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 reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at 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 Wood at Midwinter (Susanna Clarke): Super super super tiny story. It was charming. That’s the word that popped in my mind after I finished. I think anyone who has gone through infertility will identify with Merowdis. Anyone who has raised a difficult child will find something in here, too. It’s tiny but will stay with you a long time. I love Clarke’s writing.

We Solve Murders (Richard Osman): Richard Osman, even without the Thursday crew, is still delightful. And a trip around the world? Thank you very much much. I wasn’t thrilled that I figured the ending out pretty early on — that usually never happens for me with an Osman book — but still a super enjoyable read. He writes characters with heart, and I will always buy his books the first day they are out, plot line unknown.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret (Benjamin Stevenson): Like the other books in this series (this is the third one), super enjoyable and well paced. This one felt a little far-fetched but I was willing to forgive some “I don’t know about that” moments for the enjoyment of the story.

You Are Here (David Nicholls): This is one of the best books I’ve ever read, up there with One Day and Us… wait a second, they are all the same amazing writer. David Nicholls doesn’t really give the happy ending you want, but he somehow always gives you the happy ending you need. Thank you for a gorgeous gorgeous book.

You’d Look Better as a Ghost (Joanna Wallace): This was wonderfully bonkers and super creepy. It reminded me a lot of Samantha Downing’s writing. I tore through the last third because I was desperate to know what would happen. Great writing and pacing.

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 reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at 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 October.

Here One Moment (Liane Moriarty): This author can be a little hit or miss for me, but this book was a hit. I had feelings about the ending and actual explanation for the events, but I loved the ideas presented in the story and wanted to pick it up to follow everyone’s story. I highlighted a lot of wonderful passages. Fantastic pacing for a long book.

Pony Confidential (Christina Lynch): When I first heard about this book, I thought it sounded bonkers. I didn’t know how she would pull off the premise. Then, I won a copy in a Goodreads Giveaway, so I got to find out before the publication date. (It’s out now.) Happy to tell you that it’s a super super super fun book. You will love Pony, laugh, and not care when there are inconsistencies. This was a difficult book to get right, but she managed to not just get it right but knock it out of the park.

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 reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at 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 September.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Rachel Joyce): I saved this book to read when I needed a book exactly like this. So it was the right book for me at the right time. It was a book that may make you feel a little better if you’re also sad that life and time only move in one direction. Very beautiful, and I felt like I crossed England as I read it.

Knife Skills for Beginners (Orlando Murrin): This book is coming out in the US in December (though was already out for sale in Canada, where I picked it up) and totally worth getting. A mostly lighthearted cozy mystery, set in a cooking school, with plenty of cooking tips and recipes woven through the murder. I liked the voice, and while it sometimes got a little convoluted and convenient, it was still a very enjoyable read. Definitely putting his next book on my to-read list.

The Trust (M.H. Eccleston): So much fun. Yes, there are some inconsistencies, and every once in a while, I had to question some of the stated facts, BUT I liked every character. And rooted for them to win. And left the book immediately wanting to read the next one. This was a great purchase.

The Examiner (Janice Hallett): Janice Hallett can literally do no wrong. She is a gift to the literary world. Brilliant brilliant fun. Like all Hallett books, you’re quickly sucked into the story. She has a gift for making characters stand apart, so you always know who is speaking (messaging) before you look at the name. And I loved that it ended with a little bit of ambiguity. This one will have people talking for days afterward. It’s great for a book club.

A Death in the Parish (Richard Coles): I adore his writing, and while his mysteries are not traditional mysteries in the sense that the rector in the book doesn’t investigate in so much as have clues fall into his lap, it was the perfect book to get me through a time when I felt sad and quiet and needed the right book to fit the mood.

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 reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at 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 August.

The Bright Sword (Lev Grossman): This is a book you need to own, not borrow, because you will want to take your time with it. It is slow and beautiful, almost a lament to Arthur. I’m a casual Arthur fan, so I imagine a true lover of the Arthurian legends would be over the moon with this book. But I am a Lev Grossman fan, and any story in his hands becomes beautiful.

I Hope This Finds You Well (Natalie Sue): A cute workplace romance (kind of)? It wraps up super neatly, which is why I may be thinking of it as a romance more than straight fiction (plus, crush). Loved the interactions with her mother. It was just a much sweeter book than expected from the opening. I thought it was going to be like Green Dot, but after that Green Dot-y opening, it veered more into romantic comedy territory.

The Wedding People (Alison Espach): Yes, it was sometimes unrealistic (sure, send the 11 year old off with a stranger to run errands despite all of the family there) but the writing and ideas were lovely. It’s about finding reasons to live every day. And it made me want to plan a trip to Rhode Island.

A Talent for Murder (Peter Swanson): If you read The Kind Worth Killing (and enjoyed it), you’ll like this one. It was another great creepy read from Swanson. His books make you squirm a little inside while reading them. And, as always, Lily and Henry are fantastically grey together.

The In Crowd (Charlotte Vassell): Sometimes I was laughing. Sometimes I was just appreciating the writing. I loved Vassell’s first book, and this is a connected story, sharing many of the same characters. There are two related crimes, one has a great twist and the other is a bit of a dud, but the book is so much more about the main characters and their relationships. I love the writing so much.

Death at Morning House (Maureen Johnson): I think I may have emotionally aged out of Maureen Johnson books. I know they’re for teens, but they were enjoyable reads for adults, too. I’m listing this book here because if I was a teen, I would have loved this book. And if you like Maureen Johnson, this has a similar feel to the Truly Devious series.

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 reads that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better at 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 July.

One Perfect Couple (Ruth Ware): I had a hard time getting into this one. Then, it became intriguing. Then it became far-fetched. So. If you like Ruth Ware, you will probably like this book. It’s a good beach read, but it’s also one of the least realistic ones.

The Twist of a Knife (Anthony Horowitz): I have a thing where I won’t read the next book in this series until the next one comes out so I always have an Anthony Horowitz book to look forward to. I love his books that much. Like all of the other books in the series, this story was perfection. I love love love these books and would give them a million stars instead of just five if Goodreads allowed it.

The Bingo Hall Detectives (Jonathan Whitelaw): I was intrigued by this book because it had so many five-star reviews, so I bought it last time we were in the UK. It was a sweet cozy mystery with a bickering son-in-law and mother-in-law. It felt very Marlow Murders but in the Lake District. I’ll definitely read the next in the series, and I bought the third one when it was on sale.

Long Island Compromise (Taffy Brodesser-Akner): This was another book that exceeded the Goodreads star system. This was brilliant. Truly the best satire I’ve read in a long time that hits such a deep truth and familiar space. I loved every second of this book.

What did you read last month?