presleymarie85's reviews
179 reviews

 "Stories aren’t fiction. Stories are fabric. They’re the white sheets we drape over our ghosts so we can see them."


Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen is going to be one of those books that it is either a HIT with the
reader, or it is a miss. Luckily for me and liking magical realism, this book was a HIT. Sarah Addison Allen does an amazing job drawing the emotions out of the reader through charming and well written characters, as well as a plot that deals with grief and the process of letting, will leave the reader filled with emotion.

In other Birds the reader is introduced to our main antagonist Zoey, who during the summer before starting college, moves into her deceased mothers flat, at The Del A Wisp. A hidden apartment complex full of a motley crew of characters. You have the Lime sisters, newly deceased Lizabeth who in particular hates her older sister Lucy, who you never see, but who always sees you. Charlotte a young woman with ghosts from her past that despite her running from, still haunt her. Mac the burley red headed chef who has been at the Del A Wisp the longest behind the Lime sisters, who also is being haunted by a ghost he doesn't know if he is ready to let go of. And of course the enigmatic owner of the Del A Wisp and local author and legend Roscoe F. Avanger, who ties them all together to the Del A Wisp.

She stared at the motley crew gathered in the parking lot—the magically large redheaded man, the blond woman with her painted skin, the beautiful green-eyed boy, and the famous writer with his Rip van Winkle beard. Her family.

It may sound like a ghost story of a novel, but really the main theme is letting go. How holding onto grief to keep those around, only stops us from moving forward. Deeply rich with writing and character building, Other Birds is one book anyone who is looking to let go of a ghost should read. At times Other Birds can be slow, but once the climax is revealed the story gets it's second wind to the end. 

This is going to be an unpopular opinion review. The only books from Veronica Roth that I have read have been the Divergent series. I ate that series up! I loved the characters, the plot, the world building was not a mess of confusion, I could actually envision what I was reading, I can not say the same about When Among Crows. The world building or lack there of, had me re reading the same page to figure out what was happening, the characters lack the background knowledge for the reader to not only understand what they are, but I ended up not caring about them. Once I was able to figure out what was actually happening, the book was almost done. I have seen other reviews where readers didn't enjoy her other books that were YA, so I can understand the want from Veronica to move more towards an adult book. But this was so juvenile with the writing and don't get me wrong I am not offended by adult language in a book, but there has to be a reason for it. Not just oh I am going to have my character swear so the reader knows they are adult... I really think that if this book was not a novella, if it was longer and Veronica Roth took the time to write more of a background the reader would have a better grasp on the world which the story was taken place. We'd understand better the conflict between the different characters and why they have conflict. I think Veronica has a good start, but she could do with a better execution. The cover though... that was my only favorite thing about the whole When Among Crows experience.   

Sara Goodman Confino you have done it again! You have provided me with a novel to read that is full of heart and rich in character, and boy did I enjoy Don't Forget to Write. Don't Forget to Write is a perfect summer read or a "palate cleanser" for in between reads. At time Don't Forget to Write can be predicable, but I found myself loving the predictability more so than getting annoyed that I "figured it out" and I think it comes down to the writing and the characters that you have no choice but to love. 
Right away you meet the fun, sassy, spunky, feminist rule breaker Marilyn Kleinman who is caught making out with the Rabbi's in front of the whole congregation. After congregating in the Kleinman family home and Marilyn turning down the proposal from Dan the said Rabbi's son, Marilyn has no choice but to be shipped off to her Great Aunt Ada's home. Once there Marilyn discovers so much about herself, her family, and what she truly wants out of a relationship with a partner. Sara Goodman Confino writes so beautifully that you can't help but to fall in love with the characters and the story. 5 very well earned stars. 

 

This is my second Freida McFadden book, the first being The Housemaid, which I loved. I did NOT love The Teacher. The characters are just vain, selfish, and have zero redeeming qualities. The plot starts off well enough, you can pretty much get the gist of what is happening and going to happen pretty quickly. But then it takes a wild turn and not for the better, but for the sloppy worse. 

In the Teacher you meet Adeline "Addie" Severson who is a young high school girl with a troubled family life and her own troubles that started last year when rumor had it she was having an affair with her math teacher, but she was really just stalking him. So Addie has a new math teacher Mrs. Eve Bennett and she is NOT a fan of Addie as she sees it, Addie single handedly got her mentor Mr. Tuttle fired from the school. But Eve is not the only Bennett teaching Addie, her husband Nate is not only Addie's new English teacher but also encourages her to join the poetry paper. You can see what is going on and know with her history of having zero boundaries with her teachers she and Nate develop an illicit affair, that comes to a crashing halt when Eve sees not Addie kissing Nate, but Nate fully going for it with Addie. Which is not great for Nate when he is confronted and given 
a list of ultimatums by Eve. What ensues it what you would typically watch on the Lifetime Movie Network. 

If you're looking to read a book that will not have you thinking  a lot and one that you don't need to pay super close attention to the book The Teacher is a great read for that. I still want to read the second installment of The Housemaid series as I really enjoyed the first book and thought maybe her other books would be the same.  

After finally securing a Kindle, the first book I knew I wanted to read right away was the short story Evidence of the Affair by my favorite author Taylor Jenkins Reid. My determination to read all of TJR's catalog did not disappoint. Evidence of the Affair is a short story written in epistolary novel style between the two main protagonists Carrie Allosop who writes a letter to David Mayer informing him of his wives affair with her husband. What begins as an innocent correspondence between two spouses who are being cheated on, turns into an affair of their own. Although this is a short story, Evidence of the Affair has that classic TJR emotion throughout. Another fun surprise, was a few name drops that fans of TJR will recognize. I would love a full story think "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" style. Now that I am all caught up in the TJR universe I will patiently impatiently wait for a new release to read. 

“we live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men”

I honestly don't think Taylor Jenkins Reid could write something that I don't love. Now, with that being said, was this my most favorite TJR reads, no. But did I still enjoy Carrie Soto is back, absolutely I did, it took a little longer than I would have liked, but the second half is when I really started liking our main protagonist Carrie. Carrie Soto is brass, unapologetic, driven to the point it is all that consumes her. But what you come to find out is that yes she is all those things, but she is also human and has so much heart and passion that she keeps hidden from the world. It is that softer side that really humanizes Carrie and makes the reader sympathize with her character. As always TJR paints a vivid world that is the women's tennis and brings us back in time. Fans of TJR will recognize a few popular name drops from other TJR novels. 

What is really at the heart of Carrie Soto is back at least what I got out of it was the relationship between Carrie and her famous tennis playing father Javier "the Jaguar" Soto. That tug of war balance of them being father daughter as well as coach and player. That vulnerable side that comes from Javier opening up to Carrie about the loss of his life, her mother, and how he feels he has trained her too hard to focus on being the best, that she has pushed all love away. That classic TJR vulnerability and the emotions she can elicit from the reader made this a 4 star read for me. 

It is so disappointing when you have an author that you have read almost all of their catalog and have really enjoyed their books, only to read their newest release and just be so let down. That is how I feel about Heather Gudenkauf's newest release Everyone is watching. I remember a time where I could not get enough of her books, The Weight of Silence, Little Mercies, These Things Hidden, and Missing Pieces were all such great reads, well written with complex characters and plot. Everyone is Watching seemed like it was gonna be another one to add to the LOVE it pile, but it fell so flat for me. I was entertained and finished it all in a matter of days, but there were no complex characters in Everyone is Watching, in fact there is not one character that I was could even remotely feel something towards. I mean Marie was probably the most likely character, if I had to choose, that I liked. But only because she was a mother to a sick child. Then the ending.. what was that all about!? It was sloppy, rushed, and tied with a child's bow who is just learning to tie their shoes. 

In Everyone is Watching, you meet a rag tag cast of characters who receive an email invite them to join a new and mysterious reality show, One Lucky Winner, where the winner could walk away with 10 million dollars. Only known as The Best Friend, The Boyfriend, The confident, The assistant, The Executive, and the Senator. It becomes clearer throughout the book that this was no random selection of contestants, but a cruel and calculated move to bring them all together by the creator of the show Cat James. Cat wants to remain behind the scenes and not have anyone know that she is the developer, having her personal assistant Fern take over hosting duties. What are the rules to this game you ask, there are no rules, along with no set time that the show will air. Instead mysterious social media alerts will be sent out letting viewers know to tune into the challenges, that are dark, twisted, and could possibly cause serious harm to the contestants. But it becomes clear to the challengers that something is afoot. Where is all the crew? The Cameras? The creator of the show? Is there even a 10 million dollar prize? Tune in to One Lucky winner to find out. 

Like I stated earlier, despite there being a gaggle of characters, they all fell flat. There was not enough positive background to make you like the characters, and I get it the point of these characters are to be flawed, to be non likeable, untrustworthy, due to them having ties to the creator. But you would think that Heather Gudenkauf would want the reader to be left with someone in the story that they liked or what was the point of reading this? And that is exactly how I feel. I spent all this time reading your book and NOT ONE character was redeemable at the end. Even when a character at the end did something that could be considered redeemable, I audibly said "that's it, after all that, that is what you leave this other character with"!? 

I will still read Heather Gudenkauf's novels, as this is the first one that I didn't enjoy, I just hope this is a fluke and that her future books move my soul like the ones I have previous read. Don't get me wrong, Everyone is Watching is entertaining and if you don't care about deep plots, or richly written characters and you only care to be mildly entertained, then go ahead and read Everyone is Watching. Just know you will not get anything out of it other than mild entertainment. 

At its core, Shark Heart by Emily Habeck is a love story unlike any other you will read. If you have been in a relationship, I am sure you asked your partner the time old question, "would you love me if..." I feel that is the premise Emily Habeck had and she swam with it (see what I did there). Shark Heart is so well written, some parts are rich in magical realism, others are rich in wit and heart. Shark Heart will have the reader emotional over a great white shark.  

In Shark Heart you meet a woman named Wren, who just wants to live a mediocre life. She follows the rules and makes no waves, Wren is most comfortable being in the background. But once you read about Wrens childhood and her relationship with her own mother. Wren meets and falls in love with Lewis and after a short courtship, Lewis asks Wren to marry him. Wren gladly agrees and soon she is dreaming about her life and future with Lewis and hopefully some children. But shortly after marrying Wren, Lewis is diagnosed with an animal mutation of a Great White Shark, and only has a short time left in his human form. Wren and Lewis try their best to adjust to Lewis's changing form, and his outbursts of anger at never having fulfilled his dream of being on Broadway and a great playwright. His anger and self deprecation is at an all time high when Lewis is outed as the high school theatre and his passion play is given to his replacement known simply as the "Ignoramus."
How do you morn the loss of a relationship that ended simply because of outside factors out of your control? How do you say goodbye to the love of your life, your person? How do you go forward knowing that Lewis is out in the dark cold ocean? Does he remember her, would he recognize her if he saw her in the water? 
Shark Heart was the most interesting love story that I have read in a long time. The concept of being in a normal world, but there are people that have animal mutations that will eventually transform into that form, pulls on the readers heartstrings. With short chapters told in multiple perspectives, with some parts written like a play, Shark Heart will get burrow itself in the hearts of readers and will have you thinking about this book long after you have closed it.  

If there is one thing that I am a sucker for, It is a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone. I don't know exactly what this says about me personally, and frankly I don't care, because I love it! Although I did enjoy A touch of Darkness, I wouldn't say it was my favorite of the retellings, but that could change as I continue this series.

What I really liked about Scarlett St. Clair's version is how she wrote both Hades. As someone who has always been a ride or die fan of Hades, and has often voiced my opinion on how he is misunderstood and is really one of the fairest of the Gods, I enjoyed how that came across the pages. Scarlett really painted Hades as a fair and compassionate God, who takes ruling the underworld seriously and wants the souls that are there, to be taken care of. Of course others can't know this about the Lord of the underworld, because he is supposed to be dark, mean, cunning, and wants to trick mortals for their souls. Hades is all but happy to let the rumors stand, but when Hades meets Persephone in his club Nevernight, all that might change once Persephone decides to write her next assignment about the elusive God. Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, although she has no powers of her own, her and her mom agree that Persephone can live and go to school in the mortal world, Demeter's only request, "Stay away from the Gods, especially Hades".  So when Persephone comes face to face with Hades and unbeknownst becomes bond in a contract with him to create life in the underworld. But how can a goddess who only makes flowers wilt at her touch, create life in the underworld? Through this contract Persephone will come not only to find herself and her powers that have evaded her, but maybe even a love connection made by the Fates with Hades. 
Scarlett writes Persephone as a naïve, but a strong female fighting the darkness that she can feel inside of her. What I liked about her version of Persephone is that, Scarlett didn't write her as a weak love hungry struck goddess. This Persephone is rougher around the edges, is smart, focused, strong in her convictions of wanting to be more than just a kept princess. Persephone has this edge, this darkness in this version that she has to find a way to tap into and to harness if she is ever going to be free of her mother and have boundaries with Hades. 

Not a super deep book, but A Touch of Darkness offers an entertaining read, that will leave the reader blushing with curled toes. A Touch of Darkness sets up perfectly the net installment, which I will continue to see how Persephone and Hades do now that Demeter knows about them and the contract that Persephone is in.