I liked the idea of The Second Mother. A woman wanting to start over ends up at a remote island to be the teacher after the last ones left. I don’t think the book needed the mystery element which might have been part of why it felt flat. Nothing sat right about the ages to … Continue reading
I generally like true crime best when it’s written by a woman, especially if the victim(s) are women. That is the case in Trailed so I felt like I was predisposed to like the book and for the most part, I did. Kathryn Miles certainly put a lot of effort and thought into solving the … Continue reading
Loved the concept! Stylish cover! I think Portrait of a Thief would make a great movie or limited tv series. I didn’t feel like it was as good of a book as it could have been. I wish it had been just from two points of view (or one!). I liked the characters and they … Continue reading
I joined a virtual book tour for Letter to a Stranger because the concept was so fun! I spent a lot of time pre-pandemic eavesdropping and wondering about the people I encountered in my every day life so a book of essays about the strangers that drift in and out of all our lives. This … 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
The first section of Admissions was great but faltered about two-thirds in. I wish she had talked about school and then had an afterward where she talked about current issues and how she got into recruiting. That was sort of sprinkled in and at times I didn’t think it made sense to juxtapose it with … Continue reading
FAME-ISH was a wild ride. I learned too much about her ex-partner’s sex life but I did learn a lot about the finances of a character actor/comedian. I am always curious about how being a side character in a big show works and how people who aren’t big names or are working continuously handle finances. … Continue reading
A Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett was a very solid four stars until the twist. I saw this described as satire but to me, it was a slightly heightened alt world. I loved the little world, the faux Ikea/start-up culture and setting, and the idea of the perfect box. So much … Continue reading
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson is fun book that ties in a lot of topical issues like prisons, blended interracial families, poorly treated mental illness, veganism, peanut allergies, predatory televangelists, drug use and gentrification into a spooky ghost/horror story. The ending was incredibly abrupt. Bizarrely so. I got it from the library and truly … Continue reading
I really enjoyed Mikita Brottman’s previous book about teaching in a men’s prison and I was not surprised to see that she dipped back into prison life for Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder. She is local to me so I am familiar with some of the places and cases she talks about which … Continue reading
Rachel Reads Books 