Everything Here Is Beautiful. 5 stars. I can’t get enough of novels about sisters, and this is a great one. Strong recommend.
The Power. 5 stars. Women suddenly develop a physical advantage over men. They do not use their power for good. Cathartic as hell and I am here for it forever.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle. 5 stars. I’m mortified by how little I’ve read of Shirley Jackson! Super creepy and flat out awesome.
An American Marriage. 4 stars. My kind of love story, for sure. Good story, good characters, very solid novel.
Less. 5 stars. I truly loved this. Poignant and funny with some really beautiful writing. I will never forget this book.
Sunburn. 4 stars. Very noirish thriller that I could not put down. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but still very worth a read. Great for on a plane or at the beach.
The Great Alone. 3 stars. I don’t know, everyone seems to love this one. For me, it really fell apart about halfway through. Way too melodramatic and corny for my taste. Hated the ending.
The Girls in the Picture. 4 stars. I love Old Hollywood fiction. This took its time, but also left me wanting more. I feel confident saying that if it seems like something you would like, you will like it.
Anatomy of a Scandal. 2 stars. How can a thriller be so boring? Most of this book is just the characters thinking about stuff. Riveting! I loved her first book but this was torture.
What it Means when a Man Falls from the Sky. 4 stars. Story collections are pretty much always a mixed bag. There are enough standouts here to make it very worthwhile. I’ll never forget Windfall…that one was haunting.
The Wedding Date. 4 stars. A little light, and not completely my thing. But if you like romance and don’t mind a standard boy meets girl plot, this is charming and fun with great characters.
Mrs. 1 star. Decent writing but the plot is incredibly mean spirited. I’m still mad about this one.
Top picks: Great month! Less and The Power are must reads. High rec for Everything Here Is Beautiful and What it Means when a Man Falls from the Sky. If you’re as Shirley Jackson deficient as I am, then dive in with me!
