From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - December 2016 Edition

It's no secret that I've been seriously slacking when it comes to blogging. Clearly. I mean, I'm several days late to the link-up party with Steph and Jana. This is also the only thing I've posted since the last Show Us Your Books! link-up. Whomp whomp.

At this point I'm planning to just take it easy and hopefully get back into the swing of things at the start of the new year. Everything seems to die down a bit at that point, and I think I'll have more time and energy to focus not only on my own blog, but also on reading and commenting on other blogs. I hope so, anyway.

For now, though, I'll just stick with a subject you all know I love: books. I feel like I've been reading like crazy lately, so this is going to be kind of a long post. (#sorrynotsorry) I've actually read a couple more that I was planning to review here as well, but I wanted to just go ahead and get this posted now. I'll talk about the other books in a future post.

I'll admit that I wasn't great about writing reviews right after I finished these books, though, so a lot of these reviews will probably be a little shorter than what I'd normally write. (Though that's probably not a bad thing since I had quite a few to discuss!)



The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly - 353 pages - 4 stars

Completed on 11/10/2016

The Bullet was a very strange book. It was one of those stories that, for me, raised more questions than it answered. The plot is a little odd to begin with (I mean, can you imagine going to the doctor and discovering that there's a bullet lodged in your neck? I can't.), but the story took a lot of unusual twists and turns.

While twists and turns are generally appreciated in a suspense/thriller/mystery novel, they were both a good and bad thing in The Bullet. Obviously a book that keeps me intrigued has to be, at the very least, a pretty good book. (I read most of this while I was on vacation, and I kept making time to squeeze a couple of chapters in before Eric and I left our hotel to explore.). It kept me guessing, and I really liked the very end of the book.

As for the bad ... Unfortunately, the last portion of this book was just completely over-the-top. As I said, I liked the very end ... But a lot of the stuff leading up to it? Not so much. Here's the thing: I don't mind being asked to suspend my disbelief when I'm reading a book or watching a movie. I do, however, get annoyed when a book or movie seems at least somewhat realistic and then suddenly it takes on a completely different tone. I don't mean that things should be predictable (they shouldn't), but they should make sense.

Despite the fact that some parts of the book annoyed the shit out of me, I still gave it 4 stars. I liked that the plot wasn't something I'd seen a hundred times before, and I liked that I wanted to know what happened so much that I hated to put it down. I'd say that makes it worthy of a 4 star rating.


Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt - 337 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 11/13/2016

I absolutely loved this book when I first started reading it, flying through much of it in a single day. (I read most of it on the plane home from Rhode Island.) The story of a new mother struggling with severe postpartum depression/postpartum psychosis was both disturbing and heartbreaking. And once her baby goes missing and she can't remember many of the events surrounding the disappearance, I was glued to the book, searching for clues and answers.

Although the book started off strong, it really fell apart for me as it went on. There were plenty of WTF moments (and not the good kind), and, honestly, some parts were so boring that I found myself wondering if I was reading the same book.

And the ending? Come on. I like closure as much as the next person, but I get so pissed off when an author decides to tie everything in a neat little package. Life isn't always like that. And, yes, I realize that we all read to escape life, but this kind of goes along with my review for The Bullet ... Don't set me up with something at least somewhat realistic and then make everything batshit crazy by the end.

I debated giving Remember Mia a 2 star rating because I was so disappointed with the direction the book took, but settled on a 3 star rating because I couldn't ignore how much I enjoyed the beginning. Estelle's wild, chilling train of thought cut to my core ... I just wish the author had kept that page turning momentum throughout the book and avoided the whole "everything will conveniently fall into place" thing. (Especially when some of those things didn't really make a lot of sense or seem remotely believable when considering the story as a whole.)


Among Others by Jo Walton - 302 pages - 1 star

Completed on 11/18/2016

I had so many conflicting feelings about this book. First of all, the main character is obsessed with books and reading (something I'm sure most of us can relate to!), and there are a lot of lovely book-related quotes throughout the novel. That alone made me feel like I should probably love this book.

If you couldn't tell from my 1 star rating, I didn't. It's safe to say that I actually hated this book and almost quit it several times. (And I never quit books!)

At first I thought that maybe I just didn't like it because it was out of my comfort zone. I really don't read or enjoy many fantasy novels, but the plot summary intrigued me ... So I decided to give it a try. The thing is, I'm not really sure this was a fantasy novel. Yes, it had a few magical elements (including fairies), but I think classifying it as "fantasy" is a little misleading.

Among Others is basically just a teenage girl's diary. That's it. Apparently some life altering event occurs that kills her twin sister, leaves her crippled, and forces her to run away from her mother's house, but other than several mostly vague mentions, this doesn't really play much of a role in the story even though it's the main part of the book summary.

No, this book is mostly really boring ramblings about what books she's reading, her obsession with magic and fairies, her grades and life at boarding school (which is, quite honestly, not at all interesting), and a detailed family history that really has almost nothing to do with the rest of the story. Seriously.

There were also some really bizarre things that made absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever. She becomes convinced that her aunts are witches that want to control her mind because they offer to get her ears pierced as a Christmas gift. Apparently it's common knowledge that piercings allow others to control you. I wish I'd known that before I got my piercings!

If that's not bad enough, there's also a quick mention of her drunken father attempting to climb in bed with her. She stops anything from happening, but then later regrets not having sex with him. Her father, people! And, to make matters worse, this incident is treated as "no big deal" and never mentioned again. Seriously, what the fuck?

The ending was probably one of the most anticlimactic endings ever. I just sat there thinking, "Really? I read this entire fucking book for this?" I was actually pissed because I felt like I'd just completely wasted my time. If it didn't belong to the library, it would have gone in the trash.


Swerve by Vicki Pettersson - 335 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 11/23/2016

If I'm being completely honest, I didn't have very high hopes for this book. Yes, it was on my "To Read" list, but I mostly just picked it up because it happened to be on the shelves at my library. It's one of those "been there/read that" kind of books about a crazy killer abducting one half of a couple at a deserted rest stop. The only difference here was that the guy was kidnapped, while the girl was left to follow the killer's bizarre clues in order to find her fiance.

Overall, I thought this book was a decent read. There were many things I didn't like, including the killer's motives (lame) and the fact that I had figured out the "twist" long before the main character. If I'm reading a suspenseful thriller, I want to be shocked by the twist. In this case, I clearly wasn't.

I was also a little disappointed in Kristine's weird backstory. When she first starts thinking back to her past, I imagined a completely different story than what I was later given. It made sense to share this part of her life, but it was just so fucking weird.

I did, however, like the fact that Kristine was a strong female character. She isn't perfect (not by a long shot), but she's pretty badass.

But, as I said, this book was an okay way to pass the time. (And, hey, I liked it enough to give it a 3 star rating!) The action really propels the story, so it's a pretty quick read. (I probably would have finished it in a day or two if I'd had the time.) It's definitely gory and violent, though, so if horror books and movies aren't your thing, I'd suggest skipping this one.


Hyacinth Girls by Lauren Frankel - 292 pages - 4 stars

Completed on 11/27/2016

This book easily could have fallen into after school special territory, but thankfully it didn't. It's a story about the delicate friendships that exist between young girls, and it's also a story about bullying.

While a part of me feels far removed from the drama that often exists among teenage girls, another part of me remembers very clearly what it felt like to be a young teen: the insecurity, the need to discover yourself, the feeling of "in between" (not a child but definitely not an adult). Hyacinth Girls touches on all of these things (and more), and it does so in an effective way.

I liked that the story is told from two points of view: the parent (well, in this case, a guardian standing in for the deceased parents) and the teen. It did, however, get a little tedious at the end when the point of view shifted back to Rebecca (the guardian) and then back again to Callie (the teen). I honestly wished the story would have ended at the end of Callie's first section ... It would have been, in my opinion, much more powerful.

This book sheds light on the cruelties that kids (especially girls) are capable of. Unfortunately, some things near the end were overly dramatic and reminiscent of a Lifetime Original movie. The author eventually reeled it in a bit, but the ending still really couldn't be saved for me. It was disappointing, especially since the first two sections were so strong. (And these are the main reasons I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.)


Cam Girl by Leah Raeder - 415 pages - 5 stars

Completed on 12/04/2016

I surprised myself with the 5 star rating on this one. It was solid throughout, but I didn't think I'd end up loving it as much as I did.

As you can probably guess by the title, this book talks a lot about sex (and in graphic detail). Cam Girl very easily could have been just another "dirty" book, but it wasn't. Yes, sex plays a major role in the story, but it went so much deeper than that. This book raises some important questions about sexual orientation and gender identity, and how these things influence relationships with others and the way we see ourselves.

There are a couple of mystery elements in this book, but I wouldn't really classify it as "mystery." Those things kept me guessing, though! I did sort of figure out some of it, but not entirely. (And that's a win in my book!) The clues were there, but some things were harder to see. This quote from the book says it all: "You looked right at me. Through me."

The narrator, Vada, felt very real. She was flawed, she was confused, she was angry. She was, in some ways, a lot like me in my early 20s. There was a point in the book where I literally gasped because her words were my words: I had, no joke, said the exact same thing to someone I loved very deeply in my early 20s. It was one of those weird moments when you feel like an author somehow knew that you would read this book, so they added something they knew would pierce your heart and stir up memories.

I absolutely fell in love with Leah Raeder's writing while reading Cam Girl. It's lyrical and beautiful, but also raw and gritty. She created a story that brought up some very real emotions, and characters I truly cared about. I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future!

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - November 2016 Edition

I managed to get through quite a few books since the last Show Us Your Books! link-up with Steph and Jana. (I guess I had a lot of extra time on my hands since I wasn't working on blog stuff.) And, even though I'm ridiculously late to the link-up party, I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out completely.

I haven't been working on blog stuff recently, and there's a reason for that. To put it simply, things have been pretty stressful lately. It hasn't all been bad, of course ... Sometimes I've just been busy. There have definitely been some darker moments over the past few months, though, and I've just found it difficult to even want to share my thoughts and feelings on this blog when I'm still processing them internally.

When I'm stressed and overwhelmed, I tend to withdraw. And if I need to unwind, few things are better than curling up with a book for a few hours and losing myself in a completely different world. 

So that's what I've been doing. Reading. A lot. And, while I probably should have spent more time on more productive things, it's helped me relieve some tension and forget, even for a little while, about things I don't want to dwell on and things I can't control.

So, now that that's out of the way, it's time to take a look at what I've been reading lately (minus anything I've finished since leaving for my anniversary trip last Saturday):

What You Left Behind by Samantha Hayes - 309 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 10/15/2016

I allowed myself to do some library wandering (always a dangerous thing!), and came away with several books I happened to find on the shelves that were on my ever growing "To Read" list. One of those books was What You Left Behind.

I don't know what prompted me to push this book ahead of all the others I checked out, but something about it made me feel like I just had to read it. 

Unfortunately for me, it was a bit of a letdown. 

I wouldn't say I didn't like it at all (I mean, I gave it 3 stars), but it definitely wasn't what I expected. There were times when I couldn't put it down, desperate to find out what was going on. Other times, though, I had a hard time getting into it. Nearly every time Hayes built up the suspense, she'd pull away and focus on some other, more trivial aspect of the story. Or, if she didn't do that, the "big reveal" felt like a big "whomp whomp" for me.

One of the biggest problems with this book was that there was just so much going on. Hayes was trying to tie things together that really didn't fit, so the resolution felt a little contrived and clunky. Additionally, I wish she'd spent more time on the bullying that one of the main characters, Freddie, was experiencing. It started off strong enough, but then it seemed like she thought, "Actually, I want to take this story in a different direction ..." and completely changed her focus. But, instead of moving on from the bullying entirely, she peppered the rest of the novel with random, unbelievable things that were semi-related to the bullying. It was as weird and jumbled as it sounds.

I felt this book was worthy of a 3 star rating for two reasons: some parts were suspenseful enough to keep me guessing and turning the pages and I thought the main plot of a small town shaken by a cluster of teen suicides was interesting. I don't know how unique that storyline is, but I've never read anything about that topic ... So it was different enough to pique my interest. Obviously I felt like the ending was less than satisfying, but it was a decent way to pass the time.

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott - 340 pages - 5 stars

Completed on 10/20/2016

I'll start this review by saying that I don't think Abbott's writing style is for everyone. I can imagine that some people would get annoyed with the repetition and/or with the way she chooses to describe things (particularly in this book). I can also imagine that other people might find it too slow, as her books seem to be more "slow burn" than "heart pounding thriller."

But me? I fucking love her writing style. I read The End of Everything last year (and it was one of my favorite reads of 2015!), and I can say with confidence that You Will Know Me will be on my list of favorite reads of 2016. 

In You Will Know Me, Abbott effectively creates a creeping sense of dread, scattering small glimpses of what's to come throughout the novel. I know I've only read two of her books, but, from what I have read, I can say that Abbott does a great job creating complex characters and chilling, realistic situations. 

She also has a way of making you (or maybe it's just me?) think you might have things figured out and then introducing new information to make you question what you think you know. In both The End of Everything and You Will Know Me, I had at least three theories about what really happened ... But I wasn't sure of any of them until the end. And, even then, there are always at least one or two things that I'm still thinking about, forced to draw my own conclusions about a character's motivations. 

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Read - 210 pages - 5 stars

Completed on 10/22/2016

As I was reading I'm Thinking of Ending Things, I just kept thinking over and over: "Holy shit!" Seriously, though ... Holy shit.

I went in knowing very little about this book, and, if you haven't read it and plan to, I'd highly suggest doing the same. (But don't worry, I won't include any spoilers in my review ... So feel free to read on!)

I felt a similar creeping sense of dread while reading I'm Thinking of Ending Things as I did while reading You Will Know Me. This is another "slow burn" kind of book, though I felt that because the things shared throughout the book felt a little darker and a little less based in reality, it seemed like it could go in almost any direction, making it a little scarier (for me, at least).

This book reminded me of a David Lynch movie. To be perfectly honest, his movies are very hit or miss for me. Luckily, I'm Thinking of Ending Things was much more Lost Highway (my absolute favorite Lynch film) than Wild at Heart (which I hated with a passion). In fact, I kept picturing Robert Blake as "The Caller" in this novel.

This book is dark, surreal, and unsettling, and I loved every moment of it! It's a short book, so it's a quick read anyway, but I tore through it in about a day and a half. In fact, I was so eager to find out how it ended that I took it with me to read in the car on the way to my in-laws' house on a Saturday afternoon ... And then sat in the car in the driveway to finish it before coming in. The first thing everyone said when I came in was, "So, was it a really good book?" Yes, it definitely was.

Real Happy Family by Caeli Wolfson Widger - 357 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 10/29/2016

Book hangovers are real. After reading two five star books that felt like they were written just for me (yes, I loved them that much!), it was hard to pick my next read. I wanted to try for at least one more book for Book Challenge by Erin 5.0 (and, yes, I know that I'm way behind and still need to post my results!), and I wanted something that would be completely different from the books I'd just read. And Real Happy Family was about as far away from those chilling books as I could get!

When I first chose this book for the challenge, I thought it would be a pretty light, fluffy, chick-lit kind of book. But, while it was definitely written with a female audience in mind, it was hardly the light and fluffy book I imagined.

I wouldn't classify this book as "dark" either (not by a long shot), but Wolfson Widger touches on some major issues (drug abuse/addiction, body image issues, and infertility, among others) throughout the novel. Despite the often heavy subject matter, Wolfson Widger managed to insert some humor, creating an almost satirical look at Hollywood and the desperate search for fame.

As a fan of stories centering around dysfunctional families, Real Happy Family was a good pick. My biggest issue with it was the fact that, like What You Left Behind, it felt like it had too much going on at times. One character could, in my opinion, have been cut completely from the book. While this would have eliminated two subplots, I think the book would have been better for it. (One of those subplots in particular really just pissed me off.)

That being said, this book was an overall enjoyable read and helped me get through the book hangover I experienced after those last two amazing books.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris - 293 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 10/30/2016

After reading Steph's review of this book, my expectations were pretty low. But, since I was already on the waiting list at the library, I figured I'd go ahead and check it out for myself. 

Okay, here's the thing: Behind Closed Doors isn't particularly well-written. It isn't very suspenseful, and it isn't very original. Somehow, though, it managed to suck me in and not let go until I'd finished. (I stopped reading only to sleep, finishing around 234 pages in a single day. And, if you're wondering, that's a lot for me.)

I can see why Behind Closed Doors has become a pretty popular book. It's an incredibly easy read, and there's a considerable amount of action propelling the story forward. And, while it's also very unbelievable in many ways, it managed keep me engaged and entertained. (If nothing else, I wanted to see how everything played out in the end.) 

I struggled with rating this book because it had so many flaws, but I couldn't honestly say I didn't enjoy it at all. I think if I'd read it prior to reading Steph's review, my expectations would have been much higher and I probably would have hated it. But, since I wasn't expecting an amazing, original thriller, I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't want to hurl it across the room. This isn't a "must read" kind of book, but I've definitely read much worse. High praise, I know, but it's honest.


Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty - 415 pages - 4 stars

Completed on 11/01/2016

I kind of feel like I'm in the minority when it comes to this book. While I don't think I've seen any awful reviews, it seems like a lot of bloggers have been at least a little disappointed with Truly Madly Guilty. (It seems like I've read a lot of reviews that start with something like "I had a hard time getting into this one," anyway.)

I, on the other hand, was completely sucked in from page one. I finished this book in just a couple of days (which is, in my opinion, pretty impressive since it's a little over 400 pages long!), and found myself getting annoyed when I had to put it down to do other things. (You know, like work.) While part of this frantic reading was due to a looming library due date (and a waiting list of 95 people), I mostly tore through this book because I had to know what happened at that barbeque!

I've now read three books by Moriarty, and I've enjoyed them all. While she does seem to follow a general formula with her plots, I always find myself captivated by her flawed characters and realistic "ordinary things go terribly wrong" situations. And, while there is generally a lot going on in each of her books, it never feels jumbled or overwhelming because, in the end, everything had a purpose.


Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles - 215 pages - 3 stars

Completed on 11/02/2016

Lessons From a Dead Girl was a very strange, very fucked up book. One of the main characters, Leah, seemed almost like a crazier, more sinister version of Alison DiLaurentis from Pretty Little Liars. Leah is clearly the "queen bee" of the group, using the power in her popularity to make sure none of her friends ever betray her by spilling her darkest secrets.

While I enjoyed this book enough to finish it quickly (though, to be fair, it was a very short book), I didn't really like the way it was written. Yes, this is a YA book, but the writing seemed to suggest it was for a very young audience. The subject matter, on the other hand, wasn't. (And this is a perfect example of why YA books are so hit or miss for me.)

In addition to the simplistic writing, I found it difficult to really care about Leah or the other main character, Laine. The story is told from Laine's point of view, and it seemed as though Knowles wanted readers to really feel for her (with good reason) ... But I just felt like the character development was lacking, so I could never feel any real emotion for her.

I also felt the same about Leah. Although she's painted as a horrible, abusive bitch at least 90% of the time, readers are probably supposed to care about her (at least a little). However, even though Knowles shed light on the main cause of Leah's appalling behavior, I still couldn't bring myself to really feel anything for her. (Except maybe anger and disgust.)

Lessons From a Dead Girl wasn't terrible by any means, but I think it had the potential to be so much better. Like some of the other books I've reviewed in this post, it's not a "must read." It is, however, a quick read that didn't feel like a complete waste of time. 

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - October 2016 Edition

Lately it seems like it's taking me forever to finish books. Sometimes that happens when I don't really like a book ... I mean, if it's not really that interesting, there's nothing really pushing me to pick it up and finish it. But these days it doesn't seem to matter whether I like it or not. (Though, to be fair, two of the three books in this post were very mediocre.) I just seem to either be busy, tired, or focused on something else. (I've been rewatching the entire Gilmore Girls series, so that really eats into my reading time.)

I still managed to read a few books since the last link-up with Steph and Jana, though. (And thank goodness ... I definitely didn't want to miss out on this month's link-up since it's the two year anniversary of Show Us Your Books!)

My mom is visiting (yay!), so I'm just going to post short reviews this time around. And, even though I'll be spending most of my time hanging out with my mom for the next week, I swear it won't take me three weeks or more to respond to comments this time around!



Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter - 394 pages - 4 stars

Completed on 09/20/2016

I think the thing that surprised me most about Pretty Girls is the fact that it seems to be a very popular book despite the incredibly dark and disturbing subject matter. This is very much what my mother-in-law would call a "Kristen book," yet I've seen it pop up on more blogs than I can count (and not just blogs written by people who, like me, love all things twisted).

Obviously I don't think that other people can't enjoy books like this. However, I think graphic descriptions of certain topics (snuff porn, for instance) aren't for everyone. So, like I said, it's at least a little surprising that Pretty Girls is so popular.

This was my first Karin Slaughter book, and it won't be my last. Although I thought a few parts of the story were a little too over-the-top and some things were just a little too convenient/fell into place a little too easily (one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to thrillers), overall I really enjoyed Pretty Girls.


The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango - 241 pages - 2 stars

Completed on 09/27/2016

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I found it really disappointing.

It wasn't that the main character was unlikable. (I mean, he was ... But I actually like unlikable characters sometimes. I know, I'm weird.) The problem with The Truth and Other Lies was that it was just a major letdown.

Several times throughout the novel I was hopeful that Sascha Arango was going to introduce more background information about the main character and his wife. And several times he started to do this ... But then the focus shifted, leaving me with no answers and even more questions. And, while I actually do like some ambiguity in novels because I like drawing my own conclusions, I don't like finishing the last page and feeling like I never really got to know the characters or their motivations.


The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 340 pages - 2 stars

Completed on 10/07/2016

After reading Ruth Ware's debut novel, In a Dark, Dark Wood, earlier this year, I was really looking forward to The Woman in Cabin 10.

Unfortunately, this one didn't really work for me. (Though I decided to substitute this book for the "book with a (mostly) blue cover" category in Erin's book challenge, so at least it wasn't a complete waste of time!)

I didn't hate this book, but I never really felt compelled to pick it up either. I kept hoping for an amazing twist to make it worthwhile, but I felt like the big reveal was just kind of "meh" and I'm pretty sure I actually rolled my eyes a few times over the ending.

I think the most disappointing thing about The Woman in Cabin 10, though, was the fact that it had so much potential that was never fully realized. There were a few interesting moments throughout the book, but it wasn't enough to keep me fully engaged.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - September 2016 Edition

I know this is probably a really lame thing to say, but I seriously feel like I blinked and half of September had flown by. This is my first post this month, and it's the 13th. The 13th. Where did the time go?

To be perfectly honest, things have been a little hectic in my life lately. And it seems that any time things get kind of crazy, blogging takes a major backseat. I love blogging, and I love connecting with other bloggers ... But sometimes I just don't have the time (or the energy).

But anyway, I don't want this post to be all about my failures as a blogger. So, in an effort to at least sort of get back on the blogging train, I'm linking up with Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books!

I will say, though, that I won't really be very active with the link-up until this upcoming weekend. I'm in DC for a work conference for the entire week, so I'll be tied up most of the time. It's true that I won't be doing conference stuff all day and all night, but Eric is flying in to spend part of the week with me so we'll be out doing touristy things and eating tons of food when I'm not busy. I'm hoping to learn a lot and enjoy my free time, so that means I probably won't be doing much (if any) blog stuff while I'm away. I'm planning to get caught up when I return, though, so expect lots of comments! (Even if I haven't been commenting, I've been reading ... So I'll probably go back and respond to at least a few of the posts I really enjoyed along with the posts in this link-up.)

Until then, here are my shorter reviews for the books I've read since the last link-up. I finished the Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge and started Book Challenge by Erin 5.0, so this month's installment is filled with a wide variety of genres. Something for everyone, I guess! (Maybe.)



Child of God by Cormac McCarthy - 197 pages - 3 stars

Lester Ballard spends his days and nights roaming the hills of his rural Tennessee home, engaging in violent and depraved acts. In Child of God, readers are given a front row seat to his strange and disturbing lifestyle.

It's so difficult to rate and review a book like this. On the one hand, McCarthy is clearly a talented writer. He managed to create one of the creepiest characters I've ever encountered and make me feel completely disgusted multiple times within a mere 197 pages. However, I also felt like this book was lacking in some ways and had some trouble with the language of the rural South. (I'll talk a little more about both of these things in my more in-depth review on Sunday.)

I would most definitely not recommend this book to just anyone. Make no mistake: Lester Ballard is one fucked up dude. If reading about murder and necrophilia isn't your thing, please do yourself a favor and don't bother with Child of God. If, however, you enjoy disturbing stories that focus on the darker aspects of mankind, it might be worth checking out. Just know that, as Erin said in her review of this book, you might feel like you need a shower after reading this.


What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan - 467 pages - 3 stars

It's a mother's worst nightmare: while out walking in the woods with her young son, Rachel allows him to run ahead of her. It's a simple decision she will forever be haunted by because in the couple of minutes it takes her to catch up, Ben has suddenly vanished. As the days go on with no hope in sight, everyone in Ben's life becomes a suspect ... Including Rachel.

I was really hoping for more from this book. While What She Knew isn't a bad book, it didn't deliver the way I'd hoped. When I finally reached the last page of an epilogue that felt painfully long, I just kind of felt "meh" about the whole thing.

There were a few suspenseful moments, but there were also plenty of times that the story just dragged. This is Gilly Macmillan's debut novel, and, while I mostly liked her writing style and the story she created, it sometimes felt a little clunky or fell a little flat. That being said, I didn't feel like I completely wasted my time on it and I'd be open to reading more Gilly Macmillan books in the future.


Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach - 303 pages - 3 stars

Mary Roach spent two years devoting herself to the study of sexual physiology, the history of sexual discovery, and modern sexual research. The result is Bonk, an often hilarious and always interesting look at what's really going on down there.

If you've never read Mary Roach, I recommend checking out her work ... And I say this as someone who doesn't read a lot of nonfiction. (I've previously read both Stiff and Spook and both were enjoyable, though Stiff was much better than Spook.) She writes about science, but she does it in a way that's humorous and engaging. She also writes for the masses: you don't need to have a degree in a scientific field in order to understand or enjoy her books. (Though as someone who does, I appreciate that she manages to do this without completely dumbing it down.)


Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley - 272 pages - 4 stars

Nick Naylor is the face of the tobacco industry. After numerous appearances on talk shows (during which he lies through his teeth about the "health benefits" of smoking), he finally may have met his match: a direct threat from a caller during his latest appearance on Larry King Live. As Nick becomes the target of both anti-tobacco terrorists and the FBI, he struggles to hold on to his job and the often crazy life that goes along with it.

Thank You for Smoking is filled with absurd situations, wacky (and often unlikable) characters, and dry, dark humor (my favorite kind). Occasionally offensive and often hilarious, this is satire at its best.


Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life by Roald Dahl - 179 pages - 3 stars

Roald Dahl, best known for children's classics like Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, wrote a collection of oddball, sometimes funny, sometimes horrific tales set in a rural English community (and loosely based on some of his own youthful misadventures), publishing it under the title Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life.

The stories vary from the horribly boring (like the title story, which is about breeding cattle, of all things) to the disgusting (like "The Ratcatcher," which is definitely not the kind of story you will enjoy if you can't stomach reading about cruelty to animals) to over-the-top silly (like one of my personal favorites, "The Champion of the World"). It's a strange little collection that I didn't love but liked a little more than I thought I would.


The Merciless by Danielle Vega - 279 pages - 2 stars

Sofia just wants to fit in at her new school, so when popular girl Riley takes her under her wing, she feels like she just might be able to handle being the new girl (again). But when Riley and her friends involve Sofia in "saving" Brooklyn, a girl they believe to be possessed, she begins to wonder how far she's willing to go to be part of their group.

The Merciless is an odd mix of teen drama, mean girls, religious fanaticism, and B-horror slasher flicks. And, honestly, it really didn't work. The only thing saving it from a 1 star rating was the fact that I was interested enough to keep reading (even if it was only to see what kind of crazy shit might happen next).

I was really excited to read this book, but I was so disappointed once I actually picked it up. Instead of being scared, I found myself rolling my eyes ... A lot. It was ridiculous and over-the-top, and I mostly just felt like I was watching a really bad teen horror movie.


Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield - 219 pages - 4 stars

In this memoir, Rob Sheffield uses music as the backdrop for the love story that changed his life. He and his wife were brought together through music, and it was music that helped him survive her sudden, tragic death. Heartbreaking, funny, and sweet, Love is a Mix Tape is perfect for anyone who understands the power of music.

This book brought me to tears several times, and I absolutely loved all of the musical references (even if I didn't always agree with his choices). It's been sitting on one of my bookshelves for years, but Erin's latest book challenge finally got me to pick it up. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to read it!

Unless something awful and crazy happens (like the last time I flew back to Omaha), I'll be back this weekend to comment, respond to comments, and post my more detailed reviews on Sunday.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - August 2016 Edition

Today is one of my favorite days in blogland: the Show Us Your Books! link-up with Steph and Jana!

The good news is that I don't have any duds to review this time around. The bad news is that I really haven't been prioritizing my reading at all lately so I've been reading a lot less. (And this kind of sucks for me since I'm currently participating in two reading challenges. Hopefully I can get it together and finish both of them!)

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides - 243 pages - 4 stars

The Lisbon sisters, beautiful and mysterious, each commit suicide over the course of a year. Years later, a group of neighborhood boys who obsessively watched from the outside continue to try to put the pieces together to find the answers they so desperately seek.

Jeffrey Eugenides is, without a doubt, a very talented writer. With The Virgin Suicides, he manages to create a haunting coming of age story that sticks with you long after the final page.

While I enjoyed reading this, I'll be completely honest: if you've seen the film adaptation, you can probably skip the book. This isn't one of those cases in which you're given additional insight into the characters' motivations. The movie is almost identical to the book: word for word, scene by scene. This isn't necessarily a bad thing (in fact, the movie is one of my favorites), but I never felt overly inspired to pick up the book because I knew exactly what was going to happen.


The Virgins by Pamela Erens - 281 pages - 4 stars

Aviva and Seung have the kind of intense relationship many teenagers dream about, inspiring jealousy in many of their classmates at their elite East Coast boarding school. One classmate in particular, Bruce Bennett-Jones, is obsessed with the pair (Aviva especially). Told from Bruce's point of view, The Virgins is a blend of memories and reimaginings of the year at Auburn Academy in which Aviva and Seung were the most fascinating couple on campus.

I really appreciated that this wasn't just a typical "rich kids at boarding school hooking up" kind of novel. The characters are well developed and feel very real, despite the fact that the narrator really doesn't know Aviva and Seung well at all.

Pamela Erens did an amazing job bringing together many complex elements of youth to create a gripping and intricate novel. The writing is gorgeous, and the story is one I won't soon forget.


What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi - 325 pages - 3 stars

In this collection of short stories, Helen Oyeyemi adds her own unique and surreal spin on the idea of keys (both literal and metaphorical).

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of short stories. This book was on my "To Read" list because I already knew I loved Oyeyemi's writing style, but I doubt it would have shot to the top of my list if it weren't for the Semi-Charmed Summer 2016 Book Challenge.

That being said, I enjoyed many of the stories included in What is Not Yours is Not Yours. My favorites were ""Sorry" Doesn't Sweeten Her Tea," "Is Your Blood As Red As This?," "Presence," and "A Brief History of the Homely Wench Society." That's about half (4 out of 9), and the others weren't awful ... I just didn't like them as much.

As someone who doesn't really love short stories or magical/supernatural stories, it's surprising that I liked this book as much as I did. I don't think Oyeyemi's style would work for everyone, but there's a lovely, lyrical quality to her storytelling that keeps me coming back for more.


Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist - 472 pages - 4 stars

Bullied by his classmates and mostly friendless, 12-year-old Oskar leads a lonely life filled with thoughts of revenge. When he meets Eli, the strange new girl living next door, things begin to change for him.

Let the Right One In is a fantastic movie (one of my favorites, in fact!), and I'm happy to report that the book was fantastic as well.

Going in, I was really hoping that the book would explain a few things that weren't completely clear to me in the movie, and thankfully it delivered! This book is nearly 500 pages long, so there was obviously no way they could add every single detail into the movie without making it ridiculously long. The things I wondered about most were answered, so that alone was enough to make the book a satisfying read.

It's not a "perfect" book by any means, but it's definitely my kind of vampire story. And, while it's often dark and disturbing, it's also got heart: Linqdvist managed to create characters I actually cared about, despite the fact that most of them were unlikable.

As always, I'll be posting my more in-depth reviews on Sunday. I just wanted to give a quick overview of my thoughts on each book for the link-up.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - July 2016 Edition

I've kind of lost my reading groove lately, and I think it really shows with this month's contribution to the Show Us Your Books! link-up with Steph and Jana.

Since the last link-up, I've only read four books. I've had slow book months in the past, but this felt really slow. (I think this was probably because I couldn't really get into the majority of the books I read.)

To be perfectly honest, I don't have a lot of good things to say about most of the books discussed in this post, so I tried to keep my complaints to a minimum reviews pretty short here. As usual, I'll be posting my more in-depth reviews on Sunday. 

Forsaken by Andrew Van Wey - 446 pages - 2 stars

When art professor Daniel Rinehart receives a mysterious painting, he's determined to find the artist and uncover the secrets behind the unsettling artwork. But the more Daniel studies the painting, the more he realizes something is off ... And before long, he finds his family in danger and himself teetering on the brink of insanity.

I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of paranormal horror. However, I do think that, on occasion, it can be well done. Unfortunately, this was not one of those occasions.

The reviews on Goodreads led me to believe that Forsaken would be a terrifying, nightmare inducing book. I know that for a lot of you, that would be a bad thing ... But I actually like really scary books (and movies). I wanted to be scared. 

As I'm sure you can probably guess from my low rating, I didn't find Forsaken scary. Not at all. Yes, the book started off strong and there were a few unsettling moments, but overall it was just sort of blah. I honestly had a hard time getting through it because it just couldn't hold my attention. 

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison - 326 pages - 4 stars

Jodi and Todd have been together for years, but lately they both just seem to be going through the motions. As their relationship continues to deteriorate, Jodi realizes the only satisfactory ending involves ending Todd's life. (Oh, and don't worry ... This isn't a spoiler. Every summary of this book tells you this right from the start!)

Reading The Silent Wife was kind of like watching a car crash in slow motion: you know something bad is going to happen, there's nothing you can do to stop it, and, although you can already predict the end result, you're still not exactly sure how everything will play out.

This wasn't a book that immediately captivated me, but as I continued to read, I suddenly found myself unable to put it down. I read most of it in a single sitting.

Hillary: Tail of the Dog by Angel Gelique - 251 pages - 3 stars

When 15-year-old Hillary wakes up naked and bound to a bed with no memory of who she is or how she got to this unfamiliar place, she's crippled by fear. Desperate to piece together her past and the reasons she's being held captive, Hillary waits for the perfect moment to escape ... And she'll do anything to go home.

I think by now many of you know that I like really dark, disturbing books. Well, let me just say this: there's dark and disturbing and then there's Hillary: Tail of the Dog. 

I can't pretend I didn't know what I was getting myself into before I opened this book. The warning is right there on the Goodreads page at the very top of the summary. I knew it would be gruesome and uncomfortable and intense. And I read it anyway.

Books like this are nearly impossible for me to rate. I mean, can I really say I liked it? (For the record, I got so queasy at one point that I thought I might actually get sick. Sick. From words on a page.) 

I'll try to explain my reasoning for the 3 star rating in my more in-depth review, but for now I'll just say that this book is very much not for everyone. After I finished it, I just kept thinking, "What the fuck did I just read?" And then I wished for some brain bleach.

Mister Sandman by Barbara Gowdy - 268 pages - 2 stars

The Canary family is an unusual and mysterious bunch, each eccentric member keeping secrets from the rest. That is until Joan, the youngest daughter, arrives. Although she ages, Joan never grows and never speaks. Each family member is inexplicably drawn to her, spending hours confessing their obsessions and secrets ... After all, Joan is the one person they're certain will never say a word. 

For me, Mister Sandman felt like it was haphazardly slapped together. There were moments of brilliance, but there were also pages and pages that were so dull I could barely stay awake. There were laugh out loud moments, and then there were racist "jokes" that really bothered me. (The novel is set in the 1950s-1960s, so maybe that was considered "okay" at the time ... But that kind of shit still gets under my skin.) 

And the sex ... Wow. I don't think I would be exaggerating if I said that a good 85-90% of this novel revolved around sex. Don't get me wrong ... I'm no prude. The sex itself didn't bother me. I think it was the fact that it was so prominent in a story about a family. It just felt a little weird, especially considering this isn't a story about incest. 

I was honestly very torn when it came to this book. The writing was lovely, there were some hilarious moments, and I love a good quirky, dysfunctional family ... But that just wasn't enough for me this time.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - June 2016 Edition

It feels like it's been a lot longer than a month since the last Show Us Your Books! link-up. Maybe it's because I was actually prepared this time around. It always feels like it sneaks up on me when I haven't read many books and/or haven't been writing out my reviews as I go, but time seems to drag on when I have a mostly finished post sitting in my drafts.

Since the last link-up, I've read a lot of books with blue covers. This is somewhat unfortunate since one of the categories for Book Challenge by Erin 5.0 is "Read a book that has a (mostly) blue cover." (I've been slacking, but I should have my list finished and posted sometime next week.)

I read quite a bit this time around, so I tried to keep my reviews short. (The same cannot be said for my introduction, however.) 

I'm trying something a little different this month as well: for the link-up post, I'm giving a brief synopsis and some general thoughts on the book. When I post my more in-depth reviews on Sunday, I'll just be sharing more (spoiler free!) specifics about what I liked/didn't like about each book. 

I will not be including a more in-depth synopsis in that post. If you want that, please visit Goodreads. (Each book I've reviewed is directly linked to its Goodreads page.) Over the past few months I've started to get bored with trying to write a detailed summary of each book I read, and I enjoyed writing my reviews this month much more. Clearly this was a change I needed to make.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, it's time for the good stuff. Linking up with Steph and Jana, obviously.



Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes - 448 pages - 3 stars

Following his disastrous relationship with Beck, Joe Goldberg is finally ready to move on. Leaving his beloved bookstore in New York behind, he heads west to California for a fresh start. But he lives in constant fear that his dark secrets will reveal themselves. Can he keep them hidden, or will they ruin everything?

I really enjoyed You when I read it last year, so I was really disappointed when Hidden Bodies didn't deliver the way I'd hoped. While I enjoyed parts of the book and got through it quickly, I thought Joe seemed a little less likable and interesting this time around.

I'll discuss my main issues with this book in more detail in my post on Sunday, but for now I'll just say that I didn't really like the whole "Joe Goes to Hollywood" storyline. I understood why he moved there, but I felt like a major part of the plot got buried somewhere under all the other bullshit.


The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen - 327 pages - 3 stars

A young boy has spent his entire life living underground with his parents, sister, brother, and grandmother. As he grows a little older, he begins questioning what he knows about their situation and wondering if he'll ever experience life outside the locked basement.

The Light of the Fireflies kept me guessing until about the middle of the book, when the author describes the series of events that ultimately led to the family's current living arrangement. And, while Pen managed to surprise me with their story and I liked the book overall, I was ultimately a little disappointed by the big reveal.


I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh - 369 pages - 4 stars

Jenna Gray moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast in an effort to put a horrific, life-changing car accident behind her. While Jenna tries to move on, two police detectives in Bristol are intent on keeping the hit-and-run case open. But when one dead end leads to another, they begin to wonder if they'll ever find out what really happened that night.

I Let You Go is one of the best thrillers I've read recently.  I'll admit that the pacing was a little slow for me at the beginning, so I initially thought I wasn't going to like the book very much. And then, after slogging through the first third or so of the book, Mackintosh dropped a major bomb and I found myself completely sucked in, desperate to know how everything was going to play out.


Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas - 363 pages - 3 stars

Josephine Hurst has always been obsessed with image and having the "perfect" family. When her oldest daughter, Rose, runs away, she tightens her controlling grip on the remaining members of the Hurst clan.

Some people should probably never become parents. Josephine Hurst is one of those people. She wasn't just controlling and manipulative: she was fucking psychotic and scary.

Although it took me a while to really get into this book and I found the ending to be just "okay," there was enough dysfunction and craziness to make this an overall entertaining read.


Hurt People by Cote Smith - 321 pages - 4 stars

It's the start of summer in 1988, and a small Kansas town is rocked by the recent escape of a dangerous criminal. A murderer on the loose isn't enough to stop two young brothers from spending their days lounging by the pool at their apartment, though, even though their mother forbids them from going while she's at work. There they meet Chris, a mysterious stranger who quickly takes an interest in the oldest boy. As his brother becomes more intrigued by Chris and his promises to help him escape his broken home, the younger boy desperately tries to hold on to his best friend.

Although I didn't give it 5 stars, I'm still convinced that Hurt People is a contender for my future Best Books of 2016 list. It wasn't perfect, but it was really really fucking good.

While it's not the kind of fast-paced thriller that usually keeps me up at night, tearing through the pages to see what happens next, I still found myself glued to this book until 2:00 a.m. for two consecutive nights. I was torn between wanting to see how everything played out and never wanting the book to end. This one will definitely stick with me for a long time.


Wreckage by Emily Bleeker - 294 pages - 4 stars

After a plane crash leaves them stranded on a deserted island in the South Pacific, Lillian Linden and Dave Hall are finally rescued nearly two years later. Thrust into the spotlight, their fascinating story captures the interest of the public ... And journalist Genevieve Randall. Genevieve is convinced they're both hiding something, and she's determined to uncover the truth about what really happened on that island.

This is not a perfect novel by any stretch of the imagination. There were a few things that were over-the-top ridiculous, and I thought some of the things Lillian and Dave lied about were kind of trivial and silly. And the ending? Well, it honestly kind of sucked.

It may be surprising that I gave the book I just described 4 stars, but, in this case, I was able to look past many of its flaws. In the end, the story of the plane crash and life on the island kept me entertained. And, while a lot of the lies/secrets seemed completely unnecessary, Bleeker did a great job holding my interest throughout most of the novel, revealing just enough to make me think, "Okay, I'll just read one more chapter!" each time I thought I was ready to put it down.

If you're looking for a fun beach read with a little bit of romance and mystery, this is a great pick ... Just don't read the first few chapters while you're on a plane!

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter - 200 pages - 2 stars

After their parents die in an accident, Melanie and her two younger siblings are sent to live with relatives they've never met: mute Aunt Margaret, her brothers Francie and Finn, and their strange and controlling Uncle Philip.

I can't really say much more about the plot of this book because, well, that pretty much sums it up. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, but nothing ever did. (Okay, I take that back. The last 8-10 pages or so had a bit of drama, but it was too little, too late.)

I was so disappointed that I didn't like this book. It had some promising moments, and I did like the way Carter handled Melanie's loss of childhood/innocence in the novel. However, for a short novel of only 200 pages, it dragged. Even the lovely, almost poetic writing couldn't save this one for me. (Though it did manage to save the book from a 1 star rating, so I guess that's something.)

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - May 2016 Edition

It's the second Tuesday of the month, which means it's time to talk books with Steph, Jana, and many of the other awesome bloggers who participate in the Show Us Your Books! link-up.

April was a pretty good reading month for me. I finished Book Challenge by Erin 4.0, and read a total of 6 books from start to finish. (The first two books I read in April were reviewed here, if you missed that post.)

As always, I'm posting more condensed reviews today. If you want to know more about my thoughts on a specific book from this post, I'll be posting my in-depth reviews on Sunday.



Do Not Disturb by A.R. Torre - 357 pages - 4 stars

In The Girl in 6E (which I reviewed here), readers were introduced to Deanna Madden, a troubled young woman who has opted to shut herself away from the outside world in an effort to prevent herself from acting on her dark, murderous urges. After breaking her own rules, Deanna begins exploring just how much freedom she can allow herself in Do Not Disturb.

But Deanna isn't the only one with newfound freedom. Marcus Renza has just been released from prison after serving time for brutally raping a woman. After chatting with Deanna online, he has his sights set on his next victim ... And will stop at nothing to find her.

I've really enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, and plan to read the final installment at some point soon. While the writing hasn't blown me away, the overall stories have been interesting and I always find myself frantically turning the pages to see how things will play out.

Like The Girl in 6E, Do Not Disturb is an erotic thriller with plenty of graphic sex and violence. (So obviously not a book for everyone.)

If you think this might be the kind of book for you, though, I'd suggest starting with The Girl in 6E. While Do Not Disturb could technically be okay as a standalone, you'd be missing out on some of Deanna's background (which is only mentioned briefly in this book) and some of the references to things that happened in the first book wouldn't make much sense.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - 378 pages - 5 stars

All the Bright Places is the story of two teenagers: Violet and Finch. Violet is dealing with the painful loss of her older sister, withdrawing more and more each day. Finch has struggled with crippling depression and his status as "Freak" for years. After a chance encounter on the ledge of the bell tower at their high school, Violet and Finch discover that maybe they're not so alone after all.

That is quite literally the most basic summary I could think of to describe this book. While a part of me wants to share more about the story (and I'll talk a little more about it on Sunday when I post my more in-depth reviews), another part of me just wants you to pick up the book and discover it yourself.

A Game for All the Family by Sophie Hannah - 419 pages - 3 stars

After leaving the stress of city life in London behind, Justine, her husband, and their 13-year-old daughter hope to start over and enjoy a quieter lifestyle in the country. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for them to realize that they won't be enjoying this new life the way they initially thought they would.

It starts with Justine's daughter, Ellen, growing withdrawn and depressed when her best friend, George, is expelled from school. This wouldn't be quite as concerning if Justine hadn't been told by the head teacher that George doesn't exist.

And then there are the anonymous calls. At first they're an annoyance, and Justine believes the caller simply has the wrong number. But as they grow increasingly threatening, she begins to wonder what this person knows about her and if she and her family could be in real danger.

I love really weird books, but A Game for All the Family was almost too weird. In fact, I'd say the only reason I gave it an "I liked it" rating is because I thought the book was full of interesting ideas and it did keep me guessing.

Unfortunately, I felt like Sophie Hannah tried too hard to create this elaborate plot full of unexpected twists, and, in the end, delivered a mostly unsatisfying conclusion. When I finished the book, I think my exact reaction was, "That was it? Really?" It could have been so much better.

The Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad - 371 pages - 4 stars

Frank Rath thought he'd given up his career as a detective years ago, but he agrees to help when he's called about a new case involving a missing young woman. He soon discovers that several young women in the area have disappeared within the last year, and wonders if the latest case is somehow connected.

The Silent Girls is a crime thriller filled with plenty of twists and WTF moments. I'll admit that I figured out what might link the missing girls before the big reveal, but there were plenty of times when Rickstad took the novel in a completely different direction than I expected.

The book was unsettling (but not what I'd consider scary), and it was an excellent reminder that evil can lurk in even the smallest towns. It's definitely worth reading if you're a fan of mystery/crime thrillers.

And the ending? Whoa. It's the sort of ending that smacks you in the face, leaves you wanting more, and then makes you feel relieved when you realize the author has plans to write another novel featuring the main character.


Version Control by Dexter Palmer - 495 pages - 3 stars

What if you were living the wrong version of your life? If you could, would you attempt to change the past, even if that meant altering not only your own future but the future of the world? These are just a few of the very complex questions that Version Control attempts to answer.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

There's no doubt in my mind that Dexter Palmer has created a very intricate novel filled with thought-provoking ideas and realistic, well-developed characters. I was also pleasantly surprised that he injected a lot of humor into certain parts of the book.

Unfortunately, I felt like it took way too long to get to the point. This book is nearly 500 pages long, and I think it probably could have been edited down to at least 400 pages (or maybe even less). I understand why the author added some of the details he did, but I think the book would have had the same impact if he'd omitted a few things. By the time I neared the end, I was ready for the book to be over.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - April 2016 Edition

It's time once again to join Steph and Jana for the Show Us Your Books! link-up (a.k.a. the best time of the month since I get to talk books with some of my favorite bloggers)!

Although I didn't hit my reading goal for March, I still feel like I've read a decent amount since the last link-up. Most of these books were for Book Challenge by Erin 4.0, and I'm proud to say that I've now officially completed the challenge!

But anyway, here are my thoughts on what I've read since the last link-up. I'll also be sharing slightly more in-depth reviews this Sunday if you want to know more about any of these books. (But don't worry ... I never post spoilers!)



The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - 438 pages - 5 stars

Practical Vianne lives a happy and comfortable life with her husband and young daughter in a small French village. Her younger sister, 18-year-old Isabelle, is rebellious and often reckless.

As World War II begins, things start to change for these women. Faced with making increasingly difficult (and often dangerous) choices, the two sisters find themselves doing whatever it takes to survive.

That simple description of the plot doesn't even begin to do The Nightingale justice. The characters were complex and likable (even when they made poor choices), and, while I liked Vianne a lot, I absolutely fell in love with Isabelle.

My heart ached for these characters as I read about the horrors they faced at the hands of the Nazis. But, while it was sometimes difficult to swallow, I loved that Kristin Hannah didn't sugarcoat their experiences. It made the story seem more authentic, and I really felt what they were experiencing.

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but this book was amazing and absolutely lived up to the hype. If you haven't read it, you should make time to pick it up. It will break your heart, but it's well worth the tears.

Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino - 530 pages - 2 stars

Exquisitely beautiful Yuriko and studious, awkward Kazue were once students at the elite Q High School for Young Women in Tokyo, bound together only through their school and Yuriko's unnamed, unpopular older sister. As adults, however, they have suffered the same fate: brutally murdered while working as prostitutes.

Through a series of four unreliable narrators, Grotesque reveals the events that led them to prostitution and their ultimate demise, while also describing the struggles the three main female characters face in Japanese society.

I previously read and enjoyed another novel by Natsuo Kirino, Out (you can read my review here, if you're interested), so I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, Grotesque just didn't have the same impact.

The plot was intriguing, and I thought her descriptions of what it was like to grow up female in Japanese society were very interesting and eye-opening. I also liked that there were multiple points of view, particularly because there was a lot going on in the story and it was interesting to see things through the eyes of several characters.

However, the book overall was very mind-numbing, and I had a lot of trouble slogging my way through it. It took me 9 days to finish it, and even though it's a fairly lengthy novel, it shouldn't have taken me that long to read it.

I think Kirino is a talented author, so I was surprised to find so much of the book boring. The section narrated by Zhang was just awful. I would literally groan out loud at certain points because it was so boring that it was almost painful to read. Funnily enough, the unnamed sister (who narrates much of the book) calls Zhang's story "a ridiculously long and tedious piece of work." I guess I wasn't alone in feeling this way.


What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman - 312 pages - 5 stars

In 1929, rebellious Clara is sent away to a mental institution after refusing to give up her relationship with an Italian immigrant and agree to an arranged marriage. Nearly 70 years later, Izzy discovers Clara's journal while helping her foster parents catalog items at the now closed Willard Asylum.

Izzy finds herself drawn to Clara's story, quickly realizing the woman who wrote those journal entries wasn't actually mentally ill but simply shut away for refusing to obey her parents' wishes. As she continues to read, Izzy begins to question what she knows about her own biological mother. Did her mother murder her father because she was mentally ill, or is there more to the story?

Have you ever read and rated a book and then later wondered why you gave it that rating? That's how I feel about What She Left Behind.

On one hand, I really enjoyed Clara's story. It was both eye-opening and heartbreaking to read about the types of horrific treatment given to asylum patients in the 20s and 30s, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to her.

On the other hand, much of this book was completely over-the-top. I like some drama in my entertainment, but this was a little much.

So why did I rate it 5 stars? Other than the fact that I became pretty invested in Clara's story, I'm really not sure. I went with what I felt as soon as I turned the final page, but, since I didn't bother writing my review until much later, I feel like I can't explain why I gave it such a high rating. (Whomp whomp. Review fail.)


Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney - 208 pages - 3 stars

Recently separated from his wife and barely hanging on at his mostly boring job as a fact checker for a prominent magazine, a young man spends most of his time in the hottest clubs of New York with his best friend, snorting coke and attempting to pick up attractive women.

While Bright Lights, Big City doesn't have the most original or exciting plot, the writing itself was wonderful.  It was sharp and witty and full of passages that were so awesome and inspiring that I wanted to stop reading so I could work on my own novel. Here's a great example: "But what you are left with is a premonition of the way your life will fade behind you, like a book you have read too quickly, leaving a dwindling trail of images and emotions, until all you can remember is a name."

I think I would have liked this book a little more if I'd read it as a teenager (or even in my early 20s), but it was still enjoyable overall.


This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper - 339 pages - 5 stars

Judd Foxman is dealing with a lot of shit: his wife has been having an affair with his boss ... And now she's pregnant. To make things even worse, he gets the news that his father has died. Grieving for both his marriage and his father, Judd returns home to sit shiva with the rest of his highly dysfunctional family.

I don't think I've ever read a book that could make me laugh so much and then, just a few sentences later, make me want to cry. Reading This is Where I Leave You was like riding an emotional rollercoaster: there were so many ups and downs that I kept wondering if my heart would make it off the ride intact.

This is the first book I've read by Jonathan Tropper, and I'm definitely interested in seeking out more of his work.


In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - 310 pages - 4 stars

Leonora Shaw (known to some as "Nora," to others as "Lee") is invited to an old friend's hen party at a remote house in the woods. This should be a fun weekend away, but Nora has her reservations about going. The biggest issue? She hasn't seen or spoken to the bride-to-be in at least a decade. Why does Clare suddenly want to be part of her life again?

After talking with a mutual friend who was also invited to the party, Nora reluctantly agrees to attend. Now, just a couple of days after arriving at the eerie glass house, Nora wakes up in a hospital bed, injured and unable to remember what happened to put her there.

In a Dark, Dark Wood could easily have been a terrible book. After all, we've all read (and seen) the "weekend in the woods gone wrong" stories about a million times.

Thankfully, Ruth Ware was able to breathe new life into a story that could easily have been riddled with boring clichés. I read most of this book in a single day (and I'm not a very fast reader, so that's pretty impressive for me!). I just couldn't put it down!

While it's not perfect, it's easily one of the best suspense/thriller novels I've read in a while. If you're a fan of that sort of thing, I'd recommend this one.


The Bloodletter's Daughter by Linda Lafferty - 512  pages - 2 stars

In 1606, Don Julius, the bastard son of Emperor Rudolf II, has been sent to live in a castle in a remote Bohemian village, shut away from the outside world. Believing he needs to be cured of his madness and depravity before he can return to Prague, the Emperor requests the help of a priest and a physician. The physician, in turn, asks a local bloodletter to assist him in purging the young royal of his vicious humors.

When Don Julius meets the bloodletter's daughter, Marketa, he begins to show signs of change. As his obsession with her grows deeper and more dangerous, Marketa, both frightened and fascinated, can't stay away.

The plot (which is based on true events) was the only reason I added this book to my "To Read" list, and Erin's book challenge is the only reason I wound up reading it. I'm not usually a huge fan of historical fiction anyway, but I especially have a hard time getting through books that are set hundreds of years ago. Sometimes I like to get out of my reading comfort zone, though, so I decided to give The Bloodletter's Daughter a try.

Honestly? I kind of wish I hadn't wasted my time. The writing is mediocre at best, and it reads like a really bad romance story with some rape and supernatural elements thrown in. While I wouldn't say it's the absolute worst book I've ever read, I didn't exactly look forward to picking it up each day either.

From the Bookshelf: Recently Read - March 2016 Edition

I was hoping to have this post up much earlier today, but obviously that didn't happen. I usually try to write my reviews immediately after I finish reading a book, but I've really been slacking lately in the blogging department ... So that didn't happen either.

And, if I'm being honest here, I slacked quite a bit in the reading department last month as well. I've only finished 4 books since the last Show Us Your Books! link-up with Steph and Jana (for comparison, I read and reviewed 7 books last month). Oh well ... At least the majority of the books I'm reviewing today were really good!

So let's get to it, shall we?



Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - 278 pages - 4 stars

Lia and Cassie were best friends, impossibly thin girls each struggling with her own personal demons. For Cassie, it was bulimia and the desire to be the best at everything. For Lia, it was anorexia, self-mutilation, and depression.

The girls eventually have a falling out, and the last time Lia hears from Cassie is the night she dies ... The night Lia refused to answer even though Cassie called her thirty-three times. Now haunted by her memories of Cassie (and by Cassie herself), Lia must decide how much she's really willing to lose.

Laurie Halse Anderson did an excellent job really getting into the mind of a teenage girl suffering from obsessive and disordered thinking. This is probably one of the most realistic books I've read when it comes to mental disorders.

Because of this, it was a very difficult book for me to get through. Although I thought it was fantastic, I recommend it with hesitation. If you've dealt with any of the issues discussed in this novel (whether firsthand or with a friend or family member), this may be a really tough book.  The story is both sad and unsettling, and it's definitely not the sort of book to pick up if you're looking for a fun, light read.

If the plot intrigues you, though, I say read it. It's well worth the time. The writing style is unique and almost lyrical, and the story is not one I'll soon forget.


Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg - 293 pages - 5 stars

In a single moment, June Reid loses her entire family. As she watches helplessly from the yard, her home is engulfed in flames, ending the lives of her daughter, Lolly, her daughter's fiance, her ex-husband, and her boyfriend, Luke. Feeling she can't bear to stay in her small Connecticut town after the tragedy, June begins aimlessly driving across the country.

Did You Ever Have a Family is a story about grieving and secrets and guilt. But it's also a story filled with hope.

This is the kind of book that I find difficult to review because I loved it so much. It's so much easier to write about all of the things that are "wrong" with a book than it is to explain why it touched me so deeply. Tears were streaming down my face as I finished the last page, and I felt completely gutted ... Yet I also felt strangely hopeful.

I'll share more of my thoughts on this book on Sunday when I post my more in-depth reviews. For now I'll just say that this book was amazing and beautiful. If you only read one of the books I'm reviewing today, please read this one. But don't just take my word for it ... I know that both Jana and Erin also gave it 5 stars on Goodreads!


The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre - 336 pages - 4 stars

Deanna Madden (a.k.a. "Jessica Reilly") is a reclusive young woman who makes a living working in the sex cam industry. She hasn't been outside in years, choosing to lock herself away in her apartment rather than risk giving in to her dark, murderous urges. Creating a very simple set of rules for herself, she's managed to avoid killing for three years. But rules were meant to be broken.

The Girl in 6E definitely falls under the "WTF did I just read?" category. There are a lot of explicit sexual situations (but, oddly enough, no actual sex). There's a bloodthirsty main character with a dark, tragic past. There's also a subplot involving a pedophile (and that alone is generally enough to give most people a "WTF did I just read?" feeling).

Although I had a couple of issues with the story (I'll discuss those in more detail in Sunday's post), I really liked the book overall. The story was fascinating (I definitely felt like I learned a lot about the sex cam industry!), and I stayed up late reading at least a couple of nights because I was so captivated by the story.

I don't think this is the right book for everyone, but I found it very entertaining. I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in this series (and I actually already have the second book checked out from the library)!


Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf - 284 pages - 2 stars

Sarah Quinlan's husband, Jack, has always kept her mostly in the dark about his troubled past. However, when his aunt is hospitalized after an accident, he cannot avoid his hometown and the terrible memories that linger there any longer. Soon after arriving in Penny Gate, Iowa, Sarah begins to learn more about her husband's family and past ... And finds herself wondering if she really knows him at all.

I had really high hopes for this book after Steph gave it 4 stars and said she read it in a single night. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

I'll be discussing my thoughts on this book in a little more detail in Sunday's post, but for now I'll say that it just couldn't hold my attention. I love thrillers and I love stories about family secrets ... But I didn't love this book.

It wasn't the worst book I've ever read (not by far!), but, for me, it was truly "just okay." I had to force myself to pick it up each time I had time to read, and I even went two or three days without picking it up at all. It took me well over a week to finish it, which is kind of insane for me. (Well, it's insane when the book is under 300 pages!) I didn't hate it, but I really didn't care enough about the story or the characters to ever feel captivated by Missing Pieces.