Category — Book Reviews

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from May.

Every Last Fear (Alex Finlay): I chose this book because the author is from D.C. The book is not set in D.C., so it made zero difference. (Note to self: setting is probably more important than author’s location.) I guessed the ending pretty early on, but I still enjoyed getting to that end. It was a quick read.

The Bookshop on the Corner (Jenny Colgan): This book made me happy every minute while I was reading it. Isn’t that so rare? Where you feel good just from reading someone else’s words? But I did—I felt happy reading this book.

Defekt (Nino Cipri): This is the second book in the LitenVerse (Finna was the first), and the author performed a rare feat: a second book even better than the first. It was a weird, wonderful follow-up to Finna, making me love the first book even more. If you like the idea of a Scandinavian Narnia in a fake IKEA, this book is for you.

Eliza Starts a Rumour (Jane Rosen): I loved this book right up until the ending, which feels awful to say because the ending was the point of the book. But the ending felt… not part of the first 80% of this book. And I’m not sure I would recommend it to others because I think some would find it very upsetting. So why am I putting it here? Because I liked the author’s writing a lot, and I would give her future books a read. But go into this one with a massive heads up.

The Woman in the Window (A. J. Finn): I was promised more twists. This book did not deliver because you can see the twists coming from super far away. But it was such a quick, engaging read. I tore through it in a night or two. It lacks thriller depth and creativity, but it has thriller pacing perfection.

Bruno, Chief of Police (Martin Walker): This is my favourite new series. (Well, new to me. The books have been around for a while.) I feel like I’m in a small town in France while reading it. As the chief of police in a small town with very little crime, the main character is more often taking care of his chickens, playing tennis, or chatting with the local townspeople. It mentally transports me, which is high praise during the pandemic while we can’t travel.

What did you read last month?

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from April.

The Magicians (Lev Grossman): ChickieNob and I listened to the audio while we did our daily indoor walk. This is one of my favourite books, so it made it easier to carve time into every afternoon to exercise because I knew I was going to be spending time listening to the adventures of my book friends.

A Game of Cones (Abby Collette): This is the second book I’ve read in her Ice Cream Parlour Mystery series. I adore this series. I like every character. I like that she throws in a Hebrew or Yiddish word here and there. Is the plot believable? Of course not—it’s a cozy mystery. But reading it was a true pleasure. I liked every minute I was with this book.

Her Dark Lies (J.T. Ellison): I didn’t rate this book on GoodReads because I didn’t know how I felt about it. It had zero plot twists. Everything you think will happen, happens. I didn’t understand what she was doing with this. It was like the romance equivalent of a mystery in the sense that you knew everything that would happen, and there were no surprises. But, at the same time, I devoured the book. It was like… a paper soap opera.

Murder in G Major (Alexia Gordon): Another cozy mystery—this one set in Ireland with paranormal elements. If you like cozy mysteries, this is a perfect cozy mystery. Loved the characters, the town, and the plot. I plan to read the whole series because the first book ends of a cliffhanger.

The Two Towers (J.R.R. Tolkien): I’m still rereading Lord of the Rings every morning in 15 minute increments. And I love it. Of course.

Good Girl, Bad Blood (Holly Jackson): This is a sequel that may be even better than the original book. A warning: it has a really dark twist at the end. But the only thing I would change about this book is the title. It’s a terrible title, right? For a really amazing book. I cannot wait for the third book in this series.

The Good Sister (Sally Hepworth): This is another book that I didn’t rate on GoodReads because I didn’t know how I felt about it. Once again, infertility plays a role in the plot in Hepworth’s book. It’s super read-able in the sense that you’ll race through it. But a bunch of pieces of the book made me feel squicky. I’d be curious how other people felt about the book.

What did you read last month?

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from March.

The Echo Wife (Sarah Gailey): I was speechless when I finished this book. It is incredible, and it becomes even more incredible when you read the acknowledgments. It is the story of a scientist who has perfected human cloning, only to have her ex-husband create a clone of her. It is a story about our uniqueness, but it’s also (heads up) about abuse and the way it shapes us. Beyond five stars.

Klara and the Sun (Kazuo Ishiguro): Another heart-stopping, gorgeous book. I waited a year for this book, and it did not disappoint. In the near future, teenagers are gifted artificial friends, like Klara. There is a… situation… for lack of a better word, similar to how there was a situation in Never Let Me Go. You understand it by the final chapter, though it takes almost until the end of the book for the whole situation to become clear. Best to go in with no spoilers, but understand that you may feel confused. And that’s okay.

Clanlands (Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish): The ChickieNob and I bought the audiobook version and made our own Men in Kilts on the cheap while we went on indoor walks in Scotland. We tried to stick to the Highlands to match the stories from the book with the actual landscape, though we sometimes cheated and ended up virtually walking around Edinburgh or Glasgow. The audiobook is fantastic, read by the authors. While we’ll probably buy the television series when it comes out, this was an excellent alternative choice, and we learned so much about Scottish history.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Julia Quinn): After three prior four-star Bridgerton books, I finally hit a five-star one. I really loved this brother’s story, maybe because I like Penelope so much. I liked the slow dawning of feelings, the support of each other’s writing life, and friendships that exist intertwined with the romance. This has been my favourite one in the series so far.

The Safe Place (Anna Downes): I chose this book due to the pool on the cover, but I was glad to spend time with this creepy thriller set in southern France. Was it completely unlikely? Yes. Did I want to shout at the main character a few times, “What are you doing?” Yes. But it was a great beach read, albeit consumed in my house sans beach.

Good Neighbours (Sarah Langan): Third heart-stopping book in one month. This story was incredible. I could not put it down; especially the commentary it made on life in the suburbs and how we can convince ourselves (and each other) of things. It was a little bit Stand By Me and a little bit Stepford Wives. I burst into tears at this quote: “Your first real best friend is almost like a romance. I still miss her. Every day.”

What did you read last month?

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from February.

The Push (Ashley Audrain): This was a hard read in the sense that it was an engaging read, and it held my attention on every page, but I didn’t understand why she wrote it; what she was trying to communicate. Its central question is what if your child is a monster? What if you give birth or are raising someone who is a dangerous human being? It didn’t really answer said question, but I’m curious where this author goes next, storytelling-wise, because I liked the writing a lot.

Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien): Not a first-time read by any stretch of the imagination, but it felt like a good time to spend a few minutes daily on Middle Earth. I’m re-reading all three parts this year, and it is such a nice journey with old friends.

If I Disappear (Eliza Jane Brazier): A thriller about a podcast listener trying to solve the disappearance of her favourite true crime podcast creator. It was a little far-fetched and veered into Stephen-King-just-throwing-this-creepy-thing-in-there-for-no-reason-except-to-creep-you-out territory. But overall an enjoyable read.

The Viscount Who Loved Me and An Offer From a Gentleman (Julia Quinn): Two more Bridgerton books. There’s a lot of mewling, and I gave Benedict one raised eyebrow. But the books are enjoyable, and I’m mid-way through the fourth one.

This Is Not the Jess Show (Anna Carey): The title is clunky but the book is a lot of fun. It’s literally The Truman Show, except in book form, and updated for the current era with influencers, iPhones, and social media. Similar but updated ethical questions, too, and a very interesting ending. I enjoyed this one a lot.

What did you read last month?

As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.

So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.

These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from January. I clearly had another great reading month—I liked a lot of books.

The Eighth Detective (Alex Pavesi): It’s a set of “classic murder mystery” stories framed within a larger story about an editor preparing these stories with the author for re-publication. They each follow one of the author’s rules about murder mysteries. The stories range from decent to great, and while I saw the twist coming from a mile away, I still enjoyed watching the book unfold.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Toshikazu Kawaguchi): This is such a sweet set of intertwined stories, all featuring a coffeehouse where you can go back in time. You can’t change the past, and you can only stay for a short time (until the coffee gets cold), but somehow every person who goes backward manages to find peace with the present. Loved it.

Admission (Julie Buxbaum): This is a fictionalized account of the college admissions scandal, and it highlighted what drives so much of the anger (that situation and also now in terms of the pandemic). There is an unwritten social contract that we follow, and when someone breaks that contract—that trust that we’re all going to operate from an “attempt to do no harm” space—it enrages us. I should probably unpack this in its own post.

I Let You Go (Claire Mackintosh): Such a great story. It felt a lot like Broadchurch (the television show) but in book form. And a very different murder. And not really following all the people in a town. So not Broadchurch at all, but still very Broadchurch-y. Maybe this is more accurate: if you miss the show Broadchurch, you will probably like this book.

People Like Her (Ellery Lloyd): Instagram influencer meets obsessive fan in a couldn’t-put-it-down book. It’s a commentary on social media—the real from the curated—but it’s also, at its heart, the story of a relationship. And the smoke and mirrors of the celebrity world.

The Duke and I (Julia Quinn): Yes, I watched Bridgerton. Yes, I immediately got the series and started reading it. (Expect more blurbs in the upcoming months because I think I’ll get through at least the first five books.) I already know that the books get better as the series progresses, but this first book was so enjoyable.

Finna (Nino Cipri): This is definitely my favourite thing I read this month. It may become my favourite book of the year. And it’s only January! That’s how good it is. It’s about two employees in an IKEA-knockoff store, who enter a Scandinavian Narnia through one of the fake “homes” in the store showroom to save a customer who was sucked into a wormhole. There were points where I laughed so hard that I couldn’t breathe. And others where I felt wistful. It is such a lovely book, and there’s a follow-up to it coming out soon.

The Wife Upstairs (Rachel Hawkins): This had such an unbelievable build-up before it came out, and I was scared that it wouldn’t deliver. But it was amazing. It’s Jane Eyre meets Rebecca in the modern South. It’s creepy and wonderful and you could probably read the whole thing in one sitting. It’s that good.

What did you read last month?