bekkasbookclub's reviews
210 reviews

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

dark mysterious sad 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

4.5

“Unfortunately, every time she came up with a way to make their lives a little more manageable, Miss Fairchild came up with a new way to hurt them.” Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth 

Wow and wow, did Sally Hepworth keep me on my toes with this one. While this was much darker than her usual family dramas, her exceptional storytelling is undeniable and the secrets and lies unfold one, after the other as the reader continues throughout the book. The book is told from the perspective of three different foster sisters, both past and present. In the beginning, as you getting to know the characters, it can be a little hard to keep up with who is who, but Hepworth does an amazing job giving each character a detailed background and who they grew up to be after leaving their foster care situation. I found that the chapters involving the past and the girls’ childhood more interesting and the present to be a little slower paced. This did help the reader come out from the darker points of the book. Of course, you can’t have a Hepworth book without the twisted ending, and this one left me with my jaw on the floor. This is more of a fiction novel with mysterious elements, so if you are looking to dip your toes in to more mysteries, this is a good one to start with. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

4.25

The Storm We Made shares light on an unknown topic to me, WWII and the affects of a Japanese invaded Malaya, now Malaysia. Malaya has been under British rule for over 100 years, that is until the Japanese come in and preach and “Asia for Asians.” Little do Malayans know that under Japanese rule, things are about to become far worse; taking young men to slave labor camps, young girls becoming comfort women, and the killing of civilians. Our story alternates between two different times, 1935 and on and 1945. Listening to this book, it was a little difficult keep track of who was who because it is told from 4 different POV: Cecily, the sole narrator during 1935 and on, Abel (Cecily’s son), who was taken prisoner to a slave labor camp, Jujube (Cecily’s oldest daughter), a waitress at a tea house, and Jasmine (Cecily’s youngest daughter), who is trapped in the basement being shielded from becoming a comfort woman. However, as the story progressed, it became easier to remember who was who, and what was happening to each person. This story is heartbreaking in so many ways and you feel for each person’s differing situation. As the war is starting to turn, I was eager to see how it played out for our characters. Obviously, I knew Japan was on the losing side of the war but I had no idea what that would mean for our characters. The ending was sad but reflective of real life when it comes to living through a war. 

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

4.0

“Call me whatever you want…As long as I get to call you mine.” The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez
When I started reading this book, I was automatically drawn to Marcela. Marcela is an enthusiastic youth librarian filled with passion for her job. Theo is a retired pro-football player turned high school coach, who has recently moved back to San Antonio. Their not so ‘one night stand” turns into a fling to help one another get over unrequited feelings they have for someone else. Their relationship isn’t conventional but it’s something more. It’s filled with depth and embracing change in one another. I loved that as their fling progresses, you can see both of their walls come down. However, Marcela was a little infuriating with her second guessing her feelings and thinking Theo could never actually be into her. I’m not a big fan of third act break-ups but I think what Gamez did here worked for this book and it’s what needed to happen for us, the reader, to get the ending we wanted. One a side note, I loved the references to San Antonio/Texas; Whataburger, UTSA but I wished she had more local spots thrown in for Texas readers. Overall, I think this was a great debut and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Thank you Forever for my gifted finished copy and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy to review. 

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

4.5

 “You can put miles and mountains between you and home, but eventually home will call you back.” The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
Domestic thrillers are quickly becoming my go-to for the genre. In The Heiress, we have three main characters: Ruby, the deceased heiress, Cam, her beloved adopted son, and Jules, his wife. In reading, we find more and more about the affairs of the MacTavish family, more specifically: Cam’s aunt and cousins’ hatred for Cam being Ruby’s heir. The multiple POVs, along with multiple timelines is what really makes this book. The reader is immediately captivated by Ruby and the fact that she is a widow four times over. However, her innocence is immediately questioned, and the ride is fantastic. We also come to learn that Cam and Jules are also hiding some secrets and as the truth begins to unfold, you can’t help but read faster and faster. Overall, this was a fantastic book that I couldn't get enough of and one I think any thriller reader will love.
Thank you St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for an early digital copy to review. 

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

Ellie is trying to save her family deli when she learns that a big box Italian superstore is coming to Milborough. Theo is trying to prove to his father that he is capable of more within the family business. This was such a fun rom com! I loved that it blended two of my favorite 90s romantic comedies “While You Were Sleeping” and “You’ve Got Mail.” The amnesia that Theo experiences after getting hit in the head while on a job site is short lived, but the lie of Theo and Ellie being “engaged” is when all the fun happens. The combination of enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes worked really well and the pace of the book was fast and light-hearted. With enemies to lovers, I love getting to see when one character starts falling for the other. However, Ellie’s continued resistance was a little off putting to me, especially when, as the reader, you could tell how much Theo was falling for Ellie. I’m also not a big fan of a third act break up, but in this case, I felt that it was actually necessary for them to be able to make their way back to one another. I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan on 90s rom coms and want a little bit of steam
Thank you, Dell/Random House, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy to review. 

The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson

slow-paced

2.5

This was a book I had to read for work. Now, it’s not my typical cup of tea but I can see why it was required reading. This is definitely a book that works better listening to, rather than reading. I also didn’t realize it was a TED talk and could have probably got most of the important information from that 🤦🏻‍♀️ 

Come & Get It by Kiley Reid

medium-paced

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

3.75

It had been so long since I read Such a Fun Age (during the pandemic), that I was really excited about reading Come and Get It. This book follows three women at the University of Arkansas: Millie, a campus living RA, Agatha, a visiting professor, and Kennedy, a transfer student. This book is highly character driven, in the sense that a lot happens but nothing significant happens until just before the book is over. While this could seem a bit off putting, Reid does such a great job creating each character and putting you in their shoes as the story unfolds. While you are reading and waiting for a “big climax” in the plot to happen, when it does, it does not seem all that big. Don’t get me wrong, a lot is going on all at once, but maybe I was just expecting something more. After enjoying Such a Fun Age so much, I think I was just expecting something similar. I will say this is still a solid book by the author and will definitely read whatever she writes next. However, if you are more of a plot based reader and not a character driven reader, this one may not be for you. 

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

emotional inspiring reflective 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? No

4.5

When you thought she couldn’t get any better, Kennedy Ryan proves you wrong with This Could Be Us. I expected this great love story, but instead it is more of a story of self-love and discovery. Soledad Barnes finds herself a single mother to three girls and what she does is awe-inspiring. Seeing her put her life back together after everything fell apart took amazing strength and courage. She was always willing to put herself second, behind her children; especially when it came to love. Judah Cross is a great partner for Soledad, especially because he has two sons with autism that he is always putting before himself. Seeing their relationship build into a romantic one was fun and exciting, but I loved that it was secondary to the other aspects of the story. This series is so good and I can’t wait to read about Hendrix next!
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for my advance digital copy to review. 

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

adventurous mysterious 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

4.25

I’m not going to lie, this will be a short review because *mom brain* 🤯 This one was a bit of a slow burn for me personally. I listened to it on audio, and I think if I had read a physical copy, I may have DNF’d. I really enjoyed the mixing of romance and magical realism. This made the characters and setting really come to life. If magical realism isn’t your thing, this one may be a bit harder for you to enjoy. The twists and turns were unexpected, and the epilogue was fantastic.

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

The Berry Pickers is a story of a heartbreaking loss when a family experiences their youngest child, Ruthie, going missing. Beginning in the summer of 1962 we get the point of view of Joe, Ruthie’s older brother, who was with Ruthie when she went missing. And Ruthie, who after her abduction, goes by the name of Norma. While the whole family struggles with the loss of Ruthie, no one takes it as rough as Joe. His story is full of feelings of guilt and the struggles he experiences during the time Ruthie is missing. Ruthie/Norma has “dreams” of a family and brother but are actually memories of her time before she was taken. Her story is a different kind of sadness because of the worry her abductor/”mother” has if Norma/Ruthie figures out the truth. Both stories are filled with sadness and grief, but as a reader you are anticipating when their stories collide. Once Norma/Ruthie figures out the truth, the book does take on a faster pace and the resolution is very healing. I would recommend this if you want a family saga with a rewarding ending.