Book Review - One Blood by Denene Millner

 

One Blood by Denene Millner is about three generations of African American women who are trying to find their place in society. Grace is a teenager who is raised by her beloved grandmother, Maw Maw, in post-segregation Virginia. Grace watches and helps her grandmother deliver babies. She loves her life and living with her grandmother. However, that all changes when, in a span of a few days, Grace’s mother, Bassey, dies and also her grandmother is accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Grace is heartbroken to have her grandmother taken away from her and thrown into jail.  With no other relatives in the area, she is snuck across state lines to live with her Aunt Hattie in the North so she isn’t at risk of being found by persons intending harm.

Aunt Hattie is a formidable and ambitious woman. She wants nothing to do with her Southern roots and wants only to focus on upward mobility. She started a school to teach young girls about manners and hospitality to show that she belongs with the rest of the society. Grace is grateful for having a roof over her head but she quickly learns that her aunt has a different purpose for her. Grace is put to work to take care of the needs of her aunt and her students. She barely has time for herself and she feels trapped because her aunt won’t let her practice any of her Southern rituals that Grace finds comforting. 

Instead, Grace finds comfort with Dale, the son of a prominent family in her aunt’s social circle. Dale believes that the Black community shouldn’t be focused on manners, fancy teas, and pageants. Instead, they should be working towards getting equal rights. He wants them to realize that racism still exists in the North, even though the community likes to pretend otherwise. While attending a protest he gets caught up with the police when the protest turns violent. His mother decides to send him away to avoid Dale getting into more trouble with the police. Dale wanted to spend one last day with Grace before he leaves. The one magical night they spent together leaves Grace pregnant. Grace is scared because she doesn’t know who to trust and she doesn’t have anyone else she can confide in once Dale leaves. When Grace gives birth to her daughter, Hattie takes the baby and gives it up for adoption without telling Grace.

Delores, or Lolo, as she is known to her friends and family is known for her witty and protective nature. She had a hard life growing up and it was filled with heartache and pain. Lolo had a dream of becoming a model but had to put her dreams on hold. She had to find a way to survive with little money and as a Black woman. She decides that having a family and a husband is the best option for her, and she is willing to do anything to obtain and keep her family. 

Lolo finally gets her dream of having a family. She has a doting husband and two kids with a beautiful home. However, when secrets from the past emerge, it threatens to tear apart the family Lolo has worked hard to create. Lolo will do whatever it takes to keep her family and dreams intact.

Rae, Lolo’s willful daughter, finds out she is adopted and learns that is just one of the few secrets that her family has been keeping from her. When Rae finds out that she is about to become a mother herself, she decides to address her past and her family. Will Rae be able to reconcile the truth over her family’s secrets?

I am on the fence for this book. The book was a hefty read and it took some time getting into the writing style. When we were first introduced to Grace, it took some time to understand the Southern dialect. As we get introduced to the later characters (Lolo and Rae), it was easier to read and get into the flow of things.  It was interesting to see how the different characters were connected but at times I was trying to understand the point of the book. Was it to show the demands of motherhood? Is it to show the lengths we go to for the ones we love? Or is it how hard it is and how long it takes before we come into our own? Or perhaps, the decades and generation long struggles of being a woman or a Black woman in society? Or is it the effects of generational trauma and how it affects the future? 

Each of the three main characters were unique and interesting. I didn’t like, though, that after Grace’s chapters were over that we never saw her again. I was interested in learning what happened to her and some of the characters in her story.  I felt attached to some of the characters and wanted to read more about them. I felt like their stories weren’t complete and were left unresolved. The three main characters didn’t really feel connected and their stories felt disjointed. The timelines were also confusing as characters would get older or we would be taken back in time but it wasn’t very clear.

The ending was a bit confusing to me as I didn’t quite comprehend what was going on. Did Grace and Rae finally connect with her blood family? I also didn’t quite understand the magical elements in the book. I felt like it took backstage in the middle until the very end. What was the purpose and role of the magical elements? The book is a powerful and emotional read but also has a lot of sad and depressing moments of how people and children were treated.

Book Review - Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer

 

Ashton Hall by Lauren Belfer is about an American woman named Hannah Larson and her son, Nicky, finding buried secrets in an old English manor. Hannah and Nicky travel to Ashton Hall, a historic manor house outside Cambridge, England to stay with an ailing relative, who lives there. 

Hannah has given up her academic career to raise her son, who is neurodivergent and experiences the world differently. She is glad for the respite as she left her husband back in New York City. She is afraid what her next steps would be in her marriage after witnessing her husband commit a devastating act of adultery with someone else.

When the pair arrive at the manor, Hannah allows Nicky the freedom to explore the manor unsupervised. Nicky is good at noticing patterns and he was able to find a secret door hidden in the wallpaper. The door leads to a closed off wing and there Nicky finds the skeletal remains of a woman.

Hannah finds herself drawn to this mysterious woman’s story. She and another fellow researcher from the manor dig through personal papers and centuries old ledgers to piece together what happened to the corpse they discovered. As Hannah works to find out the truth, she finds her own life slowly unraveling.

I thought this was going to be a thriller or murder mystery novel as it was classified as a gothic mystery. Instead it was a boring and pointless book. The author goes into such mundane details about everything, that I found myself lulled to sleep while reading. The author would go into detail about what the person read or packed for lunch. However, even though we are given so many pointless details about everything else, we still don’t know what really happened to the dead woman. I think the book is more a research piece on how people lived back in that time period than anything else. 

I also didn’t care for any of the characters. Hannah spent so much time complaining about her husband’s affair and then dealing with his reaction to her confronting him.  Her son was also an unlikeable character. He gets violent to the point where Hannah fears for her safety and locks him in his room at night. She worries if she should tell others but never gives them any warning about his violent tendencies. If this book was billed as women’s contemporary fiction, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed.

Book Review - Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

 

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is about a young woman who experiences love for the first time. Adelaide Williams is a twenty six year old American living in London. She and her friends love the city but they need to find permanent jobs to secure a visa in order to stay longer.  Adelaide has a passion for publishing but takes on a high paying tech job to be able to stay in London. Adelaide is in love with the city and her life but she still thinks there’s something missing: companionship. She decides that she wants to start dating and downloads a dating app.

After a string of meaningless one night stands that taper out, Adelaide feels that maybe she isn’t meant to be loved. All that changes when she crosses paths with Rory Hughes, who feels like a breath of fresh air. He looks like a Disney prince and looks exactly like what Adelaide would consider her dream guy to be.

As Adelaide and Rory start spending time together, she feels that something is missing from their relationship. She realizes that he isn’t attentive to her, he doesn’t honor their plans, he doesn’t make advance plans, he doesn’t always respond to texts, and he makes her sleep in a separate bed.  However, when they do meet up and do spend time together, Rory is a bright light that chases all the darkness from her life. Adelaide is convinced that deep down in his heart, Rory feels the same way about her as she does about him. He just has a hard time displaying his love for her.

An unexpected tragedy occurs that rocks both of their worlds. Rory seems to be drifting and unable to cope with life and how things are going. As Adelaide tries to be a pillar for Rory and to be a shining light in his life, she stops at nothing to cheer him up even if it means losing herself in the process.

The novel started off with Adelaide checking into a hospital because she has suicidal thoughts after a breakup. The novel is broken into past and present with Adelaide narrating most of the story. We did occasionally get a sneak peek into Rory’s life.

The novel started off interesting. I tried to understand why Adelaide was feeling suicidal as in the beginning her life seems like it was going great. However, it quickly becomes clear when we read about her and Rory’s relationship. The book goes on for pages after pages of Adelaide staying in a relationship in which she isn’t treasured. She is so desperate to be loved that she is willing to put up with being in a relationship with a  guy who clearly doesn’t love her and she even admits to knowing he would never love her.

I like romantic novels as much as any other person but, there was only so much of Adelaide’s flawed relationship I could read. I am not sure why she kept putting up with Rory’s inattentiveness and harsh behavior. It was like seeing a friend constantly  being used as a punching bag, after a while you feel upset and annoyed at your friend for not sticking up for themselves. The book goes on like that for a while and then the author explains why Adelaide stays with Rory. It does explain why she stayed with him but, it doesn’t erase the annoyance of having her basically hanging by a thread before she seeks help. 

The book also goes into so much detail about random things that just seemed pointless. I felt like the book could have been shorter with less mini plotlines.  Unless you want to read a book where a young woman ignores every single red flag and read about every single tedious detail about her life, then skip this book.

Book Review - Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko

 

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko is about a young girl who is sent to live with her father who had abandoned her at a young age.  Seventeen-year-old Coley finds herself alone again after she loses her mother. She moves to rural Oregon to live with her father who abandoned her mother and her when Coley was young. 

Coley is afraid to let anyone into her heart. However, when she crosses paths with Sonya, Coley feels immediately attracted to her. She worries that she isn’t worthy of being loved, as everyone she has ever cared about has left her. Coley is also afraid that Sonya might not be into her since Sonya has never been with a girl before.  As Coley and Sonya spend more time together, Coley does feel a certain level of attraction from Sonya, but also feels hesitation from Sonya. Will Coley be able to open up her heart and love again, or will Sonya leave her like everyone else in her life has so far?

The book was an okay and straightforward read. There were no unexpected twists or turns. Both Coley and Sonya are two complicated characters who are desperate to feel and be in love but have different hangups when it comes to love. Coley is fragile and afraid to open up herself to love again while Sonya is afraid of being “different” and disappointing people she cares about. It was heartbreaking at times, watching two characters who seemed to love each other hurt each other and themselves in the process.

The book takes place in the early 2000s. It is told by alternating point of views but also includes snippets of LiveJournal and AIM conversations. I did enjoy reading the AIM conversations as it was very nostalgic. I felt after a while the LifeJournal entries were repetitive and didn’t really progress the story, especially towards the end. I wanted more closure after their fight and more narrative of what happened after that. If you like cozy queer romances or are a fan of Hayley Kiyoko then you might enjoy this book.

Book Review - Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

 

Before astronauts went into space or before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, there were a group of dedicated women mathematicians who made it possible. The women were known as "computers" who manually calculated the numbers that would launch planes, rockets and astronauts.

I saw the movie before reading the book. I thought the book was going to read like a fiction novel but, it read more like a textbook. I had a hard time keeping track of the different women. However, I thought it was an interesting read and well researched book.

Book Review - Send Her Back and Other Stories by Munashe Kaseke

 

The novel contains short stories depicting the immigrant experience of black African women in United States with a variety of themes.The stories are told from a female Zimbabwean protagonist view but, none of the stories are related. I found majority of the stories entertaining and relatable. The last story in the book though felt incomplete and it was the only one I didn't enjoy. In a few of the stories, I found that it mimic stories from relatives, friends, and even my own experience as an immigrant. I would be interested in reading more stories by the author as I found this book to be enjoyable.

Book Review - More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez

 

In 1985, Lore Rivera marries Andres in Mexico City, while she is currently married to Fabian Rivera in Laredo, Texas. In Texas, she shares twin sons with Fabian. Lore splits her time between two countries and two families as she travels as an international banker. The truth is revealed with one husband is arrested for murdering the other.

In 2017, true crime writer Cassie Bowman is looking for articles to write for work when she comes across an article talking about the murder and Lore's double life. Cassie is consumed by the case because what would cause a mother to risk everything for a secret double marriage? Cassie is desperate to learn more so, she tracks down Lore and tries to convince Lore to tell her side of the story. As Cassie and Lore spend more time with each other, Cassie starts to question the facts around the murder. She is determined to find out the truth behind that faithful night even if it means exposing truths both women are trying to keep secret.

I thought the book was an okay read. I didn't care for the times when the author mixed in some Spanish phrases because I had to look up what they meant and that ruined the flow of the book. The twist at the end was a predictable and I was able to figure it out fairly early on. I felt that the book was unnecessarily long as there are several pages where nothing happens. I didn't really care for any of the characters as the story slowly progressed. I would have liked this story more if the author included some translations for the Spanish phrases and edited down the book to a quicker pace.

Book Review - Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar

 

In the summer of 1988, a small Maryland town community is shaken to it's core when the mutilated bodies of several young girls begin to show up. The police believe that there is a serial killer terrorizing the quiet suburban town. Local residents believe that there is an evil presence stalking young girls and that's its not entirely human. Law enforcement, however, is certain that the killer is human and that he is playing a game with the police. The once peaceful community is on edge because the police is no closer to find the killer and more bodies keep showing up.

Richard Chizmar is a recent college graduate who returns home right around the time of the murders. As Richard tries to focus on his upcoming wedding and his budding writing career, he finds himself entwined with the murders. Inspired by real events, Richard documents his personal account of the serial killer's reign of terror in his small community.

This was my first book by, the author and I am surprised on how much I enjoyed it. At first, I was kind of annoyed by all the small personal details about Richard's life as I wanted to know all the nitty gritty of the murders. However, after reading the author's note at the end, it added whole new layer to this book. The author seamlessly blended true crime and fiction in a book that was hard to put down once the murders started happening. I thought the novel was going to have some scary elements but, a scary house was mentioned and nothing came out it. There were some parts of the story that didn't get resolved in the end. The story ended with the author waiting for the second interview with the murderer but, I wish the author could have included more details about the numbers behind the murders. I feel like the story was a bit unresolved because we didn't know the entire story behind the murders. Overall, it was an interesting read but, I could have done without some of the extra details.

Book Review - Women in Science: Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

 

The illustrated book gives little readers  bite size information about women in science. The book has fun facts about each women's contribution to the field. Personally, I thought this book was just okay. It had some rather useless information such as Jane Goddall bringing her mother with her to the field. I also felt that it wasn't very diverse. I think its a good starting point but, could have been better. Also, I noticed that there are quite a few variations of this book and I am not sure why if they all seem to have the same information.

Book Review - Outlawed by Anna North

 

Seventeen year old Ada has everything going exactly how she wanted it to be. She is happily married to her husband and she is working with her mother, a respected midwife. However, a year into their marriage, Ada isn't pregnant and this is dangerous in a town that is known for hanging barren women as witches. She realizes she might have to leave her hometown along with everything else she has even known.

She joins the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang, a group of outlaws lead by preacher turned robber named Kid. Kid is charismatic and has dream of creating a safe haven for women who are outcasts. The gang hatches a plan to make Kid's plan a reality but, the plan is dangerous enough to get them all killed. Ada is struggling to decide if she is willing to risk her life for the possibility of a better future for them all.

This isn't the type of book I would normally reach for but, I thought it was an interesting read. I find that the book is relevant to women in this day in age. The book has themes of women needing to have children before they are deemed useful to society and the struggles of women to get proper medical care along with issues with gender norms. I felt like there was some parts of the story that could have been fleshed out more along with the character. Some of the members of the gang was so cookie cutter, that I often confused them. I also couldn't believe that every single female character we were introduced to was barren. It was an okay read but, it wouldn't be something I would go out of my way to read again.

Book Review - I Hope This Finds You Well: Poems by Kate Baer

 

Kate Baer receives over thousands of messages on her posts. Like many other writers, especially women, as her online presence grew, so did the negative messages in her inbox. This book is a collection of some the messages Kate has received. Using their negative (and sometimes, praises) Kate creates erasure poems in response to the messages she received. 

I was never really a big fan of poems because I could never really "get them". However, I found this book of poems to be enjoyable and entertaining. A few poems were thought provoking and stayed with me long after I finished reading them. A few were entertaining and garnered a few giggles. Overall,
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I have a new found respect for poems.

Book Review - 'Round Midnight by Laura McBride

 

Twenty-one-year-old June Stein is bored of her safe world and decides to move from New Jersey to Las Vegas in the 1950s. In the span of 60 years, June tries to live her life as she pleases and she tries to push boundaries. She goes against the norm for what she believes in.

June's story intertwines with three strangers: a woman who was a mail-order bride from the Philippines, a young mother who is working as a hotel maid, and a high school music teacher. The three women are connected by a secret June has kept.

I wasn't a fan of this novel. I felt like the story had too many characters and it seemed pointless and jumbled together.  The story had tons of random details that sometimes made the story hard to follow.  I did like the premise of the story but, I felt like the execution wasn't great.

Book Review - The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney

Photo Credit - Amazon

When Abbie wakes up in a strange room in a daze with no memory of who she is and how she got there. The man at Abbie's side claims that he is her husband. He is the founder of an innovative start-up and an idolized genius in the tech world. He tells Abbie that she is a talented artist, a surfer, a loving mother to their autistic son, and most importantly, she was the perfect wife.

Five years ago, there was a terrible accident and she was bought to life as a bot. She is a miracle of science and one of a kind.  However, as  Abbie starts to piece together her memory, she realizes her husband might be hiding things from her. She is wary of her husband; who insists that she was the perfect wife.

The idea of having a robot replace a loved one was interesting. However, the only thing I liked about the book was their young kid, Danny. I had a hard time relating or even liking any of the characters. The book was written from two points of view, robotic Abbie's feelings and her trying to figure out the truth and the telling "real" Abbie's past with Tim. I didn't like that the only thing we knew about Abbie was that she was perfect and on some level, everyone worshiped or loved her. Yet, as the reader, we know nothing from Abbie's point of view. The book felt like a convoluted and confusing hot mess that I regretted spending the time to even bother reading it.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

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Twenty-six-year-old Yu-jin wakes up to a strange smell and a phone call from his brother asking if everything is okay because he had a missed call from their mother. Yi-jin shortly discovers her murdered body in their apartment and he is covered with her blood. Yu-jin suffers from seizures his most of his life and has trouble with his memory. He recalls his mother calling his name but, he is unsure why she was calling his name. Yi-jin begins to uncover what happened that night and he learns the truth about himself and his family.

The novel was a suspenseful read but, a few parts were a bit slow. I was surprised at the ending but,  I wondered if there was more that could have been done with the story. Overall, it was an interesting take on the mind of a psychopath and I would read more books by the author.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda

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Paul and Mia Strom have the perfect life. Paul is an advertising executive for a prestige firm, he has a beautiful wife with two healthy boys along with two houses. Paul is the perfect husband; he is the breadwinner, the protector, and the provider. 

Mia has been very sick lately, so Paul decided to plan a very special romantic weekend at their lake house for the two of them. However, while Paul and Mia drive to the lakeside, tensions and emotions are running rampant.  There is an unspoken truth that is haunting both Paul and Mia. How much does Paul and Mia know about each other? Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage?

The novel was very engaging and fun read. I love how reading the novel, you know not everything is as perfect as Paul makes it seem. Just reading how he describes his family and his life, you are waiting for the dark truth to actually come out.  And when you do find out about the dark secrets, holy smokes, does the novel keep you guessing! A definite must read for readers who love thrillers and perfect to make a commute to work fun (just don't miss your stop).

Book Review: Beautiful Animals by Lawrence Osborne

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Naomi is the only child of a wealthy British art collector and her family routinely vacations in the Greek island of Hydra. One day, Naomi sets out another part of the island to escape the oppressing force of her father and stepmother. She comes across another young woman, who is also vacationing there. Samantha is a younger American girl who is immediately besotted by Naomi's presence. The pair become quick friends and decide to take a hike together. The stumble upon a refugee named Faoud who looks like he is homeless with barely any belongings. Naomi believes it is their duty to help the less fortunate and convince Sam that they should hatch a plan to help him. While, they beginning to hatch their plan, the friendship between the three begin to deepen. However, an unfortunate accident causes both the plan and the friendship to unravel. Will the girls still be able to be friends? Who is this mysterious man?

The novel was an interesting read but I had a hard time getting into the novel. I have read another one of his books, "Hunters in the Dark" and I don't particularly find his writing style appealing. I found the novel made me crave wanting to know more but the ending left me unsatisfied. I felt like the backstory of Faoud could have been more detailed and even the supporting characters could have more depth.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - Domestic Secrets by Rosalind Noonan

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Best friends Rachel Whalen and Ariel Alexander are friends for over a decade. They overcome many of life's tragedies and happiness together. Polar opposites, Rachel is a down to earth mom who owns a hair salon while Ariel is a promiscuous former TV starlet who still dreams of being in the spotlight again. Together with the ups and down of single motherhood, they take on suburbia moms of Timbergrove, Oregon. However, tragedies strikes and tears the two families apart. Will Rachel and Ariel's friendship be able to survive or will their bonds forever be broken? If you can't trust your friends and family, who can you trust?

The story is a interesting read about fragile bonds between friends and parenthood with parents and children, along with the managing the perception of neighbors and friends. The story starts off interesting but the tragedy happens around the last third of the book. I believe the event should have happened earlier for it to really have an effect. It starts off slowly and builds then Boom! the horrible tragedy and the coping behinds for the last couple of pages that seems a bit of a mish mash. A good read but leaves readers wanting more.

*Disclosure - I received a free uncorrected eBook copy of this book for my honest opinion*