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smatthews0486's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Abortion, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault
graceheartsbooks's review against another edition
1.25
My book club picks were going so well for a moment that I almost hoped things would be going up…but then this book appeared🙃
I never ever give a book a one star—especially if I finished it—but this is the exception. It’s most definitely my worst book of the year.
It’s good to have flawed or unlikable protagonists in fiction—female characters that are flawed or unlikable are especially important to literature (and can be difficult to pull off).
But Ellice was just so haughty and condescending to everyone around her (including insulting random strangers through her descriptions of them). I know she came from a poor background, I know she had a hard life but none of that excuses her bad decisions or how she interacted with people around her. Also, for claiming to be so smart, she made a lot of bad/stupid choices throughout the novel. She sees herself as above everyone with her expensive clothes and constantly refers to others in a condescending manner (only her brother calls her out on it). It’s a wonder she’s achieved the position she did (assistant general counsel at the start before becoming general counsel) when we don’t see a single scene of her networking and she’s a very passive character (at a board party in Savannah she isn’t seen mingling or interacting with others, just observing and just happens to stumble upon an argument between two people in the company).
Ellice bemoans turning 40 and not having any children or being married, apparently not happy where she currently is at in life. Forgetting the fact that she followed a married man to another company without a second thought. Near the beginning of the book, it’s mentioned she eats a bag of barbecue chips for dinner—seeming to imply that single women don’t cook or wouldn’t, I don’t know, order takeout for dinner??. To be honest, I found it all to be a little misogynistic (or probably more accurately reeked of internalized misogyny since the protag is a woman). The author mentions in her acknowledgements that she set off to do a book that was about family but quite frankly, I didn’t see it—especially with how Ellice is just as awful to her family and friends as she is to everyone else (insulting her brother, looking down on her old college roommate/supposed best friend for marrying a retired basketball player and then having the audacity to go back to school to get a law degree after she was tired of “being arm candy”, etc).
This book was very fast paced, I will give it that. However, it was a bit too fast paced in terms of the story’s timeline: Ellice’s boss/lover Michael dies and three days later his funeral is held. By next week his office is cleared/cleaned up (he died in there so there was a lot of blood) and all of Ellice’s brand new furniture is all in (which she complains about being expensive BTW despite being the one to pick it all out). Huh?? There’s no way any building services works that fast—even in such a rich or expensive place😅
I knew from the moment I opened this book, I knew I wasn’t going to like the writing style. If I hadn’t had to finish this for a book club I would’ve never finished it at all. Chocked full of overly descriptive metaphors, every character being described in detail despite some only appearing in a scene or two (shoutout in particular to a flight attendant in a goatee/mohawk and an assistant/woman in her 60s with bleached blonde hair and plucking her chin hairs while at work—because all older women are vain apparently) and skin colors that sound absolutely made up (“mahogany wood skin”??? What is he? A coffee table lol).
Not to get too in depth about it but all the writing advice I’ve ever read tells you that you should never describe people’s skin tones using food or other such metaphors—especially for BIPOC skin tones. I know the woman who wrote this is a black woman but I still think it’s bad practice.
This book also attempts to do foreshadowing (or what I assumed was meant to be foreshadowing) but fumbles it so bad that it all comes across strange and not at all realistic.
Usually, I’m pretty good at keeping track of characters (I was a Warrior Cats kid so I’m use to books with large casts) but with how many of them flit in and out without anything to keep them memorable, it can be difficult to keep track of everybody. Which is especially important to do in a thriller that relies on keeping track of information to figure out the mystery.
The one thing I can appreciate from this book is the way it discusses racism within the workplace and how BIPOC are treated on a daily basis. Although the twist at the end was a little far-fetched. A white supremacy—‘The Brethren’— is behind everything and Micheal refused to be part of their schemes. Though I think it would’ve been interesting if he had been involved as it would’ve shattered this image that he's presented with
Lots of themes in this book reminded me of this young adult that I read and loved last year: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé so if you enjoy YA or want a similar plot in an academia setting, I highly recommend that.
Overall, this book was nonsensical and very disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Racism, Infidelity, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Abortion, Classism, Child abuse, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Antisemitism and Fatphobia
faithreads23's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was like a lifetime movie, in the sense of it could easily play out as a tv show! It started off with a bang, slowed down to build the plot and then parts 2 & 3 took it home lol! Ellie’s secrets came tumbling out and her world was caving in around her but she was determined to try to set things straight. A page turner book for sure 😊
linmeih's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
camille_reads77's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
prettypious's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like it so bad but I just did not enjoy. The character development was off and contradictory, the plot was unimaginative, and the writing and author’s voice just weren’t strong enough. I don’t recommend. I just finished and can’t even really remember what it was about it kinda buzzed on like white noise.
Updated 6.26.22- I have no idea what this book was about. I know I read it but less than a week later if I was offered in this moment $1 million dollars to tell you absolutely ANYTHING about this book without a prompt, cue, nor hint, I’d get $0 dollars. Save this one for later if you’re really curious otherwise skip it.
Updated 6.26.22- I have no idea what this book was about. I know I read it but less than a week later if I was offered in this moment $1 million dollars to tell you absolutely ANYTHING about this book without a prompt, cue, nor hint, I’d get $0 dollars. Save this one for later if you’re really curious otherwise skip it.
alykat_reads's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Small world.. Just read On the Savage Side which was based in Chillicothe, OH; and then this book had parts based in Chillicothe, GA.
This was middle of the road for me. Can authors stop hyping up their characters as so "smart and sensible" to only have them do the stupidest shit over and over again? You're a lawyer and you didn't stop a police interview because 'not answering questions at this point and asking for a lawyer will make me seem guilty'? UM WHAT. That's literally what you'd have advised a client to do, but you won't do it? I'm glad she finally realized that keeping 'all her little secrets' was what was making her look guilty, but it came way too late for someone who is a lawyer and is supposedly so smart and sensible. I thought the ending was anti-climatic and underwhelming..The whole scheme and having Ellice be the one to take the fall just didn't seem realistic, way too much risk for the 'bad guys' with little payoff.
and lol at all the reviews saying it's 'dripping in CRT' 1) you're telling on yourself that you don't know what CRT is 2) you're telling on yourself if you think this book was calling you personally a racist 3) the same people saying 'I hate when books bring in politics' would be cheering it on if the book had 'owned the libs' and saying how it was just the cherry on top of an excellent book. Pls bffr.
This was middle of the road for me. Can authors stop hyping up their characters as so "smart and sensible" to only have them do the stupidest shit over and over again? You're a lawyer and you didn't stop a police interview because 'not answering questions at this point and asking for a lawyer will make me seem guilty'? UM WHAT. That's literally what you'd have advised a client to do, but you won't do it? I'm glad she finally realized that keeping 'all her little secrets' was what was making her look guilty, but it came way too late for someone who is a lawyer and is supposedly so smart and sensible. I thought the ending was anti-climatic and underwhelming..
and lol at all the reviews saying it's 'dripping in CRT' 1) you're telling on yourself that you don't know what CRT is 2) you're telling on yourself if you think this book was calling you personally a racist 3) the same people saying 'I hate when books bring in politics' would be cheering it on if the book had 'owned the libs' and saying how it was just the cherry on top of an excellent book. Pls bffr.
justinkhchen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Couldn't quite resolve its compelling premise in a satisfying way, All Her Little Secrets hits the spot on a lot of the critical elements: an immediately enticing set up, observant passive racism in a southern state, and providing a tangible sense of a place. But it fumbles pretty significantly on its character and narrative.
The lawyer protagonist Ellice Littlejohn initially comes across as a 'book smart, but not street smart' individual, which makes some of her lapses on judgment logically sound. But as the book progresses, her continuing inability for self-preservation becomes so overwhelming (not getting a lawyer before speaking to the police, leaving incriminating messages on her brother's phone when she already knows things are dicey, etc.) they are too ludicrous to accept — especially considering she's supposed to be an experienced, cunning, Yale-graduating character in her late 40s.
As the twists and turn continuing to unravel, it becomes increasingly clear the motive that initiates the book doesn't makes sense:. While I agree there will always be degrees of suspension of disbelief when it comes to thrillers, this one is so glaringly unrealistic it kind of capsizes the entirety of All Her Little Secrets for me.
All Her Little Secrets goes down easy, and it's propulsively readable — too bad its flaws really overshadow the goods in the end; yet there's definitely promise in Wanda M. Morris' writing, and her ability to weave in layered subject matters. Maybe her next effort Anywhere You Run will be stronger.
**Literally Dead Book Club April 2022 Selection**
Couldn't quite resolve its compelling premise in a satisfying way, All Her Little Secrets hits the spot on a lot of the critical elements: an immediately enticing set up, observant passive racism in a southern state, and providing a tangible sense of a place. But it fumbles pretty significantly on its character and narrative.
The lawyer protagonist Ellice Littlejohn initially comes across as a 'book smart, but not street smart' individual, which makes some of her lapses on judgment logically sound. But as the book progresses, her continuing inability for self-preservation becomes so overwhelming (not getting a lawyer before speaking to the police, leaving incriminating messages on her brother's phone when she already knows things are dicey, etc.) they are too ludicrous to accept — especially considering she's supposed to be an experienced, cunning, Yale-graduating character in her late 40s.
As the twists and turn continuing to unravel, it becomes increasingly clear the motive that initiates the book doesn't makes sense:
Spoiler
Why would a company play the long and risky game to groom / blackmail Ellice to comply to their money laundering / white supremacist agenda, when they can simply hire someone who's already believing in the same principle?All Her Little Secrets goes down easy, and it's propulsively readable — too bad its flaws really overshadow the goods in the end; yet there's definitely promise in Wanda M. Morris' writing, and her ability to weave in layered subject matters. Maybe her next effort Anywhere You Run will be stronger.
**Literally Dead Book Club April 2022 Selection**
year23's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Hard to recommend. The plotting/pacing was terrible - the MC, for being the smartest lawyer made repeated terrible choices that even a newbie lawyer would not make.
I did appreciate the discussion on the racism and sexism in corporate America. Also, the scenes in the past were heartbreaking and well told. I think this novel would be served by taking out the whole mystery plot and just focusing on the MC as a character, as she reconciles her past with her current challenges/strained relationships. Gladly would read that!!! But this mystery/thriller was too slow and obvious to be either mysterious or thrilling with a bumbling MC that undercut her supposed intelligence.
I did appreciate the discussion on the racism and sexism in corporate America. Also, the scenes in the past were heartbreaking and well told. I think this novel would be served by taking out the whole mystery plot and just focusing on the MC as a character, as she reconciles her past with her current challenges/strained relationships. Gladly would read that!!! But this mystery/thriller was too slow and obvious to be either mysterious or thrilling with a bumbling MC that undercut her supposed intelligence.