Tag: NetGalley

REVIEW – Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey

Aimeeeliz

{Available March 3, 2020} Woman on the Edge is a twisty thriller that is actually incredibly sad. This book kept me guessing until the last few pages! Our main character, Morgan, is kind of an idiot at times (she puts herself in some dangerous situations!) but she’s also very brave and selfless.

The chapters from Nicole’s perspective become more disorienting and sad as the book progresses. You can’t help but feel for her, and for sweet baby Quinn.

This is a quick read, perfect for devouring in a sitting or two. I would recommend having something light on hand as a follow up – although it’s a pretty standard thriller, it’s likely to leave the reader slightly emotional at the end.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the NetGalley ARC.

REVIEW – Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth

Aimeeeliz

{Available March 10, 2020} Unfollow Me starts with a chilling email to Violet, a social media influencer with more than one million subscribers on YouTube.

We learn early on (from the perspective of our two main characters – Lily and Yvonne) that Violet’s social media presence has inexplicably vanished, and no one knows where she is or if she’s okay.

These characters are OBSESSED with Violet – a woman they’ve never met, but think they know due to her constant vlogs of her daily life. It’s very relevant to society today, how many “influencers” have turned into micro-celebrities. They have fans, they have haters, they might even have stalkers. It also gave me MTV Diary vibes (throwback! Remember: you think you know, but you have no idea?!)

Details are revealed as the story progresses, and we do get chapters from Violet’s husband’s point of view as well. However, the majority of the book is confusing (not necessarily in a bad way). I found myself wanting to read more just so I could get some answers and find out wtf is going on.

Unfortunately, the ending was a little lackluster for me. I still enjoyed the book, and enjoyed the perspective it gave on “influencer” culture!

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the NetGalley ARC.

REVIEW – Rust: A Memoir of Steel and Grit by Eliese Colette Goldbach

Aimeeeliz

{Available March 3, 2020} There’s a lot to say about Rust – this story hooked me right from the beginning. Goldbach is from Cleveland, a resilient city with an industrial past (and present, and future).

I connected with a lot in the beginning of this book. Goldbach and I are both graduates of Catholic all-girls high schools. We’re both from cities in northern Ohio (her from the northeast, me from the northwest). Our cities both have strong foundations in industry – hers in steel, mine in glass and cars. Goldbach and I are roughly the same age (I believe she’s a few months older than me).

I’ve never worked in a factory. I’ve never had to and, honestly, have never considered it an option. Reading Goldbach’s account as a woman in her late twenties (at the time) navigating life as an employee in a steel mill was fascinating. I think many of us can agree that when we picture a “factory worker” or a “steelworker” we do not picture a young, college-educated woman. Goldbach’s account dismantled my idea of what a typical factory worker is like (which makes me sound like an idiot, but i’m not afraid to admit I was biased and I was WRONG).

I felt that this book lost its way a bit at times – it meanders from topic to topic, timeline to timeline, with few line or section breaks (but this could be something that is remedied in the finished copy). However, it’s difficult to place a “review” lens on someone’s life experience. There are moments where I forgot I was reading nonfiction (Goldbach is a great writer! And this memoir felt more like a novel sometimes).

This memoir isn’t just about a young woman finding her way in the steel industry. It also focuses heavily on her struggle with mental illness, and is supplemented by observations and events surrounding the 2016 presidential election.

Content warnings: mental illness, rape, discussion of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

Thank you Flatiron Books for the NetGalley ARC.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Much Ado About Nutmeg by Sarah Fox

Aimeeeliz

{Available January 14, 2020} Much Ado About Nutmeg was my first book in this series, but it won’t be my last. Set in a cozy coastal town in Washington, the story takes place during the Golden Oldies Games. After two bodies are found, everyone is a suspect.

This was a fun, quick read – perfect for this lazy time of year between Christmas and New Years. I loved reading about The Flip Side, our main character Marley’s pancake house. And for what it’s worth, I think Ivan is definitely my favorite character!

This would be a great intro to the cozy mystery genre for readers who are interested in giving these books a try.

Thank you Kensington Books for providing me with a NetGalley copy.

REVIEW – The Tenant by Katrine Engberg

Aimeeeliz

{AVAILABLE January 14, 2020} The Tenant examines the murder of Julie Stender and her connection to her landlady, Esther. The most interesting part of the synopsis? Julie’s murder has already been outlined in the murder mystery Esther has been writing.

The good? This book is a well-paced mystery/thriller with an interesting premise. The plot is complex and keeps the reader guessing (mostly) until the end. It’s definitely a page-turner; I read over the course of about 15 hours.

The not so good? The characters are so unlikable! I found the detectives to be immature and downright rude at times. The plot might be a bit TOO complex, because I felt like some ends were a bit too loose, and others just left hanging. There were also a few connections that seemed a bit too convenient.

And the wtf? There were a few lines that stood out to me, for being absurd (especially for a book being released in 2020, and especially for a book written by a woman). There were little snarky side comments about the appearance of multiple characters (mostly women). There were also a few times when OxyContin is mentioned and it seems way too casual given the issues so many are having with opioids (but this might be more of an American thing, and not as big of a crisis in Denmark?)

Thank you Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a NetGalley ARC.

REVIEW – How Quickly She Disappears by Raymond Fleischmann

Aimeeeliz

How Quickly She Disappears is an interesting debut with promise – but ultimately falls a bit flat. The overall plot is interesting and eerie. Elisabeth’s character starts off strong but I found myself growing more and more frustrated with her as the book went on (this may have been intentional!) The villain does have an underlying creepiness but I thought he could have been a bit more fleshed out.

I did find it tough to determine if the flashbacks were memories or dreams at the beginning (again, this may have been intentional, it’s not necessarily a negative). I did think that through the flashbacks, Elisabeth and Jacqueline seemed older than 11 (Jacqueline especially) so sometimes it was hard to buy that it was the dialogue, thoughts and actions of children.

Elisabeth’s daughter was interesting but there’s a shift in her personality that isn’t much accounted for or explained and seems very abrupt.

It doesn’t seem like setting the book in WWII was really necessary to the story. It did provide challenges that wouldn’t exist if set in modern-day, but the background of the war starting wasn’t important enough of a detail to make a difference.

However, there’s a lot of good bits of writing in this book and I think that with more time and experience, Fleischmann could produce a very compelling thriller. (Also, I cannot give half stars but I would put this solidly as a 2.5.)

Thank you Berkley for the NetGalley ARC.

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 – 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 – The Light Over London by Julia Kelly

Aimeeeliz

The Light Over London is primarily about one woman’s experience during WWII – I loved reading about the gunner girls and the whole crew.

I would categorize this as light historical fiction (well, half historical, half contemporary) that’s easy on the history but heavier on the romance. It’s a great read for anyone who’s looking for something set in WWII without the disturbing, gory details. It’s emotional, but not overly sad.

I thought the ending was a little too quick and wrapped up a little too neatly, but it was still an enjoyable book!

Thank you Gallery for the NetGalley copy!