Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – This Last Adventure

This is one of those middle grade novels that makes me want to read more middle grade. This Last Adventure follows Archie as he navigates eighth grade while his grandfather and role model is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As his grandfather’s condition worsens, Archie grapples for ways to help him hold onto his memories, learning about his grandfather’s triumphs, tragedies, and regrets along the way.

Beautifully told, This Last Adventure is about family, bravery, and what it means to be a good person. Archie comes across as a very believable eighth grader—dealing with crushes, school projects, peer pressure, as well as the weight of his grandfather’s illness. But I love how the story never underestimates Archie, and his emotions and realizations come across as thoughtful and heartfelt.

Neither too heavy or too light, the poignancy of this coming-of-age tale leaves you with a feel-good ending and plenty to think about. I’d definitely recommend to upper MG readers and those looking for a reflective tale that fully captures the uncertainty of growing up.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC! This Last Adventure comes out 1 Feb 2022, and you can preorder here. (OMG – I actually read a book before it came out, I know we’re all shocked.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excellent middle grade can be a tough balance – but this one’s definitely a winner!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Good Daughter

This book is Brutal. And it makes it a little tough to review.

Usually I shy away from super long books, but I was tired of having to pick out a new audiobook every few days, so I settled on the first thriller that caught my eye.

The story follows two sisters who, as children, survive a violent and horrific home invasion. In the first chapter we experience this visceral and gut-wrenching event right along with them, and it is HARD to read.

Then we fast forward three decades to where another violent school shooting shakes the survivors and the town they live in once again, unearthing unsolved mysteries from the past and present.

The Quinn family of lawyers is easy to root for, the banter between the sisters feels real, and the personalities of all the characters seem to pop off the page. Although this audiobook was 19 hours long, it felt like it passed quickly.

There are plenty of red herrings in this complicated mystery, and while some of the reveals were certainly unexpected there was at least one in there that didn’t feel quite right to me. But the real thing that I just couldn’t stomach was the brutality of the violence scenes. This book does not hold back, and it really comes off as disturbing. They actually tell the account of the original home invasion three times, and every time the details get worse.

Honestly, if I’d known there was… (*Spoilery Trigger Warning*)

…violent, onscreen child rape I would’ve passed this book by. (That’s what I get for picking it up books at random I guess.) But if extreme, realistic violence doesn’t bother you, you’ll probably enjoy this tense, complicated thriller. I really enjoyed the style of writing, and would probably pick up another book from this author (but you can bet I’ll check out the trigger warnings first!)

⭐⭐⭐¾

This is my disturbed face. I am disturbed. (You know, more than I was before reading, anyway.)

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Blink

So my office is going through an unconscious bias training, and I remembered that Malcolm Gladwell wrote a relevant book, so I picked up the audiobook at the library.

Although I don’t read/listen to a ton of nonfiction, Malcolm Gladwell and Erik Larson are my two favorites. I love how they can make real world stuff both gripping, educational, and accessible. These are the kinds of book that can fuel intelligent conversation for weeks and… I also like that I can listen to them with my kids in the car. XD

Blink tackles of the somewhat sticky subject of unconscious bias. Through case studies, theories, and research, Gladwell illustrates the power… and dangers… of snap judgments.

I came, I listened, I learned a lot, and as with all Malcolm Gladwell audiobooks I’ve come across so far, I highly recommend.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do I look smarter? I feel smarter. Maybe I should read more nonfiction after all. 😂

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Ten Favorite Reads of 2021

It’s been quite the year! Goodreads is telling me I’ve read 78 books as of December 13th… which is quite a few for me! So I figured I’d round up my favorite highlights and a one line review for anyone that’s looking for a good read to start off 2022.

Note: these books were not necessarily published in 2021, that’s just when I happened to read them!

And second note: If I love the first book in a series, but overall the series is unsatisfying, I won’t recommend the first book. (However… if I haven’t read the sequel yet but I plan to, I’ll still recommend the first.)

Favorite Sequel: Sweep with Me by Ilona Andrews
Book 5 of the Innkeeper Chronicles is every bit as good as the 4 books before it. If you want some light sci-fi romance in your life, this series about a magical inn that connects to the rest of the universe and the uncountable species and cultures in it (including a fun take on vampires and werewolves) is absolutely fantastic. I NEED MORE.

Favorite Novella: Split Therapy by E.P. Stavs
A fast-paced psychological thriller with two likable leads, a sweet side of romance, and a vigilante. Recommended to cure any reading slump.

Favorite Romance: The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams
I actually just finished this one, and was able to come add it to this post just in time! There’s so much to love in this book! Wonderful characters that feel real (especially in the audiobook!), a cute romance, fun plot (although as a gym rat I might be biased) and body positivity. I’m so glad I stumbled on this 5 star read, and highly recommend!

Favorite Middle Grade: Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
An achingly beautiful book told half in verse and half in prose about friendship, being different, and the difficulties and confusion of being a middle-grade kid.

Favorite Picture Book: Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Love love love love love this book. Fantastic illustrations and a wonderful message about dealing with bullies and embracing your awesome self.

Favorite Fantasy: Thief of Spring by Katherine Macdonald
A fae Persephone/Hades romance that I didn’t know I needed in my life. Great YA fantasy with a fun romance that totally sucked me in.

Favorite Young Adult: Billy Lemonade by Sarah J Maxwell
A beautiful paranormal tale of two healing teenagers. I read this book in one sitting, and I think it’s probably the most poignant, emotional tale I read this year.

Favorite Sci-fi: This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada
A sci-fi, post-apocalyptic pandemic novel with a unique premise, a twist, and a solid romance. I haven’t read the sequel yet, but it’s mostly because I’m scared it can’t live up to the first!

Favorite Thriller: The Whisper Man by Alex North
It was creepy, it was tense, it kept me guessing, and I was rooting for the characters the whole time. This is the kind of thriller that makes you want to read more thrillers. And the audiobook was amazing, so bonus!

Favorite Novel Overall: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
This book absolutely blew my mind. A book about a group of goofy strangers that get caught up in a hostage situation that manages to be funny and sweet and poignant all that the same time. Definitely my number one book this year, no contest. And the audiobook is superb. If I have to recommend only one book this year, it’s this one.

If you have any best reads of 2021 I’d love to know! Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – Fatal Obsession

Fatal Obsession starts off with the assault of a star college football player, Deke, and then follows his fiancé, Sloan, as she tries to unravel the aftermath. This is a short, fast-paced mystery/mild thriller with a hook that’ll keep you turning pages and an interesting reveal. However, although we get the perspectives of Deke, Sloan, and the assailant, I thought the characters could’ve used a little more development, and the ending didn’t quite work for me (I thought it was a bit too happily ever after considering the circumstances.) Also, this could’ve just been the ARC format I received, but there were quite a few instances where words were missing between pages.

Thanks so much to BookSirens and the publisher for the free ARC!

⭐⭐⭐

I fear we are still wading through our reading slump. Send help. (And by help, I really just mean audiobook recommendations.) 😂

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a dual-POV romcom-ish tale of a chaotic girl with a guarded heart and an ordered guy reeling from a crash and burn relationship. To encourage each other to get back out there, they start going on double-blind-dates with mostly disastrous results.

The plot is cute, the leads are lovable, their relationship grows naturally, and I would totally watch the movie. (Although, I did think the epilogue goes a little overboard on the happily ever after, and they do seem to take quite a lot of time to recognize their feelings.)

All that said, it was a light, quick read with a few steamy scenes, but I didn’t see a whole lot that really set this one apart. If you liked the Unhoneymooners, you’ll almost certainly find this enjoyable… just maybe not terribly memorable.

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A good book to curl up with on a cold winter day.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

Okay… here we go. This review is chock full of spoilers, because there’s really no other way to talk (read: rant good-humoredly) about this book, but I’ve marked spoiler territory below.

The first thing I will say is that if the main characters were REALLY like those from Steel Magnolias or The Fried Green Tomatoes… this book would’ve ended a lot sooner. Also, I have not experienced this level of frustration in a book in a long time, but I did give myself a week or two to cool off. With that said, let’s rant!

So I picked up this audiobook from the library after my coworker recommended it. The Steel Magnolias meets Dracula piqued my interest, so I was definitely curious to dive in.

And it starts off so well. This book takes place in the late 80s/early 90s in South Carolina. Patricia is a housewife that meets with her other colorful housewife friends every week for their true crime book club. But…

*SPOILER AHEAD*
.
.
.

…After Patricia’s earlobe is bitten off by her elderly neighbor, her MIL is eaten by rats, the earlobe eater’s nephew’s van is linked to missing kids, and then she SEES this vampire feeding on a girl (with weird sexual undertones, not to mention the “insectoid appendage” in his mouth) – Patricia is naturally, a bit concerned.

So she tries to rally her book club to get rid of the child-molesting vampire, but the husbands step in, trying to convince them their minds have been rattled by all their true crime books. The wives are like, well I guess we have to obey our chauvinistic, manipulative (and in one case, wife-beating) husbands because they’ve gone into business with the child-molester.

AND THEN WE FAST-FORWARD TO THREE YEARS LATER.

Like… what?!??!

Okay. I can understand that maybe happening in the 1950s, but in 1990?! Come on. And maybe like one or two awful husbands & submissive housewives I can see, but all of them!? After Patricia’s earlobe was bitten off, the MIL was eaten by rats, and Patricia SAW the INSECT APPENDAGE?! She’s still going to let him into her house with her CHILDREN?!?!?!

Um no. The Steel Magnolia ladies would’ve pulled their guns out from under their mattresses and killed that guy right there.

But anyways, I digress. I figured I would stick in there, because surely the husbands get their just deserts in the end…

Double spoiler alert.
They don’t.
.
.
.
*END SPOILERS*

Which is all to say, the book was ridiculous horror fun up until the midpoint. Then it took a dive into some 1950 twilight zone of WTF that was SO incredibly frustrating, and it did not redeem itself. Honestly, I’m getting angry again just writing this review.

I need to tack on trigger warnings for gore and rape, but I’d still give it 2.5 stars for the premise, the flowing, descriptive style of prose, and a well-narrated audiobook. That said, I can’t say I would recommend to anyone, unless you want to go rant to your coworker… and your extended family over thanksgiving… and then the internet.

⭐⭐½

Let’s review the notes… shall we. 😂

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – The Canary That Sang to the World

The Canary That Sang to the World is the fourth entry in The Panagea Tales and an excellent conclusion to series. This book finishes the epic saga in an intense, high-stakes closer. The crew is back together this one, and once again, it’s lovely to see these multifaceted, lovable characters banter and take on the world. I loved seeing the legendary bamf, Kazuaki, take center stage once again, and their final battles are a fitting, satisfying conclusion to the series.

However, I will say… *possible light spoiler ahead* 

If you’re looking for a feel-good, happily ever after ending… I might beware. This book is as heavy as the third entry. Death, loss, and grief play a prominent role, and the ending is firmly in the bittersweet category.

Absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautifully written steampunk epic featuring a cast of colorful characters in a dark, detailed world and heavy themes that take a bittersweet bite. I would definitely read more by McKenzie Austin in the future!

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

A solid end to an intense series!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – Skyward

So, I guess I should start by saying I’m not a huge Sanderson fan. I read Steelheart and got maybe halfway through The Way of Kings before my library loan ran out and I didn’t renew. But, my husband (a huge sci-fi fan), had this downloaded on my Kindle and basically demanded I read it on our last roadtrip.

Told from the first-person, Skyward follows a girl on a faraway planet besieged by aliens desperate to prove herself as a fighter pilot after living in the shadow of her father’s legacy as a coward.

Things I liked: this was a fairly quick read, the battle-mechanics of the ships were cool to imagine, it definitely kept me reading with my questions about the aliens and Spensa’s father, and the world-building (in the typical Sanderson fashion) is impeccable.

But… I did think it started off pretty slow, and the characters, in general, just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t really love any of them, and since there are a lot of characters, I didn’t really feel the super strong bonds I thought they probably had. Although I enjoyed how the plot came together, it just seemed like there was something missing for me. I think part of it too was the comedic relief of one character just didn’t quite hit for me, although my husband thought they were hilarious, so you know… to each their own. (Also, I feel like I may be currently under the influence of a reading slump… so I’ll put that disclaimer out there too.)

A solid read recommended for anyone that enjoys YA SFF. Although I probably won’t read the sequel, I can totally see how someone could love this series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I fear Locke has succumbed to the inevitable reading slump. Alas, what choice do we have but to press on!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Where the Crawdads Sing

I have a coworker that shares my love of library audiobooks that recommended this one to me. And although this isn’t my usual pick, I decided to give it a go.

Where the Crawdads Sing follows Kya Clark, “the Marsh Girl,” as she grows up mostly on her own in the backwoods marshes of North Carolina. The story follows her from age 6 to her 20s while alternating with the investigation into the death of popular townie during Kya’s adulthood.

Strangely, I don’t have a whole lot to say about this book. It was beautifully written, but slow, and I didn’t really fall in love with Kya in any way (although this might partially be because I found the narrator’s voice/accent for her to be a bit grating.) While I was rooting for her, I found it difficult to connect with her, and although I found the mystery of the death investigation interesting, I found the ending (though heavily foreshadowed) to be rather unsatisfying, and I guess I thought the themes to be kind of predictable.

If there’s ever a movie adaptation, I’ll pass, but I’d recommend this book to those that are interesting in imagery-rich prose that takes its time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nearly guaranteed to make you want to go get lost in nature somewhere.

Thanks for reading!