Thanks to NetGalley, Holly Baxter, and Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a letdown for me. Having received this AThanks to NetGalley, Holly Baxter, and Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a letdown for me. Having received this ARC with a fair bit of anticipation, I found the story’s promise quickly deflated as I delved into the narrative. The book tracks the downward spiral of Natasha Bailey, a journalist whose career implodes following a significant ethical lapse. This mistake not only costs her a coveted reporting position in London but also earns her a demotion where she’s reduced to churning out mindless clickbait - not to mention her husband leaving her. Her personal life mirrors this downward spiral, wasting her savings on a shitty apartment in Queens and isolating herself further from her friends and family.
The introduction of Zach, Natasha's fuckboy ex boyfriend who moves into her apartment, fails to inject much-needed complexity into the story. Natasha's relentless negativity and her failure to navigate her relationships or career aspirations make her an impossible character to root for.
Natasha's major misstep, which serves as the crux of the plot, feels both overblown and frustratingly avoidable, casting a shadow over the entire book. Her interactions with others are completely unlikable and totally lack warmth and authenticity.
The book's ability to keep me engaged was not a testament to its quality but rather to a morbid curiosity about how the narrative would resolve its many conflicts. However, any moments that might have offered depth or insight were completely brushed over. Natasha is horrible to everyone, learning nothing and changing nothing, always the victim.
Baxter's attempt to craft a narrative around redemption and growth falls short, hampered by a lead character whose path to self-discovery is both unconvincing and unfulfilling. The story, aiming to be compelling, instead serves as an example of missed opportunities, rendering it a difficult and ultimately unsatisfying read....more
Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Natalie Sue for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for my honest review.
Oh no... It's happened. I just read Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Natalie Sue for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for my honest review.
Oh no... It's happened. I just read my favorite book of the year. What a sucker-punch. From the description, I had no idea that this book would make me feel so much, but by the end I was openly weeping. Pretty sure that's my first book-related cry of 2024? I really, really loved Jolene, Cliff, Rhonda, Armin, Miley... these characters totally took over my heart. What a beautiful portrait of isolation and anxiety (and over-reliance on alcohol) and trauma and grief, somehow coupled with humor and maybe the kindest love interest in a story I've ever read. This was such a joy and I'm going to be thinking about it for a long, long time....more
Thanks to NetGalley, Titan Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately this was confusing and ultimately unsatisThanks to NetGalley, Titan Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately this was confusing and ultimately unsatisfying. I do think that Hall is quite a gifted writer, but the plot here just didn’t really work for me, because I could barely follow it....more
Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Dervla McTiernan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Nina and her boyfriend, Simon, head out for a Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Dervla McTiernan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Nina and her boyfriend, Simon, head out for a weekend of hiking, aiming to rekindle their relationship amid nature. But when only Simon returns, the question everyone's asking is: What happened to Nina? This riveting, ripped from the headlines novel plunges us right into the middle of the story, but I want to be clear - this is not a mystery. From the very beginning, we're pretty much aware of what has happened, who has done it, and why. The real story here is watching the events unfold against a backdrop of family loyalty, media frenzy, and a gripping investigation. The story, told through the eyes of Nina's mother, Nina's stepfather, Simon's mother, Simon's father, and the detective on the case, is a harrowing tale of the way that violence can impact us all.
This book is a deep dive into the complexities of human relationships. Through the turmoil of the search for Nina, we see two families pitted against each other—Nina's, desperate for answers, and Simon's, protective and wary of the mounting allegations against their son. What sets this book apart is its ability to mirror the real-world spectacle that often surrounds such tragic events, but also comment effectively in a way that leaves it feeling singular. The armchair detectives, the viral hashtags, the spiraling conspiracies - it's all too familiar.
If you're a fan of dark and complex stories that make you examine the darker facets of human nature, this book is an absolute must-read. By the end, my heart was going to burst for Nina - and, let's be honest here, Gabby Petito. 5 stars. ...more
Helen Zhang, a bestselling YA novelist, is thirteen years removed from the suicide of her sister - a tragedy that will fYou're so easy to love, Helen.
Helen Zhang, a bestselling YA novelist, is thirteen years removed from the suicide of her sister - a tragedy that will forever link her to Grant Shepard. She's succeeded at building a fortress around her heart, but when her and Grant are thrust back into each other's worlds in the writer's room for the adaptation of Helen's novels, her carefully constructed walls begin to show cracks.
Helen is truly a character study in resilience and depth. She goes on a powerful and poignant journey through grief and self-discovery. Grant is layered and compelling - exactly the way that I like my love interests. The dynamic between Helen and Grant is filled with so much tension that you can't help but root for them, despite their painful past.
This isn't just a book - it's a masterclass in blending the complex, the tragic, and the beautiful into a contemporary romance that grips you by the heart and will not let go. It's clear that Kuang has brought her screenwriting past into her literary debut - the dialogue here is sharp, the scenes she paints are vivid, and the journey each of the characters take is both sensitive and nuanced. Not to mention... this is STEAMY. No closed doors here! The ending is also incredibly satisfying and feels totally earned and true to the characters she has created.
This is a beautifully written and deeply affecting story that will stay with me for a long time - an easy 5 stars.
This book is out 4/2. Thank you to Yulin Kuang, Avon Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
Thank you to Delacorte, NetGalley, and Holly Jackson for the ARC!! Holly you will truly always be famous.
Holly Jackson is an autobuy author for me, whThank you to Delacorte, NetGalley, and Holly Jackson for the ARC!! Holly you will truly always be famous.
Holly Jackson is an autobuy author for me, which is a delight for me as a reader, but also means my expectations for her are set QUITE high! Luckily, she always lives up to them. This is a fun and wild ride. I didn't like it as much as Five Survive, which I thought was darker and more intense, and I didn't find this one quite as inventive as some of her other work. However, I really just couldn't down. It's so compulsively readable, and the characters at the heart of the story are really lovable (even if Bel does make some... insane decisions at times). I wish this had wrapped up a tad less neat, but overall... You have done it again Ms. Jackson. 4.5 stars! ...more
this is very good, but i just feel like i've read it so many times. i wanted it to stand out a bit morethis is very good, but i just feel like i've read it so many times. i wanted it to stand out a bit more...more
Thank you to NetGalley, Akwaeke Emezi, and Riverhead Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Despite the short length, this book packs quitThank you to NetGalley, Akwaeke Emezi, and Riverhead Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Despite the short length, this book packs quite a punch - it was, in all honesty, quite difficult to read! The characters take moral grayness to an extreme and this book is extremely violent and extremely sexual, often at the exact same time. I was fascinated by the way this book intertwined sex and power so... casually? The deviance written here has an almost offhand tone, which makes it somehow more disturbing than it would be on its own. I feel like I need to spend some time on r/eyebleach after this one. Take the trigger warnings to heart with this one for sure!...more
Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this! The "mThanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this! The "missing white woman" syndrome is real and I thought this had the chance to be an interesting commentary about it and it fell very short. Underdeveloped characters, very little actual action (or resolution), and a "twist" that I guessed from the very beginning of the book. ...more
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