Still Reading and Reviewing…

I’m still working my way through my backlog on reviews… thanks for being here!

–Marissa

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler broke my heart in all the ways, because we’ve ALL been in our mid-twenties, fallen for a guy, and not been treated well, despite our best efforts. Adelaide is living her best life in London, falls for Rory, the perfect English gent, but when he ghosts her because of a “tragedy”, she sacrifices herself for him and what they may have together. I was rooting for Adelaide throughout, who is charming and sweet, but has her foibles – I enjoyed this one.

Yellowface by RF Kuang just made me uneasy throughout, which was no doubt the intention! June and Athena – both authors – matriculated together at Harvard, but while Athena has become a literary darling, June has not. So when something happens to Athena, June decides to subsume her work as her own, settling off secrets, cultural appropriation, criticism, fear and the lurking menace of being found out. This was super thought provoking, well written, and immersive – and yet, still uncomfortable! Recommended!

The Guest by Emma Cline was another book that made me uneasy throughout, since you know it’s going nowhere good. Alex has just burned her bridge of a summer stay in Long Island/Hamptons, but schemes that if she can make it through a week or two until the final party, she’ll get invited back. What follows is Alex – schemer, manipulator, not great person – using people and places for food, shelter, sex and money until she can work her way back to where she started. This is like a car crash you can’t look away from, but you’ll read it in no time.

If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook was an audiobook listen about a family grieving the patriarch’s death in small-town Georgia, when secrets, love, family reputations and individual struggles come to light. This was pleasant enough to listen to in the moment, but hard to remember after the last word was spoken.

Verity by Colleen Hoover was me caving to every single person asking if I’m also obsessed with Colleen Hoover (spoiler: I’m not) and reading one of her novels that was less Mary Sue fanfiction-y. Billed as a thriller, this still has a might lot of graphic sex, not greatly written dialogue, and an eye-roll of an ending. She’s still just not my jam.

You Just Need to Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon is amazing, sensitive, smart, beautifully written and empathetic – I expected nothing else from the co-host of my fave podcast, Maintenance Phase.