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katiemack's reviews
1288 reviews
Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a strong start to a diverse cozy mystery series featuring supportive family members, a close-knit community, and detailed descriptions of tasty food (not to mention diversity--I love seeing cozies that subvert the white male gumshoe stereotype. Lyndsay is an intelligent and capable protagonist who can defend herself by quite literally kicking someone's butt, and the side characters are all likeable and fleshed out well. (I would have liked to see more of the Rocky-gym storyline, but hopefully Olivia Matthews will explore that in the sequels.) Matthews also establishes a few romantic prospects without making the romance pivotal to--or even a focus of--Lyndsay's story. Like many cozies, the police are stupid and made me roll my eyes, but that isn't totally unbelievable.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this series! (Also...could I have the recipe for those fish cakes? Please?)
This is a strong start to a diverse cozy mystery series featuring supportive family members, a close-knit community, and detailed descriptions of tasty food (not to mention diversity--I love seeing cozies that subvert the white male gumshoe stereotype. Lyndsay is an intelligent and capable protagonist who can defend herself by quite literally kicking someone's butt, and the side characters are all likeable and fleshed out well. (I would have liked to see more of the Rocky-gym storyline, but hopefully Olivia Matthews will explore that in the sequels.) Matthews also establishes a few romantic prospects without making the romance pivotal to--or even a focus of--Lyndsay's story. Like many cozies, the police are stupid and made me roll my eyes, but that isn't totally unbelievable.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this series! (Also...could I have the recipe for those fish cakes? Please?)
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence and Violence
Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
After being inundated with advice about pregnancy, this is a refreshing way to weed through some of the more, uh, condescending sources of information. Angela Garbes is candid and funny while outlining her own experiences and relating them to the science behind pregnancy and birth. I appreciate that she also points out the HUGE gap in knowledge in women's health, particularly postnatal care, in the United States (which always incenses me and makes me feel empowered to seek out care that best benefits me).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Pregnancy
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is probably my least favorite Grady Hendrix book I've read so far, but it still has some of his usual camp and is deeply creepy. I was also glad to see that he still included an inept, deeply unlikeable man in his tale (though Louise ends up being just as unlikeable as Mark, in the end). While I appreciated the exploration of generational trauma and grief that emerge as a result of the story, the haunted house conceit wasn't as strong as I thought it would be--combining it with the creepy possessed objects made it work less well. If you're looking for a more twisted, horrific take on The Velveteen Rabbit, though, this might be the book for you.
This is probably my least favorite Grady Hendrix book I've read so far, but it still has some of his usual camp and is deeply creepy. I was also glad to see that he still included an inept, deeply unlikeable man in his tale (though Louise ends up being just as unlikeable as Mark, in the end). While I appreciated the exploration of generational trauma and grief that emerge as a result of the story, the haunted house conceit wasn't as strong as I thought it would be--combining it with the creepy possessed objects made it work less well. If you're looking for a more twisted, horrific take on The Velveteen Rabbit, though, this might be the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
As a millennial woman and lover of Schitt's Creek--the show for which Monica Heisey wrote--I felt like I should love protagonist Maggie, but I couldn't stand her most of the time. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud one-liners in here, and the reflections on heartbreak are oddly poignant, but there's also plenty of wallowing and self-destruction. Some self-pity is human, but without any reflection, follow-through, or focus on other events the book ends up feeling like a whiny slog of diary entries and Google searches. By the last quarter of the book--during which there is *spoiler alert* some positive character development--Maggie began to feel like this generation's Carrie Bradshaw to me: a narcissistic train wreck with a decent writing style.
As a millennial woman and lover of Schitt's Creek--the show for which Monica Heisey wrote--I felt like I should love protagonist Maggie, but I couldn't stand her most of the time. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud one-liners in here, and the reflections on heartbreak are oddly poignant, but there's also plenty of wallowing and self-destruction. Some self-pity is human, but without any reflection, follow-through, or focus on other events the book ends up feeling like a whiny slog of diary entries and Google searches. By the last quarter of the book--during which there is *spoiler alert* some positive character development--Maggie began to feel like this generation's Carrie Bradshaw to me: a narcissistic train wreck with a decent writing style.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Skull Water by Heinz Insu Fenkl
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
The writing is beautiful but too disjointed for my taste; it made the overarching narrative difficult to follow.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If, like me, you grew up reading fairy tales from different cultures, you'll enjoy this historical fantasy set in nineteenth-century Scandinavia. There are parts that plod along due to flowery writing and/or overly inclusive details, but the story picks up once Wendell Bambleby--Emily Wilde's fellow scholar in Dryadology (the study of faeries and fae) whose charm and lack of work ethic greatly annoy Emily--arrives in Hrafnsvik. His optimism and friendliness complement Emily's social awkwardness and grumpiness, and his heritage plays a pivotal role later in the story. (This isn't a romance, but it has some romantic elements.) It's a book that feels highly original in the saturated realm of fantasy and fae stories.
If, like me, you grew up reading fairy tales from different cultures, you'll enjoy this historical fantasy set in nineteenth-century Scandinavia. There are parts that plod along due to flowery writing and/or overly inclusive details, but the story picks up once Wendell Bambleby--Emily Wilde's fellow scholar in Dryadology (the study of faeries and fae) whose charm and lack of work ethic greatly annoy Emily--arrives in Hrafnsvik. His optimism and friendliness complement Emily's social awkwardness and grumpiness, and his heritage plays a pivotal role later in the story. (This isn't a romance, but it has some romantic elements.) It's a book that feels highly original in the saturated realm of fantasy and fae stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The stories are beautiful, but I didn't expect to get choked up at the ending. Wow.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
Sam by Allegra Goodman
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I had a tough time getting into the writing style at the beginning of the book--lots of short, declarative sentences--but it suits seven-year-old Sam and will probably resonate with YA readers. The subtle shift in Allegra Goodman's prose reflects Sam's transition into her teen years well, but I still felt like I, as the reader, was being kept at arm's length from the plot and Sam's experience, though maybe that reflects Sam's coping mechanism. While I wasn't able to warm up to or fully appreciate Sam, I do think the reflections on domestic abuse and dysfunction are spot-on and poignant.
I had a tough time getting into the writing style at the beginning of the book--lots of short, declarative sentences--but it suits seven-year-old Sam and will probably resonate with YA readers. The subtle shift in Allegra Goodman's prose reflects Sam's transition into her teen years well, but I still felt like I, as the reader, was being kept at arm's length from the plot and Sam's experience, though maybe that reflects Sam's coping mechanism. While I wasn't able to warm up to or fully appreciate Sam, I do think the reflections on domestic abuse and dysfunction are spot-on and poignant.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This leans more postmodern than I was expecting, but that lends itself to the absurdity of the excess, crime, and corruption of the Wadia family and their associates. I would have been perfectly happy to read a book written entirely in Ajay's POV, as he's the most compelling (and, to be fair, the best-intentioned and least corrupt) character, but including Neda to act as Sunny's foil is an inspired and refreshing choice.
It's an impressive epic that falls apart a bit at the end but is a thrilling ride nonetheless. If you like reading about terrible people doing terrible things and want to learn more about India's socio-cultural landscape, don't let the 500+ page count intimidate you.
This leans more postmodern than I was expecting, but that lends itself to the absurdity of the excess, crime, and corruption of the Wadia family and their associates. I would have been perfectly happy to read a book written entirely in Ajay's POV, as he's the most compelling (and, to be fair, the best-intentioned and least corrupt) character, but including Neda to act as Sunny's foil is an inspired and refreshing choice.
It's an impressive epic that falls apart a bit at the end but is a thrilling ride nonetheless. If you like reading about terrible people doing terrible things and want to learn more about India's socio-cultural landscape, don't let the 500+ page count intimidate you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence