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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
Thank you to HarperCollins for the free copy!
Wow, this story is supremely messed up. My Dark Vanessa is about a relationship between a forty-two year-old teacher and his fifteen year-old student. The book flashes back between the past and the present, and is told from Vanessa's perspective. As the story progresses, you can see how their relationship (his abuse) altered the course of her life.
In terms of subject matter, it's a tough book to read. The teacher character, Strane, made me so so angry. And I felt so so sad for Vanessa for what happened to her, how so many people failed her, and the pain she's had to live with for most of her life. The author comments on how society treats women that come forward with stories of sexual abuse, how schools protect abusers, and how victims of abuse continue to suffer long after the abuse has ended.
I thought it was well-written and Russell's writing really pulled me into the story. As I was reading articles after I finished the book, I learned that she's had her own personal experiences with sexual abuse, and she drew upon those when writing this book. Vanessa is such a well-developed character, and her confusion and emotions around the relationship felt honest.
I was also reading about the controversy with this book, which has been brought up in conjunction with the American Dirt situation. I've only read a couple articles, and want to continue educating myself on the issues that people have raised with this book. One takeaway so far and an important discussion to be had is about the double standards in the publishing industry when it comes to stories by white people and stories by writers of color, and which stories are allowed to be told and published and marketed.
There's so much to discuss in this book (and about this book) and I want to get into it, but I don't want to give any spoilers, so if you've read it, talk to me in the comments below.
Wow, this story is supremely messed up. My Dark Vanessa is about a relationship between a forty-two year-old teacher and his fifteen year-old student. The book flashes back between the past and the present, and is told from Vanessa's perspective. As the story progresses, you can see how their relationship (his abuse) altered the course of her life.
In terms of subject matter, it's a tough book to read. The teacher character, Strane, made me so so angry. And I felt so so sad for Vanessa for what happened to her, how so many people failed her, and the pain she's had to live with for most of her life. The author comments on how society treats women that come forward with stories of sexual abuse, how schools protect abusers, and how victims of abuse continue to suffer long after the abuse has ended.
I thought it was well-written and Russell's writing really pulled me into the story. As I was reading articles after I finished the book, I learned that she's had her own personal experiences with sexual abuse, and she drew upon those when writing this book. Vanessa is such a well-developed character, and her confusion and emotions around the relationship felt honest.
I was also reading about the controversy with this book, which has been brought up in conjunction with the American Dirt situation. I've only read a couple articles, and want to continue educating myself on the issues that people have raised with this book. One takeaway so far and an important discussion to be had is about the double standards in the publishing industry when it comes to stories by white people and stories by writers of color, and which stories are allowed to be told and published and marketed.
There's so much to discuss in this book (and about this book) and I want to get into it, but I don't want to give any spoilers, so if you've read it, talk to me in the comments below.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Sadly, this one wasn't for me. Based on the blurbs, I was expecting a gothic tale set at an elite school that would be suspenseful or perhaps haunting, but I didn't get any of that while I was reading. Instead I was left bored and wondering what the point was. I felt like the characters were just rough outlines of people that I never really knew. The whole plot of this book felt vague and unformed. I don't think the writing was bad, but I was never drawn into the story, like I was hoping I would be.
I strongly considered DNFing around 120 pages, but for some reason, I kept going (why am I so bad at DNFing??). As mentioned, I was expecting an atmospheric, and perhaps slightly creepy read, so I was disappointed when that didn't come to fruition. Perhaps, if this premise sounds interesting to you, and you go into it with no expectations, you'll have a better reading experience than I did.
Sadly, this one wasn't for me. Based on the blurbs, I was expecting a gothic tale set at an elite school that would be suspenseful or perhaps haunting, but I didn't get any of that while I was reading. Instead I was left bored and wondering what the point was. I felt like the characters were just rough outlines of people that I never really knew. The whole plot of this book felt vague and unformed. I don't think the writing was bad, but I was never drawn into the story, like I was hoping I would be.
I strongly considered DNFing around 120 pages, but for some reason, I kept going (why am I so bad at DNFing??). As mentioned, I was expecting an atmospheric, and perhaps slightly creepy read, so I was disappointed when that didn't come to fruition. Perhaps, if this premise sounds interesting to you, and you go into it with no expectations, you'll have a better reading experience than I did.
This anthology was a lot of fun. The book is a collection of thirteen tales of villainy, written by different authors and based on prompts provided by booktubers. I thought it was such a unique setup and it was thrilling to see booktubers involved in this anthology.
The idea behind these stories is to add a twist to our traditional notion of villains and to show a different perspective. I loved the idea of blurring the line between villain and hero. These stories tackled questions such as: What makes a person fundamentally good or bad? Can heroes also be villains, and vice versa?
The best part was that this anthology introduced me to several new authors. My favorite stories had me rooting for the villain, including, “The Blessing of Little Wants,” “The Sea Witch,” “Marigold,” and “Sera.” Overall, I thought this was a really entertaining and fun collection, and I’m looking forward to checking out a few new-to-me authors.
The idea behind these stories is to add a twist to our traditional notion of villains and to show a different perspective. I loved the idea of blurring the line between villain and hero. These stories tackled questions such as: What makes a person fundamentally good or bad? Can heroes also be villains, and vice versa?
The best part was that this anthology introduced me to several new authors. My favorite stories had me rooting for the villain, including, “The Blessing of Little Wants,” “The Sea Witch,” “Marigold,” and “Sera.” Overall, I thought this was a really entertaining and fun collection, and I’m looking forward to checking out a few new-to-me authors.
4.5 stars
So good, so good! Definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved all things mythology when I was younger, so I was immediately drawn to this retelling of Circe’s story. And then there was the treat of Madeline Miller’s writing! I definitely want to go back and read her earlier book, Song of Achilles.
This is the story of Circe, a lesser goddess, who is famous for turning Odysseus’s men into swine. But this is a much fuller story of Circe, from childhood to adulthood, not just the sliver we get in Odyssesus’s tale. Other characters are in and out of her life, but she is always the main focus.
Miller’s imagining of Circe’s life is fascinating and she’s made Circe such a compelling character here. She uses her powers for both good and evil. She is drawn to humans and repelled by the gods. She’s an utterly complicated woman. It is very, very interesting to have a main character who’s not exactly good and never claims to be. More characters like this please!
Circe is motivated by her desire to connect with people and to find her place in the world. She’s actually viewed as an odd duckling within her divine family, and I think many people can relate to that feeling of not belonging. The author also explores divinity and mortality. Does anyone deserve to be immortal? And what do you do with a life that will never end? How do you spend the time?
Miller’s writing is so rich and evocative and I felt transported back to ancient times. The way she captures Circe’s emotions and vulnerability is just beautiful.
I kind of wish I’d read this with someone because I think there are a lot of interesting things to discuss. If you have any interest in mythology or just enjoy a really compelling main character, then I definitely think you should read this book.
So good, so good! Definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved all things mythology when I was younger, so I was immediately drawn to this retelling of Circe’s story. And then there was the treat of Madeline Miller’s writing! I definitely want to go back and read her earlier book, Song of Achilles.
This is the story of Circe, a lesser goddess, who is famous for turning Odysseus’s men into swine. But this is a much fuller story of Circe, from childhood to adulthood, not just the sliver we get in Odyssesus’s tale. Other characters are in and out of her life, but she is always the main focus.
Miller’s imagining of Circe’s life is fascinating and she’s made Circe such a compelling character here. She uses her powers for both good and evil. She is drawn to humans and repelled by the gods. She’s an utterly complicated woman. It is very, very interesting to have a main character who’s not exactly good and never claims to be. More characters like this please!
Circe is motivated by her desire to connect with people and to find her place in the world. She’s actually viewed as an odd duckling within her divine family, and I think many people can relate to that feeling of not belonging. The author also explores divinity and mortality. Does anyone deserve to be immortal? And what do you do with a life that will never end? How do you spend the time?
Miller’s writing is so rich and evocative and I felt transported back to ancient times. The way she captures Circe’s emotions and vulnerability is just beautiful.
I kind of wish I’d read this with someone because I think there are a lot of interesting things to discuss. If you have any interest in mythology or just enjoy a really compelling main character, then I definitely think you should read this book.
3.5 stars
The only thing I knew when I started this book is that is much beloved. I was excited to read my first Shirley Jackson novel and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Since I didn’t know anything about the plot, I didn’t know what to expect. I was soon captivated by the voice of our narrator, Mary Katherine Blackwood. After finishing the novel, I was surprised to discover the she is 18 years old when she recounts this story, even though it’s one of the very first things she tells us. However, her voice in the novel feels much younger, which I believe works well with the background story we are given.
Since this is such a brief novel, it’s hard to talk about it without giving things away. I will say that Jackson has a way of making the ordinary seem very interesting. I also had a hard time narrowing down the exact time period and the setting, although the introduction in my edition led me to believe that the setting is somewhat obvious if you are more familiar with the area or Jackson’s work than I am. It’s a story about people who are odd ducklings, who don’t fit in, which is a feeling that I think we’ve all felt at one time or another. At first, I couldn’t believe the behavior of some of the characters in this novel, but then I thought about it a little more, and I could. Jackson’s novel clearly contains a timelessness that makes this story as pointed today as it was when it was first published.
The only thing I knew when I started this book is that is much beloved. I was excited to read my first Shirley Jackson novel and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Since I didn’t know anything about the plot, I didn’t know what to expect. I was soon captivated by the voice of our narrator, Mary Katherine Blackwood. After finishing the novel, I was surprised to discover the she is 18 years old when she recounts this story, even though it’s one of the very first things she tells us. However, her voice in the novel feels much younger, which I believe works well with the background story we are given.
Since this is such a brief novel, it’s hard to talk about it without giving things away. I will say that Jackson has a way of making the ordinary seem very interesting. I also had a hard time narrowing down the exact time period and the setting, although the introduction in my edition led me to believe that the setting is somewhat obvious if you are more familiar with the area or Jackson’s work than I am. It’s a story about people who are odd ducklings, who don’t fit in, which is a feeling that I think we’ve all felt at one time or another. At first, I couldn’t believe the behavior of some of the characters in this novel, but then I thought about it a little more, and I could. Jackson’s novel clearly contains a timelessness that makes this story as pointed today as it was when it was first published.
This was a bit of a surprise hit for me. I got it as a Christmas present and I was pretty excited when I unwrapped it because I remembered that other bookstagrammers raved about this book.
I'm not typically into cults as a subject matter, so based on the description alone, I wouldn't necessarily think that I'd like this book. Turns out that I was wrong! The twists kept coming and I was loving it. This is the kind of book that you finish and immediately want to discuss with someone.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS flashes back and forth between the past (early 1980s) and the present, showing how a family becomes totally twisted and warped, all in the name of "love." There's obsession and manipulation, and it's quickly clear that the events of the past forever altered the course of this people's lives. What makes the villain (or one of the villains) in this story so creepy is the fact that he feels he's able to justify all the horrible things he's done.
Jewell does an excellent job of keeping up the suspense. Information is revealed slowly and steadily, and I was so intrigued throughout. And oh my, the ending was so satisfactory! I'm thinking about everything that happened in the book and I still feel like I need to chat with someone about it!
I thought this was a really great, suspenseful thriller. The alternating viewpoints were really well done and I felt that each person brought an important perspective to the story. If you're a fan of twisty thrillers and intrigued by stories involving a cult (or even if you're not), then I'd highly recommend this book.
I'm not typically into cults as a subject matter, so based on the description alone, I wouldn't necessarily think that I'd like this book. Turns out that I was wrong! The twists kept coming and I was loving it. This is the kind of book that you finish and immediately want to discuss with someone.
THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS flashes back and forth between the past (early 1980s) and the present, showing how a family becomes totally twisted and warped, all in the name of "love." There's obsession and manipulation, and it's quickly clear that the events of the past forever altered the course of this people's lives. What makes the villain (or one of the villains) in this story so creepy is the fact that he feels he's able to justify all the horrible things he's done.
Jewell does an excellent job of keeping up the suspense. Information is revealed slowly and steadily, and I was so intrigued throughout. And oh my, the ending was so satisfactory! I'm thinking about everything that happened in the book and I still feel like I need to chat with someone about it!
I thought this was a really great, suspenseful thriller. The alternating viewpoints were really well done and I felt that each person brought an important perspective to the story. If you're a fan of twisty thrillers and intrigued by stories involving a cult (or even if you're not), then I'd highly recommend this book.
3.5 stars
I wanted to looooove this book, but I simply liked it. That doesn’t mean I thought it was bad. I was just hoping it would be a 4 or 5 star read, but I ended up giving it 3.5 stars. Zélie is a maji, but she’s not allowed to use her magic because it’s banned throughout the land. There was a great purge several years ago, when they rounded up all the maji in the country, including Zélie’s mother. Zélie is strong and independent, but naturally she’s still haunted and traumatized by the loss of her mother. Soon, Zélie’s life changes forever when she gets the chance to restore magic throughout the land.
This book has a lot of potential, but it didn’t suck me in like I was hoping it would. It was predictable at points, and I also thought it was too long. Also, the love story made no sense. I could see these two characters coming together, but I couldn’t believe that they would ever be in love, given their backgrounds. One more thing that really bothered me was the way that the author altered animal names. I thought it was distracting and unnecessary.
There was a lot I liked about this though. The premise and magic system was interesting, as well as the social commentary. You have a group of people, the maji, who are persecuted and despised just because they’ve been born with special abilities. The book looks at the struggles that marginalized people have to go through and gives them a voice through Zélie.
I thought this was a good start to the series. Although there were some aspects that I struggled with, I want to read the next book in the series to see where this goes. And I believe they’ve already optioned the film rights. I’d love to see this turned into a movie- I think it could be really awesome!
I wanted to looooove this book, but I simply liked it. That doesn’t mean I thought it was bad. I was just hoping it would be a 4 or 5 star read, but I ended up giving it 3.5 stars. Zélie is a maji, but she’s not allowed to use her magic because it’s banned throughout the land. There was a great purge several years ago, when they rounded up all the maji in the country, including Zélie’s mother. Zélie is strong and independent, but naturally she’s still haunted and traumatized by the loss of her mother. Soon, Zélie’s life changes forever when she gets the chance to restore magic throughout the land.
This book has a lot of potential, but it didn’t suck me in like I was hoping it would. It was predictable at points, and I also thought it was too long. Also, the love story made no sense. I could see these two characters coming together, but I couldn’t believe that they would ever be in love, given their backgrounds. One more thing that really bothered me was the way that the author altered animal names. I thought it was distracting and unnecessary.
There was a lot I liked about this though. The premise and magic system was interesting, as well as the social commentary. You have a group of people, the maji, who are persecuted and despised just because they’ve been born with special abilities. The book looks at the struggles that marginalized people have to go through and gives them a voice through Zélie.
I thought this was a good start to the series. Although there were some aspects that I struggled with, I want to read the next book in the series to see where this goes. And I believe they’ve already optioned the film rights. I’d love to see this turned into a movie- I think it could be really awesome!
3.5 stars
I’m always wary of buzzy books, but I did like this book. The main character, Anna, lives alone in NYC. She’s afraid to leave her home, and yep, she’s got a bit of a drinking problem too. She loves spying on her neighbors though, and there’s one picture-perfect family that she likes in particular. One day when she’s watching their house, she sees something terrible happen, and she doesn’t know what to do.
Now that I’m writing that out, it sounds an awful lot like the plot of The Girl on the Train, right? Another similarity: between Anna’s mental health issues and alcohol problems, she’s an unreliable narrator that can’t be trusted.
Regardless, I thought this was a good read. I do love books set in NYC, and this was set in a part of NYC that I don’t frequent, so that was interesting for me. Also, I loved all the references to old black-and-white movies, although I wished that I was more familiar with them so that it’d have deeper meaning for me. I felt for Anna too. She just seemed so lonely, and like she’d been dealt some rough situations in life.
I don’t know that this explored any new themes, and I was hoping for a bit more thrill and drama, but this was an enjoyable read.
I’m always wary of buzzy books, but I did like this book. The main character, Anna, lives alone in NYC. She’s afraid to leave her home, and yep, she’s got a bit of a drinking problem too. She loves spying on her neighbors though, and there’s one picture-perfect family that she likes in particular. One day when she’s watching their house, she sees something terrible happen, and she doesn’t know what to do.
Now that I’m writing that out, it sounds an awful lot like the plot of The Girl on the Train, right? Another similarity: between Anna’s mental health issues and alcohol problems, she’s an unreliable narrator that can’t be trusted.
Regardless, I thought this was a good read. I do love books set in NYC, and this was set in a part of NYC that I don’t frequent, so that was interesting for me. Also, I loved all the references to old black-and-white movies, although I wished that I was more familiar with them so that it’d have deeper meaning for me. I felt for Anna too. She just seemed so lonely, and like she’d been dealt some rough situations in life.
I don’t know that this explored any new themes, and I was hoping for a bit more thrill and drama, but this was an enjoyable read.
Edited 03/02/16 to add my longer review:
Two people are kidnapped and trapped in an abandoned building. They are left with only a gun and a message from their kidnapper: the only way out is if one of them dies, otherwise, they'll both starve to death. Eeny Meeny is the first novel in a series featuring Detective Helen Grace, whose objective is to track down this criminal and uncover their motive.
This book is a real page-turner thanks to the straightforward sentences and short chapters. Arlidge gets straight to the point and drops the reader right into this twisted tale. For pure entertainment purposes, I'd rate this thriller higher, even though the plot does begin to feel repetitive after a point. However, the writing quality began to grate my nerves several chapters in. The dialogue felt stilted, and in some instances, conversations were confusingly described, when I felt dialogue or better descriptions would have suited the passages more.
In addition, the characters receded far into the background, while the plot was the main focus. Although there are several police officers mentioned throughout the book, I could only tell you a little bit about a three or four of them (including our main character, Helen) because the rest are there in name only.
Despite its flaws, I found this entertaining enough to keep reading until the killer was uncovered. While I can't really recommend this first installment, I will probably continue the series at some point to see if some of my criticisms are resolved in future novels.
--
2.5 stars
Two people are kidnapped and trapped in an abandoned building. They are left with only a gun and a message from their kidnapper: the only way out is if one of them dies, otherwise, they'll both starve to death. Eeny Meeny is the first novel in a series featuring Detective Helen Grace, whose objective is to track down this criminal and uncover their motive.
This book is a real page-turner thanks to the straightforward sentences and short chapters. Arlidge gets straight to the point and drops the reader right into this twisted tale. For pure entertainment purposes, I'd rate this thriller higher, even though the plot does begin to feel repetitive after a point. However, the writing quality began to grate my nerves several chapters in. The dialogue felt stilted, and in some instances, conversations were confusingly described, when I felt dialogue or better descriptions would have suited the passages more.
In addition, the characters receded far into the background, while the plot was the main focus. Although there are several police officers mentioned throughout the book, I could only tell you a little bit about a three or four of them (including our main character, Helen) because the rest are there in name only.
Despite its flaws, I found this entertaining enough to keep reading until the killer was uncovered. While I can't really recommend this first installment, I will probably continue the series at some point to see if some of my criticisms are resolved in future novels.
--
2.5 stars
4.5 stars
Like many people, I loved Station Eleven, so I was thrilled when she had a new book coming out. I read this one over the course of two days, and when I finished, I wasn't sure how I felt about the book. But, reflecting on it more now, a day later, I think I really enjoyed it.
I won't even try to describe this book, as there is a lot going on. Like Station Eleven, there is a disparate set of characters whose lives are connected in some way. She also utilizes a nonlinear timeline that's a bit difficult to track, but I didn't mind.
St. John Mandel is really able to create this eerie, unsettling atmosphere throughout, particular at the setting of the hotel. Her writing is just so beautiful and melancholy. I think this book solidified for me the feeling that I will read anything she writes.
I think if you loved her last book for the writing, you may enjoy this one as well, but if you loved it for the story, this novel is completely different. I feel like normally some elements of this book would bother me (the slower plot and meandering timeline), but there is something about her writing that I find so captivating and transporting.
Now I'm curious to read some other reviews of this one as I know that people have had mixed feelings!
Like many people, I loved Station Eleven, so I was thrilled when she had a new book coming out. I read this one over the course of two days, and when I finished, I wasn't sure how I felt about the book. But, reflecting on it more now, a day later, I think I really enjoyed it.
I won't even try to describe this book, as there is a lot going on. Like Station Eleven, there is a disparate set of characters whose lives are connected in some way. She also utilizes a nonlinear timeline that's a bit difficult to track, but I didn't mind.
St. John Mandel is really able to create this eerie, unsettling atmosphere throughout, particular at the setting of the hotel. Her writing is just so beautiful and melancholy. I think this book solidified for me the feeling that I will read anything she writes.
I think if you loved her last book for the writing, you may enjoy this one as well, but if you loved it for the story, this novel is completely different. I feel like normally some elements of this book would bother me (the slower plot and meandering timeline), but there is something about her writing that I find so captivating and transporting.
Now I'm curious to read some other reviews of this one as I know that people have had mixed feelings!