Tag: Review

REVIEW – The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

Aimeeeliz

First of all, I want to apologize to Jennifer McMahon for taking so long to read one of her books.

The Invited is incredible. I loved everything – the characters, the rich history, all of the back stories.

Oddly enough, I don’t read a lot of ghost stories. But this book has convinced me that maybe that needs to change.

[slightly spoilery comments ahead]

I had my suspicions about who the real “monster” was in this story, but there were some twists towards the end that caught me off guard. I also didn’t expect this to be sad, but it works so well.

REVIEW – Vessel by Lisa A. Nichols

Aimeeeliz

I have been looking forward to reading Vessel since I first read the synopsis. I’ve been wanting to try out the sci-fi genre a bit more, and I love creepy stories about space (Alien is one of my favorite movies!)

Vessel isn’t what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. It’s a relatively complex and rich story, with interesting characters. Some parts in the book definitely creeped me out!

However, it does read more like women’s fiction than sci-fi. (That didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.) There’s a lot of focus on how Catherine adjusts to life back on earth, and how her return impacts her family. This isn’t a negative at all, just an observation.

I was expecting this to be a bit creepier, and a bit darker, but I think it’s a great choice for readers who are interested in a book with a sci-fi theme without being too heavy handed.

Thank you to Atria for sending me a review copy of this book!

REVIEW – The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir

Aimeeeliz

The Book of Essie was a great story (even if it was a bit predictable). I liked the characters (Roarke was my favorite!) and the plot definitely keeps moving – there isn’t a slow moment in this book.

I did think that Essie and Roarke seemed a bit too mature for their age, but I also might be too far removed from 17 to remember what I was really like and how mature (or not) my peers were.

Overall it’s an easy, quick read and is perfect for anyone who ever followed that super large, religious TV family. You know who I mean.

REVIEW – Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Aimeeeliz

Miracle Creek is a debut novel that doesn’t feel like one – Angie Kim’s writing is that of a seasoned author.

Without giving too much away, this book gave me Jodi Picoult vibes in the best way possible. The multiple perspectives, the courtroom drama, the complex relationships and family dynamics.

This was a page turner, but not in the traditional way. I didn’t find this to be fast paced, but it still held my attention and had me wanting to learn more.

REVIEW – Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Aimeeeliz

The hype surrounding this book is intense. So here’s an unpopular opinion – I wasn’t impressed.

TJR is a great writer. The writing in this book is good. But the story just doesn’t go anywhere. I felt like there was a lot of buildup for…nothing.

I didn’t care much about the characters. A lot of the drama seemed forced. I also didn’t think the “reveal” of the author was anything special because I never wondered who the author was supposed to be.

REVIEW – The Alchemy of Noise by Lorraine Devon Wilke

Aimeeeliz

Full disclosure: I finished this book in one day. Partially because I had the day off with zero plans, and partially because it was so compelling I couldn’t stop reading.

The Alchemy of Noise tackles a lot of serious (and timely, relevant) racial issues. It doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable discussions between characters and it forces some of the characters (and most likely a lot of the readers) to examine their own prejudice and privilege.

I’ll admit, I was a little uncomfortable reading about the constant racism that black people face when this book was written by a white woman. However, Wilke’s note at the end of the book answers a lot of questions and explains why she feels qualified to tell this particular story.

Thank you BookSparks for the free copy!

REVIEW – The Last by Hanna Jameson

Aimeeeliz

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be: claustrophobic.

I’m so used to post-apocalyptic books involving a lot of movement and travel and discovery, but we spend the majority of The Last inside L’Hotel Sixieme – and it WORKS.

I don’t want to say too much because I think it’s worth going into only knowing the synopsis. I know it’s probably being compared to Station Eleven, but this also gives me some Bird Box vibes.

One of the blurbs on the back of the book says “It’s Stephen King meets Agatha Christie” and I think that’s fairly accurate. The Last features a cast of characters who aren’t all what they seem, and also there’s horror in the mundane and routine (which is the most chilling part of this book).

We only know what’s happening from the perspective of one character, so I’m sure there’s a lot going on at the hotel that we miss. He also seems to be unreliable at times, but that just adds to the feelings of isolation and insanity that run underneath the main plot.

Don’t sleep on this book – it’s a great one (and make sure you visit the dentist regularly!)

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

REVIEW – Not Bad People by Brandy Scott

Aimeeeliz

WARNING: This review contains spoilers!

Not Bad People starts off with an interesting premise – three friends release paper lanterns filled with resolutions on New Year’s Eve. The next day, we learn there was a plane crash nearby and one of our characters is convinced that the lanterns were the cause.

I thought this would be a fast-paced suspense/thriller that focused primarily on the crash and the aftermath (maybe a trial? A more in-depth investigation?) but it’s really about these three friends (Aimee, Melinda and Lou), their lives and how their friendship unravels over the course of a few weeks. It leans heavily into the Women’s Fiction genre (not a negative, just an observation).

The friendship falls apart so fast I found it difficult to believe that they were even good friends to begin with (maybe their friendship is a matter of proximity rather than choice). When dealing with Aimee’s mental issues, Lou and Melinda seemed annoyed rather than worried about their friend.

I also thought the author was setting us up for some sort of confrontation with Peter’s stepson, Cameron. There were also some loose ends regarding Cameron and Aimee’s son, Byron.

The book was a bit longer than it needed to be – at more than 550 pages, I feel there were some storylines or repetitive parts that could be cut out.

The writing is good – this is a debut from Brandy Scott and I think it’s promising. I would be interested in reading another book from her if she continues to write.

Thank you William Morrow for providing me with an ARC of this book.