thereadingraccoon's reviews
1495 reviews

An ALC (advanced listening copy) was provided by Penguin Audio for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From Here to the Great Unknown is the memoir of Lisa Marie Presley, co-authored by her daughter Riley Keough. The only child of the “King of Rock and Roll” reflects on her days at Graceland, the shocking loss of her father, her wild teenage years living with her mother in L.A., and her career, marriages, and children. Unfortunately, Lisa Marie passed away before the memoir was completed, but her adult daughter, actress Riley Keough, took on the task of finishing it, adding her own recollections and observations.

I found Lisa Marie’s life fascinating, and the book filled in a lot of misinformation and assumptions made about her over the years. Everything from her childhood with her father and extended family at Graceland to her brief, high-profile marriage to Michael Jackson is covered in detail. Throughout the memoir, and especially towards the end, Riley’s voice emerges as she shares memories of her mother’s life and addresses Lisa Marie’s untimely death at the age of 54.

I believe readers will come away understanding that Lisa Marie was a daddy’s girl who lost her father too young, a reluctant celebrity, an artist in her own right, and a loving mother who never fully recovered from the tragic loss of her son to suicide in 2020. I admire the strength it took for Riley to complete her mother’s memoir while mourning both her brother and Lisa Marie. Both women are brave and honest in their recollections, and I recommend this book to readers who enjoy memoirs about rock-and-roll royalty, celebrities, and mothers.

🎧 Audiobook notes: The audio edition of From Here to the Great Unknown is voiced by Julia Roberts (reading Lisa Marie’s sections), Riley Keough (reading her own chapters), and voice recordings of Lisa Marie herself. Julia and Riley, being seasoned actresses, do an excellent job narrating the emotion of this memoir, and Lisa Marie’s voice recordings add authenticity to the storytelling.

American Rapture by CJ Leede

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challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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

4.0

American Rapture is a pandemic horror novel about a sheltered teenage girl trying to find her last remaining family member in a rapidly changing America.

Sophie is a sixteen-year-old private school student in Wisconsin when a pandemic that turns its victims into violent sexual aggressors starts spreading across the country. However, Sophie is severely insulated by her conservative Catholic parents, and with no exposure to television or news, she has no idea how bad it is. The pandemic quickly reaches her own community, and Sophie finds herself alone on the road, searching for her brother, who was sent to a church conversion school years before. By teaming up with other adults and teens, Sophie finally has to confront her own religious beliefs and fears while trying to survive a horrible new reality.

This is a deeply moving novel about what it would be like to be a teenage girl struggling with her own femininity in a modern world that sends women mixed messages about their value. There are some devastating losses on her journey, which are difficult to read, but I found the story oddly hopeful.

Rating: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Audiobook Notes: American Rapture is narrated by Moniqua Plante, who does an excellent job with Sophie’s youthful voice and conveys the tension and drama of the story.

Disclaimer: An advanced audio copy of American Rapture was provided by Macmillan Audio for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content Warnings

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Fang Fiction is a contemporary paranormal romance about a hotel manager who tries to help a group of vampires stuck in an alternate New York City.

Tess is a former grad student and Williamsburg hotel manager who is part of the fandom for a series of vampire novels called Blood Feud. Despite being sold as fiction, the books are actually based on rival vampire clans stuck in a parallel New York City, unable to escape. When one of the vampires, Octavia, finds a way out, she seeks Tess’s help after reading her Buzzfeed article on Blood Feud conspiracy theories. Octavia is alone, without her twin Callum or her powers, and needs Tess to cross over to the island and pass a message to her brother. But things quickly go sideways, and it will be up to Tess, Callum, and the clan on one side, and Octavia and Tess’s friend Joni on the other, to end the curse.

This book tried to be a lot of things and ultimately fell short for me. Tess dropped out of college after being assaulted, which set a serious tone, but there are also rom-com moments, pop culture references, and two very rushed romances. I didn’t feel any chemistry or connection between any of the romantic partners, or even between Tess and her entire friendship with Joni. The plot felt odd to me, and the curse, the island, and the entire vampire lore weren’t intriguing or fun to read. It also didn’t feel particularly like New York at all and could have taken place in any big city.

This one didn’t work for me.

Content Warnings

The Fate of Magic by Beth Revis, Sara Raasch

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adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The Fate of Magic is the second book in the young adult fantasy “Witch and Hunter duology.

In this book we have the main characters Fritzi and Otto living in the Black Forest among the witches of the Well. They will need to complete a “bonding” ceremony as Fritzi is the champion of a goddess and Otto is her warrior. They will share magic and use it to defeat Fritzi’s villainous brother Dieter who despite his arrest in the last book is a threat to witches and humans everywhere. But they’ll need to find him first and make sure he doesn’t get his hands on the three elemental stones that will destroy the Origin Tree and give him uncapped access to magic and power.

I really enjoyed the first book in this duology but this book was missing a lot of excitement and drama for me. There are a couple of scenes of action and fighting but the rest was a lot of detail I didn’t care about around the magical system, goddesses and who should and shouldn’t have access. It has a satisfying conclusion but I was hoping for the similar feeling I got from the first book.

Rating: 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclosure: A copy of The Fate of Magic was provided by the publisher for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

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emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.0

Disclosure: A free audiobook listening copy (ALC) of When the World Tips Over was provided by Penguin Random House Audio for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When the World Tips Over is a young adult contemporary novel about siblings grappling with connection and acceptance, with elements of magical realism woven throughout.

Dizzy, Miles, and Wynton Fall are still dealing with the abandonment of their father, Theo, more than a decade earlier. Meanwhile, a young girl named Cassidy has been growing up on the backroads of California, traveling in a yellow RV called “Sadie Mae” with her free-spirited mother. As she enters her teen years, the challenges of being out of school, isolated from peers, and dealing with her mother’s mental health begin to weigh on her. She longs for stability and a true home. When Cassidy crosses paths with each of the Fall siblings, she brings them together in unexpected ways, becoming a catalyst for revealing long-held secrets.

When the World Tips Over explores a family cursed over generations by animosity between brothers, secrets, and betrayal. Yet, at its core, it is also about the deep love within families and how the universe can unexpectedly bring people together. I love Jandy Nelson’s writing—the depth and beauty of her characters truly shine through.

Rating: 4 stars

🎧 Narration notes: The audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch, Alex McKenna, Briggon Snow, Caitlin Kinnunen, and Julia Whelan, who bring the characters to life with their distinct voices. Their performances help capture the personalities of each character, enhancing the listening experience.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

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dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Sequel is the follow up to the 2021 thriller The Plot.

Anna Williams-Bonner is now a “literary widow” and carrying on the work of publicizing her late husband’s books. After being the subject of both her (now dead) brother’s manuscript and her husband Jake’s successful novel she decides to try her own hand at writing. But messages are starting to appear at her book signings, to her in-laws and finally her editor that make it clear that someone knows where Jake’s inspiration came from and Anna can’t let that her out.

Anna is not a good person. The reader should not root for her or cheer on any of the murderous lengths she’ll go to. But her sly humor and ability to cut through b.s. make it impossible not to be curious about what she’s capable of doing. Everything from her observations around book signings, dealing with the publishing industry and her ruthless dissection of both her brother and her husband is hilarious to read despite knowing that they were her victims. I love Jean Hanff Korelitz’s way with words and she’s become a favorite writer of mine.

Disclosure: a copy of The Sequel was provided by the publisher for review purposes but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard

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mysterious tense 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

4.0

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco is a mystery about a local tour guide operator who finds herself caught up in two separate murder cases.

Before Capri Sanzio was born, her grandfather was convicted of a series of murders in San Francisco and nicknamed “Overkill Bill.” Now, nearly 60 years later, another murderer is copycatting those crimes, and one of the victims is Capri’s own wealthy socialite mother-in-law, Sylvia. Capri needs to get to the bottom of her grandfather’s case and find out how it’s connected to Sylvia before she and her daughter become suspects.

I enjoyed this murder mystery, especially its main character, the amateur detective Capri. It was refreshing to read about a forty-something divorced woman juggling a business and an adult daughter in college. The story includes a lot of details about San Francisco, which makes a great backdrop for the crimes, both old and new. You can really feel the author’s love for the city coming through on the page. I also liked the side characters, like her friends Ryan and Heather, and the handsome Homicide Inspector Dan Petito. I’m not sure I fully followed the financial aspect of the current crime, but it was still a solid mystery. I look forward to reading more by Michelle Chouinard and hope this becomes a series.

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thereadingraccoon's reviews 1495 reviews

thereadingraccoon's reviews
1495 reviews