bekkasbookclub's reviews
180 reviews

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Based on the book description, I expected fun hijinks of these women of a small Indian village trying to kill their husbands. I got this, while also getting deeper topics on love, abuse, being child-free, and women’s rights in a patriarchal society. This book was full of dark humor as well as sad/unfortunate situations these women are trying to get out of. Plotting a murder is not only okay in the book, but welcomed because these husbands are thieves, rapists, child abuses, and so much more. I enjoyed seeing all the women band together to take down these terrible men. Seeing Geeta’s (our ringleader) character growth and want for a better life build not only for herself but also her newfound friends, was enjoyable. This was a great debut with amazing characters. I would recommend this if you are in a good headspace for some dark humor that also touches on social issues in India. 

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was so cute! I loved that it started off with Lily and N.R Strickland communicating via email. Their chemistry is undeniable and soon they decide to FaceTime for the first time. Unfortunately, Strick bails and abruptly cuts off contact with Lily. Jump forward a few month, Lily and Nick (Strick’s real name) are living in the same apartment building. Once they meet, their chemistry is still strong. However, they don’t know who the other is. The suspense and tension was so fun and I enjoyed how the story unfolded. I didn’t approve of the ghosting, hidden identity, and lying by omission but everything resolved itself in the end. The sisterly vibes were strong and very reminiscent of Talia Hibbert’s Brown sisters. I would highly recommend this if your looking for your next romance read after finishing The Brown sisters series. 

Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was so much fun and the Tanzanian setting really made this book. Estranged co-parents, Jana and Anil, along with their friends, uncles, and aunties are all on a safari to celebrate Kamila and Rohan’s wedding. While on this safari, it becomes increasingly harder to behave around one another. Not to mention Jana’s mom has been telling people that Jana and Anil used to be married but are now great friends. Jana is a brilliant, driven, and complex character. I loved seeing her relationship with her mother, daughter, and the bridal brigade—as well as seeing her relationship with Anil grow and rebuild. While I enjoyed this book quite a bit, I did have one issue and that was the miscommunication with Jana and Anil. This paired with Jana’s constant trust and abandonment issues made me feel that Jana had more to work on with herself than jumping into a relationship with Anil. Overall, this was a really fun and enjoyable book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a second chance romance with an only one bed scene. 

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book started off really strong for me, but fell somewhat flat towards the end. I liked Greta and Bis Swiss individually, I didn’t feel/see any chemistry between them. The writing style was interesting. The transcripts read very easily and the regular writing was very literary. I don’t know
how else to describe it other than I liked it, but didn’t at the same time 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

The Stand-In by Lily Chu

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

4.0

Gracie is approached by the famous Chinese cinema couple Wei Fangli and Sam Yao. Their proposition: to pretend to be Fangli for outings and events because Gracie is the spitting image of the movie star. This was a cute, slow burn, non-famous person falls for a famous person story. When I say slow burn, I mean that literally. In the beginning, you may even question does a romance exist because Gracie and Sam dislike each other so much. However, it becomes very apparent that Sam is fiercely protective of his friend, Fangli and thus, not sure if Gracie may be taking advantage of her. Eventually their relationship becomes friendly and then something more begins to unfold. Gracie and Sam’s relationship felt a little off in the beginning to me because I couldn’t wrap my head around Sam being attracted to Gracie and not Fangli. However, I loved how to the author put that thought into Gracie’s head and made it part of her struggles in understanding Sam’s feelings for her. The mental health issues Gracie and Fangli have are discussed with care and realistically. Gracie's mom's dementia was a minor plot-point that turned into a key part of the story. This was also addressed with care but not in depth it becomes too heavy for a romance. I do enjoy romances that discuss heavy topics and it makes the characters more real. I would recommend this is you love the idea that a normal girl can make the hot, famous actor fall in love with her. 

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The premise of this book sounded really promising but I was left feeling underwhelmed. I felt this book was unnecessarily too long and the first half of this book dragged on for me. I can’t really pinpoint what it was for me that made the book drag, but I had a hard time getting through the first part. The second half however, felt like it was written at a completely different pace and moved much quicker. Bodie is a somewhat unreliable narrator because she has her own thoughts and opinions on who she thinks killed Thalia Keith and doesn’t really see anyone else as a true possible suspect for most of the book. In fact, she almost came across as obsessive with this alternative suspect. Ultimately, her obsession convinced that this suspect was the true killer of Thalia and then the story switched gears the last 15% of the book. This part took me by surprise, and I wish it would have been presented a little earlier in the book. This book felt very literary and not like other mystery/thriller books that I usually read. I felt the ending to be a bit unsatisfying and not completely tied up like a typical mystery book. 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.75

This book was everything! Abby Jimenez has absolutely done it again and created a wonderful love story with Yours Truly. If you are wanting a romance where the male lead is head over heels in love with the leading lady, this is one you need to read. I know some may not enjoy the fake dating trope, but I always enjoy it because how often does that happen in real life? This fake dating was so fun because as you read, you can see the walls Jacob and Briana had built around themselves break and they easily let one another in. The anxiety rep was done with so much care and the kidney failure storyline was so touching after reading about Jimenez’s personal experiences (I strongly encourage you to read the author’s note at the end). I only had two minor issues with this book and one I’m willing to look past. One, I do not enjoy miscommunication between people. Especially when those people are grown adults. So many times, Briana and Jacob could have told each other how they felt about their fake dating and the very real feelings they had for one another but just kept brushing it off. Now, this did make for when they finally confess their feelings all the sweeter, but I just wanted to shake them and tell them to talk to each other! The second, is a trope I’m not too fond of but I could see coming when Briana and Jacob talked about a certain subject. While I’m not mad or upset it happened, I just feel like it came too close to the end and was wrapped up too neatly. Other than those two notes, I absolutely loved this book! Abby Jimenez has time and time again put out amazing love stories and I will read anything she writes 

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

dark mysterious 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

3.75

I was really excited to read this when I read the synopsis of the book. Five writers go on a month long retreat to a famous author’s remote estate and the winner of the retreat gets to publish their novel with a seven figure deal. I always think books about books are interesting and this discussed a lot about the writing process, which sounded like a cool concept. I liked that the story was told from Alex’s POV and how she was struggling to trust the other attendants of the retreat. That, paired with the creepy, gothic vibes of the house was good for building up drama and tension while reading. The setting of the book was so exciting! A huge estate in upstate New York in the Adirondack Mountains; it’s remote and basically cut off from society with no cell service. The perfect for setting for a thriller. However, I don’t think the setting was used as much as it could have been until the last third of the book, when the remoteness of it all became very important. When I got to the last third of the book, I actually guessed what was going to happen (which I rarely do) and I feel like that took away from really enjoying the rest of the story. The ending felt a little too “happy ending” for me and what I like in a resolution of a thriller. Overall, I thought this book was fun and entertaining and will definitely read what Julia Bartz does next. I would recommend this to someone who wants to dip their toes into the thriller genre but doesn’t want anything too scary. 

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Sally Hepworth has something in her writing that can capture and engross the reader completely. I really enjoyed that was told in dual POVs of Pippa and Amanda with alternating timelines. I found Amanda’s perspective intriguing because it’s told from before and after her death. Pippa’s perspective wasn’t as captivating, but it was very revealing of her character and her marriage to Gabe. I found the story completely mind grabbing, fully immersing myself into these characters. The twists that happened were unexpected, but realistic. I am convinced that Hepworth is the Queen of domestic suspense and if you haven’t read any of her books, you need to. This story is filled with secrets, betrayals, and several shocking twists, making it extremely hard to put down. Overall, I highly recommend this to any thriller lover. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Suicide

Maame by Jessica George

emotional reflective 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

5.0

This book was just wow and I feel like it could be a strong contender for my favorite of 2023. This novel was beautifully written, filled with deeper, complex issues. Maddie is relatable with her struggles to find a balance with her familial duties and her want for independence. The author did an amazing job giving readers privy to Maddie’s inner thoughts and Google searches. This made Maddie endearing and made me wish I could be the friend she needed. Maddie’s struggles with grief were extremely moving and as a reader, you feel her pain. I also loved that she was in therapy to help process her grief, but it ended up turning into so much more. I found this book heartbreakingly hopeful and full of emotional depth. I look forward to George’s next book because I’m sure it’ll be phenomenal. Overall, I would recommend this book if you’re looking to feel something and like to connect with complex characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness