REVIEW – Columbine by Dave Cullen

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I have to give props to Dave Cullen for this compelling, emotional, in-depth account of the Columbine shootings and the events surrounding that day.

I consume a lot of true crime – mostly in the form of podcasts and books. This is the first time I’ve read a book about an event that I remember, instead of events that occurred before I was born (the Manson family Murders, Bundy, etc.) This book is probably one of the most disturbing, frustrating and heart wrenching things I have ever read.

Columbine was a defining moment for my generation. I was finishing up elementary school, just about to enter 7th grade, when the shootings took place. They undoubtedly had an effect on my junior high and high school experience. I remember rumors about the “goth” or “skater” (oh man, so 2000!) kids being violent, hating the “preps” and having so-called hit lists. I remember a bomb threat in 7th grade that forced the school to evacuate us to the gym of a nearby church – we spent the afternoon waiting for answers and eventually learned it was a hoax.

Of course, 9/11 had a much bigger impact on the nation a few years later, but Columbine always stuck with me because it seemed much more real to me. I had never been to NYC, but I had been in a school. I had known those stereotypical “goth” kids who were (wrongly) vilified in the media.

I think I would have struggled a bit less with this book if I had read it 10 years ago. Now I’m married to a high school teacher. I’ve experienced active shooter training. Some of the chapters of this book hit too close to home – frequently I had to pause, put the book down for a moment, and tell my husband I loved him. This will stick with me for awhile.

I can’t imagine the emotional toll that researching and writing this book might have had on Cullen, but I do think it needed to be written and I think he did an incredible job.

REVIEW – Circe by Madeline Miller

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Circe is a beautifully written, emotional story.

It covers abuse, family drama, jealousy, heartache, personal growth, friendship and love.

I could picture everything so vividly, every character and setting. I often found myself wishing I could live on Aiaia with Circe.

The end was absolutely perfect, and I felt like I had lost a friend once I finished the book.

REVIEW – Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

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“I suppose sooner or later in the life of everyone comes a moment of trial. We all of us have our particular devil who rides us and torments us, and we must give battle in the end.”

I enjoyed this book so much more than I initially thought. I had heard good things, but I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t realize how much the plot would pick up towards the end.

Rebecca begins as a very atmospheric, gothic novel. It’s slow, but not boring. Manderley seems like a beautiful home, but there’s a hint of something sinister and unsettling.

I don’t want to give too much away – I didn’t know much about the story before reading it and I think it’s best to go in knowing as little as possible.

[spoilers ahead!]

I had two theories about Rebecca’s demise. At first I thought it was pretty obvious that Maxim had killed her. Once we learn her true nature, I thought that maybe she had faked her death and was still lurking around the house (with the help of Mrs. Danvers).

I do think the plot started to fall apart at the end when we learn that Rebecca had cancer, and that was viewed as a motive for her “suicide.”

Every character in this book is flawed. Rebecca is just a terrible person. Maxim is a condescending jerk with a bad temper (…and that whole murder thing, too). Mrs. Danvers is just wretched. And while I do feel bad for our narrator, her blind devotion to Maxim is terrifying. Upon learning that he killed Rebecca, instead of being horrified she’s RELIEVED that her husband never really loved Rebecca and she no longer feels that she has to compete with a dead woman.

REVIEW – The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

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I would recommend going into this book blind, and I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.

[spoilers start here!]

This book is not at all what I expected. I thought our main character Melanie would be some sort of amazing X-Men type character, but she’s actually a highly intelligent zombie that can control her “hunger.”

This book was SO GOOD at the beginning, and just sort of devolved in my opinion.

I was pretty bummed when Sergeant Parks had to die, because he was probably the most interesting and complex character in the book.

REVIEW – The Huntress by Kate Quinn

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This is probably the best WWII-based piece of historical fiction I have ever read. The story jumps around a bit – we read from the perspective of three characters, jumping from the late 1930s to 1951.

Kate Quinn’s characters are unforgettable. I loved learned about the varying roles of women during the war, that didn’t include being wives/mothers or prisoners. I honestly didn’t know a thing about the Night Witches until picking up this book.

Nina’s story was the most interesting in my opinion, but I liked each character and never felt bored (and this is a longer book, more than 500 pages).

[slightly spoilery comments ahead]

Even knowing right from the start (or being 99% sure) that Anna was the Huntress, I still found myself liking her, feeling bad for her and appreciating the advice she gave to Jordan.

I also really appreciated the brief glimpses into post-war attitudes in both Europe and the US. My grandpa fought in WWII and I never got the chance to ask him about the war and ask about shifting back to civilian life once the war was over. I think I enjoy novels set in WWII because I was close with someone who lived through it.

TRUE CRIME REVIEW – The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

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“…extremely wicked, shockingly evil and vile.”

The Stranger Beside me is a must-read for any fan of true crime. I don’t know if it was fate or divine intervention that put Ann Rule and Ted Bundy together in 1971, but it resulted in one hell of a book.

I knew quite a bit about Bundy going into this – I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts and have had an interest in the topic since high school.

This book was still incredibly shocking, terrifying and provided such an in-depth look into Bundy’s life and personality that the reader feels like they knew him. Although Bundy has been dead for 30 years, I still found myself watching for him out of the corner of my eye.

I think what makes Bundy so horrific (as opposed to someone like Charles Manson) is that he could hide his true self. He convinced so many people that he was kind, caring, a good friend, a gentleman. He compartmentalized the various parts of his personality incredibly well. Even after he confessed to multiple murders, Ann Rule admitted that a part of her felt bad for him and mourned who she thought he was.

When I was little, I remember my mom telling me that “monsters are real, they just look like everyone else.” Never has that rung more true. Bundy looked like everyone else. Only his victims saw his true face.

While reading the book, I also started watching the Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix, and it’s been interesting to follow along with both. Would highly recommend either watching the Netflix series or finding a podcast episode about Bundy to supplement your reading.

REVIEW – The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

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Do you like Agatha Christie? Do you have fond memories of the game Clue? Do you like absolutely insane, twisty mysteries?

This book was not at all what I expected – it was SO. MUCH. BETTER. I don’t want to give anything away because I think it’s best to go in knowing only what’s in the synopsis.

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Aiden Bishop is attempting to solve her murder, but each time the day repeats he wakes up in the body of a different person. That’s all you need to know because nothing can prepare you for the labyrinth that is this book.

Turton is an absolute master. There are so many characters in this story, and he does a great job of making each one distinct and memorable.

REVIEW – The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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The Silent Patient is first and foremost a VERY well-written book.

I read a lot of thrillers. The twist in this book wasn’t anything incredibly shocking to me (I started to piece it together leading up to the reveal) but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book. I think the overall premise is unique and I look forward to what Michaelides will write next!

REVIEW – The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne

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I didn’t know what to expect heading in to this book and I’m honestly not sure how I would explain it to someone else because I wouldn’t want to spoil anything.

Cyril isn’t a “real” Avery. He’s reminded of that his entire life. We follow him from his birth in 1945, meeting up with him every seven years until 2015.

At times this book dragged a bit for me. Some of the more dramatic plot points hit all at once, which isn’t really necessary for a book that’s almost 600 pages. That being said, it’s still worth a read.

A lot of people say this book made them cry, but I would like to add that this book made me laugh more than anything. Even when covering heavier topics, Boyne was still able to weave a little bit of humor between the sadness (and appropriately, nothing felt forced or out of place).

[major spoilers start here!]

I wasn’t shocked when Julian ended up being one of the patients with AIDS, and although I found that part of the book sad, it wasn’t what stuck with me.

I’ll preface this by saying I am not an emotional reader by any means. I assumed the saddest part of the book was Julian’s death. Then Bastiaan (which just made me so angry – not at the author, but because it’s grounded in reality and just so horrific and unfair). Still, I didn’t cry throughout the entire book. Until the very last page…which definitely made me tear up a little.

Overall, this is a wonderful story about a man’s life over the course of 70 years. It’s amazing what changes and what stays the same.