ariellesbookreviews's reviews
149 reviews

Filthy Lawyer by Whitney G.

fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Mindhunter by John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker

dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

3.0

Interesting topic but has aged poorly and will continue to do so! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Hate crime, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual content, and Racism

Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself by Crystal Hefner

emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

 

Reviewing a memoir is always difficult because this is someone’s story, essentially their truth. Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner is an interesting and honest story about Crystal’s life in the Playboy Mansion. There are a lot of vulnerable moments that I was surprised Crystal shared, and stories, when analyzed, don’t paint Crystal in the best light (although I don’t know if this was her intention). There are also aspects and people in Crystal’s life, particularly her childhood and teenage years, that are viewed through rose-colored glasses.  

When Crystal entered the Playboy Mansion, she arrived in an unhealthy environment that continued and seemed to be exacerbated by her. She tells stories about how Hef was controlling but also includes stories that have her in control of the mansion, often labeling these as “protecting” Hef. Both of these things can be true, but when she talks about Hef being controlling, it is often framed that she never had any power or made any decisions. This makes it feel like there is an unknowing contrast from Crystal. 

At the end of the book, Crystal writes she is often asked if she loved Hef and says that she loved in a way that you love elderly dying people. I will admit I’m not sure what that means. For the story she has laid out for the reader over the course of the memoir, I would say no. It seems that both she and Hef were using each other for different reasons. Hef for access to young women and grandeur, and Crystal for security and prosperity. I’m not judging Crystal for this. This is my interpretation of the information given to the reader. 

There are also repetitive aspects to the memoir. Crystal will often repeat lines or information about Playboy or people. Those moments tend to come across as her telling the reader, “Remember when I told you...". This can be seen when she talks about Mary or the Twins. Often continuously describing their attributes whenever they are mentioned. 

The book does have a good flow and is an easy read. Crystal does not include dates or years, so the reader is left in the dark about the specific timeline. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Crystal. It's clear and concise, and she has an excellent voice. There are parts where it sounds like she is laughing during the narration.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. As a fan of The Girls Next Door and some of the following shows, podcasts, and books, it was interesting to hear about the later years in the Playboy mansion. 

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender

fast-paced

4.0

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

 The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon was underwhelming and slow. After the initial storyline introduction, the plot slowed, and character development was minimal. Guanzon attempts to create a rich world and backstory that fall flat due to their inability to consistently tell the reader the backstory. They often use conflicting language to describe the pre-war politics of the Continent, describing the war as a civil war and the warring nations as separate nation-states, making the overall politics of the story difficult to understand. 

There are at least three different types of magic found in The Hurricane Wars, but there is no foundation or clarification on what sets the magic apart, only that the shadow magic is trying (and succeeded) in eliminating the light magic. Originally, I assumed light magic could defeat shadow magic, but that does not appear to be the case, and it seems they are different types of magic (that exactly work the same). 

For a book that is considered a romantasy, the romance was lacking. The two leads' overall chemistry was inconsistent, and when the book did get a little smutty towards the end, it was a complete change of pace and did not fit the vibe of the rest of the book. Up until that chapter, the book read more as a Young Adult Novel.  

The amount of times the author mentions the seven moons at the beginning of the book is overbearing. Without fail, every couple of pages, moons, moons, moons, moons, on and on. The second half of the book seems better written; however, it's possible I got used to the bad writing.

I doubt I will continue with this series. The book missed a lot of marks, and it is always awkward reading an enemies-to-lover romance when authors make the plot that war-heavy. 

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim was a somewhat disappointing follow to Six Crimson Crane. The latter was one of my top books of 2021, but the former did not live up to its potential. The Dragon's Promise felt as if it were three distinct stories, the dragon world, the forgotten isle, and freeing the demons, that did not flow well together. The latter two plots were better organized and connected to the original novel; however, Shiori's adventure to the dragon realm was awkward and dragged on. Lim adds an unnecessary and unrequited love triangle and tries to create a plot with Seryu, a character who fell flat and was not as important to the plot as it initially seemed. Overall, I think the two books had great potential but were not as well organized as they could have been. 

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Kimberly Lemming wrote another hit with That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human. The book was funny, cute, and a smutty quick read. I wish Lemming expanded on Cherry reuniting with her family, but otherwise, the story was great. 

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

0.0

Midnight Sun was honestly awful and cringe-worthy, but it brought me back to my awkward middle school self. If this book had been published 15 years ago, I would have eaten it right up

Lightlark by Alex Aster

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

3.0

I found this book relatively confusing and didn't know what was happening for most of the book, but I am intrigued enough to read the next book. I don't think I would say this book is good or recommend it; however, it did hold my attention, and I'm excited for the next book. 

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold was an excellent examination of society's prejudice towards women, the unhoused, and sex workers. Rubenhold humanizes the five victims who have been overlooked in favor of their murderer. 

I first heard of The Five while on a walking tour about women in the East End on a trip to London. Hearing the experiences of different working women throughout the history of London reminded me of forgotten stories often not seen in history books. The tour guide explained how, until recently, there was no memorial marking where Catherine Eddowes died and that while her killer has been sensationalized, Eddowes and the other four victims are often written off as prostitutes, completely dehumanizing them. 

This heartbreaking tale goes over the five lives of Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. Rubenhold spends about equal time talking about each victim, except for Kelly, whose early life is obscured. Readers learn about their families and their childhood. These women experienced both bright spots and difficulty while navigating Victorian England. They were all daughters, sisters, mothers, friends, wives, partners, and humans. Rubenhold does not write about the murders or Jack the Ripper. Their stories end with their identification and how their death impacted their family and friends. Rubenhold discusses how society has impacted them during their lives and how its perception of people who are experiencing homelessness, suffering from alcoholism, or participating in sex work has impacted the language we use to discuss these women in the modern day. Nichols, Chapman, Stride, Eddowes, and Kelly are victims of horrendous crimes, but their murderer has become a legend. 

I would highly recommend this book. Rubenhold’s extensive research and knowledge shine through the book. It was heartbreaking to learn about how these women have been treated both at the time of the murder and during the century and a half afterward.