I did a lot of listening this month (as indicated by the 🎧). And I dabbled in some areas I don’t frequent often: cozy mysteries and memoirs. Check out what I thought of these six reads.
You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg • 🎧 • ★★★☆☆
I waffled on downloading versus renting this book for a while. It’s more rental caliber to me. So why is that?
Well, I was really intrigued by the summary. Would-be strangers in upstate New York all find themselves with not something but someplace in common: the local mall. Like many malls, this on is on its last legs. However, for the characters in You Are Here, the mall is essential. These folks range from a hair stylist, her young son, a high school food court worker, a book store manager and an old woman who walks the mall.
I was on board with this book until the 75% mark when a violent tragedy happened very suddenly. And I’m just not sure how I feel about it. I wished something else could have been used to shift the book toward its conclusion.
The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy • ★★★☆☆
I’ll admit: I think the whole dual timeline structure is a bit overdone. But The Witch of Tin Mountain does a triple timeline and it works.
This story, told from the point of view of three narrators over many decades, helps to emphasize the generational aspects of the story: a tale about how generations of Doherty women have helped their community with cures and folk magic, yet how they’re often the first targeted (by one unpleasant preacher in particular).
What I loved most about this book was the atmosphere and also how these generations of women were all family—yet that relationship wasn’t always defined by blood.
Buried in a Bog by Sheila Connolly • 🎧 • ★★☆☆☆
Michael and I are headed to Ireland this July. To amp myself up for the trip (not that I need it), I wanted to squeeze in a few breezy books set in Ireland.
This one didn’t quite do it for me, though. In Buried in a Bog, Maura visits Ireland after her grandmother’s passing. It was her gran’s dying wish. While there, she falls in with the locals—for better and worse. She gets to cozy up in an Irish pub but also has someone scary stalking her as she “investigates” a murder.
Maybe it was the narration. Maybe the cozy mystery genre isn’t for me.
Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker • ★★☆☆☆
Yep, another book set (partially) in Ireland to get me into the spirit of the Emerald Isle. Unfortunately, this book didn’t get me jazzed.
I’ll give you a quick synopsis. Cara takes a solo trip to Ireland, a trip she originally planned with her ex. While there, she meets Finn, a very handsome Uber driver/musician/tour guide. In a Leap Day haze, they get married—after knowing each other just 72 hours. After discovering they married, Cara and Finn have to figure out what to do next. Head to LA? Get divorced? This is not a spoiler. It all happens in the first five pages.
Now, I am 100% on board with silly rom-coms. I love them—when they are well done. This one just wasn’t though. Why is that?
First, I have to ask if the idea of marriage licenses is totally unknown? Characters should understand that without any paperwork, a union is not binding in any way. This should not be a hiccup in any plot. It should not be a plot. Full stop.
Second, the character development here was minimal and poorly paced. Cara is only described as being a workaholic with a screenplay in her drawer. That’s it. 200 pages in suddenly she’s a passionate baker? Oh and then that’s never mentioned again. Meanwhile, Finn gets plenty of passions. In fact, he gets another toward the end of the book where he suddenly is a gifted actor.
The last straw for me: For some inexplicable reason, the dog narrates the epilogue!
The Only One Left by Riley Sager • 🎧 • ★★★★☆
At last! A new Gothic novel that hits all the eerie, atmospheric marks! Old mansion? Check. Rugged Maine coast? Got it! An outcast forced into taking a job as a nurse for a suspected murderer? It’s here! And that’s all you need to know before rushing to download this one.
Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness • 🎧 • ★★★☆☆
I haven’t watched Queer Eye in a minute, but I do have a soft spot for Jonathan Van Ness. This book was exceptionally raw (as advertised) but it was also joyful and uplifting. I 100% suggest you opt for the audio version so you can hear Jonathan tell his story himself.
As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.
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