★★★

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

July 8, 2023 4 Comments

It Ends With Us follows Lily Bloom as a chance encounter with Ryle, a successful neurosurgeon, leads to a whirlwind romance. At the same time, Lily finds herself revisiting her childhood journals and remembering her first love–a homeless boy named Atlas.

I thought this book was fine. I don’t really understand why people so vehemently dislike it but I also don’t understand why it is so beloved. I think Hoover genuinely wanted to show how quiet domestic violence can be and I think she accomplished that. I think it was an interesting move on Hoover’s part to write Ryle as this perfect swoony hero for most of the book– then have his violent side come out by accident. The domestic violence is surprisingly nuanced. Ryle isn’t made out to be a monster. He has real empathy and regret –but the book wants you to understand that doesn’t make him less of an abuser.

I didn’t love that Atlas, who unexpectedly shows back up in Lily’s life, is the main reason Lily decides to leave Ryle. We hardly know who he is as an adult (or as a character) yet he becomes this huge catalyst in Lily and Ryle’s relationship. Atlas being the reason she leaves takes away from her agency, in my opinion.

The book felt like a redux of those old Lifetime movies where the woman falls into a whirlwind relationship only for it to end badly. Those movies were very popular so perhaps that is why this CoHo book resonates with people ? I also have a theory this book’s popularity has to do with the cover. It’s super aesthetic. Just saying…

Side Note

Lily’s diary entries are written as letters to Ellen DeGeneres–which did not age well…

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

June 28, 2023 8 Comments

Reese, I don’t know about this one. I randomly selected this book on Scribd and was immediately pulled in as a visitor shatters Hannah’s seemingly perfect new life.

40-year-old Hannah has moved from NYC to scenic Sausalito, CA to be with her new husband and his moody teenage daughter Bailey. Now her husband has disappeared and it’s up to Hannah and Baily to find the truth

The book takes kind of a strange turn as Hannah and Bailey head to Austin, Texas for answers. At first, I enjoyed reading about them finding clues and putting the puzzle together, but the ending comes out of left field and didn’t match the vibe of the first part of the book.

There are a slew of side characters that pop in and out of the story. These characters have no real impact on the story except maybe to be red herrings. All of the characters felt kind of thin, especially the husband who we only ‘see’ in flashbacks. He’s constantly put on the pedestal by Bailey and Hannah–but as a reader, I didn’t find him to be likable.

The narration by Rebecca Lowman was pretty solid.

Side Note

The MCs live in Sausalito, CA which is a very specific San Franciso enclave. I mean Sausalito is even on the cover–yet the book barely takes place there. They spend more time in Austin, Texas.

Jess’ End of The Year Mini Reviews

December 28, 2022 2 Comments

No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfeld

A vicious murder-suicide at an idyllic lake house leaves a small town reeling. and a society housewife on the run.

I found this to be an enjoyable quick read. It’s a study in class and the choices afforded to those with money and privilege. Rosenfeld does deep dives into her characters, which can sometimes leave the plot wanting.

I hate to be that person but I clocked the twist in this book by the 4th chapter. I read this on audio and print– the print makes the twist very obvious. I think the author is somewhat aware of this and the ‘reveal’ actually comes in the middle of the book instead of the end.

Now that we are firmly in the 2020’s I’m finding more books are having to consider social media when delving into the character’s past. If a character is between 18-30 years old you can’t talk about their high school experiences without considering what their high school Facebook or Instagram looked like.

Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp

My first impression of this book was wow…this feels like it could be a prestige television show. It was this down-to-earth and character-driven book with an ominous narrative twist. Aspiring DJ Aarón Medran embarks on a series of clandestine humanitarian missions around his small barrio at the behest of La Maquina, a celebrity DJ and hometown hero Aarón is never alone on these missions as La Maquina’s 7-foot-tall robot mascot has been following him since his mother’s death. This seemingly friendly robot has a foreboding nature and leads to some of the more poignant and moving parts of the story. I liked this strange aspect of the story. I always enjoy YA books that go for a high or unusual concept.

We also follow Nina, a high school senior whose self-doubt has kept her from pursuing her dreams and performing the trumpet she loves dearly. Her story honestly felt like it could have been a companion book. I felt like both stories could have stood on their own.

Kemp masterfully balances grief, hope, and forgiveness in this emotion-packed read.

Redemptor by Jordan Ifeuko

March 13, 2022 2 Comments

Redemptor continues Tarisai story as she takes her place as Aritsar’s Empress. Before she can build a better country she will need to build her own Council of Eleven and survive her upcoming journey through the underworld.

Again I was taken in by Ifukeo’s imagination and her ability to build big elaborate mythologies. I usually believe in Death of The Author when I read a book, but I’ve watched a few of Ifueko’s TikToks about this book, so I knew going in that aspects of this book were metaphors for living with depression and mental illness. I think Ifeuko pull tshis off really well.

Unfortunately, this book has a few weaknesses that brought it down to me. The most glaring one is that this book really should have been a trilogy. There was way too much to cram into this one book.

To me, Tarisa’s journey through the underworld should have been its own book, instead of the last ~20% of this book. . This journey is built up as this big harrowing experience and I was shocked at how short this section was. That said, these were some of my favorite chapters. Ifeuko’s version of the underworld was bleak and haunting. She built out this very detailed realm that could have absolutely been explored in one book

A majority of the book is spent with Tarisai gathering her own Council of Eleven which means we are introduced to 11 new characters in addition to spending time with Tarisai’s original Council of Eleven. The original council gets a ton more page time and I think we are supposed to feel attached to them… but it’s hard because there were so many other people to meet.

Out of all the fifty-eleven characters we are introduced to my favorite was King Zuri, the lofty young royal who isn’t all he seems. I thought he was the breakout of all the side characters. *Slight spoiler* I think there was sequel bait hinted about this character. We shall see.

I listened to this on audio and there was a name mentioned in the acknowledgment that makes me think that there is a second narrator doing the singing?

If you enjoy the first book and want to live in the world of Raybearer again then I would recommend Redemptor, if you are more there for the characters and relationships this might not work for you.

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

March 6, 2022 Leave a Comment

One of my favorite book settings is small New England beach town (bonus points if it’s an island) brimming with secrets, class anxiety, community, and melancholic unease. Littleport, Massachusetts fits this to a tee. Littleport is a tourist town run by the hard-working residents but it’s the wealthy Lowman family–and their real estate empire–that truly runs things. When The Lowman’s daughter, Sadie, is found dead on the bluffs it’s up to her best friend Avery to unravel the Lowman family’s darkest secrets.

Through flashbacks, we learn how Avery, the former town screw-up, was pulled into the Lowman’s orbit. The way this book moved through time and played with class reminded me of one of my favorite procedural TV shows Cold Case–which handles the subject of class quite often. This book was filled with cliffhangers and thrilling moments but the mystery is rather predictable for avid mystery/thriller readers.

I feel like this book could easily be categorized as New Adult. The main characters are all under 25 and are just starting out in their careers while figuring out adulthood and relationships. I think Miranda nailed writing from this point-of-view.

I listened to a portion of this on audio and narrator Rebekkah Ross is a good fit for Avery and did a great job crafting voices for all the townsfolk.

The Last House Guest was my introduction to Megan Miranda and I can’t wait to check out more of her work.

Side Note

There is sort of an “I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE” moment when you realize why this book is called this. Very clever.

Jess’ End of The Year Reviews

January 6, 2022 3 Comments

Wrapping up 2021 with my last few reviews

Feminist AF : A Guide To Crushing Girlhood

Every now and then I will categorize a YA book as ‘a book I wish I had in high school’. I would categorize this non-fiction guide to modern-day feminism as ‘a book I wish I had freshman year of college’. I had a hard time understanding the concept of feminism back then.

This guide is an outstanding introduction to intersectional feminism for young people. It provides a ton of framework and gives readers room to make their own choices on how they want to apply the concepts. This guide is also careful to be gender-inclusive. I think my biggest criticism is that this pointedly inclusive book is subtitled ‘A Guide to Crushing Girlhood. I’m sure it has something to do with marketing but I feel like this will alienate part of the intended audience.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Let me start by saying Joniece Abbott-Pratt deserves all the flowers for the way she nailed the singing in this book. I have NEVER heard a narrator give so much authentic energy and rhythm to verse and poetry while performing. I wonder if she and Ifueko worked it out together.

Raybearer is YA fantasy set in the expansive and diverse Aritsar empire. The vast empire is ruled by the Emperor, who rules with his council of 11—all of whom are connected by the magic of the Ray.

It’s time for the Emperor’s son, Dayo, to find his council of 11 and among them is Tarisai, a girl who knows nothing of her past but is doing everything to fight her destiny—killing Dayo. Ifukeo creates a vast world that is easy to fall into. There are so many intricate details to this story populated by a full cast of characters with their own motivations and secrets. I’ve been following Ifueko on TikTok and I’m a little afraid of the second book because I can tell it’s going to be extremely emotional and she is going to put her characters through it. I don’t read a ton of YA fantasy, so I’m glad this was the one I picked up this year!

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany Jackson masters horror and suspense in this terrifying twist on the haunting house tale. Mari’s newly blended family is ready for a fresh start in Cedarville, but the dilapidated community and looming prisons are a far cry from her alternative hippie West Coast lifestyle. Cedarville was a thriving Black neighborhood before until something dark worked its way in and now something wants Mari and her family out. Jackson’s ability to work systemic Black oppression into a haunted house tale gave me serious Joran Peele vibes. Black horror is having a renaissance right now and I feel like teens who are into it will enjoy this book

Mari is a California girl and audiobook narrator Marcella Cox truly embodied that vibe with her easy voice. Mari is one of those “unlikeable” and flawed characters– she’s had issues with anxiety and drugs, and often uses this as an excuse to make selfish decisions. I’m all for a flawed character. I did feel like the setting needed to be a bit more anchored. The history of Cedarville is pivotal to the plot but we don’t get enough of a timeline. I couldn’t tell what decade certain events happened in. This is my first Jackson book and I noticed the book ended abruptly leaving a few loose ends. Is this like a thing she does? Either way I’m more than ready to read more of her books. Jackson dreams up some truly eerie and frightening imagery that was too scary for me!

For All Time by Shanna Miles

Tamar knows her illness is going to overtake her and end her newfound romance with the patient and charming Fayard. But their romance is far from over because Tamar and Fayard have fallen in love across multiple lives and universes.

And all those lives are about to collide.

This was one of those books with a strange but well-executed concept. I thought I knew where this book was going but it takes a hard left turn as we abandon the main plot and explore the couple’s previous lives from Pre-colonial Africa to the far reaches of outer space. I didn’t 100% understand the last few minutes but I liked how creative and experimental it was.

This is a book I think is being slept on because it defies categorization in a time when people seem to want that. This book gets marketed as timeless YA Romance, but I’d say don’t go in expecting a YA romance to take the forefront. Also, I’m sorry, but this is marketed as Outlander meets The Sun is Also A Star…I just don’t think that’s it. I don’t know how Miles came up with this concept but I’m excited to see what else she has in store.