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vistacanas's reviews
448 reviews
The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard
The Rib King offers a peek into the lives of characters tied to the wealthy Tillman family in early 20th century America. The first half of the book focuses on August Sitwell, a servant in the Tillman household, whose culinary skills catapult him to fame.
Just as you settle into August's story, there’s an abrupt shift to Jennie, another servant in the household. Having bonded with August, this was quite unsettling. Plus, not only does the author skip over the most pivotal scene in the book, she never provides closure to August’s story from his point of view.
Despite the jolt of the character transition and its general predictability, this was an enjoyable read that gave me a glimpse into an racially tense era in U.S. history through the eyes of a host of vibrant and likable characters.
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
“You can’t wish this world away and you can’t shoot your way out either. You just have to find the strength to rise above it. By being excellent. That’s how you cope with this world, Jennie…quality is what endures. Excellence is what’s real.”
The Rib King offers a peek into the lives of characters tied to the wealthy Tillman family in early 20th century America. The first half of the book focuses on August Sitwell, a servant in the Tillman household, whose culinary skills catapult him to fame.
Just as you settle into August's story, there’s an abrupt shift to Jennie, another servant in the household. Having bonded with August, this was quite unsettling. Plus, not only does the author skip over the most pivotal scene in the book, she never provides closure to August’s story from his point of view.
Despite the jolt of the character transition and its general predictability, this was an enjoyable read that gave me a glimpse into an racially tense era in U.S. history through the eyes of a host of vibrant and likable characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Classism, and Murder
Moderate: Death
Minor: Police brutality
Days of Awe by Lauren Fox
Set against the backdrop of suburban life, "Days of Awe" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. It follows Isabel Moore, a woman grappling with grief and self-discovery following the sudden death of her best friend. As Isabel navigates the complexities of loss, friendship, and the search for meaning, she finds herself confronting her past and reevaluating her relationships with those closest to her.
I'm not sure how it ended up on my shelf...my best guess is that I picked it up while thrifting because I'd heard of Lauren Fox before. My expectations were on the low side, probably because I peeked at the 3.26 rating before I started reading it.
With one exception, the writing was very good. It's a little baffling that such a talented writer would drop one of the most annoying clichés ~ if you're in any online book groups, you're likely familiar with the "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" one. I wonder...do authors do this on purpose or are they really that unaware?
I'm always a fan when characters are well developed ~ and that was definitely the case with this book. Isabel was the perfectly imperfect main character and narrator of the book. And, luckily I loved, and completely related, to her.
If you are or were a suburban mom or a middle school teacher and don't require much action to love a book, it's very likely enjoy this one!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
"As I get older, my life simultaneously shrinks and grows, shedding delusions as it picks up complications."
Set against the backdrop of suburban life, "Days of Awe" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. It follows Isabel Moore, a woman grappling with grief and self-discovery following the sudden death of her best friend. As Isabel navigates the complexities of loss, friendship, and the search for meaning, she finds herself confronting her past and reevaluating her relationships with those closest to her.
I'm not sure how it ended up on my shelf...my best guess is that I picked it up while thrifting because I'd heard of Lauren Fox before. My expectations were on the low side, probably because I peeked at the 3.26 rating before I started reading it.
With one exception, the writing was very good. It's a little baffling that such a talented writer would drop one of the most annoying clichés ~ if you're in any online book groups, you're likely familiar with the "I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding" one. I wonder...do authors do this on purpose or are they really that unaware?
I'm always a fan when characters are well developed ~ and that was definitely the case with this book. Isabel was the perfectly imperfect main character and narrator of the book. And, luckily I loved, and completely related, to her.
If you are or were a suburban mom or a middle school teacher and don't require much action to love a book, it's very likely enjoy this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Genocide, Miscarriage, and Suicide
The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia
Segovia's writing is simply stunning. Just like Isabel Allende, she weaves a rich and slow-burning story with a bit of magical realism and fascinating characters that stick with you even when you’re not reading.
Narrated by an elderly man recalling his childhood growing up with his adopted brother in Linares, Mexico, the story is mostly touching, sometimes tense and sad, and ends on a seriously bittersweet note.
The book came so close to making my all-time favorites list…the only reason it didn’t is because I was inexplicably reluctant to pick it up at times despite adoring it. I blame social media for speeding up my brain!
Read this book! It’s absolutely beautiful.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“…she feigned strength, as she would do for a long time, and by feigning it she would end up believing it, and by believing it, she would make it a reality.”
Segovia's writing is simply stunning. Just like Isabel Allende, she weaves a rich and slow-burning story with a bit of magical realism and fascinating characters that stick with you even when you’re not reading.
Narrated by an elderly man recalling his childhood growing up with his adopted brother in Linares, Mexico, the story is mostly touching, sometimes tense and sad, and ends on a seriously bittersweet note.
The book came so close to making my all-time favorites list…the only reason it didn’t is because I was inexplicably reluctant to pick it up at times despite adoring it. I blame social media for speeding up my brain!
Read this book! It’s absolutely beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Classism, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl was a favorite so I was excited to read this book. It was good, but not as good as Gillian Flynn’s masterpiece.
This one was a bit overdone, I thought. And, definitely more predictable. That being said, “more predictable” for Gillian is still far less predictable than other authors. This was still a fun romp on the dark side that pulls you in and keeps you there!
dark
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
3.75
“She’d always been one of those types of girls who wanted what anyone else had even if she didn’t want it.”
Gone Girl was a favorite so I was excited to read this book. It was good, but not as good as Gillian Flynn’s masterpiece.
This one was a bit overdone, I thought. And, definitely more predictable. That being said, “more predictable” for Gillian is still far less predictable than other authors. This was still a fun romp on the dark side that pulls you in and keeps you there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Murder, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcohol
Purpose: An Immigrant's Story by Wyclef Jean, Anthony Bozza
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Mediocre writing; not interested
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Esoteric fantasies are just not my thing!
The Outcasts of Time by Ian Mortimer
As a historical fiction buff, I was excited about this book. But, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
First off, the characters…I was hoping for more depth. The author only lets you in to the main character, but not very far. Pretty much all that is shared is his angst. I wanted to get deeper inside his head and heart, but that never happened.
Second, the time-traveling aspect…despite being fairly knowledgeable about English history, I needed more background info on each era the characters visited. A little summary at the start of each chapter would’ve given me more context so I could connect deeper to the story.
While this book didn’t totally knock my socks off, its thought-provoking theme and ultimate message at the end made me glad I read it.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
“You did the greatest good a man can do — only you do not see it, for you are looking only at yourself. You must see what you mean to others to know your true worth.”
As a historical fiction buff, I was excited about this book. But, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
First off, the characters…I was hoping for more depth. The author only lets you in to the main character, but not very far. Pretty much all that is shared is his angst. I wanted to get deeper inside his head and heart, but that never happened.
Second, the time-traveling aspect…despite being fairly knowledgeable about English history, I needed more background info on each era the characters visited. A little summary at the start of each chapter would’ve given me more context so I could connect deeper to the story.
While this book didn’t totally knock my socks off, its thought-provoking theme and ultimate message at the end made me glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, Death, and War
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Child death
Minor: Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail
Lucky You by Erika Carter
Yikes…the reviews on this one are not good! Had I looked at them before I chose this as my BOTM selection, I wouldn’t have picked it. It’s really a book for 20-somethings; not many people in my 50+ age group would have liked it, let alone finished. That being said, I didn’t hate it! The writing was good…it’s the story and characters that are irritating.
This was my BOTM pick because it was a story centered on the less-than-ideal realities of living off the grid…the “Whole Story,” so to speak. (Something I’m passionate about sharing on my social platforms.) Having entered the post-honeymoon phase of my life in Panamá, after living without power for a year, this topic piqued my interest.
It’s definitely not a pretty story. The 23-ish year old characters are entitled, dysfunctional, irresponsible and have completely wonky moral compasses from beginning to end. The story brings to light how easy it is to start and be sucked into a cult. But, I was empathetic to some of their angst, particularly around work and purpose so there were parts I could relate to.
Honestly, if you’re past 40, the odds are you’ll find this book highly annoying, so I feel safe in recommending a hard pass. If you’re in your 20s, it’s definitely worth a shot!
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The quieter you become, the more you can hear.
Yikes…the reviews on this one are not good! Had I looked at them before I chose this as my BOTM selection, I wouldn’t have picked it. It’s really a book for 20-somethings; not many people in my 50+ age group would have liked it, let alone finished. That being said, I didn’t hate it! The writing was good…it’s the story and characters that are irritating.
This was my BOTM pick because it was a story centered on the less-than-ideal realities of living off the grid…the “Whole Story,” so to speak. (Something I’m passionate about sharing on my social platforms.) Having entered the post-honeymoon phase of my life in Panamá, after living without power for a year, this topic piqued my interest.
It’s definitely not a pretty story. The 23-ish year old characters are entitled, dysfunctional, irresponsible and have completely wonky moral compasses from beginning to end. The story brings to light how easy it is to start and be sucked into a cult. But, I was empathetic to some of their angst, particularly around work and purpose so there were parts I could relate to.
Honestly, if you’re past 40, the odds are you’ll find this book highly annoying, so I feel safe in recommending a hard pass. If you’re in your 20s, it’s definitely worth a shot!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Drug use, and War
Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, Mental illness, Body shaming, and Eating disorder