Review: All the Lovely Pieces

All the Lovely Pieces by J.M. Winchester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting thriller with good pacing and a good plot. I thought the thriller aspects could have been more suspenseful or unpredictable but otherwise I enjoyed the read.

#AllTheLovelyPieces #NetGalley #thomasandmercer

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Review: The Harp of Kings

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first time reading a Juliet Marillier book so from what I had heard and read, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, I don't think it quite lived up to this level of hype but it was maybe an okay start to a series. I was not in love with the development of the characters. I expected to care more about them and I really didn't by the end. Maybe continuing into the series will change that.

#TheHarpofKings #NetGalley #berkleypublishinggroup #Ace

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Review: The Memory Thief

The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a middle of the road YA fantasy novel in a crowded field of stand out works. The plot and characters started out intriguing but did not stand up as the book progressed and fell flat. It seemed almost as though maybe a bit more editing would have helped to clean up the story line, and keep it cohesive throughout. Overall, I'm interested in what else this author puts out but not certain if there was enough character and world building in this novel to seek a sequel read. So, just an okay read. This isn't my go-to genre though so people drawn into fantasy YA might totally love this. And I may give it a try again later. Sometimes its timing with books like this.

#TheMemoryThief #NetGalley #Blink

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Review: The Passengers

The Passengers by John Marrs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent futuristic thriller!

Incredible read! This was a captivating thriller with plot turns that I wasn’t expecting. I really enjoyed the way the author kept you engaged in the story but at the same time brought up many moral and ethical decisions about how we think about who lives and dies and who we choose to root for in a story. Very compelling story. Well done.

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Review: Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such an important syndrome. This is a rare but incredibly important syndrome to diagnose because of the treatment possibility and the risk of underlying tumor or other disease that may also be associated with the syndrome. There are many various antibody mediated neurological syndromes that fall within this spectrum, some of which present as a psychiatric disorder. In medicine, one of the biggest traps, is to think like a textbook. What I mean by that is that when you learn diseases or syndromes, you learn all the symptoms at once, as though they present this way. In fact more often the patient presents with one thing, then a period of time later something else develops. Slowly the complexity of the syndrome revels itself. Fortunately there are brilliant research/physicians who put all the pieces together and then bring the lab work to the bedside and solve some of these mysteries.


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Review: We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Save the World

We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Save the World by Valentina Giannella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine (GT) can live in luxury.It is the suffering of the many which will pay for the luxuries of the few...We need to focus on equity." This sums up so much of the drive behind this entire issue. The people and corporations that want to ignore this as a problem are willingly doing so by disregarding the clear science and out of greed. Meanwhile the inequity grows larger. This will only hasten the problem rather than help it. As was pointed out, one of the key factors in mass immigration is climate change. No longer having a climate that allows stability, growth of crops, clean water, access to adequate food and jobs all become the driving forces behind violence and migration patterns. The increase in climate disasters add to this as well. This is an informative, well written book. It has terrific illustrations and a good, simple message about our personal ability to act in a way that can make positive change. I feel like the message is appropriately written for the intended audience as well as adults who are interested in this topic and need a synopsis. What great courage and intelligence to develop a plan and move forward as Greta is doing.
We should all be Greta.
Highly Recommend.
#WeAreAllGreta #NetGalley #LaurenceKingPub

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Review: Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow!

This short book, in my opinion, should be required reading, not only for all young girls, young women and any women but for the men in our lives as well. This has one pearl of wisdom after another. It is absolutely brilliant and packs a punch into this compact work. There is nothing negative to say about it. I think it is speaking a universal truth about how men and women should behave that would do a great deal to improve the world and relationships in the home and in the workplace. Well Done Ms. Adichie and please keep them coming! I will read anything you write. I couldn't love this anymore!

Highly recommend.

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Review: Sorry I Ruined Your Childhood: Berkeley Mews Comics

Sorry I Ruined Your Childhood: Berkeley Mews Comics by Ben Zaehringer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These were a mixture of some laugh out loud funny and other's charming and sweet and still other's that were not either. That may have been a generational thing more than the actual comic value of each though. I could definitely see that many were "to be appreciated" by the younger generations who use all versions of social media fluidly. Overall, this was a pleasure to go through. My son sends me a daily (and random) clip of either football in the south or a clip of a comic strip that is a good laugh between us. This reminded me of that, which definitely makes me smile. Thank you for that!

#SorryIRuinedYourChildhood #NetGalley #AndrewsMcNeelPublishing

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Review: The Woman in Our House

The Woman in Our House by Andrew Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having done the nanny thing myself, this is one of those things that you always have in the back of your mind. What if?? Who are you really hiring?? Without giving anything away, this was a mostly well-paced, thriller that was an interesting and good book for me. I liked the story. It was gripping without being unbelievable. The characters were well written and the plot was good.
Definitely recommend.
#TheWomanInOurHouse #NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing

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Review: Lock Every Door

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this but my one complaint is that key pieces of the plot twists seemed evident early in the book. I prefer for a thriller to surprise me and very little about this one did except maybe the "why" question. I liked it though. I would recommend it and would definitely read other books by Riley Sagar (this was my first). I'm actually curious now as to his prior books and whether they follow a similar style or formula or if they are completely different.
I hate to say anything specific about the book because as I said, the who, what, where, how (even the how) didn't seem that surprising from my suspicions at the earliest inkling that something was off. I like to go into a thriller without details from the jacket cover or from other reviews if possible so I do not want to give anything remotely spoiler-ish.
I think most readers of this genre will enjoy this book but not be awed by it either. It was better than average but not off the charts great.
#LockEveryDoor #BOTM

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