Like the quote on the front says, Teeth is a call for sweeping, radical change. As someone who is currently on a two-year Invisalign treatment plan and recently had to shop for benefits for the very first time, I’ve become very interested in teeth and overall oral health. This book put so much into perspective for me when it comes to the division of our health and dental care system, how so many are forced to go without dental care altogether, and how/why we’re essentially at an impasse when it comes to bridging the gap between the two. Otto not only spoke to a multitude of experts on the matter, but also regular citizens - i.e, the haves and the have-nots.
I wanted to note that I appreciate Otto calling out the disparities and how the rate of Black and brown folks without care is disproportionate to other demographics. I’m disappointed, but of course, not surprised. Smh.
Also, I was so frustrated and found myself cursing under my breath when I read excerpts of folks who didn’t have the means or even time to receive adequate care (especially children, like Deamonte 🕊) for root canals, cavities, wisdom teeth pain, and the list goes on. EVERYONE deserves the right to health/dental care. No matter their background, circumstances, etc. Period.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I recommend if you’re interested in the history/beginnings of dentistry, the U.S. health care system more-so than the mechanics of teeth, why so many seek out cosmetic dentistry like veneers, the psychology behind it, etc. I thought this was very insightful (and reiterated that dental care IS health care) but it did make me feel a bit hopeless in ever believing that our world will merge the two. Money truly (and always will) rule everything… even at the expense of other people. Sigh. Sorry for the downer outro, but it’s the truth! 🤷🏾♀️
Starting with Banner, I loved her character a lot! No, she wasn’t perfect, but she was truly a #BossBabe in every sense of the word, lol. When it came to her career she was determined, didn’t play any games, and knew she was one of the best sports agents the industry had ever seen - it was cool to read about the sports and entertainment world and just how intense the profession is, especially for Black and women of color. I also appreciated how Ryan showed you Banner’s vulnerability at times. I think everyone can relate to having insecurities and wanting to change things about themselves. I felt for her whenever she had self-doubt due to her appearance, but i’m glad she really tried to practice self-love and give herself grace as best as she could.
As for Jared, I have so many mixed feelings about him, ah! I liked how protective he was over Banner and how he didn’t try to corrupt her or mess with her kindness, but I did find him to be possessive and he gave off quite a few red flags. He’s a polarizing character for sure, and will probably always be the topic of a hot debate lol.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I 100% recommend this + the bonus epilogue (it’s so wholesome, sweet, and absolutely stunning 🥹) besides the compelling characters, I thought the plot itself was fresh and an interesting take on a Romance. It honestly baffles me how underrated Kennedy Ryan is…she is truly one of the best storytellers and offers so much depth to her characters. Give her books a read. Seriously. You won’t regret it.
I found myself intrigued by EVERY single character which usually never happens! Lol. I really enjoyed reading about Tullulah and Kim in particular. Their mother-daughter relationship was so sweet and my heart broke for Kim throughout. Stories/true crime cases always put into perspective how devastating it is to have a loved one who is missing…the unknown must be agonizing.
As for the plot itself I thought it was twisty, addictive, and unsettling. There were quite a few things that caught me off guard and had me second guessing what REALLY happened that night! One major lesson I can take away from this is that you need to be careful who you trust and let into your life because that reveal/ending? WOW. I was shocked and felt incredibly sad for a specific character and everything they endured.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I 100% recommend! Jewell is a great author for a beginner thriller reader but also for anyone who loves Thrillers. Though I thought this book, (among others of hers) was pretty slow-burn, I genuinely enjoyed it and appreciated how everyone’s storylines intertwined and made sense in the end.
This Thriller had everything I could ask for and more: set at a wedding, multiple POVs, unstable/not-so reliable narrator(s), catty drama, murder, everyone’s a suspect, secrets, lies, and the list goes on! I think Jayatissa weaved these tropes together very nicely and I couldn’t put this book down. Amaya and Kaavi (whose influencer persona was entertaining to read about - my girl loved a rose gold aesthetic! Lmao) were both fascinating characters and once all was revealed about their true nature I was shocked; they were both in an effed up situation. To me, the story was then flipped on it’s head a bit and I was reading it through a different lense - which I found refreshing.
I also really enjoyed learning more about Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan culture! It’s nice to see more diverse Thriller authors having their voices raised and a spotlight on their work 🫶🏾
Final Thoughts: Overall, I 100% recommend! This was a twisty and fun ride. And I loved the writing - I thought it was witty, sassy, and just delicious! Lol. I will note that the ending spiraled a bit and was sort of outlandish, but I still enjoyed this for what it was and I’m looking forward to reading more by Jayatissa in the future!
We Were Never Here quickly turns into a fast-paced and compulsive story. I really enjoyed peeling back the layers of Emily and Kristen’s friendship - it felt like the stakes were always high and consistent throughout, every time something new was revealed or brought to the light, it further reiterated how dangerous Kristen truly was. As time goes on and you go from chapter to chapter, Kristen’s obsessive tendencies slowly start to rear their ugly head and it definitely had my anxiety through the roof. All of this left me wondering how Emily was going to get herself out of that friendship alive, no pun intended!
The constant gaslighting and manipulation also made my head spin! I found myself actually questioning, justifying, and completely dismissing things right alongside Emily because of how well she was being gaslit into believing certain delusions. I thought I was for sure reading from an unreliable narrator, but that definitely wasn’t the case. And for that, I have to give Bartz her tens because that probably isn’t an easy feat as an author or as a writer. I liked the fact that the writing style truly played with my psyche, as a psychological thriller should.
This was so much more than a Romance or two exes following the “will they, won’t they?” or “finding their way back to each other” cliches - TJR gives the reader a refreshing and much-needed reminder that if you’re so caught up in a relationship (of any kind) that you can lose your sense of self and it’s important to get it back.
I loved when Lauren began to realize that both she and Ryan needed this time apart. It was crucial. They spent so many years with one another and it was evident that they slowly became a shell of their former selves. That’s a tough pill to swallow, and there were times where I asked myself “If they have to do ALL of this or won’t see a counselor, why don’t they just end it?” I still don’t have the full answer for that tbh, lol. Different things work for different people, i guess 🤷🏾♀️ - but reading about Lauren doing little things for herself and gaining her autonomy back was nice. I thought this book was relatable to an extent - being in a long term relationship myself, I empathized with both Lauren and Ryan, it’s not always rainbows and sunshine, there’s a lot of effort, time, trust, and compromise that go into maintaining a healthy relationship, among other things.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I enjoyed this story. And I’ve been thinking about it from time to time - I get what TJR was trying to do with this and I thought it was real, raw, and most notably, a beautiful mess. L&R’s journey was theirs and theirs alone. I do wish we could’ve got more of Ryan’s POV, but I still thought this was a reflective read!
From the start, I loved Solange’s character! I thought she was funny, witty, and just a breath of fresh air; her internal thoughts/monologues actually had me cracking up a few times. One of the things that I adore about Sosa’s stories is the emphasis on family and strong, female relationships - Solange’s relationship with her mother (and tias/cousins) was too cute and I could relate to it in so many ways. I will say that her knack for overthinking everything and assuming things about others did bother me, but I couldn’t even be that annoyed because I am the queen of overthinking so it was like looking in a mirror if we’re being honest 😭 As for Dean, I actually really liked his character, too! He was also funny, sweet, and you could tell he thought the world of Solange as the story progressed. Overall, I thought he was a pretty decent book BF.
I also wanted to note that both Solange and Dean felt rounded out and dimenionsal to me! Their blossoming romance was sweet and I enjoyed reading about it, but we didn’t only spend time with them when it came to their relationship, we also got a significant glimpse into their jobs and why they are the way they are, so I was invested in them from beginning to end.
Talk about an addicting, chaotic, fun, and off the wall story - I’ve always been a huge fan of #PsychologicalThrillers and this one did not disappoint!
The cast of characters definitely made this story what it is, especially Sarah Morgan. She was such an interesting and complex individual and I became invested very easily. I couldn’t even imagine being put into her situation of having to defend a cheating ass husband, lmao. Every time we switched back and forth to Adam’s POV I nearly lost it. The entitlement, the audacity, and just recklessness nature of his character really pissed me off 😭
As for the plot itself; brilliantly done! I loved the twists and turns this took. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat as I got further and further into the story and felt the wheels in my head turning as I was trying to figure out who actually committed this crime and what everyone’s connection was to one another, I had a great reading experience. Also the ending completely rocked me, lmao! This story was already dark sided, but the final chapters turned this into a very wicked and sinister book. I can’t say that a certain character 100% deserved the ending they got, BUT you have to admit that it was a very well-thought out, meticulous, evil genius plan.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I 100% recommend! This kept me engaged and interested all the way until the end. It definitely gave Lifetime/LMN, but I’m a sucker for that channel/those types of tropes so I didn’t mind, lol. I also think this is worth a read because as I mentioned the ending will make your jaw drop and have you reflect back on everything 🤯