When I saw the synopsis talking about The God of the Woods by Liz Moore being ambitious, I didn't realize the extent that would go. This is my first tWhen I saw the synopsis talking about The God of the Woods by Liz Moore being ambitious, I didn't realize the extent that would go. This is my first time reading this author and it was an incredibly intricate and complex storyline that I couldn’t get enough of. It is told from multiple viewpoints as well as multiple timelines, and we get to know most of the characters pretty well this way. Moore paints a detailed description of both the surroundings and the people making it a very immersive experience.
I feel like I have been saying this a lot lately, but I would have liked it if the audiobook had more than one narrator for so many POVs. Be that as it may, I did still love Saskia Maarleveld’s narration, especially for Judyta. She did a wonderful job in general, I just prefer a full cast. I was SHOOK by some of the things that happen in the book, and it was a great blend of literary fiction and mystery (among other things) if a bit on the slow side. Read this if you like genre mashups, thought provoking and reflective reads, and stories of survival no matter the cost.
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I will be up front about my feelings, The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister is a WEIRD book, but I oddly loved it! Weird doesn’t always work for me, and franI will be up front about my feelings, The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister is a WEIRD book, but I oddly loved it! Weird doesn’t always work for me, and frankly it rarely does, but I was completely enamored by this gothic storyline all about a family in a cranberry bog. It is a pretty slow burn overall, but I found myself not wanting to put it down, and I spent much of the book wondering if the bog really was all that it seemed.
I went the audiobook route and even though there are multiple viewpoints, I thought Shannon McManus did an excellent job. Though nothing necessarily stood out to me about her narration, she was pleasant to listen to and I thought she was able to capture the ambiance of the story very well. Chronister’s writing was extremely vivid without being over the top, and she made it easy to feel like I was there myself. Read this if you enjoy settings as a character, stories rooted in folklore, and unusual narratives. ...more
I have to imagine that the reason I wanted to read The Essence of Darkness by Tom Clearlake back in the day was because of the synopsis. It sounded liI have to imagine that the reason I wanted to read The Essence of Darkness by Tom Clearlake back in the day was because of the synopsis. It sounded like a great mystery with a procedural factor and the FBI thrown in. What this actually is, is a very strange mix of horror, sci-fi, mystery, and a dash of romance. It looks like this initially came out in French as we have a French author and was translated, but I don’t think the translation has anything to do with the strangeness of the story itself. It honestly stopped making sense at around the 50% mark and just became extremely outlandish and at some times ridiculous, even for the otherworldly storyline.
The disappearance of the children is at the start of this mess, but it devolves, and it felt like Clearlake was trying to cram too many things into one book. It was also a very slow moving plot and the romance between Eliott and Lauren didn’t really make sense. It went from just being a throwaway affair to an obsession and it left me shaking my head. There was also a spicy scene described from Lauren’s POV where you can tell this is written by a man who isn’t even TRYING to write from the woman’s viewpoint. Overall, I didn’t actually skim much but I feel like I wasted my time, and the author was clearly writing some of his bias into the ending which I could have done without. Would not recommend and would not read another book by this author. ...more
I was a huge fan of The Last Story of Mina Lee, so I was excited to see what Nancy Jooyoun Kim's sophomore novel What We Kept to Ourselves would bringI was a huge fan of The Last Story of Mina Lee, so I was excited to see what Nancy Jooyoun Kim's sophomore novel What We Kept to Ourselves would bring. This was a slow-burn character-driven work of literary fiction with a mystery element, and while I loved the end and the twists, I don't think it needed to be almost 400 pages. It also moved too slowly for my liking and felt repetitive, but only as far as the same topics being brought up repeatedly. I did appreciate the subject of Agent Orange, and knowing someone who was in the Vietnam War and hearing stories about it previously, made that part really stand out for me even though that piece was relatively small.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed Jennifer Kim as the narrator, but I would have appreciated a full cast for the various viewpoints. That wasn't a huge deal for me, but something I want to point out all the same. Honestly, I was close to a DNF multiple times, but the audiobook kept me going and I HAD to find out what happened with Sunny. I will admit that my attention wandered quite a bit almost the entire time I was listening to What We Kept to Ourselves, but in no way should this stop you from reading. I am definitely in the minority here and did enjoy multiple things including the exploration of secrets. If you enjoy slow burns and character studies with a focus on other cultures, I would still recommend giving this a go.
Thank you to the publishers and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
I love finding new authors to read and thanks to a friend of mine setting up the cover reveal for The New Neighbour by Miranda Rijks, I was able to fiI love finding new authors to read and thanks to a friend of mine setting up the cover reveal for The New Neighbour by Miranda Rijks, I was able to find another one to love! I knew I had to read this book right away and I'm glad I did since it was very pacy and suspenseful throughout. It made for one super quick read, and it was very easy to find myself saying one more chapter during it. I always love a good neighborhood drama, and the addition of the new neighbor really creates quite a stir. Most of the story is told from Isobel's viewpoint and I really enjoyed it that way. It was a great way to build suspense, and I found myself suspecting every single neighbor of devious deeds. I especially liked the way the first chapter drew me in, and I found myself going back to reread it after I had finished seeing it with new eyes.
I also really liked the fact that The New Neighbour was something different from the typical thriller I am used to reading. Rijks manages to fit in more than a couple of surprises and made it a great blend of twisty neighborhood drama, domestic drama, and suspense all rolled into one. I also enjoyed Isobel as a character and appreciated that she wasn't a pushover since I don't like that type of protagonist at all. As the neighbor's secrets slowly unravel and tensions run high, I found myself regretting the times I had to put it down. Really, the only issue I had with the book was the repetitiveness I found which maybe because of the ARC and not in the finished copy. There were quite a few phrases and facts repeated which always bugs me, but I had zero other complaints. I would love to get my hands on a finished copy to double-check the repetition so be sure to take that with a grain of salt. Definitely looking forward to checking out more from Rijks and I recommend reading The New Neighbour if you want something quick and twisty.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Merged review:
I love finding new authors to read and thanks to a friend of mine setting up the cover reveal for The New Neighbour by Miranda Rijks, I was able to find another one to love! I knew I had to read this book right away and I'm glad I did since it was very pacy and suspenseful throughout. It made for one super quick read, and it was very easy to find myself saying one more chapter during it. I always love a good neighborhood drama, and the addition of the new neighbor really creates quite a stir. Most of the story is told from Isobel's viewpoint and I really enjoyed it that way. It was a great way to build suspense, and I found myself suspecting every single neighbor of devious deeds. I especially liked the way the first chapter drew me in, and I found myself going back to reread it after I had finished seeing it with new eyes.
I also really liked the fact that The New Neighbour was something different from the typical thriller I am used to reading. Rijks manages to fit in more than a couple of surprises and made it a great blend of twisty neighborhood drama, domestic drama, and suspense all rolled into one. I also enjoyed Isobel as a character and appreciated that she wasn't a pushover since I don't like that type of protagonist at all. As the neighbor's secrets slowly unravel and tensions run high, I found myself regretting the times I had to put it down. Really, the only issue I had with the book was the repetitiveness I found which maybe because of the ARC and not in the finished copy. There were quite a few phrases and facts repeated which always bugs me, but I had zero other complaints. I would love to get my hands on a finished copy to double-check the repetition so be sure to take that with a grain of salt. Definitely looking forward to checking out more from Rijks and I recommend reading The New Neighbour if you want something quick and twisty.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I did not know headed into Lowcountry Lost by T.I. Lowe that it was Christian fiction (not a normal genre for me), but since I love Lauren K. DentonI did not know headed into Lowcountry Lost by T.I. Lowe that it was Christian fiction (not a normal genre for me), but since I love Lauren K. Denton it shouldn't be a surprise that I loved it. The entire book is told from the viewpoint of Avalee and man did I love this headstrong leading lady. She is basically trying to hide her trauma in a box and not think about it, but once her ex-husband arrives onsite to help with the reconstruction of the ghost town she is bringing back to life, she can't help but deal with it and all the pain that brings. There are triggers in this book that I felt despite not experiencing them myself, and I would definitely check subject matters prior to reading.
I loved the found family elements as well as the rekindling of a romance that was thought long gone on Avalee's end. This is a slow burn with a setup much like an HGTV show and I was hooked from the very beginning. The southern vibes are off the chart since this is set in South Carolina, and there are so many food references that it was literally making my mouth water. The secondary characters are anything but second, and I fell in love with every single person (and animal - looking at you Preacher!) in the novel.
Lowcountry Lost exceeded any expectations I could have possibly had, and I ended up laughing but also crying my eyes out, especially after the must-read note from the author. Even if you aren't a fan of clean romance/Christian fiction but are in the mood for something that will rip your heart out and put it back together again with plenty of laughs along the way I would highly recommend giving this incredible story a chance. I will definitely be looking into reading more from Lowe!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Third act breakup here we go! I've Got My Mind Set on Brew by debut author Stephanie Jayne has boss girl energy thanks to Kat perusing her love of brewing beer and has a unique premise set against the backdrop of a brewpub named Resistance. I loved that each chapter started with a different kind of beer along with a brief description and sometimes a fun quip. I honestly wouldn't mind owning a copy just so I have those chapter headings. ...more
Funnily enough, my sister is the one who told me about Middletide and convinced me I should read it because she had been seeing it everywhere. I4.25/5
Funnily enough, my sister is the one who told me about Middletide and convinced me I should read it because she had been seeing it everywhere. It also doesn't hurt that my sister is a huge runner and Sarah Crouch is a professional marathon runner. ...more
When I saw the cover of The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields I knew I had to read it, and I would say this would make a great spooky season/fall4.25/5
When I saw the cover of The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields I knew I had to read it, and I would say this would make a great spooky season/fall read especially! It is a solid debut full of witchy magic, beautiful imagery, and ultimately romance! Bees and honey take a front seat in the storyline which is nice and unique, and though the pace felt a little slow to me, it picks way up at the end and I couldn't put it down. I would categorize this queer romance as grumpy/sunshine since Marigold is spunky and light, while Lottie is moody and grumpy.
Mia Hutchinson Shaw narrates the audiobook and I thought she did a lovely job. I didn't have any issues understanding her even at a quicker speed (I listened around 3x) and her pacing, tone, and pitch all felt spot on. The Honey Witch is action-packed when we get near the end, and I feel like I said "aw" quite a bit as well. The conclusion was very sweet and will be a crowd pleaser! I also loved that the female leads were compelling and determined and not pushovers in the slightest. I will be keeping my eyes open for future books from Shields for sure! ...more
I wasn't really sure how I wanted to rate Knife River by Justine Champine and I still don’t know if I like my rating. This is a character driven 3.5/5
I wasn't really sure how I wanted to rate Knife River by Justine Champine and I still don’t know if I like my rating. This is a character driven storyline that reminded me a lot of In Cold Blood by the beloved Truman Capote. I didn’t like that book because of how slow and over-the-top descriptive it was, which was the vibe I got from this one except different? I liked the mystery element but that isn’t really as front and center as the character study of Jess and the bonds of sisterhood after a tragedy.
I got to listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Jennifer Pickens, and she is definitely what kept me going. Slow, character-driven books aren’t always my jam and without her this may have been a DNF. However, I am really glad I finished because the ending completely shocked me. I can’t say it made the slowness worth it, but it was up there with twists I didn’t see coming. I also have to admit that Champine’s writing is very expressive and sharp; something I took into consideration when giving Knife River a star rating.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
Sigh. As many other readers have said, I was also a big fan of Kimi Cunningham Grant's last novel These Silent Woods and was really excited to get to Sigh. As many other readers have said, I was also a big fan of Kimi Cunningham Grant's last novel These Silent Woods and was really excited to get to The Nature of Disappearing. For me, it was a really slow burn and while it had my attention initially, it lost my interest as the book went on. Had I been reading the book instead of listening to the audio, I likely would have skimmed to the finish. Cunningham excels at world-building and that was my favorite part of the book in this case. It was very atmospheric, and she did a beautiful job of bringing the wilderness aspect to life.
The audiobook narrator Emily Pike Stewart did an excellent job, and as stated previously was what kept me going. I am very glad I listened to the audio and got to hear her be the voice of these characters. I didn't find anyone particularly likable, and honestly, I found myself not really caring what was going to happen. The climax was wild and left me wondering how we got there, which probably means I zoned out while I was listening at times. Many people loved this book, so please take my review with a grain of salt! Even though The Nature of Disappearing was a bit of a miss for me, I still love this author and will continue to read her.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I have loved every single Beatriz Williams novel I have ever read, be it with her fellow authors Karen White and Lauren Willig or solo, she never disaI have loved every single Beatriz Williams novel I have ever read, be it with her fellow authors Karen White and Lauren Willig or solo, she never disappoints. Husbands & Lovers was no different though I did have my doubts in the beginning. Despite the dual timelines of Mallory and Hannah, it moved pretty slowly for me until I had about a quarter of the book left which is when all of the secrets started coming out. Both timelines then started getting really intense and I liked that Williams added a couple more POV's at the end as well. I wouldn’t necessarily have needed them, but I loved them. ...more
Ok so hear me out. Seven Summers is my first time reading Paige Toon although for some reason I thought I had read (and loved) her before. Ok so hear me out. Seven Summers is my first time reading Paige Toon although for some reason I thought I had read (and loved) her before. ...more
I have never read Sarah Perry before and rarely read literary fiction, but I decided to give Enlightenment a shot. There is a religious and philosophiI have never read Sarah Perry before and rarely read literary fiction, but I decided to give Enlightenment a shot. There is a religious and philosophical aspect to the story that I didn't always understand, and sometimes it felt a bit like speculative fiction as well. However, the themes of love and friendship came through perfectly, and I loved the various elements Perry used throughout the book. There are multiple timelines, but they are in chronological order minus various media throughout which could get confusing if you aren't paying attention and listening to the audiobook.
I loved Alex Jennings as the narrator for the audio, and while I haven't listened to many audiobooks with him, I love it when I do. He is really easy to understand, so I had no issues listening at my normal 3x speed. I did notice I had to be alert and actively listening, so it might be a good idea to either read Enlightenment or at least follow along in the book if you are worried. I enjoyed the astrology pieces of the book even though I do think there would have been some way to make these elements clearer to readers like me who don't know anything about it. The ghost and paranormal bits were done in an interesting manner, and I will definitely say this author has a very unique writing style that might be too smart for me....more
I have heard so much about Carley Fortune on #Bookstagram that I knew I had to read her, and why not jump in with This Summer Will Be Different! This I have heard so much about Carley Fortune on #Bookstagram that I knew I had to read her, and why not jump in with This Summer Will Be Different! This book is set mostly on Prince Edward Island (PEI for short) with a bit of Toronto mixed in and I don't know if I have ever experienced such a stunning display of illustrative scenery. I felt like I was right there down to the warmth and the cold, and Fortune is clearly very talented when it comes to this. I also loved the characters and how she explored Lucy and Bridget's friendship, not just the romance between her and Felix. This was a pretty slow burn to me and though I liked the romance, something was missing that kept me from giving this a full 5 ⭐ rating.
I really enjoyed the flower shop and Lucy's moment of figuring out what she wanted, and there was definitely some great character development. I listened to the audiobook and loved that Fortune read everything from her acknowledgments to books she loved while writing This Summer Will Be Different. AJ Bridel is the narrator for the rest of the book, and she was fantastic. She seemed to be the perfect fit for Lucy, and I loved listening to her. There is some spice in the book, but it was rather tame compared to some books I have read so that worked out well for me and it fit the storyline. I did get a little sick of hearing about Lucy's 3 moles but maybe that was a me problem. ...more
I am currently here scratching my head over the fact that this is the first time I've read Kristan Higgins! I've had her books on my TBR for quite somI am currently here scratching my head over the fact that this is the first time I've read Kristan Higgins! I've had her books on my TBR for quite some time, but finally decided to read Look on the Bright Side and I am so glad I did! I kept waiting for the moment I would cry because I could feel it coming, and sure enough I ended up ugly crying more than once. Amidst the sadness, there is joy as well, and I have to say Higgins writes some excellent banter! The characters (especially the women) are super relatable, and even though Joy and Ellie are much older than me, there were aspects to them that fully resonated with me. I agree with other reviewers who said this could have just been solely Lark’s story, but at the same time I also loved both Ellie and Joy’s stories. It is a fairly long book at just over 400 pages and a bit of a slow burn, but I was so thoroughly engrossed to the point that it did not even feel like it.
Susan Bennett, Christina Moore & Xe Sands were our narrators for the audiobook, with Sands as the voice of Lark. I am personally a huge fan of Sands but do have to admit her narration felt a tiny bit off for this one and I can’t figure out why. That being said, I still adored the audiobook and would fully recommend it. I don’t think Sands's narration is for everyone, but she grew on me as I listened to her more in other audiobooks and I loved her here for Lark. While Look on the Bright Side has a sad side to it that took my breath away, the moments that made me laugh were pure gold, and I was moved by everything that happened. It made the characters feel so real to me, and like I was listening to real stories, not just fictional characters. There was even some fake dating which is my favorite romance trope! However, it isn’t REALLY a romance at heart, so I would recommend it to women’s fiction lovers first.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Last House by Jessica Shattuck has big literary fiction energy and it was a family saga as well making it a perfect comparison to the novel The Dutch Last House by Jessica Shattuck has big literary fiction energy and it was a family saga as well making it a perfect comparison to the novel The Dutch House. I definitely got the same vibe from both of these novels, but LH was very focused on oil especially. There is a partial list of products made from oil at the beginning of the book (thankfully read in the audiobook), and some of the items completely surprised me. Granted there are lots of types of oil, but pantyhose...?! ...more
I decided to finally start making my way through more of Elin Hilderbrand's backlist, and while now I am going to go back to the very beginning (6 booI decided to finally start making my way through more of Elin Hilderbrand's backlist, and while now I am going to go back to the very beginning (6 books ago), A Summer Affair was still a good place to be. While this isn’t my favorite by the author and it is generally full of not very likeable characters, it was still an engrossing read that brought Nantucket to life. You get that feeling of small-town gossip where everyone knows everything, mixed with tough decisions, people finding themselves, and even a dash of crime! I loved that Claire was a glassblower and that part of the book amidst all the drama was probably my favorite part. The book focuses on multiple characters including Claire’s sister-in-law Siobhan and Claire’s friend turned famous rocker Max West. I enjoyed the various viewpoints, and I loved how no-nonsense Siobhan was. She was my favorite character by far, though I did find her to be a bit judgmental of Claire (not that it isn’t relatable because it is!).
The audiobook was okay for me, and I didn’t love Isabel Keating’s narration. I did love her voice and could have listened to her forever, but her actual narration was very stilted with oddly long pauses, and it was just not great. I think I would have gone with reading A Summer Affair knowing that, but it didn’t affect my rating of the book itself. I was a bit thrown off by the exceedingly long chapters (especially seeing them that way on the audiobook), but that didn’t end up bothering me. I did enjoy the way they were titled and how each title applied to the chapter as well. There was quite a bit going on in the storyline, but I would call it a slow burn overall. It would be a good read for a long day at the beach or as a patio read with a glass of white! Despite the unlikeable characters and bad behavior, A Summer Affair was worth the read and I really enjoyed it!...more
After seeing Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa all over Booksta and having read and loved You're Invited, I knew I had to read it. This was an achingly slow burn in the beginning, and it took me to about the halfway mark to really be invested. To be honest, it was almost a DNF for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because the last half and especially the end really pulled things together for me. This is a really heavy read which I wasn't expecting, and it gave me total Silvia Moreno-Garcia vibes. I loved the way Jayatissa mixed culture and folklore, and she brought Sri Lanka to life in the way only she can do.
I really enjoyed the audiobook, and I could tell that Isuri Wijesundara knew what she was doing with her narration. She flawlessly flew through all of the Sinhala phrases and completely embodied the voice of Amara. I'm glad I chose to listen to this, as I don't think I would have been able to pronounce a lot of things in the book. I kinda feel like I read a different book from everyone else, and I personally wanted more action out of the storyline. I also found the way Jayatissa wrote out the language and then the English words to be very distracting although it was interesting as well. All in all, this wasn't the best book I have ever read but it still has many wonderful qualities, and you should definitely take my review with a grain of salt. Thank you for listening. ...more