YA Reviews: WE CAN’T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS & TROUBLE GIRLS
Happy Monday all! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. We had really nice weather here so I spent a lot of my weekend outside reading. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two of my weekend reads, We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin.
We Can't Keep Meeting Like This Goodreads Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publication Date: June 8, 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This is my third time reading Rachel Lynn Solomon and once again she has captured my heart with her relatable storylines and her wonderfully complex characters and their equally complex relationships.
Quinn Berkowitz is headed to college in the fall. She has gotten into a great school but doesn’t seem all that excited about her future. Why? Well, her parents have basically mapped it out for her, from deciding that she will be a business major, choosing her courses for her, and making the assumption that when she graduates, she will join them in their family wedding planning business. Quinn hasn’t corrected them in this assumption because she doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, but it has left her feeling trapped and frustrated. To make matters worse, her longtime crush, Tarek Mansour, is back home after his first year away at college and Quinn doesn’t really want to see him because of an embarrassing confession she made to him when he left for college the previous fall. Avoiding Tarek is pretty much impossible though as his parents run the catering business that Quinn’s parents frequently partner up with for their weddings. So basically Quinn has set herself up for a summer of awkwardness.
I think most readers will find Quinn to be a likable relatable character and will sympathize with the situation she finds herself in. None of us want to disappoint our parents and I know, like Quinn, I would probably put off a difficult and painful conversation like that for as long as I possibly could. Her situation with Tarek is probably going to be equally relatable because there are plenty of us out there who have done embarrassing things in front of someone we were crushing on. Quinn’s situation with Tarek made me especially sympathetic toward her because she has major trust issues when it comes to love and putting herself out there because her parents temporarily separated when she was much younger and that separation really messed with Quinn’s head when she was little and continues to do so to this day because her parents have never talked about it.
Speaking of Tarek though, what a sweetheart this boy is. He’s a hopeless romantic who likes to bake wedding cakes and who loves Sleepless in Seattle. He is the softest of soft boys and it’s clear that he has feelings for Quinn. I was hardcore rooting for him to break through the walls Quinn has put up around her own heart and I really enjoyed watching the ups and downs as their relationship evolved.
As much as I enjoyed the romantic storyline between Quinn and Tarek, Quinn’s journey to figure out her place in this world and the future of her relationship with her parents was what really made We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This such a compelling read for me. 4 STARS
Trouble Girls Goodreads
Author: Julia Lynn Rubin
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin is a retelling of the popular ’90s film, Thelma and Louise. Rubin puts a fresh and timely spin on this classic film by making it a queer YA retelling that is set in present day during the #MeToo movement.
The story follows Trixie and Lux, two young women who have been best friends forever and who are looking to escape their dead-end little town for a few days. They pack for a weekend getaway and make a pitstop at a college bar on their way out of town. The night goes terribly wrong and in one violent moment, Trixie and Lux’s lives are changed forever.
Just as in the original tale, the author does a wonderful job of painting both women as sympathetic characters. Trixie is an only child who has the huge and often overwhelming responsibility of caring for her mother who is suffering from what appears to be dementia. It’s a huge weight to carry and Trixie is exhausted. Lux also has a less than stellar home life. Her mother is gone, and her overbearing father treats her as if she’s his maid and babysitter. When their one chance to get away and relax and have fun is torpedoed by a pig who can’t keep it in his pants, it’s hard not to root for them when they fight back.
The story becomes an action-packed thrill ride as Trixie and Lux flee west hoping to escape from both the law and the media. The media attention is unexpected as Trixie and Lux find themselves at the center of the #MeToo movement when protesters become aware that their attacker has a track record of similar incidents in his history. There are just as many people cheering the girls on as there are people who want them to pay for what they did.
The writing is taut and sharp, making this a real page turner for me even though I was very familiar with the original Thelma and Louise and could somewhat guess where the story was headed. I do wish it hadn’t followed the original storyline quite so closely, but what did make it a fresh take though was the journey of self-discovery that we get as Trixie and Lux gradually realize they have more than just friendly feelings toward each other. It’s a beautiful and hopeful journey tucked into what is otherwise a pretty dark tale.
If a fresh take on Thelma and Louise sounds like something you would enjoy, I highly recommend Trouble Girls. 3.5 STARS
Reviews: Find You First & House of Hollow
Hi everyone! Sharon here with another edition of Thriller Thursday. This week I read a couple of books from authors that are new to me, Linwood Barclay’s Find You First and Krystal Sutherland’s House of Hollow. And I am happy to say these were both amazing reads.
Find You First Goodreads Author: Linwood Barclay
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: William Morrow
When Stephen King gives a rave review on a book I just have to check it out, and he hit the nail on the head with Linwood Barclay’s Find You First. This book hit the ground running and kept going through the very last page.
Billionaire Miles Cookson has just been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. Twenty years ago, Miles donated sperm to a sperm bank, that resulted in nine children. So, Miles has nine children that could possibly have the gene for this disease. After much soul searching Miles decides that he needs to find his “children” to let them know they should be tested, and he has also decided that he is going to leave them an inheritance. Chloe Swanson is one of Miles’ children who is on her own quest to find out who her biological father is. When Miles and Chloe find each other, the excitement is short lived when they find out that Miles’ other children are vanishing, with every trace of them eliminated, almost like they never existed. Could one of the nine have found out about the others and the inheritance and decided they want all of it for themselves? Or is there something more sinister going on?
The book starts off with a bang when one of Miles’ children, Todd, is murdered. Two unknown assailants posing as police officers show up at his door and once inside his house they inject him with some kind of poison that paralyzes him and then eventually kills him. That opening chapter had me like, Woah! Okay, you have my attention. Lol. We then jump back in time 3 weeks to when Miles gets his diagnosis and the story plays out from there.
I really liked Miles. When he found out that his “children” were going missing, he turned into Papa bear. He may not know them, but he was going to do everything in his power to keep them safe.
Chloe was by far my favorite though. She did not take crap from anyone. She may only have been twenty, but she was a very strong woman. She sent her DNA into an ancestry app and found one of her siblings, Todd. Yup the same Todd who was killed in the first chapter. Chloe’s interactions with Todd were bittersweet for me. I was happy that she had connected with her brother and they were getting to know each other, but also sad because I knew what Todd’s fate was. But it was her interaction with Miles that I loved the most. She didn’t care about his money and she didn’t want to know if she had the gene for this disease. She just wanted to get to know her dad. And when he experienced symptoms of his disease, she showed such care and compassion for him. They really clicked and worked well together.
This book was a wild ride full of twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I don’t want to say anything else about what was happening because that will just spoil things. But I will say, I was very happy with the ending, it left me with a smile on my face. This was my first book by Linwood Barclay, but it will not be my last. 4 ½ stars
House of Hollow Goodreads Author: Krystal Sutherland
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
I have never read anything by Krystal Sutherland, but when I saw the book cover for House of Hollow I knew I was going to have to read this book. And I am so glad I did because this book was as awesome as the cover is. This is a dark and twisted read that I devoured in a few days.
Ten years ago the Hollow sisters (Grey, Vivi, and Iris) vanished. Their parents took their eyes off them for two seconds and they were just gone. One month later they mysteriously reappeared on the same street from which they vanished with no memory of where they were or what happened to them. Their once blue eyes are now black, their dark hair is now almost white and they each have a scar in the shape of a half moon on the base of their neck. They also have the ability to make other people do what they want with a simple touch or kiss on the lips. What happened to the Hollow sisters and why did they come back changed? The answer to those questions makes for a terrifying, dark and at times grotesque story. Just the kind I love.
House of Hollow is told from the POV of Iris. Iris is now seventeen and since returning she has just been trying to lead a normal life. But when Grey goes missing, Iris and Vivi will do whatever they have to to find Grey and bring her home safe. I loved the bond the Hollow sisters had. Grey was the protector and when I say protector, I mean don’t mess with her younger sisters because you will not like what Grey will do. One example is when a girl in Iris’ school was bullying Iris, Grey used her ability to make this girl stand up in front of the whole school during an assembly and shave off her long dark hair. Yup Don’t mess with the sisters, got it lol.
To find their sister, Iris and Vivi must follow the clues that Grey left behind. One of the clues takes them to Grey’s apartment and while they are searching for clues as to where Grey could be, a dead body that has white flowers growing out of its eyes and covering most of the body, falls from the closet. They are also being stalked by a man wearing a Bull head. ‘Cause you know, no thriller would be complete without a character walking around with a bull head on, trying to kill the main characters. LOL! I actually loved the eeriness that this character brought to the book.
A secondary character I really liked was Grey’s boyfriend, Tyler. He has some great one liners that often gave me a chuckle during some tense moments, and I loved how he called Iris “Little Hollow”. He was just a great addition to round out a great group of characters.
I really liked how Krystal Sutherland slowly revealed what happened to Grey, as well as what happened to the Hollow sisters 10 years ago. As each layer was pulled back, the tension and suspense just increased to an ending that had my jaw dropping as well as wanting more. With that ending, I really hope there is a sequel to this book. 4 ½ stars
Be forewarned though, there are some grotesque moments in this book. I even shivered and crinkled my face at some of it, and it usually takes a lot to gross me out, lol.
Top Ten Tuesday – 10 More Books I’ve Read Recently But Haven’t Reviewed on the Blog
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is a Freebie so I decided to revisit a topic I did not too long ago where I shared recent reads I didn’t plan to review on the blog. I’m still trying to read more of the older books from my own shelves and I like being able to share a few quick thoughts about each of those reads without writing a full-fledged review. This time around I’m also including my thoughts on three brand-new releases that are actually out in the world as of today, The Nature of Witches, Dead Dead Girls, and Our Woman in Moscow. I ended up with way too many June 1 ARCs and just didn’t have enough time to review them all. You’ll notice I had more to say about these three than about the older books.
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10 More Books I’ve Read Recently But Haven’t Reviewed on the Blog
1. THE NATURE OF WITCHES by Rachel Griffin (4 STARS)
I’m always up for a good witchy read and this one was fantastic. I loved the unique magical system that basically had witches maintaining the climate as they draw their power directly from the sun, with it being strongest during the season of their birth. They’re struggling to keep up with the changes to the climate brought about by humans, however, which has caused the atmosphere to become increasingly erratic. Clara is their own hope of stabilizing the atmosphere, as she is the rarest of all witches, an Everwitch who draws her magic from the sun and from every season of the year. I thought the author did a brilliant job of creating such a unique magical system and tying it to something like climate change, which is so relevant and something we can all relate to. As fascinating as all of the magic and all of the action-packed scenes surrounding the witches and their attempts to stop climate change, what really captivated me about this story was Clara’s personal journey. As the only living Everwitch, she is completely alone. People try to help her master her magic, but no one fully understands how it works and how to harness it to its fullest potential. When we first meet Clara, she hates her magic and refuses to use it at all because it killed her parents and her best friend because she couldn’t control it. My heart broke for Clara and I longed for her to realize it wasn’t her fault so that she would stop closing herself off from others who love and care about her. The Nature of Witches is at times heartbreaking and terrifying, but yet also hopeful as Clara slowly comes to embrace her magic and how life changing it can be. If you’re in the mood for a beautifully written standalone fantasy about the unlikely combination of witches and climate change, The Nature of Witches is a must-read for you. (4 STARS)
2. DEAD DEAD GIRLS by Nekesa Afia (4 STARS)
There’s so much I want to say about this book but since it’s a mystery, I feel like I should say as little as possible for fear of spoilers. I was honestly expecting more of a cozy mystery with that cover but this is a much darker and more intense story than a cozy, with young Black girls being brutally murdered in Harlem in 1926. The protagonist, Louise Lloyd, also a young Black woman, unintentionally finds herself on the case after punching a white police officer in the face. Something about Louise intrigues the officer and he makes a deal with her: if she can help him interview folks in Harlem who may have information about these murders, he won’t charge her with assault. Louise reluctantly agrees and thus begins her unofficial career as an amateur detective. I don’t want to give away anything about the murder investigation, so I’ll just say that I loved Louise. She’s smart, sassy, and tenacious, and really does have a knack for detective work and for getting people to talk to her. I also loved how the author perfectly brings 1920’s New York City to life, both the good and the bad. She really captures both the beautiful and creative spirit of the Harlem Renaissance as well as the ugliness of the racism that still pervades society. I’m excited that this is going to be a series and look forward to seeing Louise tackle even more mysteries.
3. OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW by Beatriz Williams (3.5 STARS)
This book actually releases today and I have mixed feelings about it. I was intrigued by the subject matter, particularly since it’s set during the Cold War and based on an actual Russian spy ring that was in England. I was also intrigued by the way the story was presented from the perspectives of twin sisters, one of whom, Iris, is married to a spy and has defected with him to Moscow, while the other twin, Ruth, has decided she needs to rescue her sister from Moscow and bring her home. There is also a unique third perspective, which is that of a female KGB officer. The story unfolds in a multi-time line that shows how Iris met her spy husband and the troubled trajectory of their relationship, which alternates with chapters that show Ruth’s journey, with particular focus on how she comes to be involved in a mission to extract Iris and her family from Russia. I was fascinated by the actual history presented in this book and I loved the twists and turns and constant sense of danger lurking around every corner because of the KGB, but at the same time, since I was so unfamiliar with the real life spy ring the story is based on, I just felt like I wanted more history and less focus on the personal and romantic relationships of the characters, etc.
4. THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING by Morgan Matson (4 STARS)
Lots of things to like in this delightful book. My favorites: the focus on friendships and how they evolve over time, the father-daughter relationship, the cute home-schooled boy who is now a famous fantasy author, and of course all of the dogs. 🙂
5. THE UNRAVELING OF CASSIDY HOLMES by Elissa R. Sloan (3.5 STARS)
An interesting look at the inner workings of an all-girl pop band. The story explores the relationships between the members of the band, encounters with stalkers, how the rise to the top can impact people. Some band members are also dealing with personal issues (racism, abuse, sexual assault, etc.) and the book explores how that darkness impacts them, in particular Cassidy Holmes who we learn has committed suicide when the novel opens. It is somewhat similar to Daisy Jones & the Six but I don’t know that the comparison has done this book any favors as Daisy Jones & the Six is in a league of its own.
6. DARKDAWN by Jay Kristoff (4 STARS)
One of my goals this year has been to finish up series that have been lingering on my TBR for years so I’m happy to say that I finally finished the last book in The Nevernight Chronicle. I was sad to say goodbye to Mia Corvere, Mr. Kindly and the rest of these unforgettable characters, but I thought it was a very satisfying series finale, an action-packed emotional roller coaster.
7. A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow (3.5 STARS)
Even though this one has been sitting on my shelf for a year, I probably still read it sooner than I otherwise would have because I accidentally requested the second book in the series, not realizing it wasn’t a standalone book. I was fascinated by the idea of sirens, gorgons and other characters from Greek Mythology hiding in plain sight in the human world and I thought the story took a very powerful and emotional turn when a siren murder, along with a popular celebrity revealing herself to be a siren and decides to lend her voice to a protest that is very reminiscent of a Black Lives Matter protest. I also loved the sisterly bond between main characters Tavia, who is a teen siren in hiding and her best friend, Effie. I did, however, find the story somewhat confusing and hard to follow at times. I was listening to the audio version and there was so little distinction between Effie and Tavia that it was hard to tell who was who sometimes.
8. A REAPER AT THE GATES by Sabaa Tahir (4 STARS)
This is another series that I’m looking to wrap up this year and chose not to write a review since it’s just hard to review the third book in a series. Since this came out in 2018, I’m so late to the party that I probably wouldn’t spoil anything for anyone. At the same time, however, I don’t think I have anything new to add to the discussion. It’s a fantastic series with incredible worldbuilding, fascinating characters, and heart-stopping action and betrayals. I love reading about Laia, Elias, and Helene the Blood Shrike and look forward to seeing how Sabaa Tahir brings their journeys to a conclusion in the final book.
9. READY PLAYER TWO by Ernest Cline (3 STARS)
After loving both the Ready Player One book and film, this was easily my most anticipated read of 2020 and good grief, what a letdown it ended up being. I actually almost DNF’ed it because the beginning was just so ugh in every way. It’s basically a long, drawn out info dump about everything Wade and the gang have been doing since we last saw them before it finally moves into a new mystery regarding the Oasis. Once I finally got to the mystery, I was more invested and interested in seeing how things played out and that’s the part of the story that gets my 3 stars. The first part of the book was easily a 1 or 2 star read for me, even with Wil Wheaton narrating.
10. CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare (4 STARS)
I’m so weird when it comes to The Mortal Instruments series. I’ve been slowly working my way through it for a couple of years now and although I devour a book once I start it, once I finish, I don’t feel a compelling urge to dive right into the next book even though I know I have at least two or three more books to go. No clue why since I adore Clary, Jace, Simon, Isabelle and all of the other characters and I love the worldbuilding. I especially enjoyed this book because there’s a lot more character development than in the first three books in the series. I really enjoyed getting to see more of Simon’s world as a vampire . Plus, there’s lot of drama, which always makes for a fun read.
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