. There were many times (especially in the beginning) that I might have put it down and marked it as DNF. It was definitely a case of the description sounding super interesting and then the storytelling itself falling flat. The Maidens had a lot of potential but ultimately there were too many plot holes, unnecessary and undeveloped characters (hello, a million red herrings), and an unconvincing reveal. I wasn’t surprised by the killer, but the motive took me off guard. The last few chapters of the book made the reading worth my time.
How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 by Julie King, Joanna Faber
3.0
Like every other toddler/preschool mom, I struggle with how to actually get my kid to listen. I tend to be skeptical of parenting books that promise results. I feel like we’ve tried just about everything. I decided to listen to this audiobook from the library at work anyways.
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen is broken into two sections: The Essential Toolbox and The Tools in Action. After the author introduces the tools, there are plenty of real-life accounts that help demonstrate how to put the tools into action. I found some of the personal anecdotes a bit redundant and annoying to get through (I’m a busy mom… just give me the refrigerator cheat sheet) but they truly help drive the point home and show how you can use new techniques to communicate with your kids. The catchphrase that stuck with me the most from the book is using “the problem is” to explain something vs. the word “but”.
The main takeaway is to be sure to acknowledge and name your little kids’ feelings! It's not a perfect method, and won't always work, but the technique is worth a shot.
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen is broken into two sections: The Essential Toolbox and The Tools in Action. After the author introduces the tools, there are plenty of real-life accounts that help demonstrate how to put the tools into action. I found some of the personal anecdotes a bit redundant and annoying to get through (I’m a busy mom… just give me the refrigerator cheat sheet) but they truly help drive the point home and show how you can use new techniques to communicate with your kids. The catchphrase that stuck with me the most from the book is using “the problem is” to explain something vs. the word “but”.
The main takeaway is to be sure to acknowledge and name your little kids’ feelings! It's not a perfect method, and won't always work, but the technique is worth a shot.
One Night on the Island by Josie Silver
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
This is the love story of a lifetime! When Cleo packs up her bags and heads to a remote island to "self-couple" for her 30th birthday, she finds more than she sets out for - she discovers herself, love in unexpected places, and the quirkiest group of ladies to befriend. One Night on the Island is so much more than an enemies-to-lovers romance. It reads like a women's fiction novel for the first half until it turns into an epic love story. Josie Silver's books are meant to be read slowly and savored. All of the relationships in the book are sweet. The dialogue between the characters is so incredibly heartfelt, human, and raw. I got swept up in the scenery of the island. Despite the rain, the setting of the cottage itself was as welcoming as the island community. Was this book perfect? No. But it gave me all the warm and cozy vibes I've been in search of lately. It left me feeling hopeful!
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
3.0
I feel conflicted about rating and reviewing this book because I don't think I'm the target audience. Casey McQuiston's foray into YA in my mind is decidedly geared toward high school students. Ultimately for me, it was a little too similar to Paper Towns by John Greene. The writing defies genres...part mystery, part YA romance, part queer coming-of-age story. The romance really kicked in when the characters started communicating their feelings better in the last 25% or so of the book. There's a scene where Smith gets bored of trying to find all Shara's clues and it happened at about the same point I considered giving up on this book. I'm glad I didn't. There were some really important conversations that happened between the characters and I hope this book gets into the hands of the people that need to read it most. Smith's discussion with Chloe about the definition of non-binary was particularly tender, and something only Casey could have written so beautifully and tactfully. As always, there's great representation in this story. It's disappointing that Chloe was so boring yet it's through her POV we hear the story. I also appreciated the content warning at the beginning about elements of this story's setting in the Bible belt. This wasn't my favorite book, but it's one I might recommend to the right person.
Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting
4.0
What a fun romance!
I adored London and Jackson's slow-burn romance. As much as they wanted to keep their relationship professional, they couldn't seem to keep their hands off of each other! The real steam didn't show up until after the first half of the book, though.
There was some surprising depth to this story. The main characters shared a lot of formative life experiences including grief and the sacrifices that come with running a successful business. I liked that they had a flirty friendship and felt like they could talk through their problems with each other. The plot had layers of drama - siblings, work, and romantic relationships were strained. Communication was a huge theme in this story!
My only criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed and the story didn't feel resolved until reading the epilogue.
Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I want to go back and read the first Spark House book now!
I won a copy of this book from St. Martin's and Helena Hunting on Goodreads. All thoughts are my own.
I adored London and Jackson's slow-burn romance. As much as they wanted to keep their relationship professional, they couldn't seem to keep their hands off of each other! The real steam didn't show up until after the first half of the book, though.
There was some surprising depth to this story. The main characters shared a lot of formative life experiences including grief and the sacrifices that come with running a successful business. I liked that they had a flirty friendship and felt like they could talk through their problems with each other. The plot had layers of drama - siblings, work, and romantic relationships were strained. Communication was a huge theme in this story!
My only criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed and the story didn't feel resolved until reading the epilogue.
Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I want to go back and read the first Spark House book now!
I won a copy of this book from St. Martin's and Helena Hunting on Goodreads. All thoughts are my own.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
3.0
I read The Midnight Library earlier this year and it shares very similar themes of death, loss, and regret with Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Each of the four storylines felt repetitive because of the way the cafe rules were stated over and over again. The tactic created a clear rhythm to set the stage for the novel but ultimately I found it a bit tedious to read. The cafe setting was cozy but felt too neatly boxed in. I would have enjoyed getting to experience a little more scenery or world-building, even through more flashbacks. I did enjoy the time-travel elements and an introduction to some of the Japanese culture and rituals. It wasn't my favorite book but I'm still glad I took the time to read it. Overall, I felt a lot of empathy towards the characters and I thought it was a good study of how we can overcome difficulties in life with the support of family and friends.