February 2023 Books

I'll preface this by saying I was not fond of several upcoming novels of authors I typically like, which always feels like something wrong with me and not them when it happens in a string, but actually might be the books this time? I don't know. 

February reads: 

Engrossing Reads

Exiles by Jane Harper (Aaron Falk #3) - Big love for this book, I devoured it. I was so happy to be back with Aaron Falk again. Good story, I liked the characters a lot. OCNJ library hard cover

The Weight by Jeff Boyd - About a 4.5- I can’t believe this is a debut novel. Loved the writing, storylines, the pace, characters, and everything. There’s a part describing what it feels like to be in the zone (for lack of a better term) with band mates on stage in front of a crowd and it was so well done people who have no musical experience whatsoever (me) can feel it humming through them. Gold.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest debut, book comes out April 11

Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas - Close to a 4.5, so many threads to grasp at throughout. I couldn’t put it down. Excellent pacing Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book comes out May 1

The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas - Love the podcast angle that reminds me of several recent books but which I am not sick of yet. I was glued to this one. OCNJ library hard cover

What Have We Done by Alex Finlay - This felt a little piecey and strung together but I really liked Jenna's arc (I'd read another book about her alone) and the concept overall. It was a quick read that held my attention. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes March 7

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben - I live for new releases by Harlan Coben, and then I rip through them so fast it feels like it took five minutes. This was no different. I could not wait to see what was next.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book comes out March 14

Passed the Time Just Fine

Woman Without Shame: Poems by Sandra Cisneros - A good collection, I read a few a day and several spoke to me. That's all I can ask for of poems, right? OCNJ library hard cover

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby - Made me think and bust out laughing, what more can you ask for from a collection of essays? Each piece was strong, some hit a little better for me than others which is to be expected. Look at me with poems and a collection of essays thrown into my typical fiction shit.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, publishes May 16

The Twenty by Sam Holland - I need to preface with the fact that I read many books in this genre and this is definitely more graphic regarding abuse and violence, specifically against women and children.

The end was a surprise to me, the deaths were frequent, and there was a lot of personal soap opera throughout that probably extended the book by 50 pages it didn’t need. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book comes out May 11

Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown - Sooo I got this book from Netgalley in 2020 and just now read it. If this book was Nellie alone, I would have loved it. Alice and Nate are completely unlikeable and the present storyline is a whole mess. All of the past chapters are great Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Fake by Zoe Whittall - Yikes! This was good but drove me crazy with the scamming. I felt bad for one of the main characters but really bad for the other. A quick read, thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review, comes out March 21

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis - Alt title: Self indulgent overwriting killed the radio star. There was a good story here and he killed it with his own hubris as he is wont to do. I loathed the over detail and name dropping of roads, places, brands, but loved the consistent soundtrack he created that someone nicely made into a spotify playlist of every song mentioned in the book. That was the prize for slogging through this too long by 400 pages novel. OCNJ library hard cover

With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson - It pains me to put a JJ book in the not for me category, but this was not for me. There were too many storylines, zero likable characters, it lacked cohesion, and it read like it was written down - her smart and dark edginess was missing here. This one was not for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes April 25

The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine - I was really looking forward to this one and it comes in about a 2.5. This is not a thriller, which I think it’s billed as. It’s domestic drama and a repetitive one at that. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes May 23

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth - Great concept for a story, something unraveled along the way though. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, publishes April 4

For You and Only You (You #4) by Caroline Kepnes - Unfortunately I think Joe and The Formula of Joe have run their course in my life. This seemed to drag and drag. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book comes out April 4

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis - DNF, free advanced copy from Netgalley, publishes May 23

What have you been reading?

October 2022 reads

I have not read anything the past two weeks aside from descriptions of Italian accommodations save 50% of a BA Paris book last night I'm going to end up hating, but here we go with 

What I read in October:

Engrossing Reads

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese - A clever companion to The Scarlett Letter - loved the characters of Isobel and Mercy. A good October read Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn - I really loved this book. Very clever premise and while the characters were surface, I enjoyed them. OCNJ hard cover

Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion by Gabrielle Stanley Blair - This should be required reading for ALL people. It is convenient to focus on controlling women. There are no pregnancies without sperm. Regulation for all bodies or no bodies. I'm in favor of no bodies. Pre-ordered paperback, own

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult - This read a little like old Jodi Picoult, by which I mean My Sister's Keeper and The Pact not the horrific Tenth Circle. IYKYN. I love when she delivers on uncertainty, which she did here. It makes it personal. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

What She Found (Tracy Crosswhite #9) by Robert Dugoni - Consistently good, no exception here. Paperback, own

Pretty Little Girls (Agent Victoria Heslin Thriller #2) by Jenifer Ruff - A solid second entry. My library doesn't carry these so I have to buy them, and I just bought the rest in my favorite format - used paperback - so will obviously continue Paperback, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey - I love the late 1970s setting, I am nostalgic for times past right now...a fine read and some things I did not see coming. Amazon First free book

People Person by Candice Carty-Williams - Dimple was occasionally annoying, and at certain points I felt like the book was going to be different things, but in the end it was fine in its telling of interesting familial issues and commentary on who is family and who can choose family. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

Demonhead Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver - One I actually might go back to - it is rare that I do that - but I started this and my brain was swimming. Too many other things going on to focus on this. OCNJ library

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste NG - Might go back to this? I ran out of time at the library because I've not sat down to read this, only gone through the first 20 pages which feels similar to what we are living through right now so I'm not necessarily in the headspace for a fictionalized version of fascist shit. It is not like her other books at all, but something is telling me to read it. We'll see. OCNJ library hard cover

What have you been reading?

I do want to leave this here, I met Lisa Regan, the Josie Quinn author, at the Doylestown Bookshop earlier in October which was awesome. You know I love the Josie books for their characters and consistent goodness. This was cool!

Happy birthday to my Dad tomorrow! 

September 2022 reads

End of summer and we're entering the slow time of year for me reading-wise. I've already read over 110 books, my brain is full, and so is my calendar. I'm good with it. 

Here's what I read in September:

Engrossing Reads

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - Five star. My heart. Love love love. I devoured it in a few hours and sort of wish I had spaced it out because it was a great reading experience. OCNJ library hard copy

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen - Also five star. A SAA book always hits the spot, and this was no exception. Show me something real that you can’t see, write of connections poetically. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - Super cute. Perfect for an October read. OCNJ library hard copy

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert - Also perfect for an October read, but not cute in the slightest. Creepy AF at times. Back on that bad bitch witch shit. OCNJ library hard copy

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young - Okay last time I'll say this but this is also a perfect October read. I was looking forward to this for months and it did not disappoint. Dare I say a sublime contrast of the light and dark of a place in the pages of this novel. It kept me invested because the atmosphere of the island delighted me. The story itself not as much, basic small town mystery shit. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Last Move (Criminal Profiler #1) by Mary Burton - The pace was great in this and I loved the characters. I don't often like romance injected in my crime novels but this worked here. Kindle, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

Her Last Word (Criminal Profiler #2) by Mary Burton - I thought this was a continuation of #1 but sadly it was not. I did not like it as much. Kindle, own

The Shore by Katie Runde - Takes place up the coast from my shore, but the shore all the same. I had to skim some parts because it was so repetitive in spaces but overall it passed the time just fine. OCNJ library hard copy

I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers - Writing on point as always from Courtney Summers. This was not my favorite of hers, but I tore through it all the same. In a book like this, I think we want resolution and action and the point of the world women live in is that there really usually isn't any. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Rise by Shari Lowe and Ross King - This is on Goodreads as Taking Hollywood, so that's where the link will take you. I'm assuming Shari wrote Taking Hollywood and Ross came in and edited or re-wrote parts? And they are issuing as a new title? I don't know. Anyway this was Jackie Collins (who has gloriously seedy books I love to read) with a dark background that was not quite as I thought it was. A ridiculous ride but definitely readable. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

Ithaca (Penelope, #1) by Claire North - DNF OCNJ library hard copy

The Best Friend by Jessica Fellowes - NFM A bit confusing, and unfortunately not rewarding when you wade through the beginning. I hate seeing female friendships portrayed this way even though I know some are Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney - Could not, would not, did not finish DNF OCNJ library hard copy

What have you been reading?

August 2022 reads

Another month gone. They fly.

Here's what I read in August:

Engrossing Reads

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin - This kept me up at night, in a good way! I devoured this. Good story and pacing Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Local Girl Missing (Josie Quinn #15) by Lisa Regan - Continual series excellence, I devoured this in a few hours. Pre-ordered kindle copy, own

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead - This is very heavy and psychologically dark. There is a trigger warning that precedes it for a lot of shit and if any of it applies to you, you should heed and not read. I could not put it down. OCNJ hard cover

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers - When I turned this back in at the library, I said to the librarian, "people are going to be big mad about the ending," and she replied, "no spoilers." What do you think, I'm new? My statement stands. I liked the book though. People are going hard for it in reviews, and I think that's because it was written by what I understand is a fairly well known podcaster? I didn't know anything about her or the podcast when I got it, people on Instagram shared that with me. I saw it in an article back in April and put a hold on it. If this was a standard debut by an unknown author, they would not nearly be as critical or cutting, nor would they be donning their Literary Prof hats for a mystery/thriller. Just a small reminder that books can be what they are which is standardly not Pulitzer-worthy and you can enjoy them in their imperfect state and make no excuses or justifications for the books you enjoy. Ciao. OCNJ hard cover

Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre - It appears I've  had this on my Kindle for a few years and I wonder if it was an Amazon First Reads book? I have no idea. This caused me to raise my eyebrows a lot but it was a quick read that kept my attention quite nicely. Kindle e-book, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Family Remains (The Family Upstairs #2) by Lisa Jewell - Maybe I should have re-read The Family Upstairs before reading this, because this was a mess for me to wade through without good recall of that book. So if you do not have good recall of The Family Upstairs, maybe re-read that. If you have not read that, good to read them in quick succession. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Last Karankawas by Kimberly Garza - I requested this based on the title alone. For some reason it made me think of people at summer camp and this was absolutely, positively not that and about 508 pounds heavier in spirit. I loved the writing. The book felt a little stilted, and so I put it down. Then I picked it back up and started reading it almost like short stories which I had seen someone on IG say they did (was it you? let me know!) and I zipped through the rest. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard - Not bad for a debut novel and definitely held some surprises for me. Passed the time just fine, which is what a book read on the beach in the summer should do. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Numbers Killer (An Agent Victoria Heslin Thriller #1) by Jenifer Ruff - Sometimes I get a book from Netgalley that is a series book which prompts me to go back and read from the beginning because only psychopaths knowingly start a series many books in. I rarely love the first in a series because I think the author is still feeling it out and the characters are stretching out. If I like it enough to read more, I do. That is the case here. Paperback, own

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda - NFM. Absolutely nothing happens the first half of this book. It's not bad, it's just....nothing. The action is all at the end. If I was star rating, about a 2.5. Standardly I am a Megan Miranda fan.  OCNJ hard cover

Haven by Emma Donoghue - DNF, Absolutely excruciating Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

The Couple at Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey - NFM This felt like phoning it in and was super casual around rape not once but twice. I said several times in my head did someone really pass this through editing? Cheap "thriller" that was not Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay - DNF, due to writing style OCNJ library hard cover

What have you been reading?

July 2022 Reads

Well, July and the last two weeks of June. Going forward I'll  keep to the months and post at the end of the month or the very beginning of the next month. I should just say whenever I get to it, because it's still for me and do people read blogs anymore anyway? I don't think so. I've tried to post what I read for the week in Instagram stories, but I am 50/50 consistent on that. 

Here's what I've been reading since mid-June:

Engrossing Reads

Upgrade by Blake Crouch - I devour Blake Crouch novels, and this one was no different. It might be my favorite since the Wayward Pines trilogy. Timely and so interesting even as a non SciFi type of reader. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown - This was a lot to think about. Some great commentary on what is expected of women as mothers, and how deep they bury those expectations even among “family.”

And what is family?

There were some things that I hated in regards to rigidity of characters and an almost carefree attitude of two men, but the more I think about it the more I think that might have been the point. Some people will absolutely hate this for the writing itself, it has a slightly syrupy combined with patronizing and omniscient type of flavor? Difficult to describe, but if you get a few chapters in and that's you hating it, stop. 

TW for infertility, adoption. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center - I loved everything about this, and disliked the main character for a much shorter time period than any other Katherine Center novel. A really good book to get you out of a reading rut. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier - I love starting a story and thinking it’s going to be about something and it’s really about something else. I enjoyed peeling back the layers on this one. Hillier has become a new favorite. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Do not know anything or care anything about tennis and I loved this. Carrie Soto forever. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review, publishes August 30

Passed the Time Just Fine

The It Girl by Ruth Ware - A few years back I decided Ruth Ware was not for me after thinking The Woman in Cabin 10 was absolutely ridiculous, and I have been happy with that path. I was sent this unprompted and decided to read it and it wasn't bad, I zipped through it and only raised my eyebrow a few times. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Corinne by Rebecca Morrow - This was slow the first 15%, and I would have liked more at the end that dealt with now life in exchange for some of the kissing or sex scenes - not in a prudish way but there were a lot of both, and I would have taken less of either and more dealing with life outside of their home? As a non-religious person all of that was difficult for me concept-wise. Overall passed the time fine. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - A new book by the author of AJ Fikry? I tried to temper my expectations going in and I'm glad I did. I have absolutely zero interest in gaming and anything associated with it and Zevin managed to hook me into the story anyway. The relationships and characters were excellent, deep, memorable - the main characters and also the side characters. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Hidden One (Kate Burkholder #14) by Linda Castillo - Another solid Kate read. As always, I prefer Kate in Painter’s Mill but also enjoy her outside of it, on her own usually gives us more depth to her and her past and that was the case here. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Tanqueray by Stephanie Johnson, Brandon Stanton - Like an update and fleshing out of the instagram stories. I'm glad this is in print and that Stephanie has some comfort in her later years by sharing her life stories that most of us consumed like wild on the internet. Normalize paying people for their content if we're going to continue to consume it this way Hard cover, own, pre-ordered through Bookshop

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams - I got this in the spring of 2020 and never read it. It was fine? I am nearly always fine with Beatriz Williams, I enjoy her writing a lot and typically like her characters. Both were true here. Although I am weary and wary of anything touching WWII even remotely, so that storyline was only meh for me. Also typical of Williams, it was slow out of the gate and racing to the finish with gabs of shit in between, aka a lot of pages many of which I would have taken a red pen to as an editor to cut, and some things never explained or not lining up. Hard cover, own

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin - I don't really read cute books, but this was cute and a smidge witchy and YA and not super deep, which was good for me at the time I read it and served as a palate cleanser for me which is always appreciated. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review, publishes today

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

One of the Girls by Lucy Clark - Pacing felt a little off, and the actual action rushed at you in the last 10%. I ended it sort of annoyed at myself that I had stuck through. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland - I could not connect with this book or bring myself to care. Beth was really hard to take as the driving character and the unreliable narrator/untrusted woman is overdone recently in books so it is a victim of that as well. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Lodger by Valerie Keogh - Can we stop with the unreliable narrator, particularly the female unreliable narrator? I'm done. Absolutely nothing believable or connectable in this entire book.  Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Can't Look Away by Carola Lovering - Nah. NFM. From Netgalley

First Born by Will Dean - DNF, from Netgalley

Groupies by Sarah Priscus - DNF, from Netgalley

The Counselors by Jessica Goodman - DNF, from OCNJ library

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (Aristotle & Dante #2) by Benjamin Alire Saenz - I regret to inform you that this was a DNF for me, which is hard since I loved the first one so much. As I was moving it to the DNF shelf on Goodreads, my eye caught on a review (I standardly do not read the reviews of others before I read something) that said something like this book was the Walmart version of the first and that made me laugh like a hyena but also agree hard copy, own

Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar - DNF at 30%, free copy from Netgalley 

What have you been reading?