september ‘23 book reviews
call me crazy but spooky season starts in september! and as i am never one to shy away from a theme, i’ll be reading thrillers and fantasy with a touch of the supernatural. enjoy!
the handmaid’s tale by margaret atwood
rating: 2/5
synopsis: in margaret atwood’s the handmaid’s tale, offred is living in what feels like a nightmare. the government has been been overtaken and all of her rights as a woman have been revoked — instead of the independence she once knew, she’s now property of gilead and her sole purpose is to provide children for her commander. this dystopian society isn’t set in the age of the puritans but instead present day. it’s getting harder for offred to remember who she was and scarier to figure out how to get out.
review: this could be the opinion of a party of one, but i really struggled with this book. the writing was choppy and hard to follow, offred’s stories were confusing (hard to tell what was a memory and what was currently happening) and the plot, though very unique, didn’t flow smoothly. for as much hype that surrounds this book, it felt like a chore to finish.
the secret history by donna tartt
rating: 3/5
synopsis: tucked into the vermont mountains is the renowned hampden college and richard’s way out of stifling california. when he steps foot on campus, expecting to enroll in greek studies, he learns that the professor has a different way of handling things — he only accepts 5 students and the spots are all filled. how intriguing. richard doesn’t budge though and somehow winds up in the class. he quickly becomes swept up in their world and the secrets the harbor. when one of their group ends up dead, it’s only a matter of time before it eats at them all.
review: from the first page you are hooked because you learn immediately that bunny, one of the students in richard’s greek class, dies and richard is about to tell you the whole story. unfortunately, it takes 500 pages to get to the end and i lost interest midway through. while i didn’t like the pace at all, it was an interesting story to see how richard fell under the influence of a group of mysterious students and how quickly he wanted their acceptance.
the inheritance games by jennifer lynn barnes
rating: 4.5/5
synopsis: avery grambs is just trying to get by and graduate high school when she’s left a strange inheritance by someone she doesn’t know. well known philanthropist tobias hawthorne left her billions of dollars in his will, virtually cutting out his two daughters and four grandsons. so who the hell is this guy & why did he leave a stranger his fortune?? the only way avery can find out is by living in the house—with the four, very handsome, aforementioned grandsons—for a year. after that, she’ll receive the inheritance and can live as she pleases. tobias hawthorne was not an ordinary guy though, and avery learns this could all be one elaborate game, one she must play with the grandsons.
review: reading this was FUN. it was like watching knives out — mysterious, confusing and utterly exciting! avery is such a likable main character and her relationship with each of the grandsons just gets better and better. it’s a quick read with each chapter just a few pages. i had no clue where this was going to go and i can’t wait to finish the series.
the stranger upstairs by lisa m. matlin
rating: 5/5
synopsis: sarah slade is a lady with a mission. a therapist and self-help author, sarah is looking at her next project, home renovation! it’s not just any home though. forty years before she moved in, a husband killed his wife and attempted to kill is daughter. it was a brutal murder that had left the town reeling still to this day. in fact, neighbors aren’t thrilled sarah is re-doing the home. and the home doesn’t seem thrilled either. it’s almost making her crazy. but houses don’t make people crazy. do they?
review: i could not put this one down!!!!! it’s an interesting story because sarah is not as she seem. even though on the outside it looks like she’s got her shit together, her marriage is failing, she hates her work and there’s a dark past she’a running from. strange things start to happen at the house and she can’t figure out why. i was hooked within the beginning excerpt — self help influencer buys murder house. sold! this is page turning & the perfect book for spooky season.
the van apfel girls are gone by felicity mclean
rating: 4/5
synopsis: australia is rocked by the infamous lindy chamberlain case in 1992, the “dingo took my baby” lady. in this fictional book, three girls go missing not too long after — the van apfel sisters. twenty years later, their best friend tikka is still coming to terms with what happened. and the secrets her and her sister kept on the night the van apfel girls go missing.
review: i loved the writing and flow of this book! we learn the same person’s perspective as an 11 year old and a 31 year old — still the same heartbroken emotions. the ending is left up to interpretation and there are a few loose ends but all in all i really enjoyed this!
the golden spoon by jessa maxwell
rating: 5/5
synopsis: a popular baking show is about to enter its tenth season when producers decide to shake things up by giving host and “america’s grandmother,” betsy martin, a co-host. she is less than thrilled. bake week has been her thing for a decade now. it’s even filmed on her family estate in vermont. reluctant to change, betsy must put on her best face for the cameras. but things quickly go from bad to worse when contestants bakes are sabotaged and one of the group winds up dead. who is it? and who did did it?
review: jessa maxwell’s debut novel has been described as a mix between the great british bakeoff and clue — i couldn’t agree more! it was as delectable as the cakes and breads that the contestants made. told through the perspective of each of the bakers, this quick read makes you question why everyone is there. the characters are well written and relatable. i felt like i was watching an episode of the great british bake off with paul and pru!
home before dark by riley sager
rating: 5/5
synopsis: do you believe in haunted houses? maggie holt sure as hell doesn’t even though she lived in the infamous “house of horrors” that her father described in his bestselling book. it’s all she’s known for and frankly, she hates it. when her father passes and leaves the house (that she thought her parents sold) to her, curiosity gets the best of her. she needs to know the truth. her father made up everything in his book. right?
review: riley sager is becoming and auto buy author for me because he does not miss!! each book is so carefully crafted it honestly blows my mind how talent authors can be. home before dark was, in one word, thrilling. just when you anticipate the next twist, there’s another one to unfold. and it’s intoxicating!!! i loved this book!
throne of glass by sarah j maas
rating: 3/5
synopsis: celaena sardothien is a ruthless assassin, banished to a brutal prisoner camp to pound rocks for the rest of her life when the crown prince of adarlan strolls in with an offer: compete in his father’s — the king — assassin competition and win your freedom. there are a few stipulations but celaena would be foolish to refuse. as soon as she arrives at castle, something is wrong and her competitors are picked off one by one. something strange is afoot in adarlan and celaena must find out.
review: oh i love the sjm universe, but this wasn’t what i expected. the story moved so damn slow and while the witty banter was there, i expected more steamy scenes. i was itching for more from the love triangle between chaol, dorian and celaena! i’ve heard such good things about the series, so i’ll have to push on and see where it goes!
i’m glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy
rating: 5/5
synopsis: in her emotional and witty memoir, icarly star jenette mccurdy details her trouble childhood with her mother. one filled with counting calories and paying too close attention to a number on a scale. during her mother’s lengthy battle with cancer, jennette battled her own demons with disordered eating, alcohol abuse and depression. the honest storytelling of her life is both excruciatingly raw and painfully hopeful.
review: i listened to this audiobook, told by jennette herself, and found myself immersed immediately. with the content of the memoir, it was so much more powerful hearing the words from her mouth. she went through so much that wasn’t known at the time, when she was hiding behind her silly and happy character, sam in icarly. so much respect for her after reading this!
the mysterious affair at styles by agatha christie
rating: 5/5
synopsis: set in picturesque essex after the great war, the mysterious affair at styles follows the good ole who-dun-it murder of wealthy emily inglethorp. there are a few people who stand to gain a fortune with her death — her husband, her stepchildren, her maid. but who did it? famous detective hercule poirot makes his debut in christie’s incredibly told story.
review: agatha christie is undeniably the queen of mystery and i’m shocked i’ve made it this long without reading one of her crime novels. i loved how the main character is essentially the reader — every question mr. hastings asked is something i too wondered. it was wrapped up wonderfully at the end and made me want to dive into more!
the hawthorne legacy by jennifer lynn barnes
rating: 5/5
synopsis: avery grambs has just inherited a fortune—billions of dollars from a total stranger. a stranger who left behind detailed clues about the mysterious hawthorne family and the glamorous world she’s now a part of. together with the dashing brothers, avery gets closer to figuring out just who tobias hawthorne really was and how she fits into the puzzle.
review: the sequel to the inheritance games is just as full of twist and turns as the first novel and even more thrilling in my opinion! avery and the hawthorne brothers work together on tobias’ challenging game; it’s giving the meddling kids from scooby do! avery also can’t help but be torn over grayson and jameson and honestly so am i!!! it’s quick wit, fast paced and leaves you wanting more. such a well written second book!
the final gambit by jennifer lynn barnes
rating: 4/5
synopsis: avery kylie grambs—a very risky gamble—is back with the hawthorne brothers, solving yet more riddles and clues left behind by the infamous billionaire tobias hawthorne. a new character is introduced in this book that shakes the cast and the foundation of the impressive hawthorne house.
review: by book 3 in the inheritance games series, you could say i was just as hungry as jameson winchester hawthorne!!!! this was the first book, though, that i felt was too long. so many twists, i was having a hard time keeping up and wanted to get to the end. it was still such an interesting and quick read, and i really loved the ending!