Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a galley of this new true crime book from John Glatt.
Even though I have several John Glatt works onThank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a galley of this new true crime book from John Glatt.
Even though I have several John Glatt works on my shelf, this is my first John Glatt work that I've consumed.
This case has had my attention from the moment the news shared that Tylee and JJ were missing. Their story is heartbreaking and while I feel that Dateline has covered this case very well, Glatt has some additional details that Dateline has not shared. Such as familial background and all of the ins and outs of past relationships and jobs.
As this does cover the murder of two children, readers do need to realize that a lot of information probably can't be shared about the victims as they are minors. Therefore, understand going in that this is not a victim-centered coverage of the case. It is more of a background to leading up to what happened directly around Lori and Chad at the time the children went missing.
I will say this is one of the best true crime books that I've read in awhile, but I am a bit disappointed that this was released prior to the conclusion of the court proceedings related to the case. While Dateline can update their coverage of the case, a book cannot be easily updated. ...more
Thank you Grand Central for an ARC and a finished copy in exchange for a review.
Dava Shastri has ulterior motives.
Dava Shasri is a horrible person.
DaThank you Grand Central for an ARC and a finished copy in exchange for a review.
Dava Shastri has ulterior motives.
Dava Shasri is a horrible person.
Dava Shastri's last day was too long.
Dava Shastri did not raise a single decent person.
Dava Shastri traumatized her grandchildren.
Interesting premise that did not deliver. Too many unlikeable people and no one to cheer for except maybe a son-in-law, Colin, and the four grandkids.
Dava basically gathered her family at their family compound to find how what the world would say about her death, but she ended up finding out what her kids thought about her and her actions when they were younger.
For a character driven novel - there was zero character development for anyone minus Dava (and that wasn’t even that great).
I do recommend the audiobook. Soneela Nankani was fantastic and I’d love to dive into other audiobooks she’s done. Plus, there was the song ‘Dava’ at the end....more
Thanks to Algonquin for this copy. I wish I couldn’t completed it.
If I’m being honest, I feel duped into reading this. People I trustedDNF @ Chapter 4
Thanks to Algonquin for this copy. I wish I couldn’t completed it.
If I’m being honest, I feel duped into reading this. People I trusted said this was dark academia but no one mentioned that it centered around one guy that eventually joined the army and one that became a Republican senator.
Nothing was drawing me into keep going with the story. Maybe it got better, but reading about a kid joining a boarding school as a freshman holds zero interest to me. ...more
Thank you Algonquin and Libro.FM for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: The lyrical writing and the extensive sense of plaThank you Algonquin and Libro.FM for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: The lyrical writing and the extensive sense of place. Also liked that a cold case was solved.
Other than that, let's get into it:
It is always hard for me to hear "dark academia" in a book description and not think that the author is trying to go down the same path as The Secret History. I am guilty of always immediately putting them up against on another.
So in my opinion- this is another wannabe.
When I think of dark academia, I think of college professors and students - not catholic boarding school girls and their teachers. To me, this is more gothic than dark academia.
This one is the standard 25 year old cold case that hinges upon the go-to, "let's blame this on the new student from the 'wrong side of town'" vibes right from the start along with zero likable characters. Can a rich kid be the one thrown under the bus from the fellow students for once?
The lyrical writing set up a stage for an interesting plot, however it dragged. The catty high schoolers just left me annoyed and uninterested. I had completely lost interested in the disappearance of Lousia and Mr. Lavelle. Also didn't really care about the reporter with the loose connection to Louisa even though she did move the plot along and help the case come to a conclusion in the end.
I would love to pick up another book from her though because her lyrical writing was gorgeous. However, lyrical writing does not equal a gripping plot line.
Another The Secret History wannabe in my opinion....more
Thank you Flatiron Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5
So.
I hated some parts of it so much that I wanted to DNF it and throwThank you Flatiron Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5
So.
I hated some parts of it so much that I wanted to DNF it and throw it in the lake (I read it while I was on the boat).
However, the ending was I hated some parts of it so much that I wanted to DNF it and throw it in the lake - at least to me - and I will not spoil that for anyone unless you aren’t going to pick up this book. The ending seriously saved this from being a 1.5/2 star book for me.
Also, in my opinion, this is not a thriller. Much more of a domestic drama with SMALL suspenseful elements. However, I do agree this has Stepford Wives with the gender shift vibes.
I did love that once again, this had a feminist aspect to it. We need more of that in novels like this.
In the end, I did enjoy The Whisper Network more than this one. I will definitely still pick up the next book Chandler Baker writes, I just hope I don’t feel like throwing that one in the lake....more
Thank you Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Forgive me if this review doesn't seem to give Silence is a SenThank you Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Forgive me if this review doesn't seem to give Silence is a Sense justice, but I'm finding it difficult to find words for how much I love this book. Silence is a Sense is remarkable. Both lyrical and brutal, I found myself being pulled into the story at every turn. I don't know if I can even think of the last time I read a book that gave me such a sense of place and emotion.
Be aware that it does cover hard topics and comes with some content warnings as the narrator, whom we are introduced to as a Syrian refugee writing under the pseudonym, 'The Voiceless', shares both non-fiction and fictional depictions on her life in Syria and her journey to England from war-torn Syria. As she watches her neighbors from her windows while having little to no communication with them as she has chosen to be mute, several events concerning her neighbors and her neighborhood lead her to finally find her voice again.
Please, please consider picking up this book because it deserves to be widely read. The fact that Layla AlAmmar packed so much into under 300 pages is astounding. This book - and Layla AlAmmar - deserve the world and I hope it is nominated for awards. I'll be reading her other works soon because I have a feeling she'll now be one of my favorite authors.
Thank you HMH Books for an ARC copy of this short story collection.
It’s rare that I love every story in a short story collection. I highly recommend pThank you HMH Books for an ARC copy of this short story collection.
It’s rare that I love every story in a short story collection. I highly recommend picking this one up because I can truly say, each story drew me in and I got involved in each separate story.
The stories range from realistic to magical realism - which is a favorite genre of mine - but they are all connected by having main characters that are searching for something different.
My favorite stories from the collection: New Fruit, Shanghai Murmurs, Land of Big Numbers, and Gubeikou Spirit....more
First of all, thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy of Black Buck.
Secondly, I’m sadly DNFing at 118 pages. I’m positive this book will be First of all, thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy of Black Buck.
Secondly, I’m sadly DNFing at 118 pages. I’m positive this book will be loved by many, as is obvious by the high ratings at the Read with Jenna book Club sticker, but it’s not for me. I tried both audiobook and reading the physical copy and I just can’t keep going.
TW/CW: Racism, white supremacy, bullying, workplace hazing...there are probably more but I haven’t gotten to them yet in the book.
I understand this is supposed to be satire on racism and white supremacy in the workplace, actually I think Black Buck excels in that. That satire is well done. Have I outright laughed at all? No, but I’m chuckled at little bit.
However, I’ve seen no one discuss the use of the ‘R’ word as bullying as well as phrases such as ‘take the short bus’. So I’m going to throw that out there, this was one of the things that ruined the book for me. I can’t read books that use terms and phrases such as these that others use to demean people with learning and physical disabilities.
Also, I’m about to start a new job and the last thing I need for my mental health is to intake a ton of workplace bullying and hazing in a book.
Putting my mental health first and putting this one down. I hope it works for you if you’ve picked it up!...more
Thanks Julie and Ballantine for an ARC for a review.
I’m so glad I left this for my last read of 2020. Longer Cheers to finishing my last book of 2020!
Thanks Julie and Ballantine for an ARC for a review.
I’m so glad I left this for my last read of 2020. Longer review to come, but I highly recommend picking this one up if you’re a fan of mysteries and thrillers with a true crime investigation aspect!...more
With or Without You follows Stella, a nurse who falls into a coma after a night in from a winter storm with her long time musician partner, Simon. ThrWith or Without You follows Stella, a nurse who falls into a coma after a night in from a winter storm with her long time musician partner, Simon. Throughout novel, we follow her (and Simon) as she is in her coma and then beyond when she must figure out what she does next when she can no longer be a nurse.
This story, at least I hope, seems to be realistic (as I've never been in a coma, I can't say it is). It's about finding yourself when your life completely changes, for both Stella and for Simon.
With or Without You has it all: friendship, heartbreak, life changing obstacles, friendship, and self discovery.
It left me asking myself, " What would happen to me if I woke up from a coma?". ...more
Thank you Algonquin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For TW, see below.
This was my first Larry Watson book and also the first book Thank you Algonquin Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For TW, see below.
This was my first Larry Watson book and also the first book I've read that took place in Montana.
The Lives of Edie Pritchard gave off an old-time vibe that I love, especially with the first setting in the book, when Edie is with her first husband, Dean. It's not often that a male author can write female character that is strong-willed well, but Larry definitely accomplished that and I appreciate it because she was a very well written character.
I have to say that I did enjoy Part 3 the most, as Edie was older and obviously more developed as a person and it showed that Larry had her character develop throughout the book.
Please note, while the title may seem like a time traveling book, it is NOT time travel. The three timelines in which we follow Edie - 1967-68, 1987, and then 2007, are three distinct times in her life, but were very well interconnected with the inclusion of the Linderman brothers. Dean, the first husband, and Roy, the fraternal twin of Dean. Throughout the whole book, Roy was there to help Edie along the way when she needed help, but he wasn't a complete lovesick, jealous man. Each timeline did not get boring. I enjoyed the family dynamic of Edie with her daughter and her granddaughter in parts two and three as well as the growth in the relationship between Dean and Roy between parts one and two.
TW: Spousal domestic abuse, car accident, underage drinking...more
Hieroglyphics follows Shelley, her son Harvey, and husband and wife duo Frank and Lil. Each chapter is told from one of their perspectives. Shelley and Harvey have perspectives from the present while Frank's perspectives switch from flashbacks to current time, and Lil's perspective is told from letters she has written to her family. Frank and Lil have recently moved from Boston to the town that Frank grew up in North Carolina where Shelley and her son currently live.
I liked that as a reader, I didn't find out why Lil's perspective was only told by writings and I thought that the reveal was well done. I love that Jill researched the two historical events that take one parent from Frank and Lil. I would have liked to see more building on what exactly bonded the two together.
However, overall Hieroglyphics was much more character driven than plot driven and as a reader that prefers a mix of both, I think I would've enjoyed this story a bit more if there had been more plot building around all of the characters. I wanted just a little more background of what happened to Shelley before she moved to North Carolina as well as what exactly did Frank do with his colleague that had Lil uncomfortable? McCorkle also revealed some plot points within the last thirty pages, and while I enjoy that in thrillers, I think it fell short in this piece of fiction. If the reveals had been revealed just a little bit earlier, I think that this book could have been more successful for me as it felt like a disjointed conclusion to me.
As perspectives moved around between flashbacks, current time, and letters, I often found myself confused by what exactly happened.
If you like character driven stories told from multiple perspectives, I highly suggest you pick up Hieroglyphics because I think it will be for you. ...more
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