Recent Reads from Spring 2023

Part of my screen time lessening is increasing my book time (when, really, I should be prioritizing my cleaning and workout time - but, life is meant to be savored, am I right?!). Here are some reviews* of recent reads:

Still Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took some getting into for me, a slow burn. But the Inspector grew on me, as did the authentic character studies. I’m not as knowledgeable about the Canadian politics and ongoing, but I got pulled in by the mystery and the people and the vivid messiness of it all. 

The Candy House ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here’s the thing: I haven’t read A Visit from the Goon Squad, I just thought I had, and that may explain my experience with this. A vivid, sprawling book that moves across characters and timelines that touches on technology and memory in a world that sprawls in bits and bytes. For all the characters focus on technology (for and against), what grabbed me was how real the people felt. 

Miss Aldridge Regrets ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can definitely see the Agatha Christie vibes and appreciated Lena’s complexity against the class, gender, and racial divides of the ship, England, and NYC. Got the endgame midway through, but still a fun, easy read overall. 

The House at Sea’s End ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This built on what I loved about the first book: a dense, twisty historical mystery; Ruth only becoming more complex and authentic in motherhood; Nelson thawing while still being prickly; and, all the side characters continuing to be rounded out and necessary.

Jackaby ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I kind of fell for Abigail Rook and Jackaby, which surprised me. Holmes-ish and supernatural and sassy, the mystery itself kept me reading and I ended wanting to see what happened next. Hopefully, the next book is just as enthralling!

Choosing to Run ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Des Linden is such an authentic badass and her memoir lives up to that. It sounded like I imagine she sounds - cerebral and funny and ferocious - and there were so many moments of insight behind these big moments we’ve seen on tv and twitter. 

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the grimy, mystical, dumpster fire mystery of my dreams. Claire and her method and her mess drives the story, but post-storm New Orleans is like a second protagonist. The read didn’t feel good but I couldn’t put it down - and I want to jump the next one up my TBR list. 

You Could Make This Place Beautiful

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What it is to be a parent and a partner (at times) and a caretaker and still be a whole person. Loving this breaks all my icks: snippets and short chapters; memoir; sad - yet, the language and the depth and the poetry and the point of view… It grabbed me in my feels and I simply felt every bit. A great and hopeful read. 

A Room Full of Bones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love that Ruth is Ruth, even within motherhood - and Nelson is the one who is churning and wondering and evolving so specifically. From the indigenous mystery to the Cathbad connections to Ruth and Nelson’s fleeting meetings, this book has all the aspects that made me fall for the series. 

Beastly Bones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If anything, I wanted more Jackaby. However, widening his and Abigail’s world geographically and with additional side characters worked for me - as well as the recurring cast of police, friends, ghosts, and ducks. It all pulled together spectacularly and, like any good series, I’m excited for the next. 

A Deadly Education ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For a place with such creatures, powers, and classes, the world creation here was done so well - as were how the core characters were introduced and built out. I loved how angry and off putting and real El was; her walls are so necessary and seeing her open to connections and possibly living drew me in. The ultimate mix of dystopia and high school. 

Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not as easy read, not an easy protagonist, but I loved every bit of this. Claire just actively using everything and everyone and drowning in dreams and clues just worked as a long, sticky trip (or nightmare). 

The Final Girls Support Group ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The very definition of “eh” to me. Depth of character isn’t a trope of this genre and that was proved here; I kind of felt meh about everyone. While I appreciate the pacing matching the movies and Lynne’s panic - its shallowness just made me want to get it over with. 

*my rating scale is:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

this book changed my life

this book grabbed my heart / brain / spirit

I truly couldn’t put this book down 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

this book was super compelling

this book / character made me feel seen

I just really loved reading it

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked this book, but…

I wanted to know how it ended

It was a book I read  

⭐️⭐️

this book I read because I read this series, but

It was just so meh / devoid of character 

I should have put it down and moved on

⭐️

did not finish

hate-read

just awful