BOOK CRAVINGS

  • The Appeal

    The Appeal

    Author: Janice Hallett
    Publisher: Atria Books
    Date Published: January 25, 2022

    The Appeal is the story of a fundraiser gone bad, told in a thoroughly unique way. Two legal aids are tasked with following the case as it played out in chronological order, through a series of emails, letters, and text messages. There is a large cast of characters, some with similar last names, and no chapter breaks, which made the reading a little slow for me. However, as I am familiar with both the world of fundraising and little theater, the author struck a chord with me. I loved the “whisper-down-the-lane” effect of people only hearing a snippet of information and repeating it as gospel (gossip). At first, I felt sorry for one of the main protagonists, Issy. She was described repeatedly as mousy, and she craved friendship that was often not reciprocated. But as we get further into the story, we find that everyone lies, though they would call it embellishing the truth. Issy included. The men in the book are focused on protecting the women. The women are competing to be the best. And the unsuspecting community who contributes to the fundraiser are wholly unaware of what’s going on in the background. I feel the book could have benefited by ending the correspondence sooner and/or providing chapter breaks or headings, but the story really picks up about 60% in when the legal aids are tasked with answering a series of questions to come to the proper conclusion about why a person murdered and by whom.

    While the description calls this “a wholly modern take on the epistolary novel”, I think it would help readers to understand the format going in, but I’m giving this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for uniqueness. Kudos to this debut author for keeping all the characters and plotlines straight.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance reader’s copy.

    ,
    , ,

  • The New Girl

    The New Girl

    Author: Ruth Heald
    Publisher: Bookouture
    Date Published: January 25, 2022

    The New Girl is the story of a woman so desperate to escape her small town and get back to the city of London, that she naively enters into a work relationship that is toxic. Sophie is so caught up in proving herself at work that she doesn’t see how she’s been manipulated. And doesn’t see the past catching up to her until it’s too late. While you’ll have to suspend disbelief a ‘la My Fair Lady, the story is well told, and the twists and turns kept the pace going at a rapid clip.

    Ruth Heald did an excellent job of describing the atmospheric and creepy apartment that Sophie is allowed to stay in rent free. You can just hear the creaks and footsteps along with Sophie, and every time she walks home alone, I want to scream at her, “take a cab!”.

    Reading The New Girl was a great way to spend a couple of cold winter nights!

    Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader’s copy for review.

    ,
    , ,

  • Last Seen Alive

    Last Seen Alive

    Author: Joanna Schaffhausen
    Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
    Date Published: January 25, 2022

    This is book is part of a series, and since I read four of the previous books, I was happy to see growth in some of the characters. We get to see how Ellery has grown since she was kidnapped and tortured almost 20 years ago. We also see how her relationship with her rescuer Reed has evolved. At times, I forgot I was reading fiction, and got so carried away in reading I thought it was a true crime novel. And the ending brought tears to my eyes.

    Well played, Joanna!

    Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader’s copy.

    ,
    , ,

  • The Overnight Guest

    The Overnight Guest

    Author: Heather Gudenkauf
    Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row
    Date Published: January 25, 2022

    Graham, and Margo are so bored. And so rich. They can get away with anything, right? Graham’s wife Lyla knows it and is pulled into Graham and Margo’s insanely wicked game. She believes she can never get out alive. She knows too much.

    “I stretch my lips in a smile. It hurts a little.”

    For the people in Brazier’s book, being rich is 90% money and 10% artifice. So when a woman used to living by her wits on the street is unwittingly pulled into Lyla, Graham and Margo’s game, they won’t know what happened until the twisty end. Even when the game keeps on going.

    You will love to hate the characters in Good Rich People. Not one of them is innocent; some just have more motivation for the evil they do. Picture a cross between Joe Goldberg (You) and Dexter. I almost feel guilty for liking this book, but it will definitely cease all craving for a “rich people” lifestyle. While this book was way over the top, the writing style was so entertaining I couldn’t put it down!

    Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this eccentric romp through the Los Angeles hillside!

    , ,

  • Good Rich People

    Good Rich People

    Author: Eliza Jane Brazier
    Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
    Date Published: January 25, 2022

    Graham, and Margo are so bored. And so rich. They can get away with anything, right? Graham’s wife Lyla knows it and is pulled into Graham and Margo’s insanely wicked game. She believes she can never get out alive. She knows too much.

    “I stretch my lips in a smile. It hurts a little.”

    For the people in Brazier’s book, being rich is 90% money and 10% artifice. So when a woman used to living by her wits on the street is unwittingly pulled into Lyla, Graham and Margo’s game, they won’t know what happened until the twisty end. Even when the game keeps on going.

    You will love to hate the characters in Good Rich People. Not one of them is innocent; some just have more motivation for the evil they do. Picture a cross between Joe Goldberg (You) and Dexter. I almost feel guilty for liking this book, but it will definitely cease all craving for a “rich people” lifestyle. While this book was way over the top, the writing style was so entertaining I couldn’t put it down!

    Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this eccentric romp through the Los Angeles hillside!

  • Such a Pretty Smile

    Such a Pretty Smile

    Author: Kristi DeMeester
    Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
    Date Published: January 18, 2022

    Before we even talk about the riveting story in this book, let’s talk about the language. Such a Pretty Smile is a beautifully written book, full of keen observations of the human condition and the world around us. Though horror is not my typical genre, the allegory immediately struck me….women repressed, generation after generation, by a certain type of man. As we flip between Caroline in 2004 and 2019, you begin to understand the lack of belief she has in her own sanity, the struggle she faces to be “normal” every single day. I loved the creep factor: weirdly composed sculptures, an abandoned theme park, and pre-teens dredging up frustration in the form of over-the-top anger.

    I checked the backlist and DeMeester has a pretty good volume of work – I’ll definitely be checking out some of her other titles!

    Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader’s copy.

    ,

  • The World is Full of Books

    So let’s make good choices. Here are reviews of books that made me read through the night, sometimes wake up with a book hangover, and often made me say “Whoa! What did I just read!”