Queen Esther
Welp! Man, this one hurts to write. John Irving has written some amazing, thought provoking, and emotion evoking books over the years. It has always been a joy to read one of his books. I had such high hopes for Queen Esther. I went into this book thinking I would love it as much as I have his other books. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark entirely for me. The book begins with Esther Nacht who has had a hard time in life. Her father died on the ship taking them from Europe to Portland, Maine. Her mother was murdered by anti-Semites, and she becomes a ward of an orphanage. When she is fourteen, she is taken in by a non-Jewish family who despise anti-Semitism. From there her story begins. I believe I would have enjoyed this book more if the book was entirely about Esther. But the book then takes a turn and becomes about Jimmy Winslow. This book does touch on important themes such as anti-Semitism, identity, family, loss, survival, history, motherhood, and love to name a few. I found this book to be slow moving and frankly, I became bored. Perhaps some editing would have saved some of the book for me. I cannot recommend this book, but I can recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany,The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Play Nice
Who Says you can never go home again????? Home should be a safe place. But what if it’s not? What is home is where your demons lay in wait? Home is a haunted place, a place that haunts your mind, your body and your soul????? Rachel Harrison has done it once again! She has delivered a chilling, thrilling, horrific, creepy, and hard to put down book that will get under your skin. I had a hard time putting down Play Nice and loved every single page of it. Clio Louise Barnes, a stylist and influencer, must face the demons of her past when she returns to her childhood home which is haunted, or is it possessed???? She moved there are a child with her mother, and sisters, Leda, and Daphne. Her mother, Alexandra, claimed that the home was possessed by a demon. Was it? Was their mother mentally ill, as the courts determined when they removed her daughters from her care? Clio is determined to makeover the house as her viewers watch. She gets the creepy crawlies being back in the house where she suffered so much trauma and lived a dysfunctional life. When she finds a book left behind by her mother, Clio’s memories begin to come back. Rachel Harrison excels at creating a creepy and eerie vibe. She had me wondering what was real and if the house was in fact haunted/possessed. She also excels at creating doubt, tension, and unease. Did her mother really have mental health issues or was she on to something? Is Clio experiencing what her mother experienced or is she being influenced by her mother’s writing and being back in the house where she was traumatized as a child.? What role does memory and trauma play in our lives and how we experience things? This book was awesome. I loved the writing, the well thought out plot, the characters, and the eerie vibe of the book. I love that this book is horrific but not gory. Plus, there is a little romance thrown into the mix to keep things on the lighter side as well. As I mentioned it gets under your skin and will have the hairs sticking up on the back of your neck. I loved the dread, the unease, and the emphasis on family. Families can be messy, they can be dysfunctional, they can be contentious, and they can be wonderful. Families can haunt us just as houses can. Dark, eerie, chilling, dripping with dread and dysfunction. Highly Recommend. I listened to the audiobook and loved every second of it.
Final Descent
Final Descent is a fast-paced mystery thriller that takes place on land and at 30,000 feet in the air! I listened to the audiobook and felt the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life. It’s entertaining, gripping, and riveting; however, it is also a bit far-fetched! Claire Winslow is trying to rebuild her life after a not so cordial divorce. She is ready to dip her feet into the dating pool once again but her first date is well, not so pleasant. Plus, her bad date seems to be popping up here, there, and everywhere! What is pleasant is the time spent with her five-year-old daughter and her friends. Flying is what she does, but things take a turn for worse on her most recent flight…… As I mentioned Final Descent is an entertaining fast paced read. The audiobook and novella can easily be enjoyed in one sitting. I did enjoy that even thought this was short, the author did manage to throw in some twists and turns along with the turbulence! That kept my fully invested and enjoying the book. As I mentioned, this is a bit far-fetched but if you can overlook some things, you may find this to be an enjoyable book which won’t take up too much of your time! Thank you to Spotify Audiobook Selects and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
We Fell Apart
Matilda has received an invitation to meet the father she never met! She has been waiting for this her entire life. When the invitation arrives, she learns that he is Kingsley Cello is a reclusive artist! She has been invited to spend the summer at his seaside home! She is curious, happy, and intrigued. When she arrives, she is met by many people at the home, but none are her father. She meets teens and young adults around her age, one being her long lost brother, a child star, and a person who wants her gone. It won’t all be fun in the sun, as Matilda tries to connect with her peers while trying to learn more about her father. When she is not swimming in the sea, she is swimming in a sea of secrets! I had both the book and audiobook versions of We Fell Apart. While I enjoyed the narration, I found the book to be a slow burn which I struggled with. What i did enjoy was the setting, the atmosphere, and some of the characters. I read the first book in this series, did not read the second, and I am not sure if missing the second book in the series affected my enjoyment of this one. I read this as if it were a stand-alone novel. I did enjoy the quest for the truth, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. There were some enjoyable parts, but the slow burn aspect, affected my enjoyment of the book. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Bonnier UK Audio | Hot Key Books, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I Kill You
Here I am waving from outlier alley! I was highly anticipating reading When I Kill You but unfortunately it failed to wow me. I was; however, intrigued by the fact that Nell Masters felt as if she was being watched. She didn’t just feel as if she was being watched, she knows it. As strange deliveries begin to arrive with no notes, her anxiety kicks into high gear. Nell has a secret, one that no one, including her boyfriend, Alex knows about. But Alex has his own secrets. Fourteen years earlier, Nell went by another name and was a key witness who saw a young woman get into a stranger’s car. Later the young woman was found murdered. She became obsessed with the case and tracking down the killer. I don’t know about you, but if I think someone killed someone, I am not going to be breathing down their back anytime soon! This book is told in dual timelines and moved at quite a slow pace. If you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of slow burns. I wanted this to hurry up and get on with it multiple times while reading. I went from being intrigued to bored, then intrigued again. This book does touch on obsession, trauma, and secrets. I thought that the author portrayed those very well in this book. I also thought the author did a great job of showing Nell’s unease and increasing anxiety as she dealt with being watched. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Anathema
Dark, gothic, menacing, mesmerizing, addictive, intense, horrific, and hard to put down! Keri Lake gained a new fan with her dark romantasy novel, Anathema! I loved the world building, the intriguing characters which rained from likeable to downright disturbing. I enjoyed the writing, the tension, the dread, the eerie vibe, the dark tone of the book and the chemistry between Maevyth and Zevander. Anathema is full of magic, dark creepy creatures, horrors, allegiances, and creepy crawlies. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrators. I felt they did a tremendous job of bringing this book to life. This is a HUGE book and with over 20 hours of narration, this book did feel like it moved at a nice pace. I felt for many of the characters while booing and hissing others. I loved the atmosphere which dripped from the pages as the eerie and gothic vibe enticed and mesmerized me. I have not been a fan of fantasy books and was surprised at how much i have enjoyed reading fantasy books lately – specifically dark fantasy romance books. They are imaginative, creative, unique, and take me off to far and magical worlds. Dark, wonderfully written, well thought out, atmospheric, and gripping!
Queen Esther
Welp! Man, this one hurts to write. John Irving has written some amazing, thought provoking, and emotion evoking books over the years. It has always been a joy to read one of his books. I had such high hopes for Queen Esther. I went into this book thinking I would love it as much as I have his other books. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark entirely for me. The book begins with Esther Nacht who has had a hard time in life. Her father died on the ship taking them from Europe to Portland, Maine. Her mother was murdered by anti-Semites, and she becomes a ward of an orphanage. When she is fourteen, she is taken in by a non-Jewish family who despise anti-Semitism. From there her story begins. I believe I would have enjoyed this book more if the book was entirely about Esther. But the book then takes a turn and becomes about Jimmy Winslow. This book does touch on important themes such as anti-Semitism, identity, family, loss, survival, history, motherhood, and love to name a few. I found this book to be slow moving and frankly, I became bored. Perhaps some editing would have saved some of the book for me. I cannot recommend this book, but I can recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany,The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Play Nice
Who Says you can never go home again????? Home should be a safe place. But what if it’s not? What is home is where your demons lay in wait? Home is a haunted place, a place that haunts your mind, your body and your soul????? Rachel Harrison has done it once again! She has delivered a chilling, thrilling, horrific, creepy, and hard to put down book that will get under your skin. I had a hard time putting down Play Nice and loved every single page of it. Clio Louise Barnes, a stylist and influencer, must face the demons of her past when she returns to her childhood home which is haunted, or is it possessed???? She moved there are a child with her mother, and sisters, Leda, and Daphne. Her mother, Alexandra, claimed that the home was possessed by a demon. Was it? Was their mother mentally ill, as the courts determined when they removed her daughters from her care? Clio is determined to makeover the house as her viewers watch. She gets the creepy crawlies being back in the house where she suffered so much trauma and lived a dysfunctional life. When she finds a book left behind by her mother, Clio’s memories begin to come back. Rachel Harrison excels at creating a creepy and eerie vibe. She had me wondering what was real and if the house was in fact haunted/possessed. She also excels at creating doubt, tension, and unease. Did her mother really have mental health issues or was she on to something? Is Clio experiencing what her mother experienced or is she being influenced by her mother’s writing and being back in the house where she was traumatized as a child.? What role does memory and trauma play in our lives and how we experience things? This book was awesome. I loved the writing, the well thought out plot, the characters, and the eerie vibe of the book. I love that this book is horrific but not gory. Plus, there is a little romance thrown into the mix to keep things on the lighter side as well. As I mentioned it gets under your skin and will have the hairs sticking up on the back of your neck. I loved the dread, the unease, and the emphasis on family. Families can be messy, they can be dysfunctional, they can be contentious, and they can be wonderful. Families can haunt us just as houses can. Dark, eerie, chilling, dripping with dread and dysfunction. Highly Recommend. I listened to the audiobook and loved every second of it.
Final Descent
Final Descent is a fast-paced mystery thriller that takes place on land and at 30,000 feet in the air! I listened to the audiobook and felt the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life. It’s entertaining, gripping, and riveting; however, it is also a bit far-fetched! Claire Winslow is trying to rebuild her life after a not so cordial divorce. She is ready to dip her feet into the dating pool once again but her first date is well, not so pleasant. Plus, her bad date seems to be popping up here, there, and everywhere! What is pleasant is the time spent with her five-year-old daughter and her friends. Flying is what she does, but things take a turn for worse on her most recent flight…… As I mentioned Final Descent is an entertaining fast paced read. The audiobook and novella can easily be enjoyed in one sitting. I did enjoy that even thought this was short, the author did manage to throw in some twists and turns along with the turbulence! That kept my fully invested and enjoying the book. As I mentioned, this is a bit far-fetched but if you can overlook some things, you may find this to be an enjoyable book which won’t take up too much of your time! Thank you to Spotify Audiobook Selects and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
We Fell Apart
Matilda has received an invitation to meet the father she never met! She has been waiting for this her entire life. When the invitation arrives, she learns that he is Kingsley Cello is a reclusive artist! She has been invited to spend the summer at his seaside home! She is curious, happy, and intrigued. When she arrives, she is met by many people at the home, but none are her father. She meets teens and young adults around her age, one being her long lost brother, a child star, and a person who wants her gone. It won’t all be fun in the sun, as Matilda tries to connect with her peers while trying to learn more about her father. When she is not swimming in the sea, she is swimming in a sea of secrets! I had both the book and audiobook versions of We Fell Apart. While I enjoyed the narration, I found the book to be a slow burn which I struggled with. What i did enjoy was the setting, the atmosphere, and some of the characters. I read the first book in this series, did not read the second, and I am not sure if missing the second book in the series affected my enjoyment of this one. I read this as if it were a stand-alone novel. I did enjoy the quest for the truth, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. There were some enjoyable parts, but the slow burn aspect, affected my enjoyment of the book. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Bonnier UK Audio | Hot Key Books, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I Kill You
Here I am waving from outlier alley! I was highly anticipating reading When I Kill You but unfortunately it failed to wow me. I was; however, intrigued by the fact that Nell Masters felt as if she was being watched. She didn’t just feel as if she was being watched, she knows it. As strange deliveries begin to arrive with no notes, her anxiety kicks into high gear. Nell has a secret, one that no one, including her boyfriend, Alex knows about. But Alex has his own secrets. Fourteen years earlier, Nell went by another name and was a key witness who saw a young woman get into a stranger’s car. Later the young woman was found murdered. She became obsessed with the case and tracking down the killer. I don’t know about you, but if I think someone killed someone, I am not going to be breathing down their back anytime soon! This book is told in dual timelines and moved at quite a slow pace. If you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of slow burns. I wanted this to hurry up and get on with it multiple times while reading. I went from being intrigued to bored, then intrigued again. This book does touch on obsession, trauma, and secrets. I thought that the author portrayed those very well in this book. I also thought the author did a great job of showing Nell’s unease and increasing anxiety as she dealt with being watched. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Anathema
Dark, gothic, menacing, mesmerizing, addictive, intense, horrific, and hard to put down! Keri Lake gained a new fan with her dark romantasy novel, Anathema! I loved the world building, the intriguing characters which rained from likeable to downright disturbing. I enjoyed the writing, the tension, the dread, the eerie vibe, the dark tone of the book and the chemistry between Maevyth and Zevander. Anathema is full of magic, dark creepy creatures, horrors, allegiances, and creepy crawlies. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrators. I felt they did a tremendous job of bringing this book to life. This is a HUGE book and with over 20 hours of narration, this book did feel like it moved at a nice pace. I felt for many of the characters while booing and hissing others. I loved the atmosphere which dripped from the pages as the eerie and gothic vibe enticed and mesmerized me. I have not been a fan of fantasy books and was surprised at how much i have enjoyed reading fantasy books lately – specifically dark fantasy romance books. They are imaginative, creative, unique, and take me off to far and magical worlds. Dark, wonderfully written, well thought out, atmospheric, and gripping!
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