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 June.

The Last Murder at the End of the World (Stuart Turton): This is a book with A LOT of plot holes (as in, if x is true then y cannot be true, but the author asks us to also believe y is true – you know, science fiction math) but if you can get past those plot holes, there is an interesting story in there. And if nothing else, it was fun to imagine the world.

Lies and Weddings (Kevin Kwan): Kevin Kwan books are like a paper version of good champagne — festive, fun, bubbly. It’s not going to quench your thirst, but you’re going to have a lot of fun consuming it. It is the perfect beach read, except you need to be connected to wi-fi so you can look up all the real places and designers he names.

The Queen of Poisons (Robert Thorogood): I felt like the first Marlow Murders book was Thursday Murder Club-esque like a lite version of Richard Osman. This one felt lighter than that. It was still enjoyable. Still liked the main characters. Maybe it felt a little rushed? In any case, very solid cozy mystery.

Very Bad Company (Emma Rosenblum): Points off for choosing adtech as the topic but not understanding digital ads (I think we all cringe when we see someone get our job so wrong in a book), but extra points for every Churchill quote. That was such a brilliant character quirk. Every character was unique. It was White Lotus-level enjoyment of some truly terrible people. Cannot wait for her next 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 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 May.

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder (C.L. Miller): It was a very sweet cozy mystery, which felt a little like a literary love letter between child and parent because the author is the daughter of Judith Miller, the antiques expert. I spent equal time reading the story and Googling all of the antiques to see them.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers (Samuel Burr): This is a very sweet book with major TJ Klune vibes (a la Cerulean Sea). Great characters, and I liked the interlocking stories, jumping back and forth in time. There are some difficult topics that may get resolved in a tv-like rather than realistic-like way, but I sense the author’s heart is in the right place.

Impossible Creatures (Katherine Rundell): For the first few pages, I thought I had found the next Harry Potter (which is what websites were calling this book when it won Waterstones Book of the Year), but then it firmly veered into sweet-children’s-book-with-a-lovely-message territory. I think if you’re nine years old, you’ll like this book. And I think adults may find it a little simplistic.

Wives Like Us (Plum Sykes): I love all of her books, but this is one of the best. Before there was Crazy Rich Asians, there was Bergdorf Blondes. If you like Kevin Kwan, you will probably like this skewering of the ultra-rich in the English countryside. This book was pure frothy joy from start to finish — wildly entertaining with a great deal of heart.

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 April.

Malice (Keigo Higashino): This was brilliant. Every single plot point is accounted for. Every detail snapped into place. It was so neat, so clever. I want to read every book in this series. The numbering is different in Japan vs. here; it listed this one as #1 and/or #4. But you will be fine following the story if it is #4. I treated it as #1.

Moderate Becoming Good Later (Toby Carr and Katie Carr): I read about this book before we left for the UK this winter, and I was lucky enough to snag the last copy at the bookstore. (And thank you to the employee who ran from section to section saying, “It has to be here, somewhere.”) I love the Shipping Forecast, and I’ve long told Josh that my dream is to take a trip where you visit each of the Shipping Forecast locations. Toby Carr did just that — in a kayak. The book is a meditation; time spent on a verbal sea. I cried at the end despite not knowing Toby personally. Spending time with him in the pages made me feel like I had been on the trip with him. I’ll reread this one whenever I need time on the water.

Expiration Dates (Rebecca Serle): It is exactly what you expect from a Rebecca Serle book: It’s a super sweet book about being okay with the unknown. If you think too deeply, you’ll end up with a lot of questions that poke holes in the plot. My recommendation is not to think too deeply and just enjoy the story.

How To Solve Your Own Murder (Kristen Perrin): First and foremost, I love the cover for the U.S. version. Brilliant. It was a fun cozy quirky mystery, set in a great town with interesting characters. I am so happy there will be a second book.

The Husbands (Holly Gramazio): I laughed so hard reading this book. There were passages I tried to read aloud to Josh, but I couldn’t get through them, so I had to hand the book over. The story is perfect from beginning to end: Interesting situation, funny exploration, wonderful ending.

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 March.

A Death in Diamonds (S.J. Bennett): Just when I thought this series had hit peak awesomeness, Bennett does it again by writing a great mystery with great characters that sounds like it was written 60+ years ago. This one is set early in Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, and it’s an impressive feat to create dialogue that sounds as if it could have happened in 1957. While you should read the first three books in this series in order, you could technically read this one first (or at any time) and not be confused about any of the characters/events.

Green Dot (Madeleine Gray): It is very difficult to create a single character who is very much of their age that appeals to multiple age groups, but the ChickieNob and I both enjoyed Green Dot. Does the main character make terrible decision after terrible decision? Yes. But she owns it and learns from it, and you end up loving her for it.

Listen For the Lie (Amy Tintera): There’s a line in the book about how it’s better to be interesting than likable, and that sums up this book. Every character is terrible. And you can’t really cheer anyone on. But it’s interesting and a quick read. It makes for a good beach read.

First Lie Wins (Ashley Elston): Two books about lying, back to back. And both are quick, easy reads. But this one was the stronger novel with a deeper plot. The surprises keep coming and coming and coming. I was blown away and guessed very little of it. I loved this book and would read future ones by her.

The Golden Compass (Phillip Pullman): The twins didn’t want to read His Dark Materials, so this was my first re-read after first encountering the books 20ish years ago. Being back with Lyra was like re-entering Wonderland or finding your way back into Narnia. There’s a reason these books are classic fantasy literature. Moving on to the next book in the series.

I Promise It Won’t Always Hurt Like This (Clare Mackintosh): I waited for this book to be published for a long time since it was first announced, and it was worth the wait. This is the most brilliant book I will read this year. I knew I loved Mackintosh’s writing, and she has taken her loss — two, actually, the loss of her son at five weeks and the loss of her father — and given readers a map to a new place. I don’t say this facetiously; I think every person should read this book. I think you should read it before you need it so you know the resource is there when you are mourning. Because everyone will mourn at some point. You WILL get lost mourning, but it is easier to accept being lost when you know you have a map in your bag than when you don’t see how you will move forward. This book is such a gift, and I am grateful she wrote it and shared her story.

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 February.

Spaceman of Bohemia (Jaroslav Kalfar): This is a gorgeous book. It is a story that will stay with you when you’re away from the book. It was beautiful, aching, hopeful, sad, clever, surprising. It will definitely be among the best books I read this year.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect (Benjamin Stevenson): I enjoyed this book so much that I dug out all of my old Australian pop music from the 80s. (Paul Kelly for the win! And if you read this book, I imagined the song “Dumb Things” when they chase the train.) It’s the follow up of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Both books are 5 stars for fun. I loved that this was a real train, and it was a great set up.

Anna O (Matthew Blake): I am pretty sure that this book wins for most unethical and unrealistic therapy situation, an award long held by The Silent Patient, which is a very similar book. If you liked The Silent Patient, this is like that. Mind candy but ultimately not realistic. Still, great pacing makes for a good beach book.

What did you read last month?