Review: The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The premise of this book was right up my alley but I found the author's execution to be less than great. It felt like a very uneven book to me. There were times that I found the content fascinating ... and didn't want to put it down yet there were just as many times where I became bored, wanting to move on and into the next section. The flow seemed jagged to me at times. The path of the book was very haphazard to me which was frustrating to me as a reader.

Although this is a fine book, it just didn't meet my expectations and it didn't take me to the places that I expected to go. This book was about more than just psychopathy - it was just as much a commentary on the entire psychological industry as a study of psychopathy. Interesting but not exactly what I was expecting. Jon Ronson is definitely a good writer ... I just feel like he did the topic of psychopathy a disservice by not keeping the more content focused. Again, not a bad book, just not a book that really centers around the topic that it leads you to believe that it is about.

I recommend this if you are interested in learning about more than psychopathy - the entire realm of psychiatry is really more the focus in this one. For a study of psychopathy, you might want to look elsewhere!

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Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first John Green novel and I can't wait to read more of his work. I really enjoyed this novel. I thought the story was great, the characters were fantastic and the dialogue alone was some of the best I've read in awhile. John Green definitely has writing chops! I don't know many teenagers who actually speak like the characters in this book but I like the idea that there could be teenagers like this out there somewhere! The intelligence and wit of these two characters was so fun to read. The story isn't all roses and sunshine which I also liked. It felt more realistic and had moments of both dark and light (very much like real life). I feel weird saying that I enjoyed a book about kids with cancer but I did. I think it was a great read that kept me interested. My only disappointment was the Amsterdam storyline which felt like it was thrown in there and didn't really connect with the rest of the book. That piece is the sole reason that I'm not giving this one 5 stars - it was so close but didn't quite make it there. Definitely a strong 4 and a half stars! Beyond the odd Amsterdam piece, I really enjoyed this one and plan to seek out more John Green content soon! I definitely recommend checking this one out!

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Review: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a surprise this nice little novel was! It was sweet and utterly readable! Definitely a nice summer read! I loved the characters and the setting - Sarah Jio does a fantastic job creating both great characters and a setting that comes to life.

There were definitely flaws here but I can easily overlook them because I was so swept up into the novel that I barely noticed them until after I was finished reading. I figured out the mystery very early on but that fact didn't detract from the story for me. And I think some of the story elements were pretty unrealistic. BUT, I think its a nice, engaging read that will capture your attention!

I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light, engaging read!

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Review: Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book had such potential ... the premise sounded so wonderful. And I understand why so many seem to love it. But, I just didn't love it that way. I liked it. It was a solid read but it didn't capture me the way that I'd imagined it would. I think the story is very contemporary and that it's an important one to be told but the flaws kept what could be great from actually being great.

The characters were very well written. I found them all to be complex, interesting and compelling. The relationships among them is where this novel really shines. There were moment of magic when the characters came together in certain ways. Alice's relationship with her father as well as her relationship with her uncle are two relationships that captured something very real and important. That is such a wonderful part of this novel - the relationships that gave Alice what she needed as she takes her journey.

So what were the things that I didn't love? Well, the pacing seemed off to me so I never really felt compelled to keep reading from chapter to chapter. Although I liked the characters and the story, I just never felt that the story grabbed me in the way you want a story to grab you. The timing/pacing and the story itself felt disjointed ... almost alien from each other in some ways. Sometimes it came together effortlessly and other times it was so disjointed that I wondered why I was continuing to read.

However, this book is worth reading, in my opinion, since the story needs to be told & the relationships are really well written. There are definitely moments of magic in this novel which make up for the flaws, in my opinion. Can't wait to see what Laura Harrington has for us in the future!

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Review: Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I keep waiting for Jennifer Weiner to blow me away again in the same way she did that very first time that I read her work. And, I find myself enjoying the books she has written since Good In Bed but none of them have quite captured me the way that one did.

This was a good book. A solid, enjoyable read that kept my interest throughout. I liked the characters and the story itself was fairly compelling. What's disappointing is that it had the bones for a really good novel but never made it past good. It's fine but not one that I will probably remember for the long haul.

I kept waiting for that moment ... that moment that takes a good book to a great one. But, it just never came. And that disappointed me. I hope that Weiner eventually finds the magic again that I found in her earlier couple of novels. This one might be an interesting discussion for a reading group but I have trouble in recommending it wholeheartedly because its not nearly as compelling as so many other books that are out there.

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Review: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I quite liked this novel but I wasn't as wow'd by it as I'd hoped. It had so many fantastic elements but it just never captured my attention the way I'd hoped it would. Although I appreciate Shakespeare, I'm not a HUGE fan so that component of the book, while clever, wasn't particularly compelling to me, in and of itself.

The first-person-plural narration was was new to me - I think it was the first time I'd read something with that type of narration. It took awhile to get used to but in the end I think it added something interesting to the book & really fit into the focus on the relationships within this group of sisters. I thought the three sisters were very well written and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout the novel.

I think my primary issues with this novel were in the pacing and in the fact that I thought the overall story was fairly predictable. The story didn't really bring anything new ... it didn't take long for me to see where all of the pieces and parts were going to fall. So, it was disappointing to be right about that. And the pacing ... I can't really get my head around exactly what it was about the pacing that bothered me except to say that it did.

Overall, I did like this one but it wasn't as wonderful as I'd hoped. I hope we see more from Eleanor Brown in the future ... based on this novel, I suspect we'll see more and more wonderful work in her future!

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Review: Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Night Road by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BEWARE - this book will tear your heart out and make you CRY. A lot. A whole lot. Well, it's a Kristin Hannah novel and I've found that most of hers have that affect on me. They pull my heartstrings and I end up curled up, sobbing by the end. She just has a way of doing that to me.

This particular one REALLY struck a chord with me due to the fact that the story centers around boy/girl fraternal twins and I have boy/girl fraternal twins. It was hard to separate the events of the book and my own experience as a parent. I could relate to quite a bit of this novel.

I don't even remember how many times this book brought me to tears but it was at least 3-5 separate times. Wow. Talk about emotionally compelling!

I definitely recommend this one if you're ok with being brought to your knees emotionally and spending 1/4 of the book with tears in your eyes. It really is a great read! Definitely worth every tear!

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Review: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so surprised by how much I loved this book! I think its FANTASTIC! And it helped explain a lot of how I experience the world and why certain things do and do not work for me. Being an introvert can be very tricky in today's society and I found this book so reassuring!

This book is very readable. It's a pretty quick read, moving fast & keeping the readers attention consistently. The variety of situations and topics covered in the book were great. There was a good mix of explanation, tips and examples within the book.

I think this would be good for both introverts AND extroverts to read - to help us all understand one another better. I can think of a number of people in my own life that I wish would read this so they can better understand some of the choices that I make instead of treating me as if I'm crazy for those choices. I think it would be valuable for ALL of us to better understand one another and work together to honor the BEST in everyone!

I strongly recommend this one!

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Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although i didn't love this one nearly as much as the first in the series, it was a solid second book in a trilogy. It didn't quite wow me as much as the first but I did enjoy it and I will continue with the 3rd book when it comes out.

I still find the world that Veronica Roth has created to be interesting and compelling. However, I think what this book is missing is the fast moving plotting that was so central to Divergent. This book definitely felt like more of a set up book ... just a gateway to the final book in the trilogy. There was a focus on character development in this one but not much moving forward of the overall plot of the trilogy. I like the characters so I was OK with that but it did make this one a little less compelling than the first.

All in all, I enjoyed this one despite its flaws. I will definitely be reading the last book. I'm interested in seeing where Veronica Roth takes the story next. If you enjoyed the first one, I do recommend this one. It's not quite as good but its definitely worth a read!

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Review: The Expats by Chris Pavone

The Expats: A Novel by Chris Pavone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was hesitant to read this novel initially because although I'd heard good things (Michael from the Books on the Nightstand, specifically) and the description sounded amazing, the reviews on Goodreads were not particularly strong. Given how many books I want to read, I didn't really want to spend a lot of time reading a book that everyone seemed to not like. However, the premise of the story drew me in so I decided to go for it!

And I'm so glad that I did! Although not a perfect book, it's definitely an interesting concept that intrigued me from page one! I'm not telling you much about it because part of what I enjoyed most was seeing the story come together as I was reading. Knowing too much would take away some of the very thing that I liked about the novel.

The first part of the novel was a bit slow but it did pick up and then sped up, racing to the end. I thought the story was compelling - the idea behind the novel unique. The characters weren't outstanding but they were pretty good. I don't think that took away from my enjoyment of the book. For me, this one was about story and mystery. I overlooked a lot because I thought the story and the mystery central to the novel were so well done.

I will say that I felt the story could have used a bit more depth and texture. There were times when it felt a bit stale and bland. Yet, other times it felt fully realized with a lot of depth. I guess it was uneven in that way, for me. But, I easily overlooked that because I loved so much of the novel.

I thought this was a good literary mystery (hard to characterize this one, in my opinion) and I would recommend it to others. But, know that many on Goodreads didn't care for it as much as I did!

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Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was such a treat! I loved the fact that the story is based upon a Russian fairytale - it certainly had a magical vibe. I was very taken with the characters, the story, and the setting. The setting was probably one of the things I loved most - Eowyn Ivey made the Alaskan wilderness come alive. It was certainly a character in the book as much as any of the people. This one is fairly slow - it it told quietly, slowly and deliberately. I liked that aspect of the novel but I can see where some might feel like its too slow moving.

The characters were so well drawn and their relationships were characterized very effectively. I really came to care deeply about all of them. This is a very quiet book that focuses on the characters and their relationships. And its fantastic! Mabel and her relationship with her husband is at the heart of the story and I found myself very enchanted by their love for one another.

Eowyn Ivey has a way with words - her prose just comes alive off of the page. She really made me FEEL like I was in Alaska with these people. And I didn't want to leave.

This book is really unlike any that I've read before which is one of the things that is so special about it. It's outstanding and enchanting and wonderful! I can't wait to see what Eowyn Ivey has in store for us in her future novels! I definitely recommend this one!

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Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really struggled with rating this one - it was really more of a 3 and a half for me. On the one hand, I thought the book was good - interesting characters, the setting was fascinating & the story of these characters is really gripping and feels true to the setting. However, there were some flaws for me - primarily, the speed & pacing was horrible in my opinion. Some of the writing was uneven to me - some places it was so beautiful that it was almost poetic yet In others, it was dense and repetitive and in need of serious editing. In my opinion, that took away from the overall impact of the story. But, its a really good book in terms of portraying a very specific time, place and cultural/socioeconomic reality. So, I'm ultimately torn in my assessment of the novel.

The descriptions of the impact of Hurricane Katrina was extremely well done. I really felt as if I was there - experiencing the impact along with the characters. Although the actual Hurricane Katrina pieces didn't happen until late in the book, those are the chapters that I think stand out. They are so well written and descriptive as to give the reader a true sense of how riding out Hurricane Katrina (and the aftermath of the impact) must have been for the impoverished families in that community. It was just a stunning portrayal of Katrina.

This novel is NOT easy to read. Beyond the pacing of the novel, there is a dog fighting component as well as a lot of poverty and other kinds of darkness. The dog fighting was well done, in my opinion. It's never fun to read about that kind of brutality but I think it gave me a new perspective on the practice that I'd never thought about. I'll still never understand it. But, I thought that component really gave the story itself another layer that complimented the overall themes. And I didn't find it too graphic - just graphic enough to show the true brutality of the practice but not graphic enough to make me put the book down. The poverty and situations the characters find themselves in were certainly disturbing as well. This is not an uplifting novel. It's dark, haunting and raw.

I think this one is definitely worth the read, despite its flaws. I understand why so many people are giving raving reviews but this novel ultimately didn't wow me. I am eager to see what Jesmyn Ward has in store for us in the future.

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Review: Defending Jacob by William Landay

Defending Jacob by William Landay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book really has it all - it's a legal thriller with more nuances than the typical legal thriller. There is family drama, psychological exploration and more. I can't tell you much about the story as there are twists and turns that would too easily give up the story & the big 'twist' that is critical to the enjoyment of the novel (in my opinion).

The narrative is even and polished. The way that Landay weaves the story together is just fantastic. The story is strong as is the writing. Landay does a fantastic job of pushing the story forward, maintaining interest and momentum. Expert plotting combined with excellent dialogue makes for a fantastic read. In addition, the character development is great - I found the teen characters to be very authentic in comparison to what I have experienced with my teen step daughter and her friends.

All in all, this is a really strong legal thriller that is so much more than a legal thriller. It's a fantastic look at family, friendship, parenthood, and love. I definitely recommend this one! It is very readable yet offers much more than the typical legal thriller novel. And the end of the story was very satisfying to me - which isn't always the case with this sort of novel!


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Review: Sister by Rosamund Lupton

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm still struggling with my feelings about this book. I think a good description is that I liked it but I didn't love it.

It took awhile for me to find a flow with this book, in part because of how the story was told (the primary character talking directly to her missing sister & intertwining the past and the present) and in part because of the pacing of the book. In the end, I think that it was critical for the book to be written from this perspective and that it really gave the story something special. But, it didn't make reading easy in the early pages of the book.

I thought the mystery itself was solid. It was interesting & engaging. It certainly didn't give away the 'who done it' too early. Although I had my suspicions, I was questioning them throughout the novel. The twist at the end was really unique and definitely made the novel memorable. The interweaving of the twist throughout the book was done very well - it was there but I never fully picked up on it beyond something being there. That was a nice, pleasant surprise!

I think the writing was OK - sometimes really good and sometimes less than good. It had the feel of a first novel in that way. I think Rosamund Lupton has quite a future as a novelist. I'd definitely give her next book(s) a read! If you're a mystery fan, I think you'll really enjoy this one - it's a unique take on the mystery genre.

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Review: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm still not quite sure what I thought of this novel. It was frankly nothing like I'd expected and I'm still not entirely sure if I truly liked it.

It is a superbly written book! There were many places where I stopped to write passages down because I found them so beautifully stated or the thought memorable. Unfortunately, the great writing was not able to save this book for me. It did, however, keep it from being a 2 star book for me!

The pacing was one of my primary issues with this book. It took FOREVER for me to get into the book, to care one iota about the book. And because of how short the novel was, I'm not sure that I ever recovered from that ... it permeated the entire experience for me.

And the story itself just didn't ever quite capture my full interest, even the story's 'twist.' It was frankly a bit anti-climactic for me. I get why it resonated with others but it didn't quite do that for me. I never really liked any of the characters or even really understand them or their motivations. Perhaps that was a factor in my disliking the story. I found the ambiguous ending to be interesting and it did give me something to think about. Part of me wants to go back and read it again to put the pieces together again but I can't bring myself to care enough to actually re-read it given how much I didn't love my first read.

I have enjoyed reading the theories about the twist and the ending in some of my Goodreads groups. It's always interesting to get different perspectives and have people point out the things you missed or to help you see something in a new way!

I do think that there were some really nice pieces around memory and how we reflect on what we've done in the past.

I can see the value of this book and what some have called the author's brilliance at bringing it all together. I completely see that despite the fact that I didn't feel that way about it. Unfortunate, I cannot recommend this one. I think its a love it or hate it kind of book and I just didn't love it. Which doesn't mean that it doesn't have value, it just means that I'm hesitant to recommend it it others at this point!

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