evangeline_miller's reviews
646 reviews

The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons

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3.0

The book starts off really strong, establishing the scene and characters within an upper-middle-class neighborhood filled with very classic Southern homes. In many ways, the book is exploring the clash between traditional values and encroaching modernism, presenting the latter as a malevolent force manifested through modernist architecture. Some of the manifestations of said malevolent force turn out to be things like extra-martial affairs, gay sex, you know, “scary” things of that nature that tap into the anxieties and fears of a predominately WASP suburban community. While somewhat satirical in that regard, the book becomes a bit too repetitive and failed to keep my interest throughout. I’m not sure I’ll read any more by the author, but overall, still a worthwhile read.
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

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4.0

Funny and informative, as Mary Roach books tend to be. 
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
The Sakura Obsession: The Incredible Story of the Plant Hunter Who Saved Japan's Cherry Blossoms by Naoko Abe

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Unfortunately, I wasn't invested in Collingwood Ingram's backstory, which takes up the first quarter of the book. I just struggled to get past this section.