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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
This was a total cover buy for me. I was at the Brooklyn Book Festival a few months ago, when the sun glinted off this beautiful cover, making it sparkle, and I could not say no!
Happily, I liked what was behind the cover as well. Our main character is Alice, who’s spent most of her life moving around with her mom, running from something that she can’t really articulate. One day, her mom disappears and the thing she’s been running from all these years finally catches up to her.
This book has fairytale elements and was very atmospheric. I read this just as fall was starting to arrive, and it felt like the perfect season. There are fairytales within the novel that were dark and twisted, which I really enjoyed.
I think my main complaints are that it took so long for anything to happen, and that some of the fairytale elements were not as developed as I would have liked. The story was rooted more firmly in the real world than I was expecting, and I’d hoped more time would be spent in the fairytale world.
This book had a great premise and overall I enjoyed it, but I was left wanting a bit more. It gets a full 5 stars for that cover though!
Happily, I liked what was behind the cover as well. Our main character is Alice, who’s spent most of her life moving around with her mom, running from something that she can’t really articulate. One day, her mom disappears and the thing she’s been running from all these years finally catches up to her.
This book has fairytale elements and was very atmospheric. I read this just as fall was starting to arrive, and it felt like the perfect season. There are fairytales within the novel that were dark and twisted, which I really enjoyed.
I think my main complaints are that it took so long for anything to happen, and that some of the fairytale elements were not as developed as I would have liked. The story was rooted more firmly in the real world than I was expecting, and I’d hoped more time would be spent in the fairytale world.
This book had a great premise and overall I enjoyed it, but I was left wanting a bit more. It gets a full 5 stars for that cover though!
4.5 stars
This is the first Sarah Waters book that I’ve ever read, but I think I can safely call myself a fan of her work. This book was beautifully written and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nan is an ordinary girl living in the seaside town of Whitsable in the late 1800s. In her spare time, she loves venturing to the music hall. On one of these trips, she sees Kitty Butler, a saucy, male impersonator, for the first time. Nan is thoroughly captivated by Kitty’s demeanor and performance, and once the two actually meet, Nan’s life will never be the same.
Did I mention how much I loved this novel? The writing is so wonderfully descriptive and wistful. Nan’s family is in the oyster business, and when Waters writes about preparing the oysters, I can nearly taste them in my mouth. The descriptions of the hustle and bustle of London were fascinating and gave me further insight into that time period. I also loved the use of Victorian slang and sometimes paused to look up these words that were entirely new to me.
I’m a secret romantic (or maybe everyone already knows by now), so I loved the slow burn of these two young women falling in love. All of the sweetness and the pain and the uncertainty of first love is captured in this story. On top of that, it’s a love that must be kept secret because it’s considered “unnatural,” which of course makes things even more complicated. There are quite a few sensual scenes in this book, but they don’t feel like they were included for shock value, but instead to show the natural progression of the relationship between these two women.
What I found most astonishing was Nan’s transformation over the course of this novel. I could not have predicted that the Nan we meet at the beginning of the story would end up where she does. Nan is around eighteen when the novel begins and we witness her becoming her own person, which is rather exciting. Physical transformation is also explored, as Nancy falls in love with a woman who dresses like a man. In fact, the act of transformation through clothing is an important theme throughout the book.
So, in short, I loved the history, the romance, the discussion of gender roles, and pretty much this entire book. I found this to be an immersive reading experience. I’d look up from the book after a while and realize that I’d been reading for an hour or more (usually when I should have been in bed, asleep!). I already cannot wait for my next Sarah Waters novel.
This is the first Sarah Waters book that I’ve ever read, but I think I can safely call myself a fan of her work. This book was beautifully written and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nan is an ordinary girl living in the seaside town of Whitsable in the late 1800s. In her spare time, she loves venturing to the music hall. On one of these trips, she sees Kitty Butler, a saucy, male impersonator, for the first time. Nan is thoroughly captivated by Kitty’s demeanor and performance, and once the two actually meet, Nan’s life will never be the same.
Did I mention how much I loved this novel? The writing is so wonderfully descriptive and wistful. Nan’s family is in the oyster business, and when Waters writes about preparing the oysters, I can nearly taste them in my mouth. The descriptions of the hustle and bustle of London were fascinating and gave me further insight into that time period. I also loved the use of Victorian slang and sometimes paused to look up these words that were entirely new to me.
I’m a secret romantic (or maybe everyone already knows by now), so I loved the slow burn of these two young women falling in love. All of the sweetness and the pain and the uncertainty of first love is captured in this story. On top of that, it’s a love that must be kept secret because it’s considered “unnatural,” which of course makes things even more complicated. There are quite a few sensual scenes in this book, but they don’t feel like they were included for shock value, but instead to show the natural progression of the relationship between these two women.
What I found most astonishing was Nan’s transformation over the course of this novel. I could not have predicted that the Nan we meet at the beginning of the story would end up where she does. Nan is around eighteen when the novel begins and we witness her becoming her own person, which is rather exciting. Physical transformation is also explored, as Nancy falls in love with a woman who dresses like a man. In fact, the act of transformation through clothing is an important theme throughout the book.
So, in short, I loved the history, the romance, the discussion of gender roles, and pretty much this entire book. I found this to be an immersive reading experience. I’d look up from the book after a while and realize that I’d been reading for an hour or more (usually when I should have been in bed, asleep!). I already cannot wait for my next Sarah Waters novel.
Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a review copy!
When I heard that Sophie Hannah would be continuing the Agatha Christie books, I was really curious about she’d handle it. If you’ve read any of the original Agatha Christie novels, and then one of the new ones, I feel like you can’t help but compare them. My ultimate verdict is that Hannah did a good job of carrying on Agatha Christie’s legacy. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly not a disgrace either.
In this book, Poirot and his colleague Edward Catchpool, another detective, are invited a dinner party at the estate of a famous children’s novelist named Lady Playford. The guests consist of some of Lady Playford’s family and people who are complete strangers (sounds a bit like And Then There Were None, no?). Naturally, Poirot is suspicious about Lady Playford’s decision to randomly invite two detectives to her home. Lo and behold, he’s right to be suspicious since someone is murdered on their first night at the estate.
I loved the premise of this novel and thought that Hannah did a pretty decent job of capturing Christie’s tone. But the characters in this novel, you guys. They were insufferable! For me they were very one-note and I wished that there was a lot more nuance to their actions/words. I did love the portion at the end when Poirot launches into his spiel and explains who committed the murder. I think that section in particular gave me the strongest Agatha Christie feels.
Again, Christie is a very difficult name to live up to. If it were me, I’d be terrified to try to tackle another writer’s work! I think this is a solid effort from Hannah and I would read the other book she’s written as part of the new Hercule Poirot series.
When I heard that Sophie Hannah would be continuing the Agatha Christie books, I was really curious about she’d handle it. If you’ve read any of the original Agatha Christie novels, and then one of the new ones, I feel like you can’t help but compare them. My ultimate verdict is that Hannah did a good job of carrying on Agatha Christie’s legacy. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly not a disgrace either.
In this book, Poirot and his colleague Edward Catchpool, another detective, are invited a dinner party at the estate of a famous children’s novelist named Lady Playford. The guests consist of some of Lady Playford’s family and people who are complete strangers (sounds a bit like And Then There Were None, no?). Naturally, Poirot is suspicious about Lady Playford’s decision to randomly invite two detectives to her home. Lo and behold, he’s right to be suspicious since someone is murdered on their first night at the estate.
I loved the premise of this novel and thought that Hannah did a pretty decent job of capturing Christie’s tone. But the characters in this novel, you guys. They were insufferable! For me they were very one-note and I wished that there was a lot more nuance to their actions/words. I did love the portion at the end when Poirot launches into his spiel and explains who committed the murder. I think that section in particular gave me the strongest Agatha Christie feels.
Again, Christie is a very difficult name to live up to. If it were me, I’d be terrified to try to tackle another writer’s work! I think this is a solid effort from Hannah and I would read the other book she’s written as part of the new Hercule Poirot series.
YAAAAASSSSSSSS!
Ok, now for actual coherent thoughts. I've wanted to read this book since the beginning of the year and I'm so glad that I finally got around to it. A novel inspired by Jane Eyre with Jane as a feminist murderess? Yes, please, sign me up!
I love the original Jane Eyre and was really curious to see how Faye would handle this story. The answer is very, very well. This line from very early in the book says it all: "Reader, I murdered him." So simple and so good!
There are lots of tidbits like that sprinkled throughout the book- references to the original text that will have you nodding along in agreement if you've read Jane Eyre. But Jane Steele is also her own, fully-formed character. She shares some personality traits with Jane Eyre, but differs in other areas, which I'll let you discover when you read this book. Also, to be clear, Jane Steele is a straight-up serial killer. And yet, I love her.
This might be blasphemous for those who ship hard for Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, but I feel that Jane Steele and Mr. Thornfield, Jane Steele's love interest in this book, are a better match (agree or disagree? Let's discuss this).
I think the key with a retelling (of sorts) is to treat the original text with respect, while still creating a unique story, and Faye has done a brilliant job in both areas. This was a truly enjoyable read that I would recommend to those who liked Jane Eyre.
Ok, now for actual coherent thoughts. I've wanted to read this book since the beginning of the year and I'm so glad that I finally got around to it. A novel inspired by Jane Eyre with Jane as a feminist murderess? Yes, please, sign me up!
I love the original Jane Eyre and was really curious to see how Faye would handle this story. The answer is very, very well. This line from very early in the book says it all: "Reader, I murdered him." So simple and so good!
There are lots of tidbits like that sprinkled throughout the book- references to the original text that will have you nodding along in agreement if you've read Jane Eyre. But Jane Steele is also her own, fully-formed character. She shares some personality traits with Jane Eyre, but differs in other areas, which I'll let you discover when you read this book. Also, to be clear, Jane Steele is a straight-up serial killer. And yet, I love her.
This might be blasphemous for those who ship hard for Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, but I feel that Jane Steele and Mr. Thornfield, Jane Steele's love interest in this book, are a better match (agree or disagree? Let's discuss this).
I think the key with a retelling (of sorts) is to treat the original text with respect, while still creating a unique story, and Faye has done a brilliant job in both areas. This was a truly enjoyable read that I would recommend to those who liked Jane Eyre.
I picked up this graphic novel based on a recommendation from Book and Quills in her video on Halloween Reads and I’m so glad I did. This is a collection of short stories with spooky, supernatural elements. I think I’d psyched myself out and expected the stories to be scarier, but actually, I think they had the perfect amount of creepiness. I loved the style of the illustrations as well, and the bold, vibrant colors utilized in some of the stories. One page in particular did give me a real fright- I turned the page and flinched! Anyways, I really enjoyed this book and it made me decide that I need to add more graphic novels to my TBR.
Final Girls is the most entertaining thriller I read this month and I can see why it’s popular. The media labels Quincy as a “Final Girl” after she is the lone survivor of a horrible massacre. The storyline flashes back and forth between the day it happened and the present. The flashbacks are pretty unnerving because you know that something really terrible is about to happen. Even though we know what the horrible thing is, we don’t know how it happened. The author does a great job of building up that suspense.
Just when you start to think that you have it all figured out, the author throws some curveballs at you. It’s also fascinating the way that the author starts to reveal the cracks in Quincy’s perfect facade.
I had a few small complaints (the ending and some of the dialogue felt off to me) and one major one that had me shaking my head incredulously. I won’t mention it here, because spoilers, but if you’ve read it, let’s chat in the comments below. Overall though, I thought this book was an easy and pretty compelling read.
Just when you start to think that you have it all figured out, the author throws some curveballs at you. It’s also fascinating the way that the author starts to reveal the cracks in Quincy’s perfect facade.
I had a few small complaints (the ending and some of the dialogue felt off to me) and one major one that had me shaking my head incredulously. I won’t mention it here, because spoilers, but if you’ve read it, let’s chat in the comments below. Overall though, I thought this book was an easy and pretty compelling read.
3.5 stars
Still so into this series! I think it's been a couple years since I read the first two books, but it still felt so familiar and comforting to dive back into this world. Naturally, I really into both Cormoran's and Robin's characters and it's been great to see how they've developed over the course of the books. In terms of the mystery, there was such a long build-up, that by the time the truth was revealed, it felt a bit fast and I wasn't quite sure that I'd understood exactly what happened. Still, the journey was quite enjoyable and I'm definitely a fan of this world that Rowling has created. I'm ready for the next installment, please!
Still so into this series! I think it's been a couple years since I read the first two books, but it still felt so familiar and comforting to dive back into this world. Naturally, I really into both Cormoran's and Robin's characters and it's been great to see how they've developed over the course of the books. In terms of the mystery, there was such a long build-up, that by the time the truth was revealed, it felt a bit fast and I wasn't quite sure that I'd understood exactly what happened. Still, the journey was quite enjoyable and I'm definitely a fan of this world that Rowling has created. I'm ready for the next installment, please!
This is a spoiler-free review of both Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
Guys guys guys. Multiple people told me to read these a while ago and I had it on my TBR for ages. I wish I'd listened to them and read this right away because I loved. this. series. Witty dialogue, action and adventure, a fantastic world, amazing characters- these books had it all.
Let's start with the characters. Ugh, they were so good. If I were to give a very brief description of the plot, I'd say that it's about six characters who band together to pull off a heist, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Each character has their specific skill set and distinct, unique personalities. I love when a group of different people band together for a common purpose, and this book delivers that in spades. I can't talk about how great these characters are without mentioning my favorite, Inej. She's a young woman who's been through so much trauma, but is somehow still standing. She's learned how to take care of herself and survive in a cutthroat world. She fiercely protects the people she loves, and at the same time, can show compassion to her enemies. All of the characters are really well done in these books, but I couldn't help but gush a little about Inej because her grace and strength really spoke to me.
These are the first books I've read by Leigh Bardugo, so I was completely unfamiliar with the Grisha universe. That meant that was I rather confused by some of the terms in the beginning. Once I caught up though, I was completely fascinated by this world. The Grisha have special powers, such as the ability to heal or to manipulate the weather, and because of this, they are hunted. I love the way that the real and magical worlds blend in these books. The "real" world of Ketterdam is just as compelling as the magical elements. It's full of fascinating details, from the structure of the gangs, to the languages, to the descriptions of other countries in this world.
Each of the characters has a pretty colorful past, and each must reshape who they are as people, to varying degrees. The books also explore the various forces that drive people, whether it's love, greed, duty, revenge, or something else. The reason that I love books that feature people from different backgrounds who come together is because there is something very powerful about the families that are forged not by blood, but by choice. I loved reading about the various relationships between these characters, and what brought them together in the first place. I really appreciated that Bardugo doesn't rush these relationships and really takes the time to show us they've developed over the years.
These books had me on the edge of my seat. There's so much action and excitement- I was practically biting my fingernails because I was anxious to know what happened next. I also have this bad habit of skimming forward a couple of paragraphs when something really exciting is happening before I catch myself and go back. I found myself doing that a lot with these books. I could go on and on about these books, but I'll stop myself here (but if anyone wants to discuss in the comments, I'm game!). I do think that Leigh Bardugo left the ending rather open-ended and she could totally write a third book if she wanted to. Fingers crossed that that wish comes true one day- I'd be thrilled to revisit this world!
Guys guys guys. Multiple people told me to read these a while ago and I had it on my TBR for ages. I wish I'd listened to them and read this right away because I loved. this. series. Witty dialogue, action and adventure, a fantastic world, amazing characters- these books had it all.
Let's start with the characters. Ugh, they were so good. If I were to give a very brief description of the plot, I'd say that it's about six characters who band together to pull off a heist, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Each character has their specific skill set and distinct, unique personalities. I love when a group of different people band together for a common purpose, and this book delivers that in spades. I can't talk about how great these characters are without mentioning my favorite, Inej. She's a young woman who's been through so much trauma, but is somehow still standing. She's learned how to take care of herself and survive in a cutthroat world. She fiercely protects the people she loves, and at the same time, can show compassion to her enemies. All of the characters are really well done in these books, but I couldn't help but gush a little about Inej because her grace and strength really spoke to me.
These are the first books I've read by Leigh Bardugo, so I was completely unfamiliar with the Grisha universe. That meant that was I rather confused by some of the terms in the beginning. Once I caught up though, I was completely fascinated by this world. The Grisha have special powers, such as the ability to heal or to manipulate the weather, and because of this, they are hunted. I love the way that the real and magical worlds blend in these books. The "real" world of Ketterdam is just as compelling as the magical elements. It's full of fascinating details, from the structure of the gangs, to the languages, to the descriptions of other countries in this world.
Each of the characters has a pretty colorful past, and each must reshape who they are as people, to varying degrees. The books also explore the various forces that drive people, whether it's love, greed, duty, revenge, or something else. The reason that I love books that feature people from different backgrounds who come together is because there is something very powerful about the families that are forged not by blood, but by choice. I loved reading about the various relationships between these characters, and what brought them together in the first place. I really appreciated that Bardugo doesn't rush these relationships and really takes the time to show us they've developed over the years.
These books had me on the edge of my seat. There's so much action and excitement- I was practically biting my fingernails because I was anxious to know what happened next. I also have this bad habit of skimming forward a couple of paragraphs when something really exciting is happening before I catch myself and go back. I found myself doing that a lot with these books. I could go on and on about these books, but I'll stop myself here (but if anyone wants to discuss in the comments, I'm game!). I do think that Leigh Bardugo left the ending rather open-ended and she could totally write a third book if she wanted to. Fingers crossed that that wish comes true one day- I'd be thrilled to revisit this world!
This is a spoiler-free review of both Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
Guys guys guys. Multiple people told me to read these a while ago and I had it on my TBR for ages. I wish I'd listened to them and read this right away because I loved. this. series. Witty dialogue, action and adventure, a fantastic world, amazing characters- these books had it all.
Let's start with the characters. Ugh, they were so good. If I were to give a very brief description of the plot, I'd say that it's about six characters who band together to pull off a heist, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Each character has their specific skill set and distinct, unique personalities. I love when a group of different people band together for a common purpose, and this book delivers that in spades. I can't talk about how great these characters are without mentioning my favorite, Inej. She's a young woman who's been through so much trauma, but is somehow still standing. She's learned how to take care of herself and survive in a cutthroat world. She fiercely protects the people she loves, and at the same time, can show compassion to her enemies. All of the characters are really well done in these books, but I couldn't help but gush a little about Inej because her grace and strength really spoke to me.
These are the first books I've read by Leigh Bardugo, so I was completely unfamiliar with the Grisha universe. That meant that was I rather confused by some of the terms in the beginning. Once I caught up though, I was completely fascinated by this world. The Grisha have special powers, such as the ability to heal or to manipulate the weather, and because of this, they are hunted. I love the way that the real and magical worlds blend in these books. The "real" world of Ketterdam is just as compelling as the magical elements. It's full of fascinating details, from the structure of the gangs, to the languages, to the descriptions of other countries in this world.
Each of the characters has a pretty colorful past, and each must reshape who they are as people, to varying degrees. The books also explore the various forces that drive people, whether it's love, greed, duty, revenge, or something else. The reason that I love books that feature people from different backgrounds who come together is because there is something very powerful about the families that are forged not by blood, but by choice. I loved reading about the various relationships between these characters, and what brought them together in the first place. I really appreciated that Bardugo doesn't rush these relationships and really takes the time to show us they've developed over the years.
These books had me on the edge of my seat. There's so much action and excitement- I was practically biting my fingernails because I was anxious to know what happened next. I also have this bad habit of skimming forward a couple of paragraphs when something really exciting is happening before I catch myself and go back. I found myself doing that a lot with these books. I could go on and on about these books, but I'll stop myself here (but if anyone wants to discuss in the comments, I'm game!). I do think that Leigh Bardugo left the ending rather open-ended and she could totally write a third book if she wanted to. Fingers crossed that that wish comes true one day- I'd be thrilled to revisit this world!
Guys guys guys. Multiple people told me to read these a while ago and I had it on my TBR for ages. I wish I'd listened to them and read this right away because I loved. this. series. Witty dialogue, action and adventure, a fantastic world, amazing characters- these books had it all.
Let's start with the characters. Ugh, they were so good. If I were to give a very brief description of the plot, I'd say that it's about six characters who band together to pull off a heist, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Each character has their specific skill set and distinct, unique personalities. I love when a group of different people band together for a common purpose, and this book delivers that in spades. I can't talk about how great these characters are without mentioning my favorite, Inej. She's a young woman who's been through so much trauma, but is somehow still standing. She's learned how to take care of herself and survive in a cutthroat world. She fiercely protects the people she loves, and at the same time, can show compassion to her enemies. All of the characters are really well done in these books, but I couldn't help but gush a little about Inej because her grace and strength really spoke to me.
These are the first books I've read by Leigh Bardugo, so I was completely unfamiliar with the Grisha universe. That meant that was I rather confused by some of the terms in the beginning. Once I caught up though, I was completely fascinated by this world. The Grisha have special powers, such as the ability to heal or to manipulate the weather, and because of this, they are hunted. I love the way that the real and magical worlds blend in these books. The "real" world of Ketterdam is just as compelling as the magical elements. It's full of fascinating details, from the structure of the gangs, to the languages, to the descriptions of other countries in this world.
Each of the characters has a pretty colorful past, and each must reshape who they are as people, to varying degrees. The books also explore the various forces that drive people, whether it's love, greed, duty, revenge, or something else. The reason that I love books that feature people from different backgrounds who come together is because there is something very powerful about the families that are forged not by blood, but by choice. I loved reading about the various relationships between these characters, and what brought them together in the first place. I really appreciated that Bardugo doesn't rush these relationships and really takes the time to show us they've developed over the years.
These books had me on the edge of my seat. There's so much action and excitement- I was practically biting my fingernails because I was anxious to know what happened next. I also have this bad habit of skimming forward a couple of paragraphs when something really exciting is happening before I catch myself and go back. I found myself doing that a lot with these books. I could go on and on about these books, but I'll stop myself here (but if anyone wants to discuss in the comments, I'm game!). I do think that Leigh Bardugo left the ending rather open-ended and she could totally write a third book if she wanted to. Fingers crossed that that wish comes true one day- I'd be thrilled to revisit this world!
This was such a good read. It was a very comfortable read for me- I feel like I settled into the story straight away. This book reminded me that I enjoy reading about complicated families (aren't all families complicated though?).
This book is about parenting, motherhood, families, growing up and much more. I love that it was set in a small town because I feel like they make for such cozy settings. I also really liked Straub's observations about parenthood and families. They really rang true to me, even though I'm not a parent. For example, she describes how parents with multiple kids are different versions of themselves for each child. I have two siblings and I know this to be true. The parents that raised me were not 100% the same as the parents that raised my younger brother, which makes sense to me since humans are constantly growing and changing and being shaped by their experiences.
I find it comforting to read about characters that are real, flawed humans, even when you don't agree with their decisions and want them to make better choices (cough, cough, Porter, cough). I want to feel like the characters are real people, continuing their lives outside of the confines of this novel, and I felt that with the Strick family.
I'd only read one other Straub novel before this, THE VACATIONERS, and I much preferred this one. If you like reading about family relationships that are a little bit messy, or books with small-town settings, or books about everyday life, then this just might be the book for you.
This book is about parenting, motherhood, families, growing up and much more. I love that it was set in a small town because I feel like they make for such cozy settings. I also really liked Straub's observations about parenthood and families. They really rang true to me, even though I'm not a parent. For example, she describes how parents with multiple kids are different versions of themselves for each child. I have two siblings and I know this to be true. The parents that raised me were not 100% the same as the parents that raised my younger brother, which makes sense to me since humans are constantly growing and changing and being shaped by their experiences.
I find it comforting to read about characters that are real, flawed humans, even when you don't agree with their decisions and want them to make better choices (cough, cough, Porter, cough). I want to feel like the characters are real people, continuing their lives outside of the confines of this novel, and I felt that with the Strick family.
I'd only read one other Straub novel before this, THE VACATIONERS, and I much preferred this one. If you like reading about family relationships that are a little bit messy, or books with small-town settings, or books about everyday life, then this just might be the book for you.