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 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?

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 December. I clearly had a great reading month—I liked a lot of books.

The Devil and the Dark Water (Stuart Turton): This one just squeaks onto the list. I’m not a fan of historical fiction, though this can barely be called that because he takes a lot of liberties with the time period to make the story work. Plus, you’ll figure out the mystery early on. But I enjoyed the journey even if it wasn’t the way I usually travel, book-wise.

Ready Player Two (Ernest Cline): If you read the first book, this one is very very very similar. Which means that if you liked the first book—which I did—you’ll probably have fun reading this one. If you didn’t like the first book, I would probably avoid it because… well… return to the first part about this being very similar.

Piranesi (Susanna Clarke): This was one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a long time, and I’m glad I went into it knowing almost nothing. It is an experience, and figuring out what is happening is part of the story. It is a gorgeous book, and it will stick with you a long time after reading it. I’m still thinking about it daily. It’s one of those books that I could see myself reading over and over again.

That Time of Year (Marie Ndiaye): I loved this book. It’s about a French family who stays one extra day on their summer holiday and discovers the town changes once September begins. It’s like a French Stepford Wives in feel. It’s non-scary horror. I ended up putting everything else the author wrote on my TBR list due to the strength of this story.

Royal Holiday (Jasmine Guillory): I bought this one for the ChickieNob and ended up grabbing it myself. I pretty much devoured it in one sitting. I’m not a big romance person, but I’m planning to read the rest of the books by this author. It was such a great book for winter break; I felt happier and lighter while reading it.

The Thursday Murder Club (Richard Osman): I loved this book so much that I was only a few pages in before I started Googling whether the author was planning a sequel. (He is! There will be a second book.) It’s about four people in a retirement community, solving crimes. Every character is fantastic—I wanted to get coffee with all of them. The dialogue is lovely. And even though it was a lighthearted mystery, there were some very emotionally-moving scenes.

The Inheritance Games (Jennifer Lynn Barnes): I ended my reading year on a high note. I figured out the mystery when I was 24% of the way through the book, and I didn’t care. It was so much fun. It’s like The Westing Game meets Knives Out meets quirky YA fiction. This book also has a sequel coming out soon-ish, and I happily added it to my 2021 TBR.

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 November.

The Silver Arrow (Lev Grossman): I loved this book so much that I immediately bought a copy for the Wolvog and ChickieNob and another for my niece. It was NOT what I expected, and I’m really sorry that I didn’t get to it sooner. In my defense, while I love riding in trains, I did not want to read a book about trains. But… this book isn’t about trains. And it’s ten kinds of awesome. And all of us had the same reaction to the same moment in the book. If you have a child in your life OR an adult with a mushy heart, get them this book.

Last Tang Standing (Lauren Ho): This book was so much fun. It’s very much like Crazy Rich Asians with people who are more on the normal end of rich (vs. the obscene end) and very funny. It feels a lot like an updated Bridget Jones’s Diary. I had fun reading it. We need more books that simply make us happy.

Crooked House (Agatha Christie): This was not my favourite Christie mystery, but it’s a totally solid book. I wasn’t impressed with it, but I realized I was being unfair just because it didn’t blow me away like ABC Murders or Murder on the Orient Express. I wanted to read it before I watched the television adaptation. It’s funny how I hold her books to a different standard because I read so many surprising ones in a row. So it’s a three star for Christie but a four star for every other mystery writer.

Anxious People (Fredrik Backman): This just squeaked onto the list. I liked this book, but I didn’t love this book. It was zany. And quirky. And a little too much, even for the mushy-hearted. It was like being trapped at Wes Anderson’s party, talking to Aaron Sorkin (it is very very very repetitive AND the people spend a lot of time holding conversations that keep looping back to points made… and those conversations don’t move the story forward) and Zooey Deschanel. It was the kind of book where you expected someone to pull out a little ukulele. Just because. But here’s the thing about Wes Anderson, Aaron Sorkin, and Zooey Deschanel. They all sometimes drop interesting moments into your brain. So I put this book on the list because there were a bunch of moments I underlined, even while sighing at others.

What did you read last month?