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The AOA Team is taking a long winter's nap. All orders placed today will ship in 2025. Digital items will be available immediately after purchase.
It’s Book Review Day - one of my favorite days of the month! This month I read 6 books, each one completely different from the next. I really enjoyed a few of them, thought two of them were just okay and hated one.
The Personal Librarian – Marie Benedict (A)
Remarkable story of such an interesting real-life woman who was the chosen librarian of J.P. Morgan’s Pierpont Morgan Library. She os black and is passing as white in a time where the field is already dominated by men. If you love historical fiction about strong, determined women, definitely add this to your list. I enjoyed it, but did not love it. The narration was not bad, but I felt like it dragged a bit. So I sped up the audio significantly. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I would have read it with my eyes instead of ears. 3.5/5 stars
The Trespasser – Tana French (B)
This one was a slow burn that took me a while to get into it. But once I did, I was hooked. Another great Tana French book! This book is intelligent writing with complex characters and gritty detective work. And I am always left guessing until the very end as to who “did it”. After reading other books in the Dublin Murder Squad series (like In The Woods and The Likeness), I am very loyal to this author and will pretty much read anything she writes. I hope the author chooses to continue this series! 4/5 stars
We Are Not Like Them – Christine Pride (A)
If The Hate U Give and Firefly Lane had a book baby, it would be this book. That is the best way that I can think to describe this storyline. Told from alternating perspectives of two best friends (one black and one white) as they deal with an event that drastically alters both of their lives. My book club picked this book and I think the discussion is going to be so good! It deals with race issues, stereotypes, and how life can test even the best of friendships. And while I can appreciate that these are heavy topics, I appreciated how the author showed all the differing perspectives in an authentic way without villainizing anyone. 4/5 stars
The Inheritance Games – Jennifer Lynn Barnes (A)
This book centers around Avery Grambs, who has been given a rough go of life and is just doing what she can to finish high school. She learns that she has inherited the entire estate of a eccentric billionaire that she has never met. And the remaining Hawthorne family is not too happy about it. This book has a Lemony Snicket meets Knives Out sort of vibe with puzzles and riddles and half-truths.
This book is firmly in the YA category and therefore the writing is great for that audience . But for me, it was just okay. In my opinion, it is over-hyped, but still enjoyable once you readjust your expectations. I haven't decided yet if I will read the rest of the series. 2.5/5 stars
People We Meet On Vacation – Emily Henry (A)
Unpopular Opinion - I made it about 30% into the audiobook and had to abandon this one. While I enjoyed her other book, I am clearly not the demographic audience for this book. I just found it to be too ridiculous and I found myself getting bored with the characters. No shade to anyone who loves this book (and so many people do), but it was just not for me. I just do not understand the popularity of this book. 1/5 stars
She Lies in Wait – Gytha Lodge (A)
On a summer night in 1983, a group of teenagers go camping in the forest. By morning, one of them has disappeared. Thirty years later her body is found. This was good and I enjoyed it. It kept me guessing until then end, but it was definitely a slow burn. It did not pull me in as intensely as I had hoped it would. But I am impressed that it is the author’s debut novel and will most likely read more of the series. 3.5/5 stars
B – Physical Book
A - Audiobook
As always, you can see a consolidated list of all my book reviews HERE.
Now it’s your turn – what book have you recently read that you can’t stop thinking about? I don't know about you, but I need some solid book recommendations to get me through the next few months. Something that will pull me in immediately and keep me going through to the very last page. So tell me in the comments what you are reading, what you are loving, and what book recs you have for me.
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