Hellooooo! 2024 flew by for me. What a crazy year. And 2025 is not showing up to be less crazy so far. Writing on this blog was not a priority for me in 2024. Mostly because 2024 ended up becoming a pivotable year: from moving twice, to going through one logistically devastating breakup and entering a new relationship, including losing one job and starting a new one, losing a home, taking charge of my health, and also traveling to different areas of the United States. It was a year of change and growth, and I’ll forever be grateful for having gone through everything I did. Though would love to not go through some of those moments again.

I don’t get too personal on here, but I thought I’d share a bit more than normal to explain where I’ve been as my last review was earlier in 2024. And it’s a wrap-up and reflective blog post, so it does not need to be so central. Moving forward though, this blog might grow into a new area of how I share my thoughts and life, especially with all the changes we may witness over the course of 2025. Who knows though honestly, it might be this time next year in 2026 when I post again.

I wanted to take some time to share some of my notable and favorite reads from 2024. I read 31 books in 2024, a lot less than average. The named events mentioned above contributed to this lowering, but I still had a couple books stand out. Through my life changes in 2024, I was able to appreciate reading more. Reading, learning and engaging with someone else’s story or a subject helped me get outside my life and into a place that allowed me to grow more and learn new ideas. The below are in no particular rank or order.

Honorable mentions that you should check out later:

• Rouge by Mona Awad
• Funny Story by Emily Henry
• Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
• All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews

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Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (2024)

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Sierra Greer
2024 (Mariner Books)
Pages: Audiobook
Genres: Science Fiction, Feminism, Literary Fiction
CW: Sexual Assault, Emotional Abuse, Cheating, AI, Sexism, Sexual Content

Why did this book stand out to me? Annie Bot haunted me even after I stopped reading. It’s a wonderful novel of speculative science fiction that borders on eerie. The story is told through the perspective of an artificially intelligent, humanoid robot named Annie, who is designed to be for her owner, Doug’s, sexual pleasure and also as his girlfriend. She feels, grows and learns through her relationship with Doug, and the reader lays witness to the growth and realization Annie goes through as her relationship with Doug meets challenges and growth. The whole time Annie is not a typical woman, or written as one. And as we watch Doug take advantage of and use Annie because he views her as lesser than him, I found myself rooting for her as though she were human, and hoping the parallels to real women was not the case. But it turns out, I believe that was the case. Most human women go through similar realizations and revelations like Annie as they grow up in this society, and it broke my heart every time something would happen to Annie. The novel examines womanhood and what it means to be truly free. I cannot highly recommend this one enough. Reading it brought on feelings of discomfort, but honestly I felt like that was the point. Go read it.

Water & Salt by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha (2017)

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
2017 (Red Hen Press)
Pages: 96 (paperback)
Genres: Nonfiction, Poetry, Arab
CW: Arab Diaspora, Refugees, Military, War, Grief, Mentions of Violence

Why did this book stand out to me? This book of poetry drew me in after the first couple poems. This collection evoked a lot of bittersweet emotion that I highly recommend, and was wholly unexpected. The author’s themes stem from Palestinian experience of displacement and general Arab diaspora of the area, and afterwards arriving to the United States. The collections are divided into three different eras of the poet’s subject matter. Some of the poems’ motions and feelings are to me often uncomfortable and unimaginable, perhaps it’s because as someone who lives in the United States they’re not what I have experienced on any scale. They were overall heartbreaking and beautiful in language. I’m not an expert on poetry so I cannot go into a lot of detail, but highly recommend if you’re interested into diving into literature and voices focusing on the Palestinian or Arab experience. My personal favorites were “Newsworthy” and “Instructions for Making Arabic Coffee”.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (2024)

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Ally Carter
2024 (Macmillan)
Pages: Audiobook
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Romance, Holidays
CW: Sexual Content, Divorce, PTSD, Mentions of Violence/Murder

Why did this book stand out to me? This might seem unexpected, but I love whodunit mysteries, especially with two characters who have great chemistry and that’s exactly what this book was, but with more romance. Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt are two authors who write different genres of novels, and they’re also different in every other way. Represented by the same publisher, though they do not always get along. They are invited to one of the world’s most famous murder mystery author’s, Eleanor Ashley, estate in rural England for Christmas. Eleanor Ashley is Maggie’s writing idol, and she is excited for the chance to meet her. Until Eleanor goes missing three days before Christmas and none of the other guests know what happened to her. Maggie and Ethan take it upon themselves to figure out what happened to Eleanor even though the local detective who is called in does not want their help. This was an unexpectedly super fun murder mystery with great dialogue and a great story. I was glued to this one from beginning to end and highly recommend if you’re looking for a well-written murder mystery with a fun romance.

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer (2024)

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Marcus Kliewer
2024 (Bantam)
Pages: 312 pages (HC)
Genres: Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Mystery
CW: Strong Horror Elements, Family Trauma, Violence, Strong Language, Christian Fundamentalism

Why did this book stand out to me? Oh my goodness, if you like horror/thrillers, go read this book. One of the most chilling stories I’ve ever read and absolutely left me guessing until the very end. The story started as a Reddit horror short story, where it won the 2021 Scariest Story of the Year award, which eventually turned into a full-length novel (source). A young queer couple, Charlie and Eve, buy a fixer-upper home in rural Oregon to flip. One night, a family passing through shows up asking if they can tour the house, as the father used to live there when he was a boy. Eve reluctantly lets them in. Mysterious events start occurring in the house, and Eve knows there is something dreadfully wrong with the family who keep finding excuses not to leave. The story turns into a kind of nightmare for Charlie and Eve, and I literally did not see the ending coming. Seriously, if you’re looking for a frightening story that builds suspense and intrigue in a harrowing way, this is the book. It’s also incredibly well-written. One of my favorite reads in 2024. I talked a lot about this one with the people in my life (maybe a little too much…).

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (1995)

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Jacqueline Harpman
1995 (Transit Books)
Pages: 208 (Paperback)
Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Classics
CW: Imprisonment, Survival, Women’s Issues, Mentions of Violence

Why did this book stand out to me? Where do I begin. This classic dystopian was equally shocking and powerful to read. A group of 39 women live underground in a prison, watched over by male guards for no known reason or purpose. The story focuses on the youngest, an unnamed narrator, who has no memory of life before unlike the rest of them. All she knows of life is within captivity and from the little information the other women tell her. This is a story of survival, women and discovery. This book was incredibly powerful to read, especially as a woman. I was absolutely speechless and heartbroken by the end, and I couldn’t stop thinking about this story. This is a classic for a reason, and I would highly recommend it. And especially if reading feminist works is important to you.

_Elizabeth

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I’m trying a dual review because I breezed through these two books belonging to the same series as audiobooks, and I figured – why not write one review instead of two? This is just an experiment, might not do this again. Let me know what you think!

Rating: 3.5 / 5 ⭐️
Done and Dusted (Rebel Blue Ranch #1)
Author: Lyla Sage
Published: 2023 (Random House Audio)
Pages: Audiobook Version
Genres: Romance, Western, Adult Fiction
CW: Strong Sexual Content, Strong Language, Sports Trauma, Family Trauma, Mental Health/ADHD

It’s been awhile! Life has kept me busy for the past month unexpectedly, so I’ve been delaying writing and posting. Reading has been a priority though, I’ve been in an audiobook kick recently. My next few reviews will likely be audiobooks. And if you don’t care for audiobooks then I have plenty of other blog posts regarding physical books! My grandma told me that she doesn’t consider listening to audiobooks like ‘reading real books’, and I highly disagree. Reading lovers come in all forms, and audiobooks are an accessibility tool and just another way for a reader to enjoy a book.

“You know, if you don’t like the road you’re on, you can always pave a new one” “Who said that? Robert Frost?” Brooks smiled and shook his head. “Dolly Parton,” he responded. “Ah, God herself,” I said with a laugh”

– Lyla Sage, “Done and Dusted”

Anyways, I read a book from a genre outside of my usual repertoire – western romance. “Done and Dusted” is by Lyla Sage. I saw the hype online about this one, and decided to branch out. Branching ended up being rewarding this time because I enjoyed this one (except for a few details)! Synopsis: Emmy Ryder is a competitive horse racer in the rodeo world, but after an accident from her last competition, she’s left wondering if she’ll ever race again. She then moves back to her hometown of Meadowlark, WY where she stays on her family’s horse ranch and reconnects with her best friend, Teddy, and the rest of the family. She also gets closer to Luke Brooks, her older brother’s attractive best friend, bar owner and bad boy of Meadowlark. From enemies to friends, Emmy and Luke wonder if there’s something more between them as they face their own troubles and their attraction to each other.

This was a fun and breezy romance! I felt like I was transported to the wild west, and I live in the wild west at that. The story was good, and I liked the chemistry between the main characters. The only criticism I have is there are so many plot holes. Like details introduced as a sub-plot were often left unresolved and just forgotten about. As a reader who likes having details wrapped up or just addressed if they’re going to be left unfinished, this drove me nuts at some points. I definitely recommend this book if you like romance novels and cowboys, the spicy scenes were pretty spicy… lets just put it at that, but not too ‘adventurous’. Or if you’re just looking for a fun, enemies-to-lovers story line. The ADHD and mental health representation was also refreshing to read and well covered.

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Rating: 4 / 5 ⭐️
Swift and Saddled (Rebel Blue Ranch #2)
Author: Lyla Sage
Published: 2024 (Random House Audio)
Pages: Audiobook Version
Genres: Romance, Western, Adult Fiction
CW: Strong Sexual Content, Strong Language, Emotional Abuse, Mental Health/Depression

This is a separate review for Rebel Blue Ranch Series #2, “Swift and Saddled“. I listened to this next book in the series after “Done and Dusted” immediately after finishing it. I think the third and final book in the Rebel Blue Ranch Series, “Lost and Lassoed” is coming out later this year. I’ll probably read that one too, and it couldn’t come fast enough!

“If you like who you are, why is it so hard to believe other people do too?”

– Lyla Sage, “Swift and Saddled”

Taking place in Meadowlark, WY on the Ryder’s ranch, this story is about Emmy’s always-positive older brother Wes, who is in the middle of renovating the ranch’s guest house for his dream project. But the San Franciscan interior designer for the project, Ada Hart, captures Wes’ heart immediately after her arrival to Meadowlark. Ada is talented and smart, and has her own sharp edges and trust issues from a failed marriage, but her attraction to Wes is undeniable. Can Ada overcome her fears for a chance at love, and can both of them meet in the middle even though their separate dreams could keep them apart?

I enjoyed this one more than “Done and Dusted” for sure. The plot holes from book #1 were not present in “Swift and Saddled“. I enjoyed the ride of getting to know the main characters more, and their chemistry was also undeniable. This book dives into more serious topics about mental health and abuse, and the author covered it very well. This was a fun romance with some spicy scenes (less spicy than “Done and Dusted“, in my opinion). But this book really evaluates the relationship between the main characters and the difficult aspects from either side and I loved every minute of it. Both of their desire’s for something real was just so relatable and well-written. I also enjoyed how the author wrote Ada realizing her own issues away from Wes as well, and her own personal healing from her trauma. It was just so, so good. My only criticism was the person narrating Wes’ character in the audiobook version was not my favorite narrator and his voice bothered me sometimes – but that’s all personal preference. And I found some dialogue and details just too cheesy on the point of thinking ‘ugh this would never happen this way in real life’ that I could not get on board with. Overall, definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun and hard-earned romance with some hugely relatable characters.

_ Elizabeth

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Rating: 4 / 5 ⭐️
All My Puny Sorrows
Author: Miriam Toews
Published: 2014 (McSweeney’s – First Published in Canada)
Pages: 317 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adult, Mental Health
CW: Sexual Content, Mentions of Suicide (TW!), Grief, Death of Family Members

Happy March! Last week I finished “All My Puny Sorrows” by Canadian writer, Miriam Toews. I first learned of this book through TikTok (a.k.a “BookTok”). I don’t look for recommendations through that platform often, but I’m glad I did with this one and I might have to look out for more! I know TikTok has its issues, but that’s another debate for another time and place. This is the first book I’ve read by Toews, a writer of Mennonite decent and highly awarded and honored in Canada. This book has won the author multiple literary awards, and I can definitely see why.

“It was the first time that we had sort of articulated our major problem. She wanted to die and I wanted her to live and we were enemies who loved each other”

– Miriam Toews, “All My Puny Sorrows”

This novel explores some more sensitive mental health topics so buckle up. Centering around two sisters who grew up together in a Mennonite community in Winnipeg: Yolandi (Yoli), a woman in Toronto who is barely adulting, broke and trying to take care of her two children that are the blessed product of two different failed relationships while getting by on odd jobs. And Elfreida (Elf), an intelligent concert pianist who is happily married, financially secure, beautiful and cherished around the world. But Elf wants to die, which terrifies and hurts Yoli to her core. After Elf’s latest suicide attempt before her big world tour, Yoli tries to make sense of Elf’s decision as Elf recovers in a psychiatric hospital through conversations with her sister and reflections on the other people in their lives. Yoli also reflects on their own childhood as well for answers. The novel examines the relationship between two sisters through Yoli’s eyes and touches upon grief, joy, depression, mental health challenges, and how far our love can go.

“When Richard Bach wrote ‘If you love someone, set them free’ he can’t have been directing his advice at human beings”

– Miriam Toews, “All My Puny Sorrows”

I have to say first off, Toews writing was so good! I loved her humorous voice as an author, and the wit and candor contained in her writing. This book touches upon some very serious and depressing topics, ones I thought would be uncomfortable to read about. I have my own, but different, mental health challenges, and have family members who struggle with similar issues to those in the novel. But I was engrossed in this book from start to finish. For me, the humor and love in this novel mixed with darker reflections translated into what makes us human. I also learned a lot about the Mennonite community that I did not know before, and her commentary on the mental health system in Canada was also fascinating. How the author presented mental health issues running in families was also so, so good. Though overall, I was not a fan of how the author presented a certain character turning out near the end of the novel (and no, I’m not talking about Elf), other than that I thought the plot, writing, vivid imagery, and other details were satisfying and fantastic.

“The pain of letting go of grief is just as painful or even more painful than the grief itself

– Miriam Toews, “All My Puny Sorrows”

Definitely keep in mind the trigger warning topic of suicide. This topic is discussed in detail, but it is done appropriately and sensitively, in my opinion. The author stated this book is based on the suicide of her sister in 2010 and the events leading up to it. Which breaks my heart a little to hear, but it adds to the richness and meaning of the writing. You can read more about this in an interview with her by The Guardian here. Definitely recommend this one at 4⭐️s!

_Elizabeth

If you believe a friend or a loved one is in immediate danger, please call 911, or your local police station, or the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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Rating: 3.5 / 5 ⭐️
The Happy Couple
Author: Naoise Dolan
Published: 2023 (Ecco, HarperCollins)
Pages: 258 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, LGBT
CW: Sexual Content, Infidelity, Absent Parent, Complicated Relationships

This week I read “The Happy Couple” by Naoise Dolan. Dolan is an Irish author of several novels, and her bio shows she is queer and autistic. Her earlier debut novel, “Exciting Times“, is also on my TBR. Let me start out by saying, I enjoyed this book despite my following 3.5 ⭐️ review. But there were a few reasons why I personally did not think it was great. This novel left me with a lot to consider after, and perhaps my Goodreads review of this book which I wrote as soon as I finished was a little immature. Luckily this review gives me a chance to elaborate more.

“If asked ‘Why don’t men commit?’, you’ll say ‘They will, just not to you’; if asked ‘Why don’t women commit?’, you’ll say ‘Commit what, suicide?”

– Naoise Dolan, “The Happy Couple”

“The Happy Couple” is a novel about a young couple getting married: Luke, handsome with a successful career but a serial cheater, and Celine, a shy professional pianist who would rather be in front of a piano than anywhere else. This novel is about the brief events leading up to their wedding, but in their unique perspectives along with three other’s close to them: the bride’s sister and maid of honor, Phoebe, and the best man and ex-lover of Luke, Archie, and a connected but more removed wedding guest and friendly observer in their life, Vivian. The story feels like a character study about these persons and their complicated relationships with a burning question in the background – will the couple get married, or won’t they?

“Life offers few unambiguous red flags. More often, you see specks of crimson dye. They could form a pattern. Or they could just be dots”

– Naoise Dolan, “The Happy Couple”

I enjoyed the story line with the complicated relationship aspect and the characters’ individual arcs that meet, but I couldn’t get on board with some of the narration format and dialogue. The narration structure flowed, but it felt strange to read in the out-of-order timeline way the author was trying to do and it lost me at times. The author focused on keeping the character’s perspective sections separate, and the story timeline just jumped around in a disorganized way that I didn’t enjoy. For the record, I do enjoy narration that is out of order or misleading to support the plot, but the way this book did that felt strange… I wish I could explain why better, but it wasn’t my favorite in my personal opinion. The dialogue between characters also felt dry and unexpected in a negative way at times, and made me do an internal double-take at some of the things that were definitively stated.¹ But other portions of the dialogue and interactions were brilliant so I am definitely torn. The author is Irish and I am not, so maybe some of my confusion lies there in the dialect. I also appreciated the queer representation included in this novel.

This book is still worth the read if you’re a fan of Sally Rooney. But I’m a little partial to Sally Rooney at the moment. I am interested in reading more of Dolan’s work though. The story and character studies from the author’s perspective captured my interest as soon as I read the first page. I gave this book 3.5⭐️ because of my mixed feelings about this one.

Let me know what you think!

_Elizabeth

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Rating: 4 / 5 ⭐️
Death Valley
Author: Melissa Broder
Published: 2023 (Scribner, Simon & Schuster)
Pages: 232 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Contemporary
CW: Brief Sexual Content, Grief, Wilderness Survival, Family Member Dying, Chronic Illness

Happy Valentine’s Day! Hope you’re spending this day with your loved one(s) today, and appreciate them every day. This weeks read was a mystifying one for sure. I read “Death Valley” by Melissa Broder. She’s the author of several books including “The Pieces“, which I read years before I started this blog, and the popular “Milk Fed“, which I also want to read at some point. Broder has also written poems and stories for selected publications. “The Pieces” is a book I don’t have a strong memory of, but I remembered it was ridiculous and hilarious so when I saw her most recent book with the surrealist cactus cover, I knew I had to pick it up. I have to admit as a desert dweller (in the Sonoran Desert) this one had some appeal.

“I’m perfectly content to eat by myself in public, so long as the restaurant is crowded. There’s solitude in a crowd”

– Melissa Broder, “Death Valley”

“Death Valley” is a story of grief, contemplation and desert survival. Our narrator is an author who is dealing with the reality of her father dying as he’s currently in hospice, and her husband who has a mysterious chronic illness no one can explain that’s making him weaker as time goes on. She leaves Los Angeles and goes to a Best Western in the California high desert to escape and get inspiration for her next book. On a lonely hike, she spots a large and lush cactus that only she can see and steps through a large gash in side of the cactus, which sets her on a journey to see through her own grief, emotions and relationships.

“This is the problem with human relationships: you come to a person with one feeling and they’re having another”

– Melissa Broder, “Death Valley”

This novel had me laughing out loud at the inner thoughts of the narrator. The writing was so good, and the author has such a poignant but hilariously dry voice. The story felt brief, the book isn’t very long, but the richness and detail of the plot made it feel like a longer experience into pure madness. The narrator’s internal dialogue about the world around her felt comforting and playful, making me the reader feel more connected, before delving into a ridiculous scenario. The author’s exploration of death and grief felt emotional and surreal as Broder guides the reader through those complicated emotions using magical realism. I love the magical realism genre in fiction, personally. For me, it has similar goals the fantasy genre offers, using fantastical elements to explain the present characters’ circumstances, but they take place in present-day reality.

“If I’m honest, I came to escape a feeling—an attempt that’s already going poorly, because unfortunately I’ve brought myself with me, and I see, as the last pink light creeps out to infinity, that I am still the kind of person who makes another person’s coma all about me”

– Melissa Broder, “Death Valley”

If you want to laugh while simultaneously wanting to cry, “Death Valley” is a good book to read. But read up on what you’re getting into first; there are some ridiculous moments. I gave this one a 4/5 ⭐️ because this book is my cup of tea, and the writing and plot with some surreal surprises fit together so well. But there are some messy parts to the writing at times which feel a little unorganized. I’m not sure if that is intentional.

On a totally separate note in case anyone is wondering, I’ve decided to stop writing ‘short reviews’ and stick with writing just ‘reviews’. There’s no pressure of a word count here, and I’m not getting paid to write these at the moment. I found I write better and more often without the tension of how many words I should write, and just write what I want to write. This tension was fault of my own, of course.

Also, I noticed every book I’ve read in 2024 has eyes on the cover.. which is definitely not purposeful. Let me know what you all think of this book if you’ve read it!

_Elizabeth

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Rating: 3.5 / 5 ⭐️
Silver Nitrate
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published: 2023 (Del Rey)
Pages: 315 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Supernatural, Mystery, Historical Fiction
CW: Occult Supernatural, Horror, Mentions of Nazi Propaganda, Mentions of White Supremacism, Strong Language, Grief, Mentions of Violence/Blood

I’m dealing with a bad cold this week, but at least there’s more time to read. I’m back again after reading the supernatural thriller, “Silver Nitrate” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is the third book I’ve read by Moreno-Garcia; the others were “Velvet Was the Night” and “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau“. This author is most famous for “Mexican Gothic” and her canon features genres such as horror, fantasy, and historical fiction. Out of the three, “Silver Nitrate” is probably my least favorite, to get to the point. This novel was still an enjoyable read though and I will explain why.

“One must have hobbies… Or else the mind atrophies”

– Silvia Moreno-Garcia “Silver Nitrate”

The novel takes place in Mexico City in the 1990s, and focuses on two best friends who love horror movies. Montserrat, a bitter and talented sound editor who is down on her luck, and Tristán, a handsome and charming but now irrelevant soap opera actor with a tragic past .Tristán discovers his new neighbor is a forgotten cult horror film director that both him and Montserrat admire, and go on an adventure to help the old man and end up learning about Nazi occultism in a silver nitrate film reel from an older time. Montserrat and Tristán dive deep to solve the mystery behind these magic practices before they’re all cursed for good.

“Why? Because to imagine Indigenous intelligence and power would have been unthinkable. We are all taught to despise the whiff of darkness, of Indigenous blood and of Blackness….What Wilhelm said wasn’t considered outrageous at the time. It’s not even outrageous now, sadly”

– Silvia Moreno-Garcia “Silver Nitrate”

I’ve noticed that her newest book isn’t as hyped as her previous books, like “Mexican Gothic” which a lot of people I follow or know have read. Moreno-Garcia has a wonderful writing voice, and I enjoy how she sets the scene for the reader, whether it’s a spooky set up or describing a characters’ motives. She still does this in “Silver Nitrate”. I found the book slower in the beginning half at times which made it hard at certain points to continue on. Once I found a groove though, I couldn’t put it down. The mentions of film history mixed with the occultism and it’s influence in Mexico City post-1940s was fascinating though. Even though some of it was terrible especially concerning Nazi-influence in Mexico and white supremacism, I found the historical knowledge an important part of the read. If you read this book, definitely read the “Author’s Note” afterwards where she highlights some of her research and influences about film history.

“Even if the darkness never ended and swallowed him whole, he’d still run to her”

– Silvia Moreno-Garcia “Silver Nitrate”

Horror and film fanatics alike will enjoy reading this one. And the bisexual representation was pretty good. I give it 3.5 ⭐️s though since there were parts that ran off too slowly and it took awhile for the plot to pick back up. I could say more about some strange romantic conclusions to character plots, but no spoilers here! You’ll just have to read the book to find out…

Let me know what you think if you’ve read this one!

_Elizabeth

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Rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️
Bright Young Women
Author: Jessica Knoll
Published: 2023 (Marysue Rucci Books)
Pages: 373 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Historical
CW: Descriptions of Violence Against Women, LGBTQ+ Trauma, Strong Language, Murder, Crime, Assault, Kidnapping

I’M BACK! I haven’t posted for quite some time now due to some life difficulties and changes, and I didn’t really want to post during all of that. I still post to Goodreads, and I kept up my Instagram for awhile (@elizabethreads_books) after, but now I’m back to posting on both. I plan to get rid of Twitter/X though, I didn’t really use it much to begin with. How are you all doing?? I hope you’re all still reading and staying safe out there. If anyone has any suggestions for the blog or the content let me know, and I still appreciate any book suggestions!

“Time does not heal all wounds. Grief is just like a sink full of dirty dishes or a pile of soiled laundry. Grief is a chore you have to do and it’s a messy one at that”

– Jessica Knoll, “Bright Young Women”

My first read of 2024 was “Bright Young Women” by Jessica Knoll, who is also the author of “Luckiest Girl Alive”, which I haven’t read but I saw a lot of trailers on Netflix for the movie adaptation featuring Mila Kunis. First of all, I really enjoyed this book! And I’m very skeptical about the true crime genre in podcasts, documentaries, docuseries, books, whatever etc. and how sensationalized killers have become. But Knoll focuses on the women surrounding the serial killer who have been thrown into the ring and who were ‘brighter’ than the killer himself. She even goes as far as to never name the serial killer, she only refers to him as “The Defendant” from start to finish. I’ve seen enough references to this real-life American, highly-televised serial killer that I was able to identify him from the synopsis and other reviews, and Knoll references him only in interviews (Vanity Fair Article). The focus of the novel is not on him, but on the grief, intelligence, and growth the women demonstrate in trying to discover the truth about who this man is and how he’ll be finally convicted of his crimes.

“They will call you hysterical no matter how much dignity you have. So you might as well do whatever the hell you want”

– Jessica Knoll, “Bright Young Women”

I won’t even mention him in my review out of respect for the author’s intent. But if you’re interested in hearing more about how she came to write about this subject, I highly recommend looking into some interviews she gave:

• Harper’s. Bazaar, “Jessica Knoll’s New Novel Challenges a Serial Killer’s Legacy”
• Bustle, “In Jessica Knoll’s ‘Bright Young Women, She Takes On….”

Anyways, in my opinion only, I loved this book because it’s the opposite of everything I dislike about the true crime genre. It is an interesting take on a highly-written about and googled man, who some consider not to be the genius that he was portrayed to be while he was alive in the media to after his death in the movies made about him (including obviously the author). This story flowed tremendously from start to finish. I don’t think he was special or admirable before going into this book, but I was impressed with how the author wrote the main women characters. They were completely vulnerable while being completely competent and capable in a world where they weren’t being taken seriously by law enforcement or the news media. I know this is historical fiction, and maybe there were some liberties taken as they were only based on the real women surrounding the Florida and Seattle-area murders. But I realized I would rather much read about the experiences of women in an unexpectedly horrifying situation having to figure out how to find closure, than read about the underwhelming ‘genius’ who turned out to be a sensation in the American news and tabloids for committing horrific murders because of a boy’s club mentality.

“The Defendant flaunted his true nature with audacious displays of ineptitude time and time again, and I wanted to tell these girls…. that they should be irate that effort and money had gone into dusting off the story and telling it again for a new generation, only for the filmmaker to wear the same blinders as the men who wrote the headlines forty years ago”

– Jessica Knoll, “Bright Young Women”

There were many descriptions of violence against women, which admittedly was hard for me to read sometimes. But those of course are to be expected with the subject matter of this book. I admire how the author wrote these descriptions with effectiveness and sensitivity at the same time. The author used careful devices to weave together the feelings and attitudes of the time and this criminal case, all without sensationalizing the criminal’s motives and the women’s’ dignities. I believe anyone who is interested in true crime, or is also skeptical but intrigued of true crime books and historical murder cases should read this book.

4 out of 5! ⭐️

_ Elizabeth

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,Rating: 3 out of 5⭐️
Title: White Magic: Essays
Author: Elissa Washuta
Published: 2021 (Tin House Books)
Pages: 432 (Hardcover)
Genres: Non-Fiction, Essays, Spiritual, Adult, Biography
CW: Rape, Abuse, Native American Traumas, Strong Language, Colonization, PTSD, Alcoholism
Link Here

Okay… Let me begin by stating that I have a lot and a little to say about this book. This week I finished reading a collection of essays by Native American writer Elissa Washuta called White Magic: Essays. I cannot remember how I came across this book or what made me want to read it. Maybe it was the description, which made it seem insightful, or maybe it was the pretty and simplistic cover design. But after completing this book, I have so many mixed feelings. I’m writing this review while re-watching Twin Peaks, a series Washuta mentions a lot in her book. Re-watching a series I also love felt appropriate to get my head into this review. Anyways, I feel the best way to approach this review after I describe the synopsis is to list out the pros and cons.

“I don’t like the story I keep hearing: all these white men fracking the frontier, no wives, only work, so some of them rape. If the oil business is the problem, why did I get raped in the city? The movie kills off a villain. At the end, text on the screen tells us that in real life, Native women are missing. Wind River Reservation is real, but justice is the climax of a white fantasy. Before colonizers fracked, they raped” – Elissa Washuta, White Magic

White Magic is a collection of the author’s short stories where she describes in great detail about her tumultuous love life, her experiences with the spiritual and religion, witchery, battle with alcoholism and her experiences as a Native American person and her findings of Native history. She also goes into detail about her pop culture influences, and her thoughts on what she sees and hears in detail. White Magic felt essentially like the author’s diary, but in literature form and prose.

“In your gut, you know that your relationship is bad, as in expired, like milk. Philip’s white man face is not a mask, and he can’t see it. He doesn’t love you. He is not wicked, never abusive, never mean, so you know you must hold on to this for as long as you can, because if you lose him, the next man might kill you” – Elissa Washuta, White Magic

Pros:

The content was well-spoken and poetic, Washuta has a unique voice. She also provided a lot of facts and history about Native persons that was insightful to read, especially coming from a Native perspective herself. She also provides a lot of insight into what women face, especially Native women, with PTSD and relationship abuse/rape. These subjects could be a trigger to you though, fair warning – she does go into a lot of detail. Some of the stories were relatable as well, and her telling of what a lot of women face in relationships and in life really spoke to me personally.

“But where else would I live? Not my ancestral territory, where I couldn’t imagine a way to make a living. Now, I wonder whether I wasn’t taking on a share of settler guilt, willing to suffer for them – for meaning in their place, but also as in for their entertainment, because they want the suffering. Settler colonialism wants me flagellating myself, because it’s a good distraction: nobody might notice the DOJ findings that, of the Native women they surveyed who were victims of sexual violence, 96 percent were harmed by non-Native perpetrators” – Elissa Washuta, White Magic

Cons:

There were some points where I could not stand the structure and style. The subject matter most of the time felt all over the place, and did not connect well at all to some things she stated in the same paragraph. I mentioned this a little before, but really this book felt like someone published the author’s diary about her daily thoughts. She also spent most of the book talking about the same ex-boyfriend on and off… which makes sense for being in a personal essay, but he was in all the essays.

“What do David Lynch & your ex have in common? Neither of them owe you closure” – Elissa Washuta, White Magic

Maybe it’s my fault for approaching this book with different expectations. This was always a book of essays. But I think I expected it to be more factual about spiritual or witch practices than what it really was, the author’s collection of angst about her ex-boyfriends and the same subjects/repetitive topics mentioned in every essay. I think this book will resonate more with other persons, but it definitely did not with me. Why should you read this book? If you enjoy works of memoir/essays from Native perspectives, but also dives deep into difficult and fem-relatable subject matter, this is the book for you. To me, the author’s style felt like a more-Native Lena Dunham, which can be both a complement or not one…

I give this one a 3 out of 5! (I thought about giving it a 2-star, but there was enough I liked about it to make up for the negatives)

_Elizabeth

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Rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️
Title: The Atmospherians: A Novel
Author: Alex McElroy
Published: 2021 (Atria Books)
Pages: 288 (Hardcover)
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Humor, Satire, Literary
CW: Eating Disorders, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Childhood Abuse, Suicide, Violence, Trolling/Doxxing, Cults, Sexual Content

Hello! I finished another book this week, by some miracle or way. Two in one week! I actually finished this one reading in a park, which seemed appropriate due to the naturalist cover (see photo above). Today has been pretty rough, but I’m glad to be ending it on a better note as I write this. My newest read is one I never expected to come across. The Atmospherians (or the_atmospherians …?) by Alex McElroy (they/them) is the first novel I’ve read by the author, and this is their first novel. I went into this one with a very open mind, because I literally had no idea what to expect. But by the end, I was equally entertained and perplexed!

“Your pain won’t impress anyone. The people your pain does impress aren’t worth impressing” – Alex McElroy, The Atmospherians

The Atmospherians is a work of contemporary fiction. Sasha Marcus is a young social media influencer who created and led a popular wellness brand, until it was all brought down by a troll and a grievous error over social media, and now Sasha is officially cancelled and doxxed. As Sasha’s life crumbles around her, as both her boyfriend and best friend leave her, one of her oldest friends comes out of the woodwork, Dyson Layne, a flailing actor and visionary who decides that he needs a change and Sasha needs something to restore her reputation. Dyson asks Sasha to join his venture, which is leading a cult called The Atmosphere. The Atmosphere is a place in rural New Jersey where men victim of toxic masculinity are transformed to be better human beings in society. Told through sharp humor, Sasha and Dyson go through the challenges of running a cult and growing as much and as little as possible themselves.

“Blake crooned cartoonishly to mock the top 40 hits on the radio. He considered these musicians beneath him, sellouts, but his envy was so obvious to me, and I felt closer to him – and distracted from my dread – by seeing into the feelings he’d never admit to” – Alex McElroy, The Atmospherians

The novel deeply focuses on the issues of Sasha and Dyson, either the friendship between them and individually. The book also calls out various social issues, and themes such as how we deal with toxic masculinity as a society and cancel culture. It almost felt satirical regarding current influencers/social media culture. There are hints in the narration like the storyteller is recalling a past event or maybe even subtly foretelling, but that is not so clear throughout the whole novel. The brief page interludes, though interrupting, were also divisive in telling the story. The writing was absolutely wonderful and clear though, and I was deeply entertained. McElroy used many literary devises extremely well, which may come from their education background (McElroy has a MA and PhD). But there were parts of the story and character progressions that felt dry to me, honestly, and at times I felt like there were more interluding periods than actual story development. The plot progression did feel a little all over the place at times, but it was not an issue for me.

“A smart friend of mine, this philosophy guy who quit on college to work construction, used to tell me God is a novelist: Nothing is too convenient for God. You think: I couldn’t possibly lose my daughter at the same age as my brother. But God – and I don’t mean God god, because fuck him, I mean whatever’s shaping this world – only has so many notions” – Alex McElroy, The Atmospherians

For the characters not being the best human beings, both for Sasha and Dyson, I felt really attached to their development. Normally when characters tend to have anti-hero tendencies, I get a bit annoyed at them. But in The Atmospherians, I was rooting for Sasha and Dyson the entire time, which was shocking. Not even for them to fail, but for them to find some kind of satisfying conclusion, a happy or sad one. I was looking forward to seeing how it would turn out for them (I won’t give anything away though). The tone of this novel felt extremely satirical though, and often times outrageous. Also, this novel had many hard triggers to be aware of, including eating disorders, if that is a concern for any readers.

“Despite her beset intentions and bitterness, she couldn’t withstand the expectations imposed on her appearance. And in doing so she taught me a valuable lesson in the inevitability of concession. The world encouraged me to see myself as an object of men’s desires. And for years I conceded. I shaped myself to the demands made on my body – kept it slender and pretty and fit – because I feared what would happen to me if I didn’t. I’d heard stories about the women who didn’t. When Dyson said, Show me how to have a body like yours, what I heard was: Show me how to internalize the expectations of magazines and commercials and lip-licking men in the street. Show me how to obsess over myself. To hate myself. To see my body as something both valuable and worthless, something constantly under construction. That was, I believed, what he anted from me, and regrettably, that’s what I taught him” – Alex McElroy, The Atmospherians

Why should you read this book? If you enjoy literary, satirical fiction about protagonists trying to start a cult based on reforming toxic men and find out more about themselves (mostly) and each other along the way, this is the book for you.

I give this one a 4 out of 5!

_Elizabeth

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Rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️
Title: The Maidens: A Novel
Author: Alex Michaelides
Published: 2021 (Celadon Books, Audible Audiobook)
Pages: 9 hrs 19 min (audiobook)
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Mythology, Suspense, Audiobook
CW: Murder, Death, Childhood Abuse, Grief, Mental Health Issues, Violence

Hello and happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a satisfactory end to their week. I did so by finishing The Maidens by Alex Michaelides on Audible Audiobook. I have definitely slowed down on the audiobooks and upped my physical book reading material. This is mostly due to being less inclined to listen to audiobooks as I’m doing my daily tasks or during my drives to/from work. I’m on a music listening trend right now… and most likely itching towards a podcast kick before I resume my audiobook kick. Anyways, after reading The Maidens, I was totally intrigued and pressed for more by the end.

“‘Love isn’t conditional’, Ruth said. ‘It’s not dependent on jumping through hoops to please someone—and always failing. You can’t love someone if you’re afraid of them, Mariana. I know it’s hard to hear. It’s a kind of blindness—but unless you wake up and see clearly, it will persist throughout your whole life, affecting how you see yourself, and others too'” – Alex Michaelides, The Maidens

Mariana Andros is an intelligent group therapist who is still reeling from a personal tragedy when she receives news her niece, Zoe’s, best friend has been brutally murdered at Cambridge, where her niece is also attending university. Mariana is convinced the murderer is the charming Edward Fosca, a Greek Tragedy professor who is notoriously popular with students and is the leader of a campus society of women called The Maidens, named after the mythos. Mariana stays to help investigate the murder using her psychoanalyzing specialties as a favor to Zoe, who is like Mariana’s own daughter. Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca is the killer grows, and after another murder takes place she is left questioning what is true and what might be more nefarious than Mariana is prepared for. The Maidens is a slow thriller that builds and builds through suspense and conversation.

“Reading about life was no preparation for living it” – Alex Michaelides, The Maidens

I was more captivated by The Maidens than I thought I was going to be. I have not read Michaelides’ other hit novel, The Silent Patient, but I know that one was also beloved by thriller fans. Michaelides writing style really impressed me. And as I’ve been saying in my reviews recently, sometimes I get really tired of the cheesiness of thriller novel’s twists, especially in recent publications. But The Maidens‘ twists did not feel forced, and the progression to direct the readers attention was really masterfully done. The characters were also beautifully described, and I felt as though I knew them well as I read. The psychology topics were very interesting as well, and the author’s perspective felt very informed. Of course, the ending had to have a little cheesiness, but the turnout was much more satisfying.

“Don’t glorify the events of your life and try to give them meaning. There is no meaning. Life means nothing. Death means nothing. But she didn’t always think that way” – Alex Michaelides, The Maidens

Why should you read this book? If you enjoy clever and slow thrillers with supernatural topics and ethereal psychoanalyses, this is the book for you. I read other reviews with criticisms that the ending was not very satisfying, but I actually thought the opposite. My opinion was that this novel had more closing than some other thrillers receive. Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a good end-of-summer thriller! I also enjoyed the narration and the narrator’s voice over audiobook, and I had no issues following along.

I give this one a 4 out of 5!

_Elizabeth

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