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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
I forgot how much I like Nordic Noir. I picked up this book based on Abby’s (also known as Crime by the Book) recommendation, and she was right, it’s a great read. The book is told from three main perspectives. There’s Peter, the detective who’s investigating the murder of a young woman who is found beheaded in the home of a infamous CEO. Emma is the fiancé of that CEO, or at least she was, up until he disappears without a word. And finally, there’s Hanne, the psychologist who’s called in to consult on the case.
I think the characters are the best part of this book. The author does an excellent job of making them fully-realized, so that I understood who they are as people. For example, Peter is kind of a jerk and a coward, but he’s still a fascinating character, and I still wanted to root for him. The writing is atmospheric, and while I was reading it, I felt like I was there in Sweden, experiencing the cold, brutal winter.
It’s a story about love and betrayal. Sometimes the ones we love the most have the ability to damage us the most. If you’re looking for a thriller with depth and strong characters, I’d recommend this one.
I think the characters are the best part of this book. The author does an excellent job of making them fully-realized, so that I understood who they are as people. For example, Peter is kind of a jerk and a coward, but he’s still a fascinating character, and I still wanted to root for him. The writing is atmospheric, and while I was reading it, I felt like I was there in Sweden, experiencing the cold, brutal winter.
It’s a story about love and betrayal. Sometimes the ones we love the most have the ability to damage us the most. If you’re looking for a thriller with depth and strong characters, I’d recommend this one.
You’ve probably seen this book everywhere. There was so much buzz that I couldn’t wait for my library hold and ended up purchasing it. Rachel is a middle-aged woman living in the UK and every day she takes the train into London for work. Her train typically stops at this one particular junction, and from her seat she can see a house owned by a beautiful couple. Since she sees them so often, she gives the couple nicknames and daydreams about what their life is like; she really feels like she knows them. One day when her train stops, Rachel sees something out of the ordinary…
Since this is a thriller, the less you know going in, the better. Like every thriller these days, it’s been called the next Gone Girl. I kind of had high expectations since this book has been so buzzy, but I’ve also learned to lower my expectations because nothing so far that’s claimed to be the next Gone Girl has actually lived up to the hype. All that preamble is to say that I thought this book was solid. It was not amazing, but I did find it interesting enough to keep turning the pages. The twist was not surprising to me, but like I said, I’ve learned to lower my expectations, so I was not majorly disappointed.
Rachel is kind of a hot mess of a person. It’s a bit intriguing since that’s outside the norm, but it can also be a bit tiring because I just wanted her to get it together. She’s an unreliable narrator to the max. As the reader is questioning Rachel, she’s also questioning herself within the story.
I think the hype is still going strong for this one, so if you want to see what all the fuss is about, I’d say give this ago. It’s good for a light, quick, entertaining read, but don’t expect it to blow you away.
Since this is a thriller, the less you know going in, the better. Like every thriller these days, it’s been called the next Gone Girl. I kind of had high expectations since this book has been so buzzy, but I’ve also learned to lower my expectations because nothing so far that’s claimed to be the next Gone Girl has actually lived up to the hype. All that preamble is to say that I thought this book was solid. It was not amazing, but I did find it interesting enough to keep turning the pages. The twist was not surprising to me, but like I said, I’ve learned to lower my expectations, so I was not majorly disappointed.
Rachel is kind of a hot mess of a person. It’s a bit intriguing since that’s outside the norm, but it can also be a bit tiring because I just wanted her to get it together. She’s an unreliable narrator to the max. As the reader is questioning Rachel, she’s also questioning herself within the story.
I think the hype is still going strong for this one, so if you want to see what all the fuss is about, I’d say give this ago. It’s good for a light, quick, entertaining read, but don’t expect it to blow you away.
Callie is obsessed with her prettier, more accomplished twin sister, Tilda. When Tilda starts dating a new man named Felix, Callie feels that something is off with him, and is determined to protect her sister at all costs. But when Felix suddenly dies, Callie is more confused than ever. What was his relationship with her sister truly like?
Yeah, this book made me a little mad. Why did the narrator, who was supposed to be an adult in her mid-twenties, seem like an obsessive teenager? I understand going for an unreliable narrator, but I feel like that device works so much better when narrator sparks an inkling of doubt, rather than full on disbelief. I was just not buying it the entire time, which meant that I didn't care at all about Callie and her sister's relationship, or about Felix's death.
Meh, if you're looking for a really interesting thriller with complex characters, then I'd say give this one a pass.
Yeah, this book made me a little mad. Why did the narrator, who was supposed to be an adult in her mid-twenties, seem like an obsessive teenager? I understand going for an unreliable narrator, but I feel like that device works so much better when narrator sparks an inkling of doubt, rather than full on disbelief. I was just not buying it the entire time, which meant that I didn't care at all about Callie and her sister's relationship, or about Felix's death.
Meh, if you're looking for a really interesting thriller with complex characters, then I'd say give this one a pass.
This book made my heart ache. At the beginning of the novel, Conor’s mother is very sick, and recently he’s been having the same nightmare each night, in which a terrible monster appears. This is a beautifully written story about grief and pain. I found this so moving (yes, I did cry) and so adept at capturing the feelings that you experience if you’ve ever been in a similar situation as Conor. The book is written in a storytelling style which I found very engaging, with conversations between Conor and the monster and stories told within the novel itself. I believe this book is technically middle grade, but I think it would be compelling to readers of all ages. I definitely want to see the movie, but I’ll be sure to have my tissues handy. If you’re in the mood for a lovely and heartbreaking story, then I highly recommend that you pick this one up.
This book has been on my TBR list for over a year and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. It’s a collection of essays that Gay wrote about pop culture, politics, race, gender, and feminism, among other topics. The first few essays are more personal, so that you can get to know the author a little bit, and the rest are divided by subject matter.
I love Roxane Gay’s writing style. She’s open, honest, and not afraid to be vulnerable. She shines a spotlight on things that are problematic in ways that I hadn’t really considered before. Gay has labeled herself as a “bad feminist,” meaning that she doesn’t fall into the stereotype of what a feminist is and she isn’t a perfect feminist all the time (and really, who is?).
Similarly to how I felt about We Should All Be Feminists, I don’t think there’s anything revolutionary here, but I think she makes her points in a manner that’s easy to understand and that may cause you to rethink your position on certain topics. In a few cases, I thought that some of the essays felt a bit short, and I wanted her to keep exploring the topic she was discussing.
Some of my favorites were “Not Here to Make Friends,” about likability, “The Careless Language of Sexual Violence,” about how people talk about rape, and “Beyond the Measures of Men,” about the importance of women in publishing. I’d definitely recommend this book. I really dig Roxane Gay’s particular style of real talk and I want to read all of her work.
I love Roxane Gay’s writing style. She’s open, honest, and not afraid to be vulnerable. She shines a spotlight on things that are problematic in ways that I hadn’t really considered before. Gay has labeled herself as a “bad feminist,” meaning that she doesn’t fall into the stereotype of what a feminist is and she isn’t a perfect feminist all the time (and really, who is?).
Similarly to how I felt about We Should All Be Feminists, I don’t think there’s anything revolutionary here, but I think she makes her points in a manner that’s easy to understand and that may cause you to rethink your position on certain topics. In a few cases, I thought that some of the essays felt a bit short, and I wanted her to keep exploring the topic she was discussing.
Some of my favorites were “Not Here to Make Friends,” about likability, “The Careless Language of Sexual Violence,” about how people talk about rape, and “Beyond the Measures of Men,” about the importance of women in publishing. I’d definitely recommend this book. I really dig Roxane Gay’s particular style of real talk and I want to read all of her work.
I just love Tana French’s writing. Love it. I was excited to read this one because I knew it dived into the life of Cassie, who was one of my favorite characters in the first novel.
When a murder victim turns out to be her doppelganger, Cassie agrees to go undercover to determine who murdered the victim. This book definitely gave me Secret History vibes, since the four main suspects are university students.
French really does have a way with words. I always find myself immersed in her stories, and the setting and characters are so vivid to me. She foreshadows certain events, but doesn’t overuse that technique. When she dropped little clues, I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know how it all turned out.
In the book, she explores the subject of family, both the family you are born into and the family you create. Often the people you choose to surround yourself with are the most important people. And as Cassie dives into this case, she understands more potently how the lines between right and wrong can be blurred.
This was such a good read. Can’t wait to pick up the next one in the series!
When a murder victim turns out to be her doppelganger, Cassie agrees to go undercover to determine who murdered the victim. This book definitely gave me Secret History vibes, since the four main suspects are university students.
French really does have a way with words. I always find myself immersed in her stories, and the setting and characters are so vivid to me. She foreshadows certain events, but doesn’t overuse that technique. When she dropped little clues, I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know how it all turned out.
In the book, she explores the subject of family, both the family you are born into and the family you create. Often the people you choose to surround yourself with are the most important people. And as Cassie dives into this case, she understands more potently how the lines between right and wrong can be blurred.
This was such a good read. Can’t wait to pick up the next one in the series!
4.5 stars
I had to add this novel to my list of favorite books of 2016 because I loved it that much. The narrator is an English teacher living in Bulgaria who strikes up a relationship with a young prostitute named Mitko, and the book is mainly about the relationship between these two men.
Greenwell’s writing is simply excellent. It’s so lyrical and flows beautifully, and he does such a wonderful job of capturing human emotions. This story asks how well you can truly know someone. The narrator doesn’t know much about Mitko. He only really knows the face that Mitko has presented to him. He begins to realize, however, that Mitko has many different faces. Perhaps everyone does.
Language is also an important theme. The narrator speaks passing Bulgarian, but isn’t always able to translate everything that Mitko says to him. So there are misunderstandings and meanings that are lost to the narrator because he’s not fluent in the language.
The difficulty with language is only one of the barriers between the narrator and Mitko. The narrator pays Mitko to spend time with him, so he can never really know if Mitko has genuine feelings for him, or if he’s simply there to complete their transaction. Mitko invites the narrator to get to know him and makes him feel important, while at the same time, keeps parts of his life and background hidden.
This book is worth reading for the writing alone, but in addition, there are so many interesting topics discussed in this novel. If you haven’t already read this one, I’d highly recommend that you do.
I had to add this novel to my list of favorite books of 2016 because I loved it that much. The narrator is an English teacher living in Bulgaria who strikes up a relationship with a young prostitute named Mitko, and the book is mainly about the relationship between these two men.
Greenwell’s writing is simply excellent. It’s so lyrical and flows beautifully, and he does such a wonderful job of capturing human emotions. This story asks how well you can truly know someone. The narrator doesn’t know much about Mitko. He only really knows the face that Mitko has presented to him. He begins to realize, however, that Mitko has many different faces. Perhaps everyone does.
Language is also an important theme. The narrator speaks passing Bulgarian, but isn’t always able to translate everything that Mitko says to him. So there are misunderstandings and meanings that are lost to the narrator because he’s not fluent in the language.
The difficulty with language is only one of the barriers between the narrator and Mitko. The narrator pays Mitko to spend time with him, so he can never really know if Mitko has genuine feelings for him, or if he’s simply there to complete their transaction. Mitko invites the narrator to get to know him and makes him feel important, while at the same time, keeps parts of his life and background hidden.
This book is worth reading for the writing alone, but in addition, there are so many interesting topics discussed in this novel. If you haven’t already read this one, I’d highly recommend that you do.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
"The stars and the blackness between them is the melanin in my skin." “I read it in a book. I take it to mean that as Black folks we are limitless. That, maybe, our blackness holds our ancient cosmic memory.”
The first book I finished in July was a book that I’d really wanted to read last month for both Pride month and #ReadCaribbean: THE STARS AND THE BLACKNESS BETWEEN THEM. This was such a moving and lyrical story. It follows Audre, a young Trinidadian girl who is sent to live with her father in Minneapolis after her mother discovers her with her secret girlfriend. Audre is heartbroken in Minneapolis, but Mabel, the daughter of her dad’s friends, makes her feel welcome and less alone.
I really enjoyed the writing and the mystical/spiritual elements of this book, such as the way that Audre learns about healing and other rituals from her grandmother. There’s an otherworldly quality to this book that really drew me in as I was reading. The story mainly alternates between Audre’s and Mabel’s perspective, and is interspersed with poems throughout. I also loved learning more about Trindadian culture, such as certain words and foods that I hadn’t heard of before.
The author discusses some important themes, such as the freedom to be yourself, finding your chosen family, and shining a light on how terrible and unfair our prison system is. At one point, Mabel and her father talk about the school-to-prison pipeline, which is a term that I hadn’t even heard about until not that long ago.
At its core, this debut novel is a story about two young Black girls tenderly and sweetly falling in love, which was beautiful to read. I think it’s so important to have YA books like this: this is a book that doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, that teaches about the world we’re currently living in, and that allows young queer Black kids to see themselves represented.
"The stars and the blackness between them is the melanin in my skin." “I read it in a book. I take it to mean that as Black folks we are limitless. That, maybe, our blackness holds our ancient cosmic memory.”
The first book I finished in July was a book that I’d really wanted to read last month for both Pride month and #ReadCaribbean: THE STARS AND THE BLACKNESS BETWEEN THEM. This was such a moving and lyrical story. It follows Audre, a young Trinidadian girl who is sent to live with her father in Minneapolis after her mother discovers her with her secret girlfriend. Audre is heartbroken in Minneapolis, but Mabel, the daughter of her dad’s friends, makes her feel welcome and less alone.
I really enjoyed the writing and the mystical/spiritual elements of this book, such as the way that Audre learns about healing and other rituals from her grandmother. There’s an otherworldly quality to this book that really drew me in as I was reading. The story mainly alternates between Audre’s and Mabel’s perspective, and is interspersed with poems throughout. I also loved learning more about Trindadian culture, such as certain words and foods that I hadn’t heard of before.
The author discusses some important themes, such as the freedom to be yourself, finding your chosen family, and shining a light on how terrible and unfair our prison system is. At one point, Mabel and her father talk about the school-to-prison pipeline, which is a term that I hadn’t even heard about until not that long ago.
At its core, this debut novel is a story about two young Black girls tenderly and sweetly falling in love, which was beautiful to read. I think it’s so important to have YA books like this: this is a book that doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, that teaches about the world we’re currently living in, and that allows young queer Black kids to see themselves represented.
I finally (finally!) read my first Toni Morrison novel and it did not disappoint. The Bluest Eye is the story of Pecola, who wishes desperately for blue eyes, which she equates with beauty, belonging, and all that is good in the world. Pecola does not have a good childhood (her father is a drunk and her mother barely cares for her children) and sadly we witness Pecola's life devolve from bad to much worse.
It pretty much goes without saying that Morrison's writing was beautiful, but it was also more accessible than I thought it would be. I was intrigued by the structure as we jumped back in time to understand the history of the characters and how this history leads to the terrible events in Pecola's life. The story is narrated from the perspective of a young black girl who is friends with Pecola and we never hear from Pecola herself. I understand this was a conscious choice on Morrison's part, but it still left me wishing to hear Pecola's perspective at least once.
Morrison explores society's obsession with beauty, but particularly a certain kind of beauty- standards and ideals that have been perpetuated throughout time. Of course the author writes about race and the divides created between white people and black people and between black people who despise their own blackness and other black people.
The overwhelming feeling when I finished this book was sadness. Pecola is mistreated and downtrodden her entire life and she deserves none of it. I can't wait to pick up another book by Morrison, although not right away because I'll need some time to recover from this one.
If you want to hear me talk more about this novel, I discussed it in my February wrap-up: https://youtu.be/_GTUZuEB6h8
It pretty much goes without saying that Morrison's writing was beautiful, but it was also more accessible than I thought it would be. I was intrigued by the structure as we jumped back in time to understand the history of the characters and how this history leads to the terrible events in Pecola's life. The story is narrated from the perspective of a young black girl who is friends with Pecola and we never hear from Pecola herself. I understand this was a conscious choice on Morrison's part, but it still left me wishing to hear Pecola's perspective at least once.
Morrison explores society's obsession with beauty, but particularly a certain kind of beauty- standards and ideals that have been perpetuated throughout time. Of course the author writes about race and the divides created between white people and black people and between black people who despise their own blackness and other black people.
The overwhelming feeling when I finished this book was sadness. Pecola is mistreated and downtrodden her entire life and she deserves none of it. I can't wait to pick up another book by Morrison, although not right away because I'll need some time to recover from this one.
If you want to hear me talk more about this novel, I discussed it in my February wrap-up: https://youtu.be/_GTUZuEB6h8
Thank you to Penguin Teen for the free copy!
I'm not sure that I've ever read a fantasy book with black people as the main characters, so that was a cool experience! A RIVER OF ROYAL BLOOD follows the story of Eva, a princess who must battle her sister to the death in order to win the throne. There's an intricate magic system that's fascinating to read about, a society formed by different species, and a princess who's struggling to come to terms with her destiny. This one gave me some Black Panther vibes (if they turned this into a movie, I think the hair and makeup would be amazing!) and I could really visualize this world that the author created. I had a little adrenaline rush when I read the ending, which perfectly set the story up for a sequel. I thought this was a really enjoyable fantasy novel and I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series!
3.5 stars
I'm not sure that I've ever read a fantasy book with black people as the main characters, so that was a cool experience! A RIVER OF ROYAL BLOOD follows the story of Eva, a princess who must battle her sister to the death in order to win the throne. There's an intricate magic system that's fascinating to read about, a society formed by different species, and a princess who's struggling to come to terms with her destiny. This one gave me some Black Panther vibes (if they turned this into a movie, I think the hair and makeup would be amazing!) and I could really visualize this world that the author created. I had a little adrenaline rush when I read the ending, which perfectly set the story up for a sequel. I thought this was a really enjoyable fantasy novel and I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series!
3.5 stars