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mstall_'s reviews
198 reviews
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
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? No
5.0
Northern Spy by Flynn Berry
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I found Northern Spy to be a really entertaining and fast paced book, albeit a little far fetched. The bokok focused on Tessa, a single mother living in Belfast in current day who works at the BBC. The IRA had been ramping up attacks again and Tessa become more and more worried about her and her sons safety. When she sees a group of IRA members robbing a convenience story on the television, she recognizes one as her sister. Adamant that her sister is not a terrorist, Tessa begins a descent into the world of the IRA which she realizes she might not come back from.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of the book and the story line. This is a book about the resiliency of single mothers, family, and occupied peoples. You do have to suspend some major disbelief here, namelyat the end of the book where Marian and Tessa fake their deaths, they are moved only two hours away, DEEPER into republican Ireland?? And Tessa keeps her son, he doesn't go live with his dad which is what would happen if she was dead? Like, how is that realistic in anyway? . I know that there is a second book coming out and I'm already struggling with these details that keep me from believing the plausibility of this story.
I'd give this book a 3.75 overall.
Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of the book and the story line. This is a book about the resiliency of single mothers, family, and occupied peoples. You do have to suspend some major disbelief here, namely
I'd give this book a 3.75 overall.
How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways by Eve Kellman
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
How To Kill A Guy In Ten Ways by Eve Kellman is described as a story of retribution and justice when systems of power won't step in. It's described as a story of girls helping girls and female rage and empowerment.
Millie Masters is grappling with the sexual assault of her sister Katie which has left Katie a shell of herself. Millie is enraged that women and girls everywhere fall victim to men daily. Therefore, Millie creates a text line where girls in trouble can reach out and she will come save them and help them get to safety. Katie, unwilling to give Millie all the details around her assault, only gives five clues. Millie quickly finds that the text line isn't enough -- she has to go after her sister's rapist himself. While she's at it, she doesn't think it would hurt to kill a few dudes along the way. After all, these guys are all terrible humans right?
This story overall did no land with me. I can see from reviews that soooo many other people loved this book, and I wish I had too. My biggest issue is that the story is sloppy -- I would have much rather read a vigilante justice story focusing on Millie tracking down her sister's rapist. Instead, we get Millie almost going slap happy with offing men and SPOILER ALERT HEREtwo of them are not disgusting, bad guys, they're just in her way. Reviewers have likened her to Amy from Gone Girl, which I absolutely disagree with. Amy was calculated, cunning, smart, and fastidious -- she was playing chess while Millie is playing checkers, drunk.
I felt like the book was trying to do too much -- being funny, and yet serious, and yet chaotic, and yet serious and yet girl power. It felt like there were too many plot lines that in the end didn't add to the overall tapestry of the story. Oh and also, SPOILERS HERE ----------Millie kills alll these men and gets away with it, by framing the one good man in the story?? Get out of here. I ultimately only finished this book because I wanted to write my perspective since other reviews echoed each other. I'd reread Gone Girl a million more times over this book.
Millie Masters is grappling with the sexual assault of her sister Katie which has left Katie a shell of herself. Millie is enraged that women and girls everywhere fall victim to men daily. Therefore, Millie creates a text line where girls in trouble can reach out and she will come save them and help them get to safety. Katie, unwilling to give Millie all the details around her assault, only gives five clues. Millie quickly finds that the text line isn't enough -- she has to go after her sister's rapist himself. While she's at it, she doesn't think it would hurt to kill a few dudes along the way. After all, these guys are all terrible humans right?
This story overall did no land with me. I can see from reviews that soooo many other people loved this book, and I wish I had too. My biggest issue is that the story is sloppy -- I would have much rather read a vigilante justice story focusing on Millie tracking down her sister's rapist. Instead, we get Millie almost going slap happy with offing men and SPOILER ALERT HERE
I felt like the book was trying to do too much -- being funny, and yet serious, and yet chaotic, and yet serious and yet girl power. It felt like there were too many plot lines that in the end didn't add to the overall tapestry of the story. Oh and also, SPOILERS HERE ----------
Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ava Bonney is a precocious, bright and talented fourteen year old. She goes to school, completes her homework and carries out her chores like every other kid in her small British town. However, Ava has a secret -- she loves collecting dead animals and studying them as they decay under the cover of night.
On one such nighttime excursion, Ava stumbles upon an interesting specimen. Upon a closer look she realizes this is not just another crow or fox, it is the body of missing boy Micky Grant. This discovery leads Ava down a twisty path of anonymous calls to the police, secret investigations, and confronting what makes us human.
At first I found this book to be a little hard to get sucked in to, which by all accounts should not have been the case because it has everything I loved! I think the biggest factor was that the language used is quite British and therefore the author utilized common British slang and colloquialisms that I simply didn't know. It took me a minute to understand what the hell a "gint" and "nonce" were, for example. Once I was able to clear that language barrier, the book moved swiftly and by the last few chapters I was doing everything I could to not rush it through.
I've read some complaints that people disliked figuring out who the killer was early on in the book, but I didn't mind it. In fact I think that was the point of the story! Instead of being in the dark with the other characters, we the readers had the distinct advantage of knowing who it was and therefore could palpably feel the tension rise as the characters failed to figure out what we already knew. I enjoyed this angle tremendously!
Be warned: there is violence and abuse against children, some descriptions of blood and gore and obviously descriptions of the death of animals.
On one such nighttime excursion, Ava stumbles upon an interesting specimen. Upon a closer look she realizes this is not just another crow or fox, it is the body of missing boy Micky Grant. This discovery leads Ava down a twisty path of anonymous calls to the police, secret investigations, and confronting what makes us human.
At first I found this book to be a little hard to get sucked in to, which by all accounts should not have been the case because it has everything I loved! I think the biggest factor was that the language used is quite British and therefore the author utilized common British slang and colloquialisms that I simply didn't know. It took me a minute to understand what the hell a "gint" and "nonce" were, for example. Once I was able to clear that language barrier, the book moved swiftly and by the last few chapters I was doing everything I could to not rush it through.
I've read some complaints that people disliked figuring out who the killer was early on in the book, but I didn't mind it. In fact I think that was the point of the story! Instead of being in the dark with the other characters, we the readers had the distinct advantage of knowing who it was and therefore could palpably feel the tension rise as the characters failed to figure out what we already knew. I enjoyed this angle tremendously!
Be warned: there is violence and abuse against children, some descriptions of blood and gore and obviously descriptions of the death of animals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Dopamine Nation is a great book if you're looking to understand why things like exercise and cold plunging are so hard to do but feel so good afterward. It's a useful text to start to navigate and understand addiction, pleasure, pain and how our dopamine rich society influences our literal brain chemistry and structure.
Some reviews complain that this book is too reductive and I would agree but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. In fact I think commentary like that is a bit elitist and abelist. How could someone possibly write a book on a complicated subject like neurochemistry AND make is easily digestible for multitudes of people across various education and reading levels without some reduction in concepts and mechanisms??? If I, as a therapist, want to recommend books to my clients I need the books to be helpful, information AND easy to understand because my clients come from a variety of backgrounds. I also don't always want to read complicated texts on subjects I'm interested in.
I think Dr. Lembke does a great job of utilizing nuanced stories from her clients as well as her own experiences to highlight the concepts she is discussing. I will say that she's a proponent for the 12 step program which is not something I'm a personal advocate for but I can see the merit in the system and how it relates to regulating dopamine.
Overall it was an interesting read and I took from it what resonated with me and left the rest. I encourage you to do the same.
Some reviews complain that this book is too reductive and I would agree but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. In fact I think commentary like that is a bit elitist and abelist. How could someone possibly write a book on a complicated subject like neurochemistry AND make is easily digestible for multitudes of people across various education and reading levels without some reduction in concepts and mechanisms??? If I, as a therapist, want to recommend books to my clients I need the books to be helpful, information AND easy to understand because my clients come from a variety of backgrounds. I also don't always want to read complicated texts on subjects I'm interested in.
I think Dr. Lembke does a great job of utilizing nuanced stories from her clients as well as her own experiences to highlight the concepts she is discussing. I will say that she's a proponent for the 12 step program which is not something I'm a personal advocate for but I can see the merit in the system and how it relates to regulating dopamine.
Overall it was an interesting read and I took from it what resonated with me and left the rest. I encourage you to do the same.
Sociopath: a Memoir by Patric Gagne
informative
medium-paced
3.75
I have two wolves inside of me, and they both have no idea how to feel about this book.
Sociopath by Patric Gagne is just that: a memoir about a woman who was diagnosed with sociopathy in her early twenties (although she reminds us often throughout the book that there is not DSM-V F code for sociopathy specifically). It's her retelling of her experiences as a child -- feeling different, apathetic and anxious about her apathy. She wrote this book in hopes that more people with similar disorders (which currently fall under Antisocial Personality Disorder in the DSM-V) feel less alone. For someone who proclaims they can't access empathy, she sure carries a lot of care for others with her diagnosis.
Like I said, my two wolves are both confused. One on hand, it feels refreshing to read about this illness from someone's lived experience. On the other hand, as a therapist who has worked with some people with ASPD, my hackles were up. I can appreciate deeply the stories and meaning we as humans make of our lives and experiences and, in the same breath, my work has instilled an alert system when the story feels too "crack resistant". What I mean by that in terms of Sociopath, is that often Patric's narrative felt like it was illiciting feelings from me that I wasn't sure were my true feelings. Like I suddenly found myself in an orb with her examining her behaviors as "not that bad" and I was starting to lose sight of the cracks in her story.
Patric doesn't gloss over her violent or anti-social behaviors, in fact the subtext almost reads like she celebrates them. And, maybe she does! That would definitely support her diagnosis. She talks a lot about how sociopaths need to find adaptive ways to "release the stuck stress" that won't put them in jail. For most of the book what works for her is breaking and entering people's homes while they're away (sometimes when they are there), stealing cars from frat bros, and stalking a woman who is threatening her father. I couldn't help but think that first and foremost, these are obviously not adaptive behaviors AND they would absolutely land someone in jail if they were caught, especially if that person wasn’t also a white, pretty blonde woman who was a stellar student at UCLA and had money and connections to high power people in LA. I had no doubt that if Patric had been caught, because of her privilege, she would not have been incarcerated.
I think this book was an interesting read -- it read like fiction so it was easy to jump into the narrative. However, like I said earlier, that might be intentional. Overall I’d recommend the book, but I’m still not sure how I feel about it.
Sociopath by Patric Gagne is just that: a memoir about a woman who was diagnosed with sociopathy in her early twenties (although she reminds us often throughout the book that there is not DSM-V F code for sociopathy specifically). It's her retelling of her experiences as a child -- feeling different, apathetic and anxious about her apathy. She wrote this book in hopes that more people with similar disorders (which currently fall under Antisocial Personality Disorder in the DSM-V) feel less alone. For someone who proclaims they can't access empathy, she sure carries a lot of care for others with her diagnosis.
Like I said, my two wolves are both confused. One on hand, it feels refreshing to read about this illness from someone's lived experience. On the other hand, as a therapist who has worked with some people with ASPD, my hackles were up. I can appreciate deeply the stories and meaning we as humans make of our lives and experiences and, in the same breath, my work has instilled an alert system when the story feels too "crack resistant". What I mean by that in terms of Sociopath, is that often Patric's narrative felt like it was illiciting feelings from me that I wasn't sure were my true feelings. Like I suddenly found myself in an orb with her examining her behaviors as "not that bad" and I was starting to lose sight of the cracks in her story.
Patric doesn't gloss over her violent or anti-social behaviors, in fact the subtext almost reads like she celebrates them. And, maybe she does! That would definitely support her diagnosis. She talks a lot about how sociopaths need to find adaptive ways to "release the stuck stress" that won't put them in jail. For most of the book what works for her is breaking and entering people's homes while they're away (sometimes when they are there), stealing cars from frat bros, and stalking a woman who is threatening her father. I couldn't help but think that first and foremost, these are obviously not adaptive behaviors AND they would absolutely land someone in jail if they were caught, especially if that person wasn’t also a white, pretty blonde woman who was a stellar student at UCLA and had money and connections to high power people in LA. I had no doubt that if Patric had been caught, because of her privilege, she would not have been incarcerated.
I think this book was an interesting read -- it read like fiction so it was easy to jump into the narrative. However, like I said earlier, that might be intentional. Overall I’d recommend the book, but I’m still not sure how I feel about it.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a ride!
I listened to this book in about a day and a half, and as someone who is a notorious audio book hater this speaks volumes on how well crafted of a story First Lie Wins is.
Evie Porter seems like a simple southern girl from a small town trying to fit in to her new role as the girlfriend of wealthy good ole' boy, Ryan Sumner. Ryan and his close knit group of friends have grown up together, and they are wary of Evie and her intentions. Turns out they should be, not because Evie has any interest in Ryan's old money, but because her intentions are much more nefarious.
However, as Evie gets closer and closer to her goal, things begin to unravel. Ryan might not be who she believes him to be, and her past is quickly catching up to her. When Ryan's childhood friend ends up dead, everything seems to spins out of control.
This thrilling book has everything you might want: espionage, morally grey characters, hidden identities, time-jumping POV, and an ever shifting sense of what is going on. I've read other reviews that said it took them awhile to get into the story and this was not my experience. I was immediately hooked (and this was in audio book format which never happens) and didn't want to stop listening.
I listened to this book in about a day and a half, and as someone who is a notorious audio book hater this speaks volumes on how well crafted of a story First Lie Wins is.
Evie Porter seems like a simple southern girl from a small town trying to fit in to her new role as the girlfriend of wealthy good ole' boy, Ryan Sumner. Ryan and his close knit group of friends have grown up together, and they are wary of Evie and her intentions. Turns out they should be, not because Evie has any interest in Ryan's old money, but because her intentions are much more nefarious.
However, as Evie gets closer and closer to her goal, things begin to unravel. Ryan might not be who she believes him to be, and her past is quickly catching up to her. When Ryan's childhood friend ends up dead, everything seems to spins out of control.
This thrilling book has everything you might want: espionage, morally grey characters, hidden identities, time-jumping POV, and an ever shifting sense of what is going on. I've read other reviews that said it took them awhile to get into the story and this was not my experience. I was immediately hooked (and this was in audio book format which never happens) and didn't want to stop listening.
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
I’m so frustrated that I couldn’t get through this book because it sounded amazing: mysterious death, two unknown women tied together though separated by decades, critiques on racism, classism, and nepotism — it sounded perfect!
The pacing of this book is truly what killed it for me. I’m almost 100 pages in and nothing has really happened. We have no read insight into the big moment that the book opened with and I feel like I’m just slogging through lengthy prose after lengthy prose to get nowhere. This book has so many amazing reviews and I’m really bummed it didn’t work for me. Maybe I can pick it up again in the future and have a different experience with it.
The pacing of this book is truly what killed it for me. I’m almost 100 pages in and nothing has really happened. We have no read insight into the big moment that the book opened with and I feel like I’m just slogging through lengthy prose after lengthy prose to get nowhere. This book has so many amazing reviews and I’m really bummed it didn’t work for me. Maybe I can pick it up again in the future and have a different experience with it.
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco: A Novel by Michelle Chouinard
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
I loved this book!
When I saw The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard I was instantly drawn in. The cover art alone is enough to peak my interest, but when I read what the story was about I KNEW I had to request an advanced readers copy!
Capri Sanzio is your average San Franciscan -- she loves the fog, the golden gate bridge, and the rich history of her city. She has always been a fan of history, especially since learning as a child that she is the granddaughter of one of San Fransisco's more notorious serial killers. However, as an adult Capri isn't so sure her grandfather committed those crimes. When a copy cat killer comes shakes the upper echelons of San Fransisco, Capri can't help but find herself thrown back into her families dark history.
This book was such a fun read and got me out of a huge reading slump. I was so pleasantly surprised that there were huge plot twists early on in the book that changed not only my perception of the story but the trajectory of the book itself. I was also pleasantly surprised that I wasn't able to guess one of the twists correctly, I love when a book outsmarts me! Michelle's writing is funny, personal and exciting -- there was never a moment in the story where I felt bored. The pacing of the story felt perfect! I was also happy to find out that this is going to be a series, and I can't wait for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
When I saw The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard I was instantly drawn in. The cover art alone is enough to peak my interest, but when I read what the story was about I KNEW I had to request an advanced readers copy!
Capri Sanzio is your average San Franciscan -- she loves the fog, the golden gate bridge, and the rich history of her city. She has always been a fan of history, especially since learning as a child that she is the granddaughter of one of San Fransisco's more notorious serial killers. However, as an adult Capri isn't so sure her grandfather committed those crimes. When a copy cat killer comes shakes the upper echelons of San Fransisco, Capri can't help but find herself thrown back into her families dark history.
This book was such a fun read and got me out of a huge reading slump. I was so pleasantly surprised that there were huge plot twists early on in the book that changed not only my perception of the story but the trajectory of the book itself. I was also pleasantly surprised that I wasn't able to guess one of the twists correctly, I love when a book outsmarts me! Michelle's writing is funny, personal and exciting -- there was never a moment in the story where I felt bored. The pacing of the story felt perfect! I was also happy to find out that this is going to be a series, and I can't wait for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
PLEASE LET ME DESTROY YOU by Rupert Taylor
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
From the description, Please Let Me Destroy You by Rupert Taylor had everything I was looking for in a story: chaos, intrigue, and characters you couldn't forget. Apollo Jones is a filmmaker looking for his next big idea when one stumbles into his lap. The idea? Heist a casino. The problem? He has a panic attack that ruins the whole operation.
I thought I would for sure get sucked into this book, however I struggled with getting hooked into the story -- I started this book on February 20th and finally called it as a DNF on March 18th. Almost a month of not being able to get connected to the story in a way that actually made me want to finish the book. I'm really bummed because Apollo Jones seemed like a character I would love. I might pick this book up again in the future just to give it another shot.
If you like books that are more vibe centric vs. plot centric I think you might really like this book! It is very atmospheric! I'm not sure why it didn't work for me but like I said, I will give it another shot in the future.
I thought I would for sure get sucked into this book, however I struggled with getting hooked into the story -- I started this book on February 20th and finally called it as a DNF on March 18th. Almost a month of not being able to get connected to the story in a way that actually made me want to finish the book. I'm really bummed because Apollo Jones seemed like a character I would love. I might pick this book up again in the future just to give it another shot.
If you like books that are more vibe centric vs. plot centric I think you might really like this book! It is very atmospheric! I'm not sure why it didn't work for me but like I said, I will give it another shot in the future.