ARC Review | Borrow My Heart

3.5

A cute, light romance, which I completely expected. I generally know what I’m getting when I read a Kasie West book, and she rarely disappoints. The characters were likable and the plot was fine. I really enjoyed this up until about 80% in when the conflict came about. I felt like the conflict itself made sense; however, the aftermath didn’t. Once Wren figured out what was going on, she seemed pretty resolved to not talk to Asher again. However, when she got the chance to, I feel like she forgave him way too quickly for what had gone on. Everything felt very rushed and unsatisfying. I also didn’t like that there was never any resolution with Wren’s mom, especially considering everything she’s done. She was there more for a plot device as she’s the reason Wren is the way she is. But she leaves at one point and you never hear anything about her again. Had the ending not been so rushed and a few loose ends tied up, this would have gotten a higher rating.

ARC Review | We’re All in This Together

4 Stars

This book features a collection of 37 different essays which range wildly on topics, from drinking too much to trying to avoid people you know in public. Some were in the 3 star range, most were in the 4 star range, and a few hit the 5 star range. While Tom Papa is known as a comedian, this book didn’t have quite as much humor as I was expecting. However, many of the essays were very relatable and struck a chord with me, and I’m sure they’ll strike a chord with anyone who reads it. I think that’s what makes this collection so good. There’s at least one essay that everyone can relate to. It may be a different essay for each person, but everyone will be able to see themselves in at least one, if not multiple, essays. I haven’t listened to or read much of Tom Papa’s work, but I will definitely check more out after this.

ARC Review | Behold the Monster

4 stars

I had never heard of Sam Little before reading this book, and was astonished after learning more about him. He is one of the most prolific serial killers, having admitted to 93 murders, with the police confirming 60. Not only did he murder an astounding number of people, but he had an impressive rap sheet, covering burglary, rape, theft, grand theft, breaking and entering, armed robbery, assault, assault on a police officer, shoplifting, driving under the influence, and resisting arrest, among others. But what’s most astonishing is the fact that he was arrested and tried multiple times, getting away because of a lack of evidence. On those few cases where he was convicted, he served a paltry amount of time, and was back out on the streets to continue his reign of terror.

The author holds nothing back, going into detail the crimes he committed and the suffering these women went through. There is a lot of talk of police procedure and investigations which can be a little dry at times, but the story easily draws you back in when it turns back to Sam. The author spent many hours with Sam, trying to get into his mind and understand what made him do it, but there is no answer. Many times he professes that he didn’t do it, other times that he was chosen by God to cleanse the Earth. There is no way to understand why he did what he did, only that he was a monster to the extreme.

For those interested in true crime and serial killers this will be a hit. However, be warned that it is not for the faint of heart.

ARC Review | For the Love of Mars

3.5 stars

This one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While I love space in all different forms, I felt like the author wasn’t quite sure where he was going with this. In the beginning he states he wanted to write a book about robotic exploration and it shows, as the first half of the book is not nearly as informative and well-written as the second half. The first half deals with ancient civilizations and how they viewed Mars; the problem is, the author doesn’t actually go much into this. The information about each civilization is more about how they viewed the stars and planets in general, without much focus on Mars itself. It would have been better to shift the focus onto Mars, or cut down the amount of information given, as some of it is quite long-winded without actually being interesting.

The second half of the book focuses more on 20th and 21st century exploration of the planet, which is where it picks up. It’s obvious that this is what the author wanted to focus on, as there’s more information pertinent to Mars and is more interesting in its delivery. Had the author focused on this entirely as he originally intended, or had the first half been better written and flowed into the second half better, this book would have held my attention more throughout. As it was, I struggled through the first half which made it harder to get through the second half, even with it being more enjoyable. Towards the end the author discusses humans exploring and colonizing Mars and all the implications that comes with it, but doesn’t really give this topic enough credit. It should have been expanded on much more, especially given how much focus there is on it between NASA, SpaceX, and other private space exploration companies.

This isn’t a bad book on Mars or space exploration, but it certainly isn’t my favorite and didn’t give me enough new information to make it worthwhile.

ARC Review | The Ferryman

4.5 stars

This is one of those books that’s hard to review. I enjoyed it immensely, though it started off a little slow at first. Once it picked up I was speeding through it trying to figure out what was going on. I made a couple of guesses as to the reality of things, and I was only partially right. I didn’t see most of it coming at all, which was both surprising and pleasing. This definitely isn’t your teenager’s dystopia; it’s well thought out and executed without all the silly tropes you see so much in YA. There are hints of other sci-fi and dystopian stories that you can pick out, but it is still enough of its own story that they don’t overwhelm it. I think most people who are fans of sci-fi and dystopians will enjoy this, but I recommend going into it with little knowledge in order to fully enjoy it.

ARC Review | Dawnlands

2.5

A little late to the party on this one. I received the ARC after the book had already been published, and had to get through the first two books in the series before I could get to this one. Better late than never though.

This was the best book in the series, though that really isn’t saying much. Some of the characters were better than previous books, while others were worse. The plot was okay; there’s a lot going on and the book jumps between multiple plot lines. The chapters are all pretty short, with some taking only a minute or two to read before it ends and switches to the next. It can make it hard to keep track of what’s going on with so many threads and so little time devoted to each one. It can also make it hard to care about what’s happening, as something important will happen and then the chapter ends and switches to another plot line and won’t come back to the one you were reading for several chapters.

I had hoped Livia wouldn’t be around in this book, but unfortunately she appears right off the bat and is still as horrible as before. She has absolutely no redeeming qualities. She only uses people to get what she wants and has no qualms whatsoever about hurting people or pretending she cares to further her goals. I had almost given this book 3 stars, but her appearance at the very end ruined it for me. After 35 years, Alys still has not had any growth. She still blames James 100% for what happened to Alinor, and still forgets that it was 100% her own fault that Alinor was in that position in the first place. I believe James was actually regretful for what happened, and I think being married to Livia was punishment enough. But both he and Alinor have very abrupt endings to their stories in the middle of the book, and after that are thought of very little. I wish something more had been done with both of them. I felt bad that Matthew had to be caught up in Livia’s scheming and that he couldn’t see that she didn’t have any real love for him. She only came around when she wanted something from him, and had no problem ruining his life to suit her wants or needs. Johnnie was quite the frustrating character; he basically had YA standard insta-love for Rowan, but only when it was convenient for him. He wanted her for a wife, but as a proper English wife. When she ended up in Barbados, he planned to make enough money to buy her from her owner and hold her slave debt as his own, and would set her free after her 10 years of servitude. When he heard she was dead, he didn’t question it at all and went on his merry way, but when Ned revealed she was still alive, the insta-love came back full force. It was odd to say the least. Ned was a little better than the previous book, though I still feel he is written with too much of a 21st century perspective. His line at the end of the book, where he says, “And when we choose liberty, and justice for all, we will have it,” was slightly eye-roll inducing. Might as well have him out reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

I also noticed something in this book that I didn’t in the previous two, where the author sticks questions marks at the end of sentences where there should be periods. It’s very jarring to be reading and have had the sentences end in questions, especially when most of them shouldn’t have been. A good example is when Johnnie is talking to some women about silk he had ordered that was perfect for the new prince, as it was Prince of Wales purple. A lady asks if it was new, and he replies that it was for the very occasion of the prince’s birth. To which the woman states, “And you bought it in ready? How clever of you?” There is absolutely no reason for the question mark at the end of the second sentence. This happens repeatedly throughout the book. It’s hard to tell if it’s from bad writing or bad editing. Either way, it’s irritating.

The book really only picked up in the last 10% with the fleeing of the Queen and all the riots and invaders moving in. I wish it had ended with the second to last chapter, as the last one ruined what could have been a decent ending. It also ends in a way that there could be another book, though I think this is highly unnecessary.

Had I not received an invitation from the publisher to review this book, I never would have slogged through the second one in order to get to this one. This is by far the most disappointing and frustrating series I’ve ever read, and one I would have added to the DNF pile had it not been for a review request. It also contains one of the worst characters ever put to paper, and one that lives at the top of my most hated list.

ARC Review | Greymist Fair

5 stars

What originally drew me to this book was it being based on lesser-known Grimms’ Fairy Tales and the fact that each of these tales would come together. I was interested to see how the author dealt with each tale in its own right and how she brought them together. I enjoyed each section of the book and the characters that went with them. As you go along, you can see how each story connects to the others, with small details being revealed along the way. These details are enough to be intriguing without spoiling the book as a whole and keep you wanting more.

What actually made me love this book was the final message about death. The way it is brought up and explained is easy enough for a younger audience to understand, but well-written to appeal to adults. And it’s a message that I think more people need to hear and understand. Death is inescapable; it is something we must all live with and deal with. None of us want to confront our mortality, or the mortality of those we love, but by denying its existence we do ourselves a disfavor. By learning to understand, accept, and prepare for death, we are better equipped for when it actually happens. By teaching children from a young age about the concepts of life and death, they can grow up with a better understanding of it and can deal with it easier. And while I think this book is a great starting point or accompaniment for those conversations with kids, I think it is one that is also written to be enjoyed by adults.

ARC Review | A Long Stretch of Bad Days

4 stars

Mindy McGinnis can be very hit or miss, but this is a definite hit. This novel is a slow burn, with there being just enough said or done to make you want to keep reading without giving too much away. The main characters are both well-written with very distinct personalities. You can easily understand why each girl acts and talks the way she does. For Lydia, I can understand her words and actions, though it doesn’t excuse them. And for Bristal, I can understand why she has such a chip on her shoulder and is so distrusting of people. Their relationship is believable without being too overboard, as they still are trying to understand each other and this friendship they’ve formed over events that were out of their control. It’s also easy to imagine the way they describe their town and how everyone knows everyone and their business. Having lived in a pretty small town at one point, you do get to know everyone pretty fast and what they’re up to. Which sometimes can be nice, but other times, not so much. As for the mystery itself, I enjoyed the way it went through the story, though there were a couple of things I thought came together a little too nicely. Not enough to take away from the story, but they were still thoughts I had while reading.

The one thing I didn’t appreciate is that Lydia keeps talking about the long stretch of bad days as historical events taking place when her parents were teenagers, so I kept picturing the 80’s, but no. It was the mid-90’s, which just made me feel a lot older than I needed to, trying to picture historical events and parents who were teens in the 90’s. Such an odd feeling.

ARC Review | The Shamshine Blind

3.5 stars

This book was quite the chore to get through for the first half. It was equal parts ambitious but unbelievable, interesting and boring. There was a lot of info dumping, but at the same time you get left in the dark about a lot of things involving the war, psychopigments, and what happened to make cities like Boise and Iowa City the big cities in the country. You’re left to assume a lot of things and you have to suspend your disbelief a bit on psychopigments in general and Argentina winning a war that a lot of people may not really know about. I had only the most basic knowledge of the Falkland War, and I think that will be the case for many others. There is no information about the war, just that it happened and Argentina won due to the development of psychopigments.

After about the halfway point, things start picking up and getting more interesting, though there are still points where it drags a bit. It was hard for me to believe that no one anywhere and at any point had tried to develop Lavender Hope before. It seemed like more of a convenience for the plot’s sake that Curtida and her group were the first ones to think of it and try to harvest it. The idea they come up with for getting the Hope is a little farfetched as well. There had to have been other options, but again it just seemed very convenient. There was a good cast of characters, though I did find the main character a bit on the bland side. I don’t know if this was because of her neurodivergent status, but even neurodivergent people have personalities, likes, hobbies, etc.

I do have to say that Curtida’s description of feeling like a “beige-carpeted waiting room” after being hit with ennui is one of my favorite descriptions ever. There was a lot of good writing, and the plot involving psychopigments is very unique, which I liked. However, I feel like it could benefit from a little more backstory on certain events and better pacing. Those looking for a good detective story with unique factors and a bit of science fiction will probably enjoy this, though it may be hard for some to get through.

ARC Review | And Finally

3 stars

This was a bit of a letdown for me. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but I kept feeling like something was missing. The narrative was a little disjointed and rambled on at times, though there some good insights into how Marsh felt about his life as a surgeon and what he hoped he accomplished and what he wishes he could change. I wasn’t a big fan of his take on assisted dying though. He is a supporter of this, but his thoughts on those who aren’t just didn’t sit well with me. He uses an ‘us vs. them’ mentally to say the only people who are against assisted dying are religious people who think people must suffer and therefore are the ones who cause all the suffering while pretending to be compassionate. I find this to be a rather ridiculous statement, especially from someone who claims to be a well-rounded and learned person. He should know there is never anything so black and white. Not all religious people are against assisted dying and not all atheists or non-religious people are for it. Attacking an entire group of people for your own perceived beliefs has never gotten us anywhere and has never ended well. Also his perceived beliefs on what he thinks religious people believe about dying and the afterlife is completely out of touch with reality. These beliefs may be held by some, but it is no way all-encompassing of the many beliefs of the world. I feel as though he’s never actually sat down and listened to the many different things people believe and why. He just says he believes there is nothing after we die and more or less that anyone who believes in a higher power is an idiot. In his last years, he would do good to come to terms with his own prejudices.

I feel like Marsh had a story to tell, but wasn’t really sure how to tell it, and ended up saying a lot of things that didn’t need to be said while leaving out the more important parts. For some people this may be a great read into the insights of impending death, but for me, it definitely fell flat.