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bethreadsandnaps's reviews
2695 reviews
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
5.0
THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo grips the reader in a tight hold from the first page and doesn’t let go until the thrilling end. This novel combines Katarina Shaw’s perspective on her and Heath Rocha’s ice dancing career along with an effective oral history format that gives others’ insider perspectives into a complicated skating dynasty. It publishes January 14, 2025.
I was “all in” on ice skating in the 1990s and early 2000s, like a huge segment of the country. The 1994 feud between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan spurred many of us to be glued to our TVs and become enamored by the beautiful skating. This novel gives many vibes similar to those of DAISY JONES AND THE SIX but set against ice dancing instead of music.
In this fictional story that takes elements from the ice dancing world, Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha meet early in life, and they both don’t have role models. They just have each other. They are scrappier than the other ice dancing couples, including Garrett and Bella Lin, who are the twins of ice skating legend Sheila Lin. When Sheila Lin takes Katarina and Heath under her wing, they move to the upper echelon in skating with more resources and coaching skill at their disposal.
Part ice dancing manifesto - with play-by-plays of many competitions, from Katarina’s as well as other insiders’ perspectives - and part interpersonal drama, I was glued to this novel from the first page. The main characters were fascinating along with the characters that give commentary on each performance in a documentary interview style. I think if you’re like me and have seen several ice skating competitions, this will pull back the curtain on a world that is very intriguing.
While a little longer than the typical novel, I didn’t feel the length at all and had to find out if these ice dancers attained their ultimate victory, given all the obstacles and frenemies in their way.
The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens
4.25
4.25 ⭐️
THE QUIET LIBRARIAN by Allen Eskens (publishing February 18, 2025) is a dual timeline novel that took me to a place that I frankly knew very little about: the Bosnian and Serbian war in 1995.
In the present day timeline, Hana Babic lives a quiet life in Minnesota with her cows and land, working as a librarian. When Hana’s best friend Amina dies under suspicious circumstances, Hana’s past as Nura Divjak back in Bosnia in 1995 comes back to her. The reader learns the tragedy of her family, including her little brother and parents being killed while she survived, and her survivor’s guilt turning into getting vengeance on behalf of her family. The 1995 timeline is absorbing and gripping. However, it is pretty violent.
As someone who is the same age as Nura/Hana, I couldn’t help but think how privileged my life in the United States was at her age when she and her family were under attack by the Serbian villains in the story.
The present day timeline felt pretty thin to me. Hana’s present day personality seemed fairly bland. There was a romantic thread that I didn’t completely buy. And if you’re looking for a story about librarians and books, I think the title might be deceptive.
I really liked how the novel tackled a little talked-about piece of recent world history.
#alleneskens #thequietlibrarian #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #bookstagram
How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
4.25
4.25 stars
A story about forgiveness and moving forward. Twenty-two year old Violet has been released from prison two years after being convicted of manslaughter. She was driving while under the influence and killed a local adored kindergarten teacher. During her prison sentence, she participated in volunteer Harriet's book club.
Harriet is an older widow who is giving back to her community through the prison book club. After Violet's release, she runs into Violet at the local bookstore.
Frank is the husband of the woman Violet killed. He was helping out the bookstore with handyman tasks when he sees Violet. Harriet's role is a friend to both Violet and Frank as they work through their feelings.
I was surprised how much of this novel is NOT about books. Violet ends up getting her first job post-prison at a bird laboratory studying gray parrots through Harriet's niece. That section of the book goes in some unanticipated places, especially given the title of this novel. The reader gets to learn about some very intelligent parrots named Ollie, Charlotte, and Alan. There's also a cringe-worthy romance plotline.
The character Violet is easy to root for. That might have been my problem with this one. She makes some poor DECISIONS, but she has a heart of gold. After some tough stuff while she was growing up and a two-year stint in prison, she is surprisingly put together with no edge. I'm not sure how realistic that is. Ultimately, for me, this novel came across a bit too saccharine for the weighty issues the characters were dealing with.
Frank doesn't really have much of a plotline, but his back story gave me EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER vibes.
This novel is set in Portland, Maine. A lot of the streets and sights talked about I went to this past summer when I stayed in Portland. I wish I had read this novel before I had gone, but it was still nice to have such a strong sense of place.
All in all, this was a good read. Monica Wood doesn't disappoint!
A story about forgiveness and moving forward. Twenty-two year old Violet has been released from prison two years after being convicted of manslaughter. She was driving while under the influence and killed a local adored kindergarten teacher. During her prison sentence, she participated in volunteer Harriet's book club.
Harriet is an older widow who is giving back to her community through the prison book club. After Violet's release, she runs into Violet at the local bookstore.
Frank is the husband of the woman Violet killed. He was helping out the bookstore with handyman tasks when he sees Violet. Harriet's role is a friend to both Violet and Frank as they work through their feelings.
I was surprised how much of this novel is NOT about books. Violet ends up getting her first job post-prison at a bird laboratory studying gray parrots through Harriet's niece. That section of the book goes in some unanticipated places, especially given the title of this novel. The reader gets to learn about some very intelligent parrots named Ollie, Charlotte, and Alan. There's also a cringe-worthy romance plotline.
The character Violet is easy to root for. That might have been my problem with this one. She makes some poor DECISIONS, but she has a heart of gold. After some tough stuff while she was growing up and a two-year stint in prison, she is surprisingly put together with no edge. I'm not sure how realistic that is. Ultimately, for me, this novel came across a bit too saccharine for the weighty issues the characters were dealing with.
Frank doesn't really have much of a plotline, but his back story gave me EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER vibes.
This novel is set in Portland, Maine. A lot of the streets and sights talked about I went to this past summer when I stayed in Portland. I wish I had read this novel before I had gone, but it was still nice to have such a strong sense of place.
All in all, this was a good read. Monica Wood doesn't disappoint!
Slouching Towards Bethlehem: Essays by Joan Didion by Joan Didion, Joan Didion
3.5
3.5 stars
I had never read Joan Didion before. I thought this was a good sampling of her nonfiction writing, but all of this collection was written in the 1960s. I'd say this collection has a few themes:
* Famous people from the 1960s, including John Wayne and some names you might have heard of a couple times like Howard Hughes and a few specific people from the counterculture movement - I felt like more context was needed for many of these essays because they plopped you in, presuming you were well-acquainted with these figures.
* Places (mostly California or near California with one exception being NYC in the last essay) - strong sense of place that Didion creates
* Philosophy - No thanks, she would often lose me and I would wonder if she had taken the drugs from the title essay before writing these ones.
* A few were less philosophical and more literal, like the one on going home, and I enjoyed those.
I learned from reading this collection that Didion is a product of her time. I'm not going to be eager to pick up something else from her, but I'm glad I was introduced to her writing by this collection.
I had never read Joan Didion before. I thought this was a good sampling of her nonfiction writing, but all of this collection was written in the 1960s. I'd say this collection has a few themes:
* Famous people from the 1960s, including John Wayne and some names you might have heard of a couple times like Howard Hughes and a few specific people from the counterculture movement - I felt like more context was needed for many of these essays because they plopped you in, presuming you were well-acquainted with these figures.
* Places (mostly California or near California with one exception being NYC in the last essay) - strong sense of place that Didion creates
* Philosophy - No thanks, she would often lose me and I would wonder if she had taken the drugs from the title essay before writing these ones.
* A few were less philosophical and more literal, like the one on going home, and I enjoyed those.
I learned from reading this collection that Didion is a product of her time. I'm not going to be eager to pick up something else from her, but I'm glad I was introduced to her writing by this collection.
The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar
5.0
This is my second novel by Thrity Umrigar, and I believe she is the only author I've given all the books I've read 5 stars. So I really have to prioritize her backlist because she is clearly an author that works for me.
Remy goes back to India with a plan to adopt a baby, but, while he's there, he discovers his estranged mother is in the hospital. When he finds a picture that shakes up what he's known of his family, his mother sheds light on what really happened in the family's past.
I thought this book was going to go in one direction, and then it went in a completely different direction. And I loved that! I thought the characters were well-constructed, and of course I loved the author's writing.
I can see that some reviewers might say this novel is too long, but I really enjoyed the journey so I didn't mind that it took some time to even reveal the family secret (I think it comes at the halfway point).
As I said, this author really works for me, and I'm eager to read her backlist now I that I found she has 8 or 9 backlist adult novels (and some children's books too!).
Remy goes back to India with a plan to adopt a baby, but, while he's there, he discovers his estranged mother is in the hospital. When he finds a picture that shakes up what he's known of his family, his mother sheds light on what really happened in the family's past.
I thought this book was going to go in one direction, and then it went in a completely different direction. And I loved that! I thought the characters were well-constructed, and of course I loved the author's writing.
I can see that some reviewers might say this novel is too long, but I really enjoyed the journey so I didn't mind that it took some time to even reveal the family secret (I think it comes at the halfway point).
As I said, this author really works for me, and I'm eager to read her backlist now I that I found she has 8 or 9 backlist adult novels (and some children's books too!).
In Memoriam by Alice Winn
3.25
3.25 stars
I really liked the beginning of this novel. I wanted to see where this family of characters were going to go. Lata and Suresh divorced late in life after being in an arranged marriage for over 30 years. Lata starts over with a job outside the home, meets new friends and embarks on new activities, including dating. It's hard not to root for her and want things to work out for her.
The other three family members? Each is dealing with their own issues, but unfortunately I didn't find the others very interesting. Nikesh's plot line was so forced with Denise and really low stakes. Priya was slightly more interesting. But Suresh just seemed to want to find a replacement caretaker for Lata, and he didn't show much growth over the novel.
I was hoping to learn some more about Indian American culture. I did learn a little bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted to.
All in all, this is a fine read, but it was diluted because 3/4 of the characters weren't very interesting, and it felt like most of the plot revolved around people not talking to each other, like you would find in a rom com instead of a literary fiction novel.
The audiobook was performed very well.
I really liked the beginning of this novel. I wanted to see where this family of characters were going to go. Lata and Suresh divorced late in life after being in an arranged marriage for over 30 years. Lata starts over with a job outside the home, meets new friends and embarks on new activities, including dating. It's hard not to root for her and want things to work out for her.
The other three family members? Each is dealing with their own issues, but unfortunately I didn't find the others very interesting. Nikesh's plot line was so forced with Denise and really low stakes. Priya was slightly more interesting. But Suresh just seemed to want to find a replacement caretaker for Lata, and he didn't show much growth over the novel.
I was hoping to learn some more about Indian American culture. I did learn a little bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted to.
All in all, this is a fine read, but it was diluted because 3/4 of the characters weren't very interesting, and it felt like most of the plot revolved around people not talking to each other, like you would find in a rom com instead of a literary fiction novel.
The audiobook was performed very well.
Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
3.5
3.5 stars
I really liked the beginning of this novel. I wanted to see where this family of characters were going to go. Lata and Suresh divorced late in life after being in an arranged marriage for over 30 years. Lata starts over with a job outside the home, meets new friends and embarks on new activities, including dating. It's hard not to root for her and want things to work out for her.
The other three family members? Each is dealing with their own issues, but unfortunately I didn't find the others very interesting. Nikesh's plot line was so forced with Denise and really low stakes. Priya was slightly more interesting. But Suresh just seemed to want to find a replacement caretaker for Lata, and he didn't show much growth over the novel.
I was hoping to learn some more about Indian American culture. I did learn a little bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted to.
All in all, this is a fine read, but it was diluted because 3/4 of the characters weren't very interesting, and it felt like most of the plot revolved around people not talking to each other, like you would find in a rom com instead of a literary fiction novel.
The audiobook was performed very well.
I really liked the beginning of this novel. I wanted to see where this family of characters were going to go. Lata and Suresh divorced late in life after being in an arranged marriage for over 30 years. Lata starts over with a job outside the home, meets new friends and embarks on new activities, including dating. It's hard not to root for her and want things to work out for her.
The other three family members? Each is dealing with their own issues, but unfortunately I didn't find the others very interesting. Nikesh's plot line was so forced with Denise and really low stakes. Priya was slightly more interesting. But Suresh just seemed to want to find a replacement caretaker for Lata, and he didn't show much growth over the novel.
I was hoping to learn some more about Indian American culture. I did learn a little bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted to.
All in all, this is a fine read, but it was diluted because 3/4 of the characters weren't very interesting, and it felt like most of the plot revolved around people not talking to each other, like you would find in a rom com instead of a literary fiction novel.
The audiobook was performed very well.
Life's Short, Talk Fast: Fifteen Writers on Why We Can't Stop Watching Gilmore Girls by Ann Hood
4.5
4.5 stars
If you love the TV show Gilmore Girls, then I think you’ll enjoy the essay collection LIFE’S SHORT, TALK FAST edited by Ann Hood (publishing November 12, 2024).
Fourteen essayists discuss what resonates to each of them about Gilmore Girls, and surprisingly one additional essayist isn’t a fan of Gilmore Girls. I’d have to say that essay is one of my favorites of this collection. One self-aware point that the author brought up is that they like elements of Gilmore Girls, just in other shows. For example, the banter works for the essayist in SEINFELD but not when Lorelai is bantering on her walk and talks through Stars Hollow and admits the bias that represents.
One humorous essay points out the cost budget for Lorelai’s coats. Other essays are more serious, such as which Gilmore Girl you identify with during each watch (Rory in the first watch, Lorelai in the second watch, and now Emily in the most recent watch), Lorelai’s parenting, and which of Rory’s boy “team” you’re on.
I thought each of the essayists brought something interesting to say, especially those essayists that spoke about Lane Kim and her mother.
While I’m a fan of the show, these essays brought out some concepts that I’ve never heard before, and of course I appreciate all the different lenses throughout this collection.
Cross My Heart by Megan Collins
4.0
4 stars
CROSS MY HEART by Megan Collins (publishing January 14, 2025) has a really unique premise as a thriller, and I enjoyed it, particularly the first half. Main character Rosie has undergone a heart transplant, and she’s figured out her donor’s husband is famous author Morgan Thorne. She strikes up a correspondence with him through an online service that connects donors’ families to the organ recipients. The author included this correspondence as well as some other emails, and I thought this choice was extremely well done. They captivated my attention.
Rosie has a certain amount of romantic obsession, and she’s the type that suffocates the target of her affection. She was recently dumped after she was in a Dark PlaceTM. I identified with her friend Nina, who is often trying to temper Rosie’s affections and get her to slow her roll before she alienates guys.
Some other characters are introduced into the narrative, including Morgan’s long-time friend Blair, a woman Edith who comes into Rosie’s bridal shop, and Edith’s friend Piper.
As this online friendship develops between Rosie and Morgan, Rosie learns that someone suspects that Morgan killed his wife. Will this information deter Rosie, or will she not be dissuaded?
My interest waned slightly in the back half of the novel. 1. The correspondence and emails stopped, which I had really enjoyed. 2. Like most thrillers, it got a little zany in the back half.
If you’re in the mood for a thriller, I think this one has a unique premise. And I will definitely check out the author’s backlist!
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
3.5
3.5 stars
"The voyage of discovery isn't about new lands but having new eyes."
"This is the covenant of water: that they're all linked inescapably by their acts of commission and omission, and no one stands alone."
Abraham Verghese's latest THE COVENANT OF WATER shows us family matriarch Big Ammachi from when she's essentially given to a 40 year old man at 12 years old, her life, and her descendants. The setting on the southwest coast of India is lush and full of description.
The novel is divided into 10 parts (about 70ish pages each, on average). I fell in love with the main character in the first part, and then the novel departs to a different timeline and introduces the reader to Digby. I knew that these lineages would converge at some point, but it does take quite a while (until the ending of part 9, or 90%) to really know how they would converge.
The writing is good, but I wasn't blown away. I know it's a long book, but I still had to push myself through it more than I thought I should. It wasn't very propulsive. Sure, some parts were more engrossing than others, but plenty of this felt bogged down and like it could have been edited down.
What it comes down to is that I enjoyed this novel less than I expected and less than other multigenerational historical sagas that take place in other countries (like PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee and Lisa See novels). If you like slow burn historical novels that take a long while to tie up loose threads, then you'll likely enjoy this more than I did. I was also lukewarm on Verghese's CUTTING FOR STONE. Perhaps he's an author that doesn't quite land as well for me as he does for others.
"The voyage of discovery isn't about new lands but having new eyes."
"This is the covenant of water: that they're all linked inescapably by their acts of commission and omission, and no one stands alone."
Abraham Verghese's latest THE COVENANT OF WATER shows us family matriarch Big Ammachi from when she's essentially given to a 40 year old man at 12 years old, her life, and her descendants. The setting on the southwest coast of India is lush and full of description.
The novel is divided into 10 parts (about 70ish pages each, on average). I fell in love with the main character in the first part, and then the novel departs to a different timeline and introduces the reader to Digby. I knew that these lineages would converge at some point, but it does take quite a while (until the ending of part 9, or 90%) to really know how they would converge.
The writing is good, but I wasn't blown away. I know it's a long book, but I still had to push myself through it more than I thought I should. It wasn't very propulsive. Sure, some parts were more engrossing than others, but plenty of this felt bogged down and like it could have been edited down.
What it comes down to is that I enjoyed this novel less than I expected and less than other multigenerational historical sagas that take place in other countries (like PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee and Lisa See novels). If you like slow burn historical novels that take a long while to tie up loose threads, then you'll likely enjoy this more than I did. I was also lukewarm on Verghese's CUTTING FOR STONE. Perhaps he's an author that doesn't quite land as well for me as he does for others.