Short & Sweet: Cruel Beautiful World

Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Leavitt

The storyline here was compelling, and the depiction of a relationship turning abusive (both mentally/emotionally and physically) felt very real. I haven't read many books set in the late 60s/early 70s so that helped set this book apart from others of a similar theme. Most of the characters felt fleshed out, with the possible exception of William, whose POV we only get towards the end. I felt kind of conflicted about how his section was done, to be honest. Spoilers, highlight to read: While I understand that it's possible that in William's mind he was acting out of "love" for Lucy, and perhaps the author's intent was to show how William was lying even to himself about his behaviour, it still came across -- or at least could certainly be interpreted -- as a sympathetic portrayal of William, kind of like it was explaining away his actions by the fact that it was done out of "love". Obviously this was from William's point of view, so I suppose that was him justifying it to himself/Charlotte. Still, that portion left me feeling uncertain about what the reader was meant to take away from it.

3.5 stars. 

The Mad Scientist's Daughter: A Rambling Review

The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke

This is a quiet sci-fi story about relationships, consciousness, and growing up, so if you're wanting an action-packed sci-fi read about robots, look elsewhere. If you want something introspective, though, and you don't mind a main character who may disappoint and frustrate you (especially in the first half of the book), you might want to check this one out. The writing style is very readable, and Clarke does a good job of giving an impression of a scene without going overboard with description. I never felt like I really understood Cat, but I didn't find that necessary to keep on reading. The premise of a woman falling in love with an android is compelling, and while neither the scientific plausibility or the philosophical ramifications of an android potentially falling in love right back are explored deeply enough for my liking, the case for Cat and Finn fitting together is made in an easy, unforced sort of way. One just feels like they make sense together, somehow, even though in theory they shouldn't. (Which some of the best romances do!)

I was left with a lingering question about Daniel, however. Spoilers, highlight to read: it was repeatedly implied that Daniel did not resemble Richard at all, and comparisons were made to Finn instead. However, this was not resolved by the end of the book. Are we supposed to believe that he is Finn's son? And if so, how exactly is that supposed to work?

3.5 shooting stars.

  

Short & Sweet: First & Then

First & Then by Emma Mills

I actually quite enjoyed this one, more than I thought I might. I do think that it's less a retelling of Pride and Prejudice than very loosely inspired by the story, as well as other Austen books. (I mean, for one thing, Devon doesn't have any sisters!) 

Nevertheless, I liked Devon's voice and I felt like her character and perspective were very relatable. It took me quite a while to warm up to Ezra -- his dynamic with Devon starts out as less open hostility than Darcy and Elizabeth's, and more just sort of lukewarm apathy, so there wasn't a whole lot of unresolved sexual tension between them initially -- but eventually I came around to him. I also liked seeing Devon become closer to her cousin Foster and really develop a sense of protectiveness for him. 

Overall, an easy, "warm fuzzy" sort of read that portrays high school in a rosier light than a lot of YA contemps do, and yet manages to still feel authentic.

4 shooting stars.

                      

The Flatshare: A Rambling Review (Adult)

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

This was a really cute read. The premise was fun (sharing a flat/bed while never meeting, and connecting through series of Post-It Notes? It screams 'adorable'!), and the execution provided the "warm fuzzies" you want in a rom-com. There was a heavier layer, though, in the storyline surrounding Tiffy's ex-boyfriend (spoilers, highlight to read: Total. Creep.).

I liked that it flipped back and forth between the girl's and guy's POV, and their voices were quite distinct. Beth O'Leary does well at portraying their personalities through the writing styles of each of their POVs -- Tiffy is quite detailed and bubbly, while Leon is succinct, as though he doesn't want to use any words unnecessarily. Despite the fact that I'm not remotely talented at crafts, and I don't have Tiffy's daring fashion sense, I connected with her. Leon's a little harder to get to know (as he doesn't share the same way that Tiffy does), but it's clear what a calm and grounded presence he is in Tiffy's life. 

And the Post-Its are seriously the most adorable thing ever. I really enjoyed reading that build-up to the moment they actually meet (which is, of course, a "meet-cute" situation). 

Basically, The Flatshare reads as if Meg Cabot's Boy series and Rainbow Rowell's Attachments had a baby. If you're a fan of either of those authors, you'll enjoy The Flatshare.

4 shooting stars.  

 

Short & Sweet: An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

I polished this one off in a day! I was pulled in right from the get-go and then by the end couldn't put it down. A compelling, gripping psychological thriller where you're not sure who to trust and the truth is continually being questioned. I really enjoyed the themes of social psychology and ethics/morality woven throughout. The style of switching between Jessica's and Dr. Shields' perspectives was excellently done; their voices were distinct and Dr. Shields' chapters in particular were written in a clinical, 2nd-person/distant-1st-person that worked really well to convey her unsettling personality. I felt a little mixed about the ending; I thought that one part of it was very fitting in a thematic and storytelling sense, whereas another part kind of took me aback. Spoilers, highlight to read: the fact that Dr. Shields committed suicide by taking Vicodin felt like it made sense from a storytelling perspective. However, I'm not entirely sure how the reader is expected to respond to how Jessica behaves in the last conversation she has with Thomas. She's been the character the reader has been rooting for, so I felt a little upset with having her essentially blackmail Thomas. It certainly drives home the point that no one is 100% "good".

4.5 shooting stars.



The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Good, but not as gripping or cleverly plotted as the other book I read by this writing duo, An Anonymous Girl. I guessed at one of the big twists early on, and just generally I'd say this one was fairly predictable. Towards the end it does get pretty hard to put down, though! The villain in this one is so despicable that it is very easy to root for another character (being deliberately vague here so as not to spoil, lol). And there was a reveal right at the end that I didn't see coming! Also, a very weird relationship dynamic that is hinted at but not fully explained left me still with questions... Spoilers, highlight to read: what was up with Maureen? What kind of twisted brother-sister relationship do they have? Creeeeeeeepy...

3.5 shooting stars.

The Piper's Son: A Rambling Review

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

I liked really getting to know Tom well in this book, but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as Saving Francesca. It felt darker and heavier than that first book. The story just sort of meanders, lacking momentum/drive, and though I felt like it was slowly building up to something, the actual climactic scene (if you could call it that) felt underwhelming and unsatisfying. Also, Tom takes a long time to learn anything, so it ends up feeling kinda repetitive as he has the same sorts of inner monologues over and over again as he tries to figure things out. The characterization is a strong point -- Tom is most certainly a flawed character, but sympathetic and redeemable. You have to feel for him, while at the same time wishing he made different choices. 

I do wish we had gotten to see more of what the other characters from Saving Francesca are dealing with. We get little glimpses, but because it's from Tom's and Georgie's perspectives, we don't really get to know the whole of what's going on with the others. I also didn't feel like Georgie's perspective added that much; I wasn't as interested in her storyline and partway through I began looking forward to the next Tom chapter instead. I think perhaps we didn't need quite as many characters in here either; I know that family is a very important aspect of this novel, but I had some trouble remembering who was who. 

Marchetta depicts friendships and relationships incredibly well, and that is on display here. I find it fascinating how quickly and easily Tom makes friends, even with those people he took a disliking to at first (like Ned). He rebuffs people just as easily, unfortunately, but nevertheless it's clear he keeps searching for connection with others. It's interesting, too, that Marchetta tackles the issue of repairing and rebuilding friendships that have faded; it's a subject that isn't all that front-and-centre in a lot of novels, and yet it's a subject that many people face at some point in their lives.

3 shooting stars.

 

Short & Sweet: The Storyspinner and Eleanor & Park

The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

I actually ended up polishing this off in a day and finding it highly entertaining! Which surprises me, given that it is rife with cliches of the genre and you can tell from the writing (some awkward phrasing and metaphors) that this is a debut novel. Nevertheless, it was an inviting story with a couple main characters I liked (some of the side characters never felt really fleshed out, unfortunately) and a world with glimpses of an interesting history between various factions. The storytelling style worked pretty well to keep the momentum of the plot going, although I admit that certain characters' POVs felt a bit boring/unnecessary to me (spoiler, highlight to read: I didn't really care for the Pira and Leao POVs) and I always wanted to be back with the Johanna-Rafi side of things.

3.5 stars.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I know this book has a lot of fans, but I'm afraid I found it very bleak and depressing. The problems that Eleanor faced at home overshadowed the lighter storyline of Eleanor and Park's relationship. I had to push myself to keep going, and Eleanor just kept dealing with more and more of the same awful stuff. That's not to say that it wasn't a realistic portrayal; the thoughts and emotions that Eleanor goes through felt authentic. And the writing was solid (as I have come to expect from a Rainbow Rowell novel), although I felt like it sometimes slid into melodrama. But I feel like I wasn't in the right frame of mind for reading about these sorts of serious, heavy issues, so perhaps it was at least partly a case of book-at-the-wrong-time for me.


3 stars.