I was a little disappointed by Mott Street. It’s a fascinating history and family story but I felt like the author veered too far into the speculative at times. Sometimes she would start anecdotes with phrases like “I wonder if this is what it was like”, “Maybe she felt like this” which is fine and … Continue reading
I swear I have really enjoyed some Kate White books in the past so I was happy to get this one from Netgalley as an ARC. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. I felt like this should have been two different books. One about a woman coming to grips with the ripple effect … Continue reading
I agreed with the title, they should not be friends but not for the reasons the author seems to think. Maxey is an interesting, accepting, loving larger-than-life character. I enjoyed reading about his interesting and passionate life quite a bit. However, I never got a great feel for the author at all. What did he … Continue reading
The Writing Retreat was really a wacky, over-the-top horror-thriller. Unfortunately, it was so badly paced and written that it flopped. It should have leaned into how impossible and camp the setup was but never did. It was almost embarrassing to read. I was puzzled the whole time about when it was supposed to take place. … Continue reading
I have followed the author of The Survivalists on Twitter for years and was really excited about the book. I suggested it to several library systems to buy. I enjoyed her Grub Street Diet which I read after the book and filled in some blanks for me. I too grew up eating seasonally because it … Continue reading
The year is almost over and I thought I’d end on a high note and read the earlier book of an author who wrote a book that landed on my top books for the year list. I wouldn’t say her more recent book Acts of Violets was great literature and a true classic but it … Continue reading
The Family Game is just such a fun book—an orphan novelist gets swept up by a wealthy man and his games-obsessed, insular family. Chaos ensues. Really a fun twist on the thriller genre with a little book within a book going on. Is it the best book in the entire world? Maybe not but it … Continue reading
How We Fall Apart was one of those books I was so excited to read because it seemed like it was tailor-made for me. Gossip Girl plus murder plus high pressure to succeed? Yes, please! But I ended up disappointed. I didn’t really think the details added up. I am still confused about how a … Continue reading
There is a lot to love about The Verifiers by Jane Pek. The interesting main character, a timely mystery about the ethics of online dating and data collection, a mysterious research group/detective agency, sibling and parent issues, urban bike riding, a realistic NYC backdrop. So much material and depth there. What dropped it down to three … Continue reading
Find Me by Alafair Burke was a weird mess. It was definitely presented as a standalone book when I asked for and was rejected for a galley but it contains a character, Ellie Hatcher, who is the main character of Burke’s long-running Ellie Hatcher series. I haven’t read that series (only Burke’s standalone novels) so … Continue reading
Rachel Reads Books 