You know what the problem is with reading REALLY good books? When I’m done the only review I am capable of writing is one that looks like this . . . .You know what the problem is with reading REALLY good books? When I’m done the only review I am capable of writing is one that looks like this . . . .
If you know me you know this new release checks all of my boxes:
1. House cover? Check.
2. Mystery? Check.
3. Family drama? Check.
4. Somebody or other’s book club recommendation that my FOMO won't let me not read? Check.
The story here at its base is one of a missing person. Fifty-something Adam Parson went out for a hike with his son and did not return. Now the only person who might know the answer to where he might be is fourteen year old Eugene . . . who just so happens to be nonverbal.
So as I said above, this one delivered for me in abundance. I was soooooo invested in this family (and Mia’s voice was perfection – complete with the footnotes I just claimed a week or so ago to hate in another book). The missing person aspect had me checking and rechecking how long it had been since Adam was last seen. And the science?????? Oh Angie Kim, you shed so much light on being "nonverbal" to this dumb bunny and you did it in a way that all of your smartypants research didn’t bore me whatsoever.
The easiest recommendation would be to say this is maybe for those of you who loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, but I realize that’s probably considered pretty low hanging fruit since it also features a character on the spectrum. It just so happens I really liked that book as well so I don’t feel one bit guilty about making the comparison ; )
For fans of Big Little Lies! Okay, so I have yet to find a neighborhood stabby I enjoyed quite like I did Liane Moriarty’s take on things, but this isFor fans of Big Little Lies! Okay, so I have yet to find a neighborhood stabby I enjoyed quite like I did Liane Moriarty’s take on things, but this is a pretty decent selection if you’re looking for some poolside fun this summer.
The story here takes place in a village about an hour away from Cork City. Ciara is the Instagrammer with the most influence, and all the other mammies in the ‘hood follow her parenting, style and child-rearing advice religiously. Oh, and also she’ll be dead before the end of the prologue. The remainder of the story is figuring out just who did the whodunit where . . . .
And I had no idea who it was going to be because it could have been anyone.
This didn’t have the humor or snark or likeability factor when it came to the characters like others I have loved in this sort of category, but it certainly kept me turning pages!
I read this book AGES ago (and was even lucky enough to score a paper advanced copy) but never reviewed it because when it comes to the question of “wI read this book AGES ago (and was even lucky enough to score a paper advanced copy) but never reviewed it because when it comes to the question of “who wants to read a book about a lady fighting with the local homeowner’s association in order to stop a glass McMansion from being built next door”?!?!?!? The answer is probably . . .
A million and a half years ago when my husband and I were looking for our forever home we didn’t know exactly how much to spend (even way before the housing crisis the banks would approve you pretty much whatever amount you dared to ask for), or what style we wanted, or what part of the city (actually, we did know that but we either couldn’t afford it or were afraid of “up and coming” neighborhoods or the ability to manage private school on our budget). The one thing we were sure of was that we wanted to avoid the dreaded homeowner’s association at all costs. We have been left with people across the street who have chosen a very unfortunate turquoise color as their window trim and who leave their Christmas lights up the entire year, but they are also the same people who will lend you any tool you ever need or would pull you out of a burning building so you take the good with the bad. I stand by the decision of avoiding an HOA at all costs, but I LIVE to hear about other people’s issues with theirs.
If you’re like me, Kathleen’s story might be for you. I love good chick lit, I love some sort of midlife crisis and I really love the idea of moving from flyover country to live in a little oyster shack on the coast....more
For some reason I thought this was by the same person who wrote The Push (a book that I wasn’t interested in reading) so I was way late to
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For some reason I thought this was by the same person who wrote The Push (a book that I wasn’t interested in reading) so I was way late to put it on hold at the library. Then Shelby read it and said it was good and a little reminiscent of an old fave . . . .
So I reeeeaaaallllly needed a copy. I lucked out that despite the Kindle waiting list being like six months, somehow a hardback copy was up for grabs within a couple of weeks of me demanding immediate gratification asking nicely.
My only complaint here is one you’re going to see fairly often if I ever get off my duff and start reviewing things in a timely manner. This was too long. And at nearly 500 pages, it was considerably too long. The good news is the story is G.R.E.A.T. I can absolutely see this being a case that the author was having such a fun time with these characters she didn’t want to leave them behind.
The story here is about the unlikely friendship between three women who are all going through – you guessed it, THE CHANGE . . . .
With Harriett as “the punishment that fits the crime” – Jo as “the rage that burns everything down”– and Nessa as “the light that holds back the darkness.” Thanks to Nessa’s visions, it is up to them to discover just who has been making a practice of killing girls and dumping their bodies around Danskammer Beach. I won’t give away more than that, just know it’s pretty hard to score even four stars from me lately and I didn’t once hesitate to give this one 4.5. ...more
Nora is like a lot of women – overworked, overstressed and overtired. She’s trying her best to balance her office life as an attorney (where she’s tryNora is like a lot of women – overworked, overstressed and overtired. She’s trying her best to balance her office life as an attorney (where she’s trying to keep on track to make partner) with home life and she’s pregnant to boot. All she wants her husband Hayden to do is realize . . . .
It shouldn’t be Nora’s responsibility to know everything that is going on in both of their schedules as well as their daughter’s. She shouldn’t have to fly solo and do the shopping, cleaning, laundry, bath and bedtime rituals after she’s worked all day. And yet she continually finds herself arguing with Hayden about his perception of being “better than most of his friends” and her own desire to have a 50/50 split without nagging. It truly is the song that doesn’t end . . . .
Nora and Hayden also need a bigger house. A potential forever house – especially now that baby #2 is on the way. Nora is drawn to the sprawling one story located in Dynasty Ranch. The neighbors all seem welcoming too. Not to mention they’re interested in putting her on retainer for their legal work which will definitely please the firm. And the husbands???? Well those fellas are just too good to be true.
I picked this up because working from home for the last year and a half has made me see allllllllll the daggone book club announcements and this one was chosen by Good Morning America. I had not read this author previously (but after this experience am seriously considering adding The Whisper Network to my neverending library list). Per usual I didn’t bother reading the blurb on The Husbands either. I did groan about that aerial shot of all the houses being blocked by the stupid fake flame, but that’s a Kelly issue hahahaha.
Anyway, I wasn’t aware at the time that this was basically a modernization of . . . .
I have noticed this week on Flatiron’s Instagram they have decided to start owning it - as well they should. I think Ira Levin would have been proud to have his name attached to this new release and that his book had served as the inspiration behind it. I thought this was so clever and I read it cover to cover on Saturday. The only complaint I have is about the “accident” which (like in most books like these) is hinted around about for eternity before the reader ever finds out what happened.
If you are a wife/mother who has found yourself adding new words to your vocabulary over the course of quarantine – such as I did with the term chancla . . . . .
But the big reveal was worth the price of admission for me. This is the story of Nella – an editing assistant for Wagner Books who has her eye on moving up the corporate ladder. When the company hires Hazel, Nella is thrilled to have another black person in the office. But what exactly is Hazel’s deal? Is she really all cool vibes and braids and fabulous outfits and charming personality? Or is she the person behind the “LEAVE WAGNER NOW” note that was left on Nella’s desk????
Okay so like I said this one really worked for me. Not that I didn’t want to smack Nella upside the head a time or twelve. Dang girl. The first rule in being an underling is you don’t trust NOBODY – especially the newbies. Hahahahahahaha ; ) But I totally get wanting to have a confidant - not to mention the narrative of being the black person in an office. Obviously I have no personal experience from which to pull, but simply as an observer of watching one black person being removed for another black person to take that one spot while the company preaches diversity???? Oh the cringe is so real even as an outsider. This delivery literally had my grinding my teeth while reading Nella’s experience.
Good Morning America gets the accolades for putting this one on my radar. For someone who would rather poke her own eyeballs out instead of participating in an actual book club I sure am a sucker for all of these dang morning show and famous people choices . . . .
The blurb calls this story Stepford Wives meets Get Out. I’d say that’s a pretty accurate statement. If you want another smart take on the inner workings of big corporate I recommend the different yet with somewhat similar vibes The Boys Club.
So obviously if I enjoy a house on a cover I’m definitely going to be all in when there’s AN ENTIRE CITY on the cover. I have to confess I almost passSo obviously if I enjoy a house on a cover I’m definitely going to be all in when there’s AN ENTIRE CITY on the cover. I have to confess I almost passed this one by after glancing at the synopsis and seeing it was going to be about a former egg who shows up in 100% actual human child form to confront the donor. My brain was saying hell to the nah nah and also . . . .
But the FOMO (as always) won out and I put my name on the library list like Good Morning America was actually going to call me in as a guest on the dang show to talk about this or something. It truly is an illness.
Good news is Skye wasn’t just some rando donor – she had done a pal a personal favor for some much needed cash back in the day and the resulting kid found out about it because she discovered the paperwork. Bad news is – Skye is A LOT. If you can’t deal with an unlikeable character and don’t have the patience to wait forever for a redemption arc, this probably isn’t the book for you. I dug it, though. I thought Skye was so realistic and, without spoiling all the things, I really appreciated her willingness to set boundaries without regard to outward appearances. I mean, she was definitely someone who took “you do you” to a different level for a good chunk of the story, but everyone should have a limit of what they are willing to accept/tolerate and not feel guilty about saying no thank you to toxic individuals/situations – even if they are your family. Her voice was a delight as well. I literally “LOL’d” more than once due to the conversational tone of the storytelling and Skye’s dry delivery. Examples . . . .
I almost get hit by a bright yellow bike that’s covered in I Heart Philly stickers. “Watch it!” the cyclist yells at me as he comes to a hard stop a foot away from me in the bike lane. “YOU watch it!” I yell back, because fuck him and his bike.
This is when I realize I’m still wearing my emergency bra and begin to scream internally. Faye looks at the bra and I can see the horror in her eyes, like: WHY ARE YOU WEARING YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S BRASSIERE? “I…wasn’t expecting this to happen today,” I tell her. “It’s okay,” she says. “It’s coming off now anyway.” She reaches around to unhook the bra. Thing is: Grandma’s bra has one hundred and seventeen clasps. Oh, you thought Meemaw was just going to be out here with a regular-ass bra with a regular-ass number of clasps? You thought Gam-Gam was going to risk her titties not staying perfectly still through a four-hour church service? What if she caught the spirit? You thought she was finna risk her bosoms just falling out all over the place while she was praising Jesus? You. Thought. Wrong.
I forget to comment about this most of the time, but I’m also a sucker for stories where the setting almost becomes a character of its own. And while I’m a Midwestern girl, this brought back plenty of blasts from my pasts. Mainly in the form of . . . .
I didn’t immediately hop on the bandwagon for a copy of Olympus, Texas because the blurb compared it to The Iliad - something I have never read due toI didn’t immediately hop on the bandwagon for a copy of Olympus, Texas because the blurb compared it to The Iliad - something I have never read due to the fact that . . . . .
(It also namedropped Friday Night Lights, I guess because it was set in Texas???? Seems like maybe a stretch, but again I’ve not read that one either despite owning it for a hundred million years.)
Anyway, I decided to take a gamble when Richard Russo provided an endorsement since I have read and loved some of his stuff. (And a Pulitzer winner even – maybe I am smart after all!)
Turns out Russo was correct and the combo of an ensemble cast of relatives (100% my wheelhouse) and the Texas connection made me realize maybe my addiction to all things family drama might stem from my childhood where I spent all week counting down the minutes until I went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on Friday nights and we watched . . . . .
If that’s true, then Knot’s Landing is probably the source of my affinity for neighborhood strife.
Olympus, Texas differs from some of my usual selections featuring meth and trailer parks, but that’s not to say there isn’t a whoooooooooooooooooooole lot going on. Mainly in the form of . . . . .
JanB, Diane S, debra, Marialyce and Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies all had success with this one too so I feel pretty comfortable declaring myself a “right reader” for once ; ) ...more
Turns out I’ve read nearly all of their selections. And not only read them, but liked them all as well.
I won’t lie and say I immediately knew How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House was going to be a winner for me. I didn’t really remember what it was about when I started it – I just remembered I had an ARC. There were MANY characters and the timeline did the wibbly wobbly to provide histories and backstories. But once I settled in and started “getting” the way it was being delivered, I never put it down.
This is the story of a young woman, her abusive husband, their dead baby, her mother, a grandmother, a widow, a childhood friend and a detective. It is about a robbery gone wrong. An accident so bad it has to be covered up. It’s about drug dealing and wife beating and exchanging whatever wares you have to offer for the American tourist dollar. It is unrelenting in its agony. A true skillet to the face type of story. It takes you from the present to the past to provide a fully painted portrait of its characters and it is woven together almost seamlessly.
Thanks to the MacMillan Reading Insiders Club for offering selections I don’t even know I want until you tell me about them....more
We take our memories wherever we go, and what’s left are the ones that stick around, and that’s how we make a life.
After four years together Benson a We take our memories wherever we go, and what’s left are the ones that stick around, and that’s how we make a life.
After four years together Benson and Mike find themselves at a crossroads in their relationship. To make the situation even more difficult Mike is getting ready to go to Japan to say his final farewells to his dying father at the same time his mother is coming to the United States and will be staying with Benson.
This made it to a lot of people’s best books of 2020 and I fall on that side of the fence as well. That being said, be warned it may not be a book for you. Spare writing, no quotation marks and simply living in the guys’ respective day-to-day lives so not a ton of action will be a turnoff for many - and that’s perfectly okay....more
I mean this book was EV.ER.Y.THANG. I had hoped it would be going in.
But first, let’s start with a confession. I really wanted to read this yesterday when it came out. If you know me I’m sure you can imagine the first world problem sort of whining that ensued when I went to check the pornbrary website and saw that SIX others were in front of me. Heifers! But then I realized I had received this as an advance from NetGalley . . . .
Good news is, it was absolutely A-Okay that this was not what I was expecting. Because really all I actually was in the mood for was a holiday-type of read to remind me that smiling is sometimes my favorite.
The premise here is that Minnie and Quinn were born in the same hospital on the same day and only one minute apart. That day just happened to be New Year’s. The two meet for the first time on their 30th birthday and end up developing an unexpected friendship that the reader follows along for the following year. Backstory is provided in snippets of New Year’s Eves past to provide an insight into what made each character who they are.
I knew starting this I would quite possibly rage out if it didn’t play like a movie in my head while I was reading. Luckily I was not disappointed. This was an absolute delight and I could easily picture Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin melting hearts on the big screen . . . .
So come November 1st I absolutely was digging through the dungeon belting this song out . . . .
Haul out the holly Put up the tree before my spirit falls again Fill up the stocking I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now For we need a little Christmas Right this very minute Candles in the window Carols at the spinet Yes, we need a little Christmas Right this very minute It hasn't snowed a single flurry But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry
And willing to get the black lunge from flocking flying off the artificial tree forest down there.
I had no clue what this book was about before putting my name on the library waiting list. I simply knew I really enjoyed The Radleys so I’m more than happy to continue reading Matt Haig’s stuff.
The story here is about Nora, a 35 year old woman who has decided to end her life. (Obviously – trigger warning.) She then finds herself in the “Midnight Library” – a limbo of sorts where every potential life you could have lived depending on the choices you made is available on the shelves. You simply have to choose the volume you would like to read. Find one you like? You can remain there forever. Determine that you were correct and life is truly hopeless for you, the library will crumble out of existence.
To me this was a modernization of one of my favorites . . . .
I requested this thinking I was a total longshot at getting approved. I mean this Kevin Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I requested this thinking I was a total longshot at getting approved. I mean this Kevin guy might have a career in writing, know what I’m saying? If you know me you know I’m not super big on books in a series so I’ve been awaiting the day Kwan would break out of the Crazy Rich Asian world and introduce us to some new characters. I about pooped myself when I received the approval and couldn’t wait to start. Especially after coming off a book high with The Heart’s Invisible Furies I was 100% interested in something light and fun in order to cure my book hangover.
This may not have been a Rachel and Nick story, but from the cover alone I knew I was going to get to experience the opulence my real life contains zero of. You know what I’m talking about . . . .
That was like “pass the smelling salts please ‘cause momma ‘bout to pass out from excite.” You might want to take my rating with a grain of salt, because I am absolutely biased here. That being said, I read a lot of modernizations (usually P&P, but I do mix it up with Shakespeare retellings and others occasionally) and thought this one was well done and oh-so-much fun. It doesn’t come out until July (sorry), but that’s the perfect time to soak up some sun and read about rich people vacationing in Capri and the Hamptons anyway so add it to the TBR if you need to treat yo self.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
When I first heard about this book I was soooooooo stoked. I mean . . . .
Every year, on your birthday, right at midnight, you travel through time to inhabit your body at a different point of your life. For exactly one year. Then you “leap” to another random age you haven’t lived before (could be older, could be younger). You’re physically and mentally healthy, but you’re experiencing your adult life out of order.
Now THAT is some tropey yum yum that I can get on board with. I immediately started getting the warm and fuzzies remembering some old blasts from the past like . . . .
Unfortunately Oona Out of Order was a case of an excellent premise that I was suuuuuuuuure was going to end up scoring 4 Stars, but the execution was a complete flop *insert sadface*. Oona was not someone I ever ended up liking even a little bit so that was never going to help matters - but then the majority of the story was all she’s going to be a famous rockstar and do drugs and have random sex despite being left notes from her damn self not to and just . . . . barf. There are enough vapid people on television 24/7 – I absolutely don’t need to seek them out in my fiction. And I realize this entire thing is steeped in the oh-so-very-not-realistic-at-all, but if you “wake up” once at a different age with no recollection of WTF happened and require an assistant or your mother or someone to ‘splain things to you, you can’t then at another time “wake up” and being fully cognizant of the goings on. Or be totally woke when you’re a boomer who hasn’t even lived your life in chronological order. Also, your average 19-year old isn’t aware of the workings of stop losses and limit orders in order to build a stock portfolio large enough to live on for eternity. Just sayin’. As my friend Ron 2.0 would say, this was just a big too ridiculous™ and one day I will get over this ceaseless case of FOMO and not check out every single book that is overshared on the ‘Gram. ...more
I knew zero about Long Bright River before attempting to get my hands on a copy. All I knFind all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I knew zero about Long Bright River before attempting to get my hands on a copy. All I knew was I loved Heft and when I recognized the author’s name I wanted to give her new release a shot. When I found out it was a dope story, wellllllll . . . . .
The story here is of two sisters. Mickey works on the right side of the law as a beat cop in Philly, her sister Kacey is a drug addicted prostitute. At its most basic, this is a “whodunit” when Mickey discovers Kacey might be officially missing at the same time as several women with a connection to the seedier side of life have been murdered. And believe me, that story is done well. It absolutely did not feel like 500 pages. What I did not expect whatsoever was . . . . .
No, not really. I’ll spare you the soapbox regarding my feelings on 99.99999% of the times that term is used, but let’s just say this one hit waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too close to home. You can stop reading here if you’re only interested in book specifics because I really have nothing to offer. Instead I’m going to get real personal.
Long Bright River resonated with me because I could relate to it on a whole different level. You see, I work in law and have a sister who died of a heroin overdose. She often went “missing” and turned up again only because she needed some money. I can only assume she more than likely whored herself out in order to get a fix when she did not have other means of obtaining money. She painted herself the victim and blamed every bad decision she ever made on her upbringing – which was the same upbringing I had and yet somehow I managed to become a fairly productive member of society. She had drug addicted baby after drug addicted baby. One died (basically at her hands because even though said baby was born addicted, she was still sent home with a garbage human to care for her who unplugged the breathing/heart monitor due to it “malfunctioning and beeping all the time” - a/k/a she was stoned, her baby dying was interrupting her high, and when she finally came to it was too late to resuscitate). A second baby died. Three more were taking in by a relative and since my sister never managed to make any supervised visits/not piss dirty eventually legal custody was granted in whole to that wonderful family. Another went to a family battling infertility and thankfully they were able to legally adopt her after the system ran its tedious, never-ending second/third/fourth/eightieth chance process. We thought she was going to go to prison once and we were so happy because at least she would have a roof over her head, food, and a chance at court-ordered rehab to get clean . . . but then she was released with a slap on the wrist (and trust me, manufacturing methamphetamine SHOULD NOT be a charge with fucking probation as the punishment), came out and spiraled out of control until her death.
As I said, I don’t think I’ve ever related to a story like I did this one. I have never had a book bring out so much real life, personal anger in me. I’ve never wanted to throat punch a fictional character like this. I’ve never had a twist that I cheered for as much as this one and I’ve never agreed with a character’s actions like I agreed with Mickey’s. My notes say real brilliant things like “fuck you” and “fuck you twice” because I was raging out so hard. I’ve never wanted someone to not be dead just so I could tell them what a fucking selfish/bullshit artist/baby killing/first world problem having piece of garbage they were because I was too cowardly to do it when they were alive and Liz Moore brought all of those repressed feelings to the surface (and out of my screaming face in the safety of my car where my children couldn’t hear me). Obviously this book might not generate the same type of emotion in most of you.
The weird non-use of quotes but using dashes instead and still saying “he said/she said” after every bit of dialogue was annoying, though. There. There’s something about the book.
This is most likely my final review of the year and although I failed by leaving more than 30 books on my “Currently Reading” shelf (which were 100% already read and only left there to serve as reminders of my failure to post things in a timely fashion), I can at least finish up the decade as a rightreader for once and with a glowing recommendation for In Five Years when it gets released this Spring.
So here’s a little confession about a movie trope I love but don’t seem to find too often in books: The “WAKE UP WITH A DIFFERENT LIFE.” You know what I’m talking about? You go to sleep and when you wake up you live in a different house with a different spouse with either zero or additional children than what you had when you went to bed and you don’t know how it happened? Lordy be, that is a fave for me.
If you know me, you know I’m not really a blurb reader so the only thing I knew about this before begging endlessly for it requesting it was that it begins with Dannie falling asleep on the eve David proposes to her and when she wakes up . . . .
“It’s 2025, a man I’ve never met is my boyfriend, and I live in Brooklyn.”
Then Dannie actually wakes up and apparently it was only an extremely lucid dream – but one she just can’t seem to shake as she goes on about her life up to the December 15, 2025 date where her future apparently has taken a turn her meticulous life-planning obsession hasn’t quite accounted for.
I’m not going to say much more other than readjust your expectations and don’t go in believing you’re going to get a love story, but rather a life story. I haven’t felt feelings like this since . . . . .
Means there’s no way she deserves less than 5 Stars. I avoided The Dinner List when it was released because I just wasn’t sure (still haven’t read that blurb, either). Now I think I probably should check it out.
Endless thanks to Atria and NetGalley for letting me wrap up 2019 with such an excellent story in exchange for this review....more
♫♪♫♪[COMMUNITY:] In the heights I flip the lights and start my day There are fights
[WOMEN:] And endless debts
[MEN:] And bills to pay♫♪♫♪
I’m so disappointed that I found this to be disappointing, but sadly that’s the case. As you can see from above, this story reminded me a bit of another that was already done – and better . . . .
I realize that it may seem like a bit of apples and oranges – so let me explain. The problem with Dominicana is there is not much to it. Told from the perspective of 15-year old Ana who has been (smuggled, pretty much) into America by a “husband” twice her age, you only get to know what she knows and/or understands which translates into some pretty flat characters. Ana’s life mainly consists of the small apartment where she and Juan live and when monumental historical events (i.e., Malcolm X’s assassination) conveniently happen literally outside of her door she’s oblivious to their significance (which make them seem thrown in just to remind readers that this is an attempt at being a “historical” novel). Juan, the kidnapper/husband (depending on your viewpoint, I guess) has a job, is able to send money back to the DR and invests in property acquisition/building development with his brothers, but no details are given regarding anything. The story development would lead you to believe this arranged marriage was organized in order to benefit Juan’s family, yet he holds up his end of the bargain (spoiler here so watch out (view spoiler)[regarding bringing Ana’s mother and brother to the U.S. (hide spoiler)]). Why? Because family? I don’t buy it. Not from a rapey drunken abuser. Oh, and that’s another thing. Way to perpetuate racial stereotypes there. FFS, are authors today incapable of writing hardworking immigrant men? It’s like a damn dead horse being beaten. What else can I slam? Oh yeah, the writing is bizarre (I seriously thought this was a YA novel for a giant chunk), the school of Cormac McCarthy has been followed when it comes to the non-usage of quotation marks and the ending is pretty much unbelievable (again spoilsies: (view spoiler)[the mother who pretty much whored out her own child all of a sudden feels bad/finds it unacceptable that said child is a victim of domestic violence? (hide spoiler)] Yeah right).
So where does In the Heights come in? Well, not only is it set in the same neighborhood, but it does explain all of things Dominicana does not. You get to know where the characters came from originally and how they ended up in The Heights and you know their hopes and dreams and goals and who they love and why they love them and how important family truly is (whether via birth or simply association). Not to mention they are like the majority of immigrants who are hard-working and not women trying to have an anchor baby as soon as they set foot in the country or men who are all wife beaters! It is well written (by a TEENAGER, no less) and also????? It has songs I can drive my family crazy singing all the time . . . .
I might recommend Dominicana to a high schooler looking for some diversity in their reading repertoire, but I don’t know if (m)any of my Goodreads friends would dig it. I’d be interested to see their take.
And raise you “so do all these dang neighbors and families and couples” in today’s book titles. You’d think they lived next door to a creeper like me who just wants to peep them but never actually meet them!
Second, I requested this book because it had a house on the cover. The version I received had hemlock or some shit instead, but trust that the house cover auto-request truly is a sickness that I have to fight tooth and nail to avoid. Bonus when I discovered it was by Lisa Jewell who I have really enjoyed in the past. But that’s all I knew. I just assumed it was going to be some “ drunken unreliable narrator on a train in a window who may or may not be gone” type of storyline. When it turned out to be . . . . .
The story here is presented by siblings Lucy and Henry and “the baby” Libby. Libby has just turned 25 and inherited what is known as The Chelsea House (basically code name for mansion) due to no one else on the trust coming forward in time to claim their share. The remainder of the story tells the family history, the house’s history and all of the goings on that occurred between the now and the back then when the parents and another man were found . . . . .
If you are looking for a lot of action and plot twists, this might not work for you. But if you enjoy slow rollers and family secrets it might be just what the doctor ordered. You’ll probably find the big reveal to be pretty obvious if you are an avid thriller reader, but it didn’t make me any less entertained while I was reading. Lisa Jewell has become a go-to-gal for me. I’ll happily auto request anything she puts out at this point – even if there isn’t a house on the cover ; )
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!...more
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
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