Lauren

3.5
I think your average thriller reader will definitely enjoy this one.
I love a dual POV and this was no exception. Plus it featured a slow, layered reveal as well, which I'm always a sucker for, and this one keeps serving them up right to the end.

Without giving too much away, if you are into domestic thrillers, that centers on a lying partner that gets their comeuppance...well this one is for you.

The audiobook has two narrators for the dual POV, which I always appreciate as a listener.

***Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

2.5 and rounding up.
Many will like this...I was not one of them.
I was on board for a good portion of it and if you love a slow burn this will hit that for you.

With that said....
Miscommunication/assuming what others are thinking/ is one of my biggest pet peeves in romances and this one has it in spades. Also, pet names immediately before or after a hookup always gives me a huge ick. I didn't mine the pop culture references, but it really started to feel very unbelievable that Matthew literally didn't know anything about anything in the that vain. It's not like he doesn't have a brother and best friend and others around him that would have exposed him to those things. It was funny and quirky at first, and then just felt so over the top by the end.

2.5
I really wanted to like this, but I really struggled with Grace the entire book. I find it really infuriating when a character makes all these assumptions rather than just having a conversation with anyone and then they self sabotage and blame others. It was extra frustrating with these two because Phoebe is sooo communicative and really works with Grace to help her get more comfortable verbalizing her thoughts, feelings and needs, and while there ends up being a reason for why Grace has a hard time with it (and I'd like to mention I didn't particularly care for how that was revealed and casually tossed aside). I just really didn't enjoy being in Grace's head very much.

And I don't know if I just don't listen to enough romance (I definitely don't), but the dirty talk in this just didn't work for me, especially the use of the pet name “baby girl”....I had a big ick every time it was used.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

2.5 and rounding up.
This was a slow start for me, but once we got got a few chapters in I was invested to keep going. The premise was a very compelling idea, but overall I felt disappointed with our heroine. It felt like she was suppose to be this empowered and enlightened feminist, but that kept falling short for me with the wild assumptions she kept making about Duncan. Her absolute refusal to confront that situation head on or have a simple conversation to clear things up was absolutely infuriating and the antithesis of what someone trying to solve a mystery would do. It was hard for me to take her seriously as an MC because it felt like that was a purposeful obstacle to serve the book rather than something the character would do.

SPOILERS
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I've always been interested learning more about how women have been declared hysterical and institutionalized as a way of controlling them and with the recent #FreeBritney movement this topic feels very relevant to explore in fiction. I wish there was even more involved with exploring this, and the ending felt very tidy which is not surprising for the genre but a bit meh for me as a reader. The final line really made me roll my eyes. Because now we are going to have a whole second book doing main grievance I voiced in this review. The lack of communication and honesty with Duncan. Hard pass for me.

3.75 and rounding up. I picked this up because of the atmosphere and it did not disappoint. Set in the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland we are snowed in with an old group of friends who have gotten together after many years apart to remember and celebrate the life of of their friends who pasted away 10 years earlier.

I had the chance to visit the smallest of the islands a few years ago on my honeymoon and to say that I was living for all the little details of life on the Inis Mór is an understatement.

I think for the seasoned thriller reader you will find this fairly predictable, but that didn't take away from my experience of reading it. It's a solid thriller, with a slow reveal of many secrets and many twists. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys locked room/trapped on an island mysteries or has an interest in the Irish setting.

Audiobook was great. I'll definitely be keeping an ear out for more narrated by Jacqueline Milne.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Really wanted to love this one especially because of the age group that's being targeted and was into for the first half, but then my feelings quickly went down hill.

The artwork was absolutely wonderful (5/5!!!), and the original concept was cute. Unfortunately, I felt that the execution of the overall story was very disappointing.

One of the biggest issues I had was the type of language that was being thrown around because it was very body/sex shaming and name calling/bullying. There isn't a great resolution in multiple instances despite there being an opportunity to really have teachable moments about why we shouldn't use language like that.

There were quite a few heavy topics discussed and I personally would want to be having additional conversations with my young reader outside of this book because there isn't a lot of nuance here and while I understand this is targeting a younger audience and is also a graphic novel so there is a desire for it to be shorter, I still think there could have been a more in depth discussion and learning that could have occurred.

***Thank you to Astra Publishing House and Hippo Park for providing me with the eBook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

A charming mystery featuring a free little library, and multi POVs including that of a cat name Mortimer, what more could you want?!

This is a lovely middle grade book, that would have hit all my sleuthing buttons a child with even a little sprinkling of cozy spooky, so no scary elements (that was always a deal breaker for me as a young reader).

Highly recommend for the kiddos who like mysteries and books.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review.

Even if you're not a fan of the show (which I'm not) it's a fascinating look into the production world of reality TV and the entertainment industry. I think if you have been a long time fan of the show, you'll enjoy hearing about how the sausage is made so to speak because while we know that reality TV isn't necessarily real life, there is still a lot of drama not only on screen but behind the scenes.

While I think Brian's narration is fine, 9 times out of 10 I'd prefer authors to not read their work.
In this case, I would have enjoyed a different narrator better, but it certainly didn't stop me from wanting to hear the story.

***Thank you to Macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

Since this is not written by a trained mental health professional, it's hard for me to recommend this book to anyone. If you decide to read it, it's a decent primer to the topic, but you definitely should read more from those who work in the field of psychology and directly with people who have NPD.

The 2nd third of the book about collective narcissism was not very helpful in dealing with interpersonal relationships, and honestly, read very much just like the author letting off steam about how they don't care for social media, like one of those viral Facebook posts that sounds profound, but really is just griping about how kids these days are ruining society. I think there is validity in exploring the traits of narcissism within the culture, but this approach felt very judgmental, rather than a critical analysis.

In the last third it focuses on parenting and again, these are all the authors opinions who is not a trained professional on parenting. While there is certainly room to critique parents, the author makes a lot of generalizations that group those who follow a more conscious parenting approach, in with a small percentage of parents who may be making choices that don't enforce boundaries. By not defining the difference between any parenting modalities or citing anything other than anecdotal research, he ends up implying that anything less than an authoritarian style could result in raising a narcissist., despite the mountain of research that shows the benefits of a more emotional intelligence parenting approach. The author makes no distinction, which makes me think they either aren't familiar with different parenting techniques and the research behind them or doesn't think they are valid. Regardless, this book is presented as an expert view point but the author has no credentials in the field of family psychology.

I am reading this from an American perspective while the author is Swedish, so that definitely influences our differing opinions on how this topic is discussed, but at the end of the day this was written by someone outside of the mental health field. The author is a motivational coach and public speaker who has found a niche they can write about and market in a very appealing way.

So to really drive home my main feeling: I caution anyone picking this up. Do not take this as the be all and end all of NPD and I encourage you to read one of the many books on this topic authored by someone with a degree in counseling and treating mental health issues.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

This was less of a traditional graphic novel and more a short memoir/self help book with illustrations.
I absolutely agreed with a lot of talking points of this book, and resonated with the self discovery journey because it felt very parallel to my own.

I think the target audience for this one would be in the 15-25 range. I think if younger people had a lot more realistic conversations with other and themselves about love and relationships as well as understanding/knowing themselves rather than this idea that you think everyone wants you to be then you will discover sooner what you need and want from a partner.

There is a lot of practical, relatable advice in here that anyone looking to find lasting love would benefit from.

***Thank you to Chronicle Books and PA Press for providing me with the eBook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

This was an interesting historical true crime recounting. It explores the murder of a young female factory worker and the frenzied aftermath that was dubbed the “crime of the century.” From the murder investigation to a church sex scandal to celebrity trial this story gripped the American public's attention in 1833.

What I most enjoyed about this was the author's very balanced storytelling. I have found that many non-fiction writers tend to reveal their bias in the narrative and often fall into the trap of inserting additional commentary that I tend to find off putting.

Bruce Dorsey does a great job of holding up a critical lens to the misogyny that was very prevalent in the media's coverage and the ensuing interviews and testimony. As well as the troubling behavior of the church to protect their leaders over everything else regardless of guilt or innocence.

If you enjoy true crime this was a fascinating snapshot of a part of American life that I didn't know a lot about.

***Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review.

Woah. This one is going to stay with me for a long time.

BELOVED is the first book of Toni Morrison's that I've read. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by the author. Listening to her words transported me into Sethe's life. This narrative about the heartbreaking brutality of slavery and the universal love of a parent was gut wrenching.

The poetic prose of the multiple perspective storytelling revealed the haunting layers of this deeply powerful novel.

A story that everyone should read.

3.5 and rounding down
Another fun installment of the Finlay Donovan series.

I have to say, while I'm not thrilled with the setting for this one, I am always up for a training/competition plot line.

This mystery definitely kept me guessing right until the reveal which is usually something that doesn't happen.

If you are fan of the Finlay and Vero duo, you will certain get your fill of hijinks in this one. It was a funny, fast paced, tension and action filled read that I couldn't put down.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

I am so glad this book crossed my path. Sometime in the last 3 years I became aware of Althea and have become more and more curious about her. This book is exactly what I was looking for. A full biography of one of the most important tennis players to ever enter the sport, and yet so few people are aware of her.

She was #1 ranked female tennis player in the world for both 1957 and 1958, the first African American to win a Grand Slam title (the French Championships), Wimbledon and the US Nationals (precursor of the US Open). She was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. In all, she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments: five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title.. Seven years later she broke the color barrier again where she became the first Black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

Despite those incredible accomplishments Althea never received the recognition that other Tennis athletes have, nor the monetary compensation.

Read this book. Learn her story. Share it with others.
It's the bare minimum that Ms. Gibson deserves.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

If you want to relive the trauma of the Trump presidency, then this will do it for you.
In all seriousness, this is a comprehensive summary of everything that happened during his 2016 run, his 4 years in the White House and on January 6th.

I think if you've been playing close attention nothing new will be presented here, but for the casual observer this will be an eye opening timeline and explanation of how Trump was able to manipulate the masses and bully his peers into blindly supporting him.

Trump's determination to appear strong, and willingness to lie about both small and big things in order to create a narrative that keeps him in power, has completely undermined not only our democracy, but has destroyed a large portion of the population's ability to trust reality. It has created an environment in which people will only believe what makes them feel good/strong and they will steamroll anyone who gets in the way of that.

We will dealing with the aftermath of his time in office for decades, and it's important for people to understand, that Trump will continue to work towards regaining the power of the White House. But even more importantly, he has shown others the playbook on how to achieve the same kind of power and those who will be even more skilled at playing the game will be looking to replace him in 2024. If America wants to remain a democracy, it's critical that everyone remain vigilant and show up to the polls at EVERY election.

***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

I'm done reading this series and author. Don't continue to read if you don't want any spoilers for the book.
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SPOILERS
Why was it necessary for the author's fake persona to insist that he has every right to write about other people's lived experiences, especially those of minorities? One of the biggest lessons we ALL should have learned from everything that's happened since 2020 is that we should be listening to OWN VOICES, and when a Native American character is insisting that you don't have their permission to tell their story, you should respect that. Not have your white, upperclass male author lecture (***read throw a tantrum) about why he's entitled to write about whoever he wants.

It was incredibly frustrating to have the main character agreeing with the elitist views of the lawyer whose wealthy family shifted the blame of a crime from their rich, privileged son onto a blue collar kid with a troubled family life.

One of the biggest re-occurring issues I've had with Anthony Horowitz is the homophobia he writes into the books, and here we are yet again with that being an element of one of the characters. It's not necessary.

Your ability to write a good mystery does not exempt you THE AUTHOR from being socially conscious or writing characters that can grow and change based on new information.

Perfect read for a teen, young adult or someone looking for a quick but insightful read.

I love how Shavone highlights how limited our perspectives can be when it comes to opportunities in different industries. (i.e. we often are taught/believe you need to be a nurse or doctor if you want to be in the medical field, but you could also be an X-ray tech, phlebotomist, pharm tech, ultrasound tech.) In Shavone's case, she talks about in tech, people think you need to be a computer science major, know how to code and go to an elite school. But you can find a role that you can thrive in no matter your personal experience and background.

She describes the importance of diversity in the workplace and how the BIPOC community that helps create the culture of social media spaces online is often not represented in the offices of tech which puts a lot of pressure on the few BIPOC employees to carry the mental load and be advocates for their communities.

Really enjoyed getting a snapshot of her experience in big tech.

This was a peak behind the curtain at what it's like for a freshman politician to get established in their new role. What was particularly interesting about this memoir was seeing how the inner workings of someone in the Socialist Party. Here in the USA we are very familiar with two major parties, so to get an insiders look at a party no as well known was really appealing as a reader who is interested in learning more about the realities of how both State and Federal congress function.

It was a fast read, and had a few additional books/references that influenced the people involved in the Senator's campaign and their reasons for working in the political sphere. I wrote them down to check them out and thing that anyone who may be thinking about becoming more active in politics would find this book may motivate you even more.

***Thank you to IDW Publishing, Top Shelf Productions and Netgalley for providing a free copy of the eBook in exchange for an unbiased review.