REVIEW – Eventide by Mae Clair

Aimeeeliz

Eventide starts off super creepy and then somewhat plateaus for a bit – with bursts of horrifying and gruesome action in some spots.

Third in a series, Eventide does reference some earlier events which I assume took place in the other books, but this doesn’t negatively affect the reading experience. You could easily read this book without having read the others.

The book includes dual timelines which are interesting at first, but the older timeline lost my attention a bit in the middle. The pay off is decent though, and there are some great reveals if you don’t figure them out first (but realizing what’s coming doesn’t ruin the overall story!)

Thank you Kensington Books for the digital review copy.

REVIEW – The Less People Know About Us by Axton Betz-Hamilton

Aimeeeliz

“Slowly, our tether unwound, until it felt as if all we had left in common were the crimes committed against us.”

This is an INSANE story and tough to get through. It’s about a family facing identity theft, but it goes so much deeper (and so much more sinister) than that. Nothing in this book is simple or as it seems – there are so many layers to get through and every single one is more shocking than the last.

“All of it was an elaborate illusion, a magic trick we never stopped perfecting. On the outside, our lives looked solid and well put together, but on the inside, everything was falling apart.”

This book also examines the desperation of keeping up appearances – spending money you don’t have, buying things you can’t afford. The theme of “perception” runs throughout the entire book, and it gets so incredibly dark at times. Betz-Hamilton also outlines how insecurity can be passed down through generations. It’s also incredibly sad – the isolation Betz-Hamilton felt as a child, and the effects she carries with her to this day.

“…I learned that the most basic, fundamental truths about us were nothing more than masterful illusions.”

The Less People Know About Us provides a raw and uncomfortable look at betrayal, financial abuse and compulsive lying. Even after the facts are laid out in front of you, it’s still hard to fathom how one person can so deeply and irrevocably harm the people they are supposed to love.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for the free book!

REVIEW – After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Aimeeeliz

“Isn’t it nice, once you’ve outgrown the idea of what life should be and you just enjoy what it is?”

This book is…fine. TJR is great at writing page-turning books (I read this over the course of one day).

There’s a lot of profound advice and thought-provoking points throughout the story. But there are also some predictable and sugary sweet moments (which is probably great for fans of contemporary romance, but it’s not my usual genre so take my opinion with a grain of salt!)

Like her other books I’ve read, TJR is also great at writing stories that would translate well on screen. After I Do would likely be a popular movie if it were ever adapted.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey

Aimeeeliz

What a sweet little cozy! Winnie and her Granny Smythe run Blossom Valley’s historic apple orchard. Winnie has dreams of opening a cider shop on the property, but then a dead body is found in the apple press.

This is a great read for late fall/early winter – featuring a great cast of characters, an interesting mystery and all of the drool worthy apple cider you could dream of!

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

REVIEW – A Bookshop in Berlin by Francoise Frenkel

Aimeeeliz

A Bookshop in Berlin/No Place to Lay One’s Head is the fascinating true account of Francoise Frenkel’s escape to Switzerland during WWII.

I’ll admit it was refreshing to read a nonfiction WWII book after reading so many fictional stories about the war.

Francoise dreams of opening a French bookshop in Berlin. It’s truly a labor of love – she’s a very thoughtful and compassionate bookseller, and quickly forms close friendships with her customers.

Through Francoise’s eyes, we see the slow confiscation of books and newspapers, signaling the rise of Hitler’s reign of terror. The horrors and tension escalate quickly, and we are pulled into her journey of survival and escape.

Beneath the racism and brutality, there is hope and camaraderie. Strangers become friends, taking dangerous measures to keep one another safe.

Thank you Atria for providing me with a digital copy of this book.

REVIEW – White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Aimeeeliz

“I had seen girls clamor for new clothes and complain about what their mothers made for dinner. I was always mortified. Didn’t they know they were tying their mothers to the ground? Weren’t chains ashamed of their prisoners?”

I picked this book up from the library not knowing a thing about it (just knowing that a lot of people list it as one of their favorites). This book is HEAVY. It wasn’t at all what I expected, but it was good. It’s hard to say it was enjoyable because poor Astrid never catches a break or really experiences any love or joy.

“How it was that the earth could open up under you and swallow you whole, close above you as if you never were.”

Oh, Astrid. A practically invisible child thrust into the foster system after her mother poisons an ex-lover. She makes misguided, childish mistakes (understandably) and ends up with a string of foster mothers and other figures who each provide their own wisdom, but are also terribly lost in their own ways.

“I hated labels anyway. People didn’t fit into slots – prostitute, housewife, saint – like sorting the mail.”

There are so many complex women throughout this book. Some are explored more than others, but the examination of different women, their thoughts, their struggles, their weaknesses, is likely what makes this book so memorable for so many readers.

“Loneliness is the human condition, get used to it.”

Ingrid is arguably the most complex character in the book and also the worst. I think we’re supposed to believe that she loves her daughter but everything she does and says is to the contrary. She’s frustrating and heartless and pretentious. There isn’t a “villain” in this story but she’s as close as it gets.

CONSTANT READER REVIEW – Salem`s Lot by Stephen King

Aimeeeliz

“…small towns have long memories and pass their horrors down ceremoniously from generation to generation.”

Ah, the sleepy, charming town of Jerusalem’s Lot. Some say it might be dying (oh boy) because the population hasn’t grown much over the years. The residents seem normal enough, some are friendly. But the air is thick with the fog of secrets and tragedy. We learn a little bit about a lot of characters, quickly realizing that there are some terrible people in ‘salem’s Lot.

“A house was a house – board and hinges and nails and sills. There was no reason, really no reason, to feel that each splintered crack was exhaling it’s own chalky aroma of evil.”

The Marsten House is terrifying. Half Shirley Jackson’s Hill House, half precursor to The Overlook Hotel, every bit of it is sinister. Left vacant after a horrific murder-suicide some years ago, the Marsten House still looms over the town.

“Understand death? Sure. That was when the monsters got you.”

There are some CREEPY sections in this book (sometimes just a line or two is enough to give you the chills). King has perfected the literary jump scare – he settles you in to the story, and then delivers a horrifying slap to the face when you least expect it.

“…it all seems more real after dark, doesn’t it?”

If you strip the book down to it’s basic story, it’s a really effective, bleak retelling of Dracula. It takes the best parts of the classic and throws in the quintessential dread and grittiness that comes so naturally to King. I would recommend reading both – pick up Dracula first, and don’t wait too long to read Salem’s Lot.

The ending surprised me – I was not expecting it to go the way it did, and oh man is it HAUNTING.

“The town kept its secrets, and the Marsten House brooded over it like a ruined king.”

REVIEW – Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin

Aimeeeliz

This book has so many layers – it starts off as an almost external examination of the relationship between sisters. There are surface observations of different families enjoying their vacations in paradise.

Then Alison disappears. And her body is discovered a few days later. The narrative shifts into a heartbreaking exploration of a family’s terror and grief. Most importantly, grief from the perspective of a little girl.

We move quickly into the (near) present. Little sister Claire is how an adult, but her sister’s mysterious death shapes her entire life. As she uncovers more details about her older sister, she also learns more about herself.

This does slow down a bit towards the middle and, at times, Claire is a very unlikable character, but the story is unique and compelling and complex. This will likely be a very popular pick for book clubs in 2020!

Thank you Celadon for providing me with a copy of this book.

REVIEW – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Aimeeeliz

“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

Oh man. Victor is the WORST. He’s melodramatic. He’s a total jerk. He doesn’t take any responsibility whatsoever for what he’s done.

“…but am I not alone, miserably alone?”

And the monster? It’s hard not to feel bad for him (despite the…murders…) He just wants love, acceptance and companionship.

“Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?”

This is a classic for a reason. It’s not spooky, or terrifying, but it is pretty heartbreaking. Victor’s inability to care for his creation, and his choice to not warn his friends and family that they might be in danger, makes him 110% liable for every terrible thing that happens in this book.

REVIEW – Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

Aimeeeliz

“We can swallow our fear or let our fear swallow us.”

This book is WILD – which is both good and bad. It started off strong, atmospheric and creepy. It had me wondering where the heck the story was going to go. Clearly it kept me interested enough to read all 700 pages.

But it’s so damn repetitive. And it feels like it’s going to end and take another direction numerous times, but it just kind of keeps going. There’s no explanation for some of the major plot points.

As someone who loves thrillers/horror, but isn’t the biggest fan of fantasy, I found the synopsis of this book misleading. It definitely leans more into the fantasy genre than horror. The imagery is “scary” but it’s over the top and in your face, not the subtle bump in the night that sticks with you long after you’ve closed the book.

You can tell that Chbosky draws inspiration from Stephen King, but then dismantles the themes that makes some of King’s best work so memorable and so effective.