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The 10 Best Book Reviews of 2020

Adam morgan picks parul sehgal on raven leilani, merve emre on lewis carroll, and more.

The pandemic and the birth of my second daughter prevented me from reading most of the books I wanted to in 2020. But I was able to read vicariously  through book critics, whose writing was a true source of comfort and escape for me this year. I’ve long told my students that criticism is literature—a genre of nonfiction that can and should be as insightful, experimental, and compelling as the art it grapples with—and the following critics have beautifully proven my point. The word “best” is always a misnomer, but these are my personal favorite book reviews of 2020.

Nate Marshall on Barack Obama’s A Promised Land ( Chicago Tribune )

A book review rarely leads to a segment on The 11th Hour with Brian Williams , but that’s what happened to Nate Marshall last month. I love how he combines a traditional review with a personal essay—a hybrid form that has become my favorite subgenre of criticism.

“The presidential memoir so often falls flat because it works against the strengths of the memoir form. Rather than take a slice of one’s life to lay bare and come to a revelation about the self or the world, the presidential memoir seeks to take the sum of a life to defend one’s actions. These sorts of memoirs are an attempt maybe not to rewrite history, but to situate history in the most rosy frame. It is by nature defensive and in this book, we see Obama’s primary defensive tool, his prodigious mind and proclivity toward over-considering every detail.”

Merve Emre on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ( The Point )

I’m a huge fan of writing about books that weren’t just published in the last 10 seconds. And speaking of that hybrid form above, Merve Emre is one of its finest practitioners. This piece made me laugh out loud and changed the way I think about Lewis Carroll.

“I lie awake at night and concentrate on Alice,  on why my children have fixated on this book at this particular moment. Part of it must be that I have told them it ‘takes place’ in Oxford, and now Oxford—or more specifically, the college whose grounds grow into our garden—marks the physical limits of their world. Now that we can no longer move about freely, no longer go to new places to see new things, we are trying to find ways to estrange the places and objects that are already familiar to us.”

Parul Sehgal on Raven Leilani’s Luster ( The New York Times Book Review )

Once again, Sehgal remains the best lede writer in the business. I challenge you to read the opening of any  Sehgal review and stop there.

“You may know of the hemline theory—the idea that skirt lengths fluctuate with the stock market, rising in boom times and growing longer in recessions. Perhaps publishing has a parallel; call it the blurb theory. The more strained our circumstances, the more manic the publicity machine, the more breathless and orotund the advance praise. Blurbers (and critics) speak with a reverent quiver of this moment, anointing every other book its guide, every second writer its essential voice.”

Constance Grady on Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall ( Vox )

Restoring the legacies of ill-forgotten books is one of our duties as critics. Grady’s take on “the least famous sister in a family of celebrated geniuses” makes a good case for Wildfell Hall’ s place alongside Wuthering Heights  and Jane Eyre  in the Romantic canon.

“[T]he heart of this book is a portrait of a woman surviving and flourishing after abuse, and in that, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall feels unnervingly modern. It is fresh, shocking, and wholly new today, 200 years after the birth of its author.”

Ismail Muhammad on Anna Wiener’s Uncanny Valley ( The Atlantic )

Muhammad is a philosophical critic, so it’s always fun to see him tackle a book with big ideas. Here, he makes an enlightened connection between Wiener’s Silicon Valley memoir and Michael Lewis’s 1989 Wall Street exposé, Liar’s Poker.

“Like Lewis, Wiener found ‘a way out of unhappiness’ by writing her own gimlet-eyed generational portrait that doubles as a cautionary tale of systemic dysfunction. But if her chronicle acquires anything like the must-read status that Lewis’s antic tale of a Princeton art-history major’s stint at Salomon Brothers did, it will be for a different reason. For all her caustic insight and droll portraiture, Wiener is on an earnest quest likely to resonate with a public that has been sleepwalking through tech’s gradual reshaping of society.”

Hermione Hoby on Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs ( 4 Columns )

Hoby’s thousand-word review is a great example of a critic reading beyond the book to place it in context.

“When Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs  was first published in 2008, the then-governor of Tokyo, the ultraconservative Shintaro Ishihara, deemed the novel ‘unpleasant and intolerable.’ I wonder what he objected to? Perhaps he wasn’t into a scene in which the narrator, a struggling writer called Natsuko, pushes a few fingers into her vagina in a spirit of dejected exploration: ‘I . . . tried being rough and being gentle. Nothing worked.’”

Taylor Moore on C Pam Zhang’s How Much Of These Hills Is Gold ( The A.V. Club )

Describing Zhang’s wildly imaginative debut novel is hard, but Moore manages to convey the book’s shape and texture in less than 800 words, along with some critical analysis.

“Despite some characteristics endemic to Wild West narratives (buzzards circling prey, saloons filled with seedy strangers), the world of How Much Of These Hills Is Gold feels wholly original, and Zhang imbues its wide expanse with magical realism. According to local lore, tigers lurk in the shadows, despite having died out ‘decades ago’ with the buffalo. There also exists a profound sense of loss for an exploited land, ‘stripped of its gold, its rivers, its buffalo, its Indians, its tigers, its jackals, its birds and its green and its living.’”

Grace Ebert on Paul Christman’s Midwest Futures ( Chicago Review of Books )

I love how Ebert brings her lived experience as a Midwesterner into this review of Christman’s essay collection. (Disclosure: I founded the Chicago Review of Books five years ago, but handed over the keys in July 2019.)

“I have a deep and genuine love for Wisconsin, for rural supper clubs that always offer a choice between chicken soup or an iceberg lettuce salad, and for driving back, country roads that seemingly are endless. This love, though, is conflicting. How can I sing along to Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker, and Merle Haggard knowing that my current political views are in complete opposition to the lyrics I croon with a twang in my voice?”

Michael Schaub on Bryan Washington’s Memorial ( NPR )

How do you review a book you fall in love with? It’s one of the most challenging assignments a critic can tackle. But Schaub is a pro; he falls in love with a few books every year.

“Washington is an enormously gifted author, and his writing—spare, unadorned, but beautiful—reads like the work of a writer who’s been working for decades, not one who has yet to turn 30. Just like Lot, Memorial  is a quietly stunning book, a masterpiece that asks us to reflect on what we owe to the people who enter our lives.”

Mesha Maren on Fernanda Melchor’s Hurricane Season ( Southern Review of Books )

Maren opens with an irresistible comparison between Melchor’s irreverent novel and medieval surrealist art. (Another Disclosure: I founded the Southern Review of Books in early 2020.)

“Have you ever wondered what internal monologue might accompany the characters in a Hieronymus Bosch painting? What are the couple copulating upside down in the middle of that pond thinking? Or the man with flowers sprouting from his ass? Or the poor fellow being killed by a fire-breathing creature which is itself impaled upon a knife? I would venture to guess that their voices would sound something like the writing of Mexican novelist Fernanda Melchor.”

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How to Write a Book Review: The Complete Guide

by Sue Weems | 23 comments

If you've ever loved (or hated) a book, you may have been tempted to review it. Here's a complete guide to how to write a book review, so you can share your literary adventures with other readers more often! 

You finally reach the last page of a book that kept you up all night and close it with the afterglow of satisfaction and a tinge of regret that it’s over. If you enjoyed the book enough to stay up reading it way past your bedtime, consider writing a review. It is one of the best gifts you can give an author.

Regardless of how much you know about how to write a book review, the author will appreciate hearing how their words touched you.

But as you face the five shaded stars and empty box, a blank mind strikes. What do I say? I mean, is this a book really deserving of five stars? How did it compare to Dostoevsky or Angelou or Dickens?

Maybe there’s an easier way to write a book review.

Want to learn how to write a book from start to finish? Check out How to Write a Book: The Complete Guide .

The Fallacy of Book Reviews

Once you’ve decided to give a review, you are faced with the task of deciding how many stars to give a book.

When I first started writing book reviews, I made the mistake of trying to compare a book to ALL BOOKS OF ALL TIME. (Sorry for the all caps, but that’s how it felt, like a James Earl Jones voice was asking me where to put this book in the queue of all books.)

Other readers find themselves comparing new titles to their favorite books. It's a natural comparison. But is it fair?

This is honestly why I didn’t give reviews of books for a long time. How can I compare a modern romance or historical fiction war novel with Dostoevsky? I can’t, and I shouldn’t.

I realized my mistake one day as I was watching (of all things) a dog show. In the final round, they trotted out dogs of all shapes, colors, and sizes. I thought, “How can a Yorkshire Terrier compete with a Basset Hound?” As if he'd read my mind, the announcer explained that each is judged by the standards for its breed.

This was my “Aha!” moment. I have to take a book on its own terms. The question is not, “How does this book compare to all books I’ve read?” but “How well did this book deliver what it promised for the intended audience?”

A review is going to reflect my personal experience with the book, but I can help potential readers by taking a minute to consider what the author intended. Let me explain what I mean. 

How to Write a Book Review: Consider a Book’s Promise

A book makes a promise with its cover, blurb, and first pages. It begins to set expectations the minute a reader views the thumbnail or cover. Those things indicate the genre, tone, and likely the major themes.

If a book cover includes a lip-locked couple in flowing linen on a beach, and I open to the first page to read about a pimpled vampire in a trench coat speaking like Mr. Knightly about his plan for revenge on the entire human race, there’s been a breach of contract before I even get to page two. These are the books we put down immediately (unless a mixed-message beachy cover combined with an Austen vampire story is your thing).

But what if the cover, blurb, and first pages are cohesive and perk our interest enough to keep reading? Then we have to think about what the book has promised us, which revolves around one key idea: What is the core story question and how well is it resolved?

Sometimes genre expectations help us answer this question: a romance will end with a couple who finds their way, a murder mystery ends with a solved case, a thriller’s protagonist beats the clock and saves the country or planet.

The stories we love most do those expected things in a fresh or surprising way with characters we root for from the first page. Even (and especially!) when a book doesn’t fit neatly in a genre category, we need to consider what the book promises on those first pages and decide how well it succeeds on the terms it sets for itself.

When I Don’t Know What to Write

About a month ago, I realized I was overthinking how to write a book review. Here at the Write Practice we have a longstanding tradition of giving critiques using the Oreo method : point out something that was a strength, then something we wondered about or that confused us, followed by another positive.

We can use this same structure to write a simple review when we finish books. Consider this book review format: 

[Book Title] by [book author] is about ___[plot summary in a sentence—no spoilers!]___. I chose this book based on ________. I really enjoyed ________. I wondered how ___________. Anyone who likes ____ will love this book.

Following this basic template can help you write an honest review about most any book, and it will give the author or publisher good information about what worked (and possibly what didn’t). You might write about the characters, the conflict, the setting, or anything else that captured you and kept you reading.

As an added bonus, you will be a stronger reader when you are able to express why you enjoyed parts of a book (just like when you critique!). After you complete a few, you’ll find it gets easier, and you won’t need the template anymore.

What if I Didn’t Like It?

Like professional book reviewers, you will have to make the call about when to leave a negative review. If I can’t give a book at least three stars, I usually don’t review it. Why? If I don’t like a book after a couple chapters, I put it down. I don’t review anything that I haven’t read the entire book.

Also, it may be that I’m not the target audience. The book might be well-written and well-reviewed with a great cover, and it just doesn’t capture me. Or maybe it's a book that just isn't hitting me right now for reasons that have nothing to do with the book and everything to do with my own reading life and needs. Every book is not meant for every reader.

If a book kept me reading all the way to the end and I didn’t like the ending? I would probably still review it, since there had to be enough good things going on to keep me reading to the end. I might mention in my review that the ending was less satisfying than I hoped, but I would still end with a positive.

How to Write a Book Review: Your Turn

As writers, we know how difficult it is to put down the words day after day. We are typically voracious readers. Let’s send some love back out to our fellow writers this week and review the most recent title we enjoyed.

What was the last book you read or reviewed? Do you ever find it hard to review a book? Share in the comments .

Now it's your turn. Think of the last book you read. Then, take fifteen minutes to write a review of it based on the template above. When you're done, share your review in the Pro Practice Workshop . For bonus points, post it on the book's page on Amazon and Goodreads, too!

Don't forget to leave feedback for your fellow writers! What new reads will you discover in the comments?

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to write a book review- a step by step guide.

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Since knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could improve? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair:Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with an additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

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How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide

WHAT IS A BOOK REVIEW?

Traditionally, book reviews are evaluations of a recently published book in any genre. Usually, around the 500 to 700-word mark, they briefly describe a text’s main elements while appraising the work’s strengths and weaknesses. Published book reviews can appear in newspapers, magazines, and academic journals. They provide the reader with an overview of the book itself and indicate whether or not the reviewer would recommend the book to the reader.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A BOOK REVIEW?

There was a time when book reviews were a regular appearance in every quality newspaper and many periodicals. They were essential elements in whether or not a book would sell well. A review from a heavyweight critic could often be the deciding factor in whether a book became a bestseller or a damp squib. In the last few decades, however, the book review’s influence has waned considerably, with many potential book buyers preferring to consult customer reviews on Amazon, or sites like Goodreads, before buying. As a result, book review’s appearance in newspapers, journals, and digital media has become less frequent.

WHY BOTHER TEACHING STUDENTS TO WRITE BOOK REVIEWS AT ALL?

Even in the heyday of the book review’s influence, few students who learned the craft of writing a book review became literary critics! The real value of crafting a well-written book review for a student does not lie in their ability to impact book sales. Understanding how to produce a well-written book review helps students to:

●     Engage critically with a text

●     Critically evaluate a text

●     Respond personally to a range of different writing genres

●     Improve their own reading, writing, and thinking skills.

Not to Be Confused with a Book Report!

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOOK REVIEW AND A BOOK REPORT?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are clear differences in both the purpose and the format of the two genres. Generally speaking, book reports aim to give a more detailed outline of what occurs in a book. A book report on a work of fiction will tend to give a comprehensive account of the characters, major plot lines, and themes in the book. Book reports are usually written around the K-12 age range, while book reviews tend not to be undertaken by those at the younger end of this age range due to the need for the higher-level critical skills required in writing them. At their highest expression, book reviews are written at the college level and by professional critics.

Learn how to write a book review step by step with our complete guide for students and teachers by familiarizing yourself with the structure and features.

BOOK REVIEW STRUCTURE

ANALYZE Evaluate the book with a critical mind.

THOROUGHNESS The whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Review the book as a WHOLE.

COMPARE Where appropriate compare to similar texts and genres.

THUMBS UP OR DOWN? You are going to have to inevitably recommend or reject this book to potential readers.

BE CONSISTENT Take a stance and stick with it throughout your review.

FEATURES OF A BOOK REVIEW

PAST TENSE You are writing about a book you have already read.

EMOTIVE LANGUAGE Whatever your stance or opinion be passionate about it. Your audience will thank you for it.

VOICE Both active and passive voice are used in recounts.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF TEXTS

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ELEMENTS OF A BOOK REVIEW

As with any of the writing genres we teach our students, a book review can be helpfully explained in terms of criteria. While there is much to the ‘art’ of writing, there is also, thankfully, a lot of the nuts and bolts that can be listed too. Have students consider the following elements before writing:

●     Title: Often, the title of the book review will correspond to the title of the text itself, but there may also be some examination of the title’s relevance. How does it fit into the purpose of the work as a whole? Does it convey a message or reveal larger themes explored within the work?

●     Author: Within the book review, there may be some discussion of who the author is and what they have written before, especially if it relates to the current work being reviewed. There may be some mention of the author’s style and what they are best known for. If the author has received any awards or prizes, this may also be mentioned within the body of the review.

●     Genre: A book review will identify the genre that the book belongs to, whether fiction or nonfiction, poetry, romance, science-fiction, history etc. The genre will likely tie in, too with who the intended audience for the book is and what the overall purpose of the work is.

●     Book Jacket / Cover: Often, a book’s cover will contain artwork that is worthy of comment. It may contain interesting details related to the text that contribute to, or detract from, the work as a whole.

●     Structure: The book’s structure will often be heavily informed by its genre. Have students examine how the book is organized before writing their review. Does it contain a preface from a guest editor, for example? Is it written in sections or chapters? Does it have a table of contents, index, glossary etc.? While all these details may not make it into the review itself, looking at how the book is structured may reveal some interesting aspects.

●     Publisher and Price: A book review will usually contain details of who publishes the book and its cost. A review will often provide details of where the book is available too.

BOOK REVIEW KEY ELEMENTS

As students read and engage with the work they will review, they will develop a sense of the shape their review will take. This will begin with the summary. Encourage students to take notes during the reading of the work that will help them in writing the summary that will form an essential part of their review. Aspects of the book they may wish to take notes on in a work of fiction may include:

●     Characters: Who are the main characters? What are their motivations? Are they convincingly drawn? Or are they empathetic characters?

●     Themes: What are the main themes of the work? Are there recurring motifs in the work? Is the exploration of the themes deep or surface only?

●     Style: What are the key aspects of the writer’s style? How does it fit into the wider literary world?

●     Plot: What is the story’s main catalyst? What happens in the rising action? What are the story’s subplots? 

A book review will generally begin with a short summary of the work itself. However, it is important not to give too much away, remind students – no spoilers, please! For nonfiction works, this may be a summary of the main arguments of the work, again, without giving too much detail away. In a work of fiction, a book review will often summarise up to the rising action of the piece without going beyond to reveal too much!

The summary should also provide some orientation for the reader. Given the nature of the purpose of a review, it is important that students’ consider their intended audience in the writing of their review. Readers will most likely not have read the book in question and will require some orientation. This is often achieved through introductions to the main characters, themes, primary arguments etc. This will help the reader to gauge whether or not the book is of interest to them.

Once your student has summarized the work, it is time to ‘review’ in earnest. At this point, the student should begin to detail their own opinion of the book. To do this well they should:

i. Make It Personal

Often when teaching essay writing we will talk to our students about the importance of climbing up and down the ladder of abstraction. Just as it is helpful to explore large, more abstract concepts in an essay by bringing it down to Earth, in a book review, it is important that students can relate the characters, themes, ideas etc to their own lives.

Book reviews are meant to be subjective. They are opinion pieces, and opinions grow out of our experiences of life. Encourage students to link the work they are writing about to their own personal life within the body of the review. By making this personal connection to the work, students contextualize their opinions for the readers and help them to understand whether the book will be of interest to them or not in the process.

ii. Make It Universal

Just as it is important to climb down the ladder of abstraction to show how the work relates to individual life, it is important to climb upwards on the ladder too. Students should endeavor to show how the ideas explored in the book relate to the wider world. The may be in the form of the universality of the underlying themes in a work of fiction or, for example, the international implications for arguments expressed in a work of nonfiction.

iii. Support Opinions with Evidence

A book review is a subjective piece of writing by its very nature. However, just because it is subjective does not mean that opinions do not need to be justified. Make sure students understand how to back up their opinions with various forms of evidence, for example, quotations, statistics, and the use of primary and secondary sources.

EDIT AND REVISE YOUR BOOK REVIEW

As with any writing genre, encourage students to polish things up with review and revision at the end. Encourage them to proofread and check for accurate spelling throughout, with particular attention to the author’s name, character names, publisher etc. 

It is good practice too for students to double-check their use of evidence. Are statements supported? Are the statistics used correctly? Are the quotations from the text accurate? Mistakes such as these uncorrected can do great damage to the value of a book review as they can undermine the reader’s confidence in the writer’s judgement.

The discipline of writing book reviews offers students opportunities to develop their writing skills and exercise their critical faculties. Book reviews can be valuable standalone activities or serve as a part of a series of activities engaging with a central text. They can also serve as an effective springboard into later discussion work based on the ideas and issues explored in a particular book. Though the book review does not hold the sway it once did in the mind’s of the reading public, it still serves as an effective teaching tool in our classrooms today.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

BOOK REVIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER (TEMPLATE)

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Book and Movie review writing examples (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of book reviews.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to both read the movie or book review in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of writing a text review

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of book review writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type .

BOOK REVIEW VIDEO TUTORIALS

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How To Write A Book Review: 6 Steps To Take

Adiba Jaigirdar

Adiba Jaigirdar is an Irish-Bangladeshi writer, poet, and teacher. She resides in Dublin, Ireland and has an MA in postcolonial studies. She is currently working on her own postcolonial novel and hopes that someday it will see the light of day outside of her computer screen. Twitter:  @adiba_j

View All posts by Adiba Jaigirdar

Whether you’re a student, a novice blogger, or just someone looking to become a more active user of Goodreads, writing a book review is an important skill to have! Here are six steps for how to write a book review for school and beyond. 

1. Begin with a brief summary of the book

This is probably the best way to introduce any review because it gives context. But make sure to not go into too much detail. Keep it short and sweet since an official summary can be found through a quick google search!

2. Pick out the most important aspects of the book

I usually break this down with character, world-building, themes, and plot. But this might vary between books, genres, and your tastes!

Dedicate a paragraph to each of these important aspects, discussing how well the author dealt with it, along with what you enjoyed and what you didn’t enjoy.

3. Include brief quotes as examples

Including quotes is always a great idea, because it gives examples for everything that you’re saying! If your review talks about a character being particularly witty, a witty line from the character lets your readers see exactly what kind of witty character you’re dealing with here.

But be careful: lengthy quotes can take up big chunks of space and overpower your review. Short quotes will usually get your points across while letting your work shine through.

4. Write a conclusion that summarises everything

Like your introduction, keep your conclusion short and sweet! It should bring up the main points of your review, along with your overall opinion of the book.

5. Find similar books

A great way to wrap up a review is to find similar books to the one you’re reviewing. So you can say, “if you were a fan of X book, I think you’ll definitely like this one!”

You can also be more specific, looking at the exact things that might make two books similar. So you can suggest something like…“if you liked that the main character in X book was a kick-ass superhero, then you’ll love the main character of this book!”

6. Give it a star rating

A star rating is obviously encouraged in a lot of review sites, but they’re not necessary! If you do want to give a star rating, you can go the conventional “out of five/ten” route. You could also try something slightly less conventional, and break down your star-rating into different categories for character/plot/world-building, etc.

Now go forth and review! And share any tips you have for how to write a book review in the comments.

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The only book review templates you'll ever need.

Whether you’re trying to become a book reviewer , writing a book report for school, or analyzing a book, it’s nice to follow a book review template to make sure that your thoughts are clearly presented. 

A quality template provides guidance to keep your mind sharp and your thoughts organized so that you can write the best book review possible. On Reedsy Discovery , we read and share a lot of book reviews, which helps us develop quite a clear idea what makes up a good one. With that in mind, we’ve put together some trustworthy book review templates that you can download, along with a quick run-through of all the parts that make up an outstanding review — all in this post! 

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

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Book review templates for every type of review

With the rapid growth of the book community on Instagram, Youtube, and even TikTok, the world of book commentary has evolved far beyond your classic review. There are now many ways you can structure a book review. Some popular formats include:

• Book reports — often done for school assignments; 
• Commentary articles — think in-depth reviews in magazines and newspapers; 
• Book blog reviews — short personal essays about the book; and
• Instagram reviews — one or two-paragraph reviews captioned under a nice photo. 

But while the text in all these review styles can be organized in different ways, there are certain boxes that all good book reviews tick. So, instead of giving you various templates to use for different occasions, we’ve condensed it down to just two book review templates (one for fiction and one for nonfiction) that can guide your thoughts and help you nail just about any review. 

⭐ Download our free fiction book review template  

⭐ Download our free nonfiction book review template  

All you need to do is answer the questions in the template regarding the book you’re reading and you’ve got the content of your review covered. Once that’s done, you can easily put this content into its appropriate format. 

Now, if you’re curious about what constitutes a good book review template, we’ll explain it in the following section! 

Elements of a book review template

Say you want to build your own book review template, or you want to customize our templates — here are the elements you’ll want to consider. 

We’ve divided our breakdown of the elements into two categories: the essentials and the fun additions that’ll add some color to your book reviews.

What are the three main parts of a book review?

We covered this in detail (with the help of some stellar examples) in our post on how to write a book review , but basically, these are the three crucial elements you should know: 

The summary covers the premise of the book and its main theme, so readers are able to understand what you’re referring to in the rest of your review. This means that, if a person hasn’t read the book, they can go through the summary to get a quick idea of what it’s about. (As such, there should be no spoilers!) 

The analysis is where, if it’s a fiction book, you talk more about the book, its plot, theme, and characters. If it’s nonfiction, you have to consider whether the book effectively achieves what it set out to do. 

The recommendation is where your personal opinion comes in the strongest, and you give a verdict as to who you think might enjoy this book. 

You can choose to be brief or detailed, depending on the kind of review you’re writing, but you should always aim to cover these three points. If you’re needing some inspiration, check out these 17 book review examples as seen in magazines, blogs, and review communities like Reedsy Discovery for a little variation. 

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

Which additional details can you include?

Once you’ve nailed down the basics, you can jazz things up a little and add some personal flavor to your book review by considering some of these elements:

• A star-rating (the default is five stars but you can create your own scales); 
• A bullet-point pros and cons list; 
• Your favorite quotation from the book; 
• Commentary on the format you read (i.e., ebook, print, or audiobook);
• Fun facts about the book or author; 
• Other titles you think are similar.

This is where you can really be creative and tailor your review to suit your purpose and audience. A formal review written for a magazine, for instance, will likely benefit from contextual information about the author and the book, along with some comment on how that might have affected the reading (or even writing) process.

Meanwhile, if you’re reviewing a book on social media, you might find bullet points more effective at capturing the fleeting attention of Internet users. You can also make videos, take creative pictures, or even add your own illustrations for more personal touches. The floor is yours at this point, so go ahead and take the spotlight! 

That said, we hope that our templates can provide you with a strong foundation for even your most adventurous reviews. And if you’re interested in writing editorial reviews for up-and-coming indie titles, register as a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery !

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[2023] The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Story Book Review: Tips, Examples, and Format

• June 9, 2023
• Book Reviews

Are you a book lover who enjoys sharing your opinions on books with others? Are you curious about writing book reviews, but not sure where to start? Look no further than Book Summary Review™! Our team of expert book lovers has put together the ultimate guide to writing story book reviews. In this article, we will provide tips, examples, and the format for writing a compelling and informative story book review. Read on to become an expert story book reviewer!

What is a Story Book Review?

A story book review is an evaluation of a book that summarizes, analyzes, and critiques its contents. It is a way for readers to share their thoughts and opinions with others, and to help other readers make informed decisions about what they should read next.

The Importance of Story Book Reviews

Story book reviews are important for several reasons. They provide feedback to authors and publishers, helping them to improve their work and meet the needs of their readers. They also help readers to select books that are well-written, engaging, and enjoyable. Book reviews can also create a sense of community among readers, encouraging them to share their thoughts and opinions on books with others.

What Must a Story Book Review Contain?

A story book review should contain several key elements. These include a summary of the plot, an analysis of the themes and characters, and an overall evaluation of the book. Below, we’ll break down each of these elements in more detail.

Summary of the Plot

When writing a summary of the plot, it’s important to avoid spoilers. Stick to the basic structure of the plot, including the beginning, middle, and end. Mention the main characters and their motives, but be careful not to give away the ending.

Analysis of the Themes and Characters

In the analysis section, you’ll want to examine the themes and characters of the book. Consider the author’s style, themes, and motifs. Discuss the characters in terms of their development and complexity. Look for symbols, metaphors, and imagery that reveal deeper meanings.

Overall Evaluation of the Book

The overall evaluation is where you’ll share your thoughts and opinions on the book. Consider the book’s strengths and weaknesses, and give examples to support your arguments. Be honest and fair in your assessment, and provide recommendations for other readers.

Book Review Examples for Fiction Books

Now that we’ve covered the basics of story book reviews, let’s look at book review examples for fiction books. Each example will contain a summary, analysis, and evaluation of the book.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

Summary: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a coming-of-age story set in the 1930s in Alabama. Scout Finch, a young girl, is growing up during the Great Depression and is surrounded by racism and prejudice. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer who is defending an African-American man accused of rape. The story follows Scout’s journey as she learns about injustice, human dignity, and courage.

Analysis: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a classic American novel that explores themes of racism, prejudice, and justice. The characters are well-developed, and their motivations are complex. Harper Lee’s writing is simple yet powerful, and she creates vivid descriptions of the rural southern town. The novel is full of symbols and imagery, such as the mockingbird and the oak tree, that reveal deeper meanings.

Evaluation: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a must-read for anyone interested in American literature. It is a timeless story that explores important social issues and human nature. Harper Lee’s writing is both poignant and humorous, and the characters are unforgettable. Overall, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a masterpiece that will leave a lasting impression on readers.

Book Review Examples for Non-Fiction Books

Non-fiction books can also benefit from story book reviews. Here’s an example of a book review for a non-fiction book:

"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Summary: "Sapiens" is a book that spans the entire history of humankind, from the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa to the present day. It covers topics such as the agricultural revolution, the rise of empires, and the impact of technology on society. The book is divided into four parts: The Cognitive Revolution, The Agricultural Revolution, The Unification of Humankind, and The Scientific Revolution.

Analysis: "Sapiens" is a fascinating exploration of human history that challenges traditional narratives about our past. Yuval Noah Harari’s writing is engaging and accessible, and he provides many thought-provoking insights. The book is filled with interesting facts and anecdotes, and it provides a holistic view of the human experience. Harari’s thesis, that the story of humankind is a collective fiction, is both compelling and believable.

Evaluation: "Sapiens" is a book that will change the way you think about human history. It is an ambitious project that is executed flawlessly. Harari’s writing is both informative and entertaining, and the book is full of surprises. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about the human experience, "Sapiens" is a must-read.

The Simple Format of a Story Book Review

While story book reviews can vary in length and structure, there is a simple format that you can follow to get started. Here’s an example:

Introduction: Introduce the book and provide some background information.

Summary: Provide a brief summary of the plot or contents of the book.

Analysis: Analyze the themes, characters, and style of the book.

Evaluation: Share your overall evaluation of the book and provide recommendations.

Conclusion: Sum up the main points of your review and provide a final thought.

Quick Tips and Facts

Here are some quick tips and facts to keep in mind when writing a story book review:

• Read the book carefully and take notes as you go.
• Avoid spoilers and focus on the main points of the book.
• Use quotes and examples to support your arguments.
• Be honest and fair in your assessment of the book.
• Use a professional and engaging tone.

The Pros and Cons of Writing Story Book Reviews

As with any activity, there are pros and cons to writing story book reviews. Here are a few to consider:

• Improve your reading and writing skills.
• Share your thoughts and opinions with others.
• Engage in a community of readers.
• Help authors and publishers improve their work.
• Develop your critical thinking skills.
• Time-consuming and requires effort.
• May lead to negative feedback from others.
• Can be challenging to remain objective.
• May require reading books that you don’t enjoy.

Ask the Expert: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about story book reviews:

What Are the 5 Parts of a Book Review?

The five parts of a book review are the introduction, summary, analysis, evaluation, and conclusion.

What Is the Simple Format of a Book Review?

The simple format of a book review includes an introduction, summary, analysis, evaluation, and conclusion. It is a clear and concise way to structure your review.

What Is a Story Book Review?

Final thoughts.

Writing story book reviews can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. By following the tips and examples in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert story book reviewer. Remember to read the book carefully, be objective and fair in your assessment, and use a professional and engaging tone. Happy reading!

Review Team

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Interview highlights

'worry' is a disturbing and honest picture of what it's like to be in your 20s.

Ailsa Chang

Alejandra Marquez Janse

Justine Kenin

Alexandra Tanner's debut novel centers two sisters in their 20s struggling with the love, anxieties and truths that they hold about each other. Sasha Fletcher hide caption

Alexandra Tanner's debut novel centers two sisters in their 20s struggling with the love, anxieties and truths that they hold about each other.

Your 20s are often painted as the greatest decade, but what's less talked about is how brutal those years can also be. There is pressure to declare who we are, uncertainty about what that even means, and confusion about what we want.

That is the case for two sisters in their 20s at the center of Alexandra Tanner's debut novel, Worry . Jules and Poppy Gold end up becoming roommates in New York City, and they torture each other with their anxieties, despair and truths. It's a portrait of sisterly love that's both hilarious and disturbing.

Author Interviews

A former nun explains why she ran away from her 'cloistered' life.

Tanner spoke to All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang about how she tried to capture the complexities of the decade and sisterhood in this book.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Ailsa Chang: So can we just first talk about the 20s? Like, what is it about that decade that makes it so painful? You just finished the decade, right?

Alexandra Tanner: Yes. I'm in my early 30s now and very glad to be done with my 20s forever. I think they're this just super pressurized time where you feel like, you know, your early 20s, you're on your own for the first time, you're out of college, you feel like, "Here I am, I've arrived in my life." But often you haven't arrived in your life and you don't know who you are and you're still a child, really.

Chang: In the middle of this existential dread that is the 20s are your characters Jules and Poppy. And let's just talk about the relationship between these two sisters. I mean, it's loving, but it's so messed up. It made me wonder: Were you writing from personal experience there? Do you have a sister?

Tanner: I have a younger sibling. They're non-binary and trans, and they are my favorite person in the entire world. But sometimes a sibling relationship is quite diabolical. It's a very unique relationship in that it's someone you love so intensely and know so well – you think. There's this huge gulf between what you [think you know] of your sibling and what you actually know of your sibling. So I think the core of the novel is the horror of realizing that your sister is a part of you and the bigger horror of realizing your sister is separate from you.

Chang: Well, even though we're talking about the viciousness between these two sisters, it really, for me, was the mother in this book who was the most cruel. Like, you depict a particularly vicious woman who calls her daughter the disappointment of her life. You also, I noticed, write about these other annoying mommy bloggers out there, and all of that got me thinking: How do you feel about motherhood, Alexandra?

Tanner: I mean, I wrote 300 pages about it and I still can't quite figure it out. And I think that, you know, in the writing of the novel, I kind of endeavored to have the relationship Jules and Poppy have with their mother, which I think it mirrors the relationship they have with each other, and that it's a relationship of deep emotional extremes, deep boundaryless-ness. And that's the thing about family, right? You can say anything to them and they're the people who are always going to be with you.

Chang: You hope.

Book Reviews

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'The Tree Doctor' chronicles one woman's response to a series of life-changing crises

Tanner: You hope. But there's a huge responsibility in that to recognize that you have to treat other people with care. And that saying something like, "You are the disappointment of my life," in a moment of deep emotional stress, they're going to remember that for the rest of their lives. That's not a statement you can just walk back. And I think, mothers, daughters, you go through these cycles of being there for each other and not being there for each other and wounding each other and then being the only person in the world who can lift someone up from, you know, a breakup, getting fired, a devastation. That's the person you want to reach out to.

Chang: Why set this book in 2019, by the way? Because for me, you know, it's so specifically not the present day, but also not that long ago. So what was it about the cusp of the pandemic that you wanted to remind us about?

Tanner : When I look back on 2019, it was this year that felt really normal until all of a sudden it didn't. And I remember there was this period, especially toward the end of the year, where it started to feel like things were about to hit the fan in this really big, scary way. And maybe that's a little bit of an anachronistic thing to say. But now when we look back on it, it was the last year of a chapter in our collective narrative about the world and about so many of our individual lives. And it just had this bonkers energy that I really wanted to try to capture.

In 'The Manicurist's Daughter,' a refugee family goes on after its matriarch's death

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In 'unshrinking,' a writer discusses coming out as fat and pushing back against bias.

Chang: You know, loneliness became such a theme during the pandemic, but you remind us that there was a lot of loneliness before the pandemic.

Tanner: Everybody around the world was lonely in 2019, too. You sort of thought things were about as bad as they could get, you know, politically, socially, whatever. And then it got so much worse.

Chang: Well, I want to end this interview where I started. What do you hope current 20-something-year-olds come away with after reading your book? What do you want to tell them?

Tanner: You're going to strive, you're going to suffer. It's all going to be OK. You're going to make it even if you only make it with a percentage of yourself that is far less than you thought you would carry on to the other side of it.

• Review Requests
• Review – How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club , an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate… Now it’s up to her great-niece to catch the killer.

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

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This mystery novel kept me guessing from start to finish. I have to admit this is a case where I didn’t guess the killer…however, the person I suspected isn’t a rose by any means!

This may be the author’s adult debut novel, but she has captured the mystery genre quite well. There is a lovely mix of characters, loveable and not, clues galore, and there are not one but two mysteries to solve.

Annie has been summoned to the village of Castle Knoll to discuss Great Aunt Frances’ will. But before that can happen, she is found dead, and the new will pits Annie against Frances’ nephew for the inheritance. If neither can solve the mystery, everything will be sold and donated. This is not a pleasant prospect for either party. So they are off to figure out who killed Frances and who will inherit.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book. I liked how the story jumped back and forth in time. It gives us a perspective on Frances that you would never have known. It explains her obsession with a fortune that was given to her as a teen and sheds light on her group of friends. It also explains Frances’ eccentric behavior. There are an abundance of clues scattered throughout the book, and it is putting them together to determine what is fact and what is fiction. Whenever I thought I might have an idea of who was involved, something else would pop up to potentially discredit them as the killer. The reality was a surprise, but when it was laid out for the reader, it made perfect sense.

Besides solving the two murders (old and new), Annie has to uncover the truth about various villagers. I don’t want to spoil anything, so you will just have to read the book and find out for yourself.

This sleepy village in England didn’t lack for characters, citizens, or intrigue. I believe this might become a series, and I hope it does. I’d love to see what mystery Annie solves next and if there is any sort of romance that might blossom between her and Detective Crane. I also wonder if she will overcome her crippling fear of needles and blood.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Kristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, Washington, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before moving to the UK to do a master’s and PhD. She lives with her family in Surrey, where she can be found poking around vintage bookstores, stomping in the mud with her two kids, and collecting too many plants. Her middle-grade series, Attie and the World Breakers, was published in German, Dutch, and Polish. How to Solve Your Own Murder is her adult debut.

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• Review – The Taekwonderoos: Rescue at Rattling Ridge by Michael Panzner

Come Join the Adventure!

Hop into an action-packed adventure with George, Brianna and Jackson, kangaroo friends who are masters of taekwondo. When they spot a frightened joey trapped at the top of treacherous Rattling Ridge, the three Taekwonderoos spring into action, using their kicking, jumping and spinning skills to navigate cliffs, boulders and ravines on a daring rescue mission. This thrilling tale of bravery celebrates how courage, quick-thinking, and teamwork can overcome any challenge.

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This is a sweet children’s book that contains several messages to the young reader that are outlined to the reader at the end of the book.

“…we can overcome any challenge when we work together.” “…bravery and quick thinking are crucial in the face of danger.” “…discipline, focus and determination are powerful allies.”

These three scrappy kangaroos are brave, smart, and resourceful when solving the crisis at hand.  This book reinforces to the reader that working together can help resolve most issues, but at the same time, makes it fun with the lesson coming from taekwonderoo kangaroos.

The book would be an easy read for a slightly older child, but it is a wonderful book for parents to read to younger children.

The illustrations are gorgeous and depict the story quite well. The colors are robust and reflective of Australia’s Outback.

We give the book 5 paws up.

Michael Panzner is a long-time freelance writer who’s always been a child at heart. Inspired by the countless stories he’s shared with his children and grandchildren, Michael crafts tales designed to entertain, spark the imagination, and instill values like kindness, courage, empathy and perseverance. Having lived and worked in various locales, including the U.S. Northeast, North Carolina, and London, England, Michael now resides in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, Catherine.

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About the illustrator.

Lora Look is an illustrator with a master’s degree in fine art. She has dedicated 12 years of training (art school, college, university) to having the skills necessary to create beautiful illustrations and achieve the best results for her authors. When she draws, she imagines children with family or friends flipping through the pages of a book, looking at the pictures, and immersing themselves in the magical world of colors and words. She hopes she makes the world a better place.

• Excerpt – Cheater by Karen Rose

A shocking murder leaves an affluent retirement community reeling in this riveting, high-stakes second installment of the San Diego Case Files, from  New York Times  and  USA Today  bestselling author Karen Rose.

Death is not an unfamiliar visitor to Shady Oaks Retirement Village, which provides San Diego with premier elderly support from independent retiree housing to full-time hospice care. But when a resident’s body is found brutally stabbed and his apartment ransacked, it’s clear there’s someone deadly in their community. Detective Katherine “Kit” McKittrick quickly discovers that Shady Oaks is full of skeleton-riddled closets, and most tenants prefer to keep their doors firmly closed to the SDPD.

A longtime volunteer at the retirement facility, Dr. Sam Reeves honors his late grandfather’s memory by playing the piano for the residents regularly. So it shouldn’t be such a surprise when Kit crosses paths with him during her investigation, after she’d avoided the criminal psychologist—and the emotions he evokes—for the last six months.

Sam’s rapport within the retirement village proves vital to the case, and the pair find themselves working together once again—much to Kit’s dismay. But she is determined to apprehend the shadow of death lurking around Shady Oaks…and equally determined to ignore the feelings she’s developing for a certain psychologist.

Chapter One Shady Oaks Retirement Village Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California Monday, November 7, 11:20 a.m.

Kit McKittrick allowed herself a moment to feel pity as she stood over the body of the elderly man lying dead on his apartment floor in the Shady Oaks Retirement Village. Then she squared her shoulders and proceeded to do her job.

The mood in the dead man’s living room was subdued. The ME was examining the body while CSU took photos and Latent dusted for prints, but there was little of the normal scene-of-the-crime chatter to which Kit had become accustomed in the four and a half years she’d been in Homicide.

Everyone spoke in hushed whispers, like they were in church. Because it kind of felt like they were. Haunting melancholy music from a single piano was coming from the speaker mounted on the victim’s living room wall. The music wasn’t loud, but it was overwhelming nonetheless. Kit wanted to turn it off, because the music was so sad that it made her chest hurt and her eyes burn.

But neither the speaker nor its volume controls had been dusted for prints, so she couldn’t touch it yet. Until then, she could only square her shoulders, ignore the music, and focus on getting justice for Mr. Franklin Delano Flynn.

The cause of death of the eighty-five-year-old white male was most likely the butcher knife still embedded in his chest. But she’d learned long ago not to assume. Still, a butcher knife to the chest was never good. It was a long wound, the gash in the man’s white button-up shirt extending from his sternum to his navel. Whoever had killed him had to have had a lot of strength to create such a wound.

The victim had been dead long enough for his blood to dry, both the blood that had soaked the front of his shirt and the blood that had pooled on the floor around his torso.

His eyes, filmy in death, stared sightlessly up at the ceiling. His arms lay at his sides, his hands slightly curved. Not quite flat, but not quite fists, either. It wasn’t a natural pose for the victim of a homicide who’d fallen after being stabbed. She wondered if his killer had repositioned his arms.

Mr. Flynn had been a hardy man, broad-shouldered, tall, and still muscular. Not in bad shape for eighty-five, she thought. He wore dark trousers, the pockets turned out, as if he’d been searched.

His shoes were black oxfords, buffed to such a shine that she could nearly see her own reflection. She wondered if he’d come home, surprising his attacker, or if he’d welcomed his killer into his home.

His living room had been ransacked, books knocked off shelves, knickknacks strewn on the floor. The sofa cushions had been slashed open, foam stuffing on the floor as well. The man’s bedroom was in a similar state. The drawers in the kitchen had been opened and emptied, their contents dumped on the counters. Flour and sugar containers had been dumped on the kitchen’s tiled floor. Someone had been looking for something and had left a terrible mess.

Kit wondered if they’d found what they’d been looking for. She wondered if Mr. Flynn had fought back.

Kit crouched on the victim’s right side, leaning in so that she could better examine his hands. The knuckles of his right hand were scraped and bruised, but his fingernails were what caught her attention. They were mostly gone, clipped way past the quick, down into the nail bed.

That he’d fought back was a decent assumption, then. His killer hadn’t wanted any evidence to be found under the man’s nails.

Excerpted from  Cheater  by Karen Rose Copyright © 2024 by Karen Rose. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

Karen Rose  is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than 25 novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the  New York Times , the  Sunday Times  (UK), and Germany’s  der Spiegel  bestseller lists.

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• Review & #Giveaway – To Rescue a Witch by Lisa A. Traugott

TO RESCUE A WITCH

Lisa a. traugott.

Historical Fiction / Action & Adventure / Witch Trials

Page Count: 398 pages

Publication Date: March 1, 2024

William MacLeod, a fierce Scottish lawyer with a kind heart, takes on a daunting task—rescue young Annaliese from the clutches of her tormentors in the untamed wilds of Virginia colony and deliver her safely to her aristocratic father in London. But lurking in the shadows are enemies eager to expose MacLeod’s own wife, Fiona, as a witch with a dark secret.

Their perilous journey takes an unexpected turn when their ship wrecks, and Annaliese’s haunting nightmares and unexplained “Devil marks” trigger suspicion among the crew. Tension peaks when MacLeod must become Annaliese’s unwavering protector in a witch trial, where Fiona’s clairvoyance and a murder are unveiled.

To Rescue a Witch navigates themes of betrayal and redemption, in a spellbinding narrative that blends history, magic and the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.

Historical novels teach us so much about how people acted, the places they lived, and what the landscape looked like at that time. In this novel, we experience 1730s London, Scotland, and the American Colonies. We also see this time through the eyes of several characters – Annaliese, MacLeod, Fiona, and Margaret.

This story is filled with lies, deceit, remorse, redemption, and love. While most characters experience some of these emotions, they don’t necessarily experience them all. It is quite intriguing to watch the scheming of some characters end in disaster while others become victorious.

While we see this story through several different eyes, Annaliese is the main character that the story surrounds, and she has quite the tale to tell. She may only be nine but has endured much in those few years. It takes a lot for her to learn to trust others, but watching her grow is beautiful. I’m not saying she is perfect by the end of the book, but she comes quite a long way from the beginning. My heart hurt for the abuse she endured at the hands of her stepfather. He is not a nice man, but then, many men in this century took women for granted and expected little or nothing from them. I appreciated the strength of these women and seeking something better for themselves and their families.

William MacLeod seems to have lost his way in prioritizing what is really important to him. There are a few incidents that lead up to this moment, but reflection and conversations help him to realize where he needs to be in this world. I liked that he was able to reflect on his past and change the trajectory of his future.

There are quite a few different threads in this book, but all are woven together to create a story with many facets that create a world we can feel a part of by the end of the book. Anyone who reads this book might root for different characters and will be satisfied with the conclusion. Although, I would have liked it to go on just a little longer.

We enjoyed this story, the setting, the characters, and the various outcomes and give the book 5 paws up.

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Three winners, autographed paperback copies, of to rescue a witch, (us only; ends midnight, cdt, 03/29/24).

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• Excerpt – The Phantom Firefighter by J.W. Jarvis

A supernatural journal. An overwhelmed kid. Can he lead a crew of first responders to success in a series of dangerous missions?

Noah loves his nighttime reading ritual with his dad. Stuck in a small new town after the pandemic caused his parents’ marriage to fracture, the curious thirteen-year-old happily explores the peculiar local bookstore. But when the lonely youngster takes home a firefighter’s old diary, he’s amazed when it transforms him into the book’s owner and transports him across space and time to a blazing building.

Distracted by a close friendship he’s developing with a smart schoolmate, Noah is certain the heat and confusion were just a frightening dream. But when he sits down to continue the fascinating story, he realizes he’s facing scarily real life-or-death situations… and his actions could change history.

Can he master the weird magic and make sure no one gets hurt?

The Phantom Firefighter is the action-filled first book in the First Responder fantasy series. If you like adventurous kids, clever humor, and pages jam-packed with suspense, then you’ll love J.W. Jarvis’s blending of reality and enchantment.

3% of all book sales go to First Responders Children’s Foundation, which provides financial support to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

Noah and his dad heard a word whispered to them that they couldn’t understand, “Enciddugo!”

At that moment, Noah’s dad could see the burning building, hear the fire burning, and smell the heavy smoke. He looked down where his hands should be, but they weren’t there. Scared bystanders, large emergency vehicles, and busy firefighters surrounded him. He felt strangely attached to one of the firefighters, like he was floating above him. What had happened to his body? Was he dreaming this after reading about it in his son’s new book?

After hearing the same, strange word whispered to him, Noah felt a tingly sensation on his skin. It was like the feeling you get with goosebumps but way more intense. Like his dad, he could now see a large building partially on fire and many people and firefighters running near him.

What was happening?

He also felt the weight of something heavy on his body and head. He looked down and saw that he wore gloves and boots, which he was not wearing before story time with his dad.

Just then, Noah heard someone call “Zach!” and his instinct made him look up to see the firefighter that said it was staring right at him.

“Zach, snap out of it! The captain needs help in the building!” firefighter Ray exclaimed.

“What do you mean, my name is…” Noah caught his words realizing that he had never seen this person before in his life, and for some reason, this guy thought he was a guy named Zach.

“We need to get inside right away. The captain went in to check for remaining building occupants, and something happened.”

“How do you know?” Noah asked while still trying to internally process his transformation into Zach, the firefighter.

“You didn’t hear on your helmet headset? Captain said part of the ceiling came down, and he needs muscle,” replied Ray.

“Got it. Do we need to bring anything?”

“Jeez, Zach, why do you think they call me ‘Rookie Ray?’ You’re the experienced one here.”

“Alright Ray, follow me!” Noah said, thankful that he knew the name of the guy he was going into a burning building with.

Noah motioned to Ray to follow him toward one of the entrances. Noah headed toward the building with a strange mix of both nervous and confident feelings. His firefighter uniform was much heavier than he’d expected, but it gave him some comfort to know it would help protect him from dangers. He became anxious since he was entering a burning building without knowing anything about being a firefighter. Yet, his body was somehow mysteriously trained on what to do next.

J.W. Jarvis lives in sunny California but is originally from the suburbs of the Windy City. When he’s not thinking of ways to create inspiring characters for young minds, you can find him reading, golfing, traveling, or just sipping a hot vanilla latte.

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Review – captive by cally jackson.

How do you escape a man who believes he owns you?

Sophie Steele’s life is ruled by fear. Her husband, Ben Steele, tracks her phone, her bank accounts, her every move. His position as part-owner of a successful surveillance and investigations company gives full rein to his controlling instincts.

When Ben allows Sophie and their son, Benji, to travel interstate to visit family without him, she hopes he’s trying to change. But when he continues to monitor and manipulate her from afar, she realises she no longer wants to live the lonely life he’s forced upon her. As her determination to leave him grows, she develops a much-needed friendship with Lee, an attractive Taekwondo instructor who promises to help her however he can.

But even thinking about leaving Ben is dangerous, and it quickly becomes apparent how far he’ll go to keep her under his control.

How can she escape a man who has the means to hunt her down no matter where she hides? Is the chance of freedom worth risking her and Benji’s lives?

A powerful blend of deceit, manipulation, and intrigue, Captive will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, shocking revelation.

I have read several books by this author, but this one is on a different level than the other books! Told from three points of view – Sophie, Ella, and Cathy, each story blends in with the others with a final culmination at the end. It reflects how easy it could be for someone to be taken in by a master manipulator.

Sophie is one of the main characters. She is stuck in a loveless relationship and actually an abusive one. Her husband, Ben, thinks that he owns her and is in control of everything. He doesn’t trust her and is always checking her phone for messages, calls, and search history. He tracks her wherever she goes, either via the phone or a smartwatch. To top it off, he has security cameras installed inside the house and watches her constantly. Warning lights were going off in my head with every turn of the page based on his actions.

Ella is young and naive, and she believes that Ben loves her and fears for his safety from Sophie. She should have been on guard when he said not to mention him to anyone. However, she has blind faith where he is concerned, until it lands her in hot water.

This thriller had me turning pages as fast as I could. Would Sophie and her son Benji get away from Ben? Would Ella see through his manipulations? Would Ben get what was coming to him?

I appreciated that the author shared resources within the pages on how Sophie could leave Ben for a better life. Sophie even has a couple of new friends who try to help her escape to a better life. Luckily, Ben doesn’t cut her off from these friends. Perhaps because one of them has a boy that is Benji’s age and a new friend for him. Despite all of Ben’s faults, there is no doubt that he loves his son.

If you enjoy psychological suspense/thriller novels, this is a good one to read. If you have any triggers regarding abuse, it may not be the best choice for you.

Cally Jackson grew up in  the  small country town of Gatton. After deciding at 17 that a Hollywood acting career was sadly out of reach, Cally turned to a career in professional communication with fictional writing as her labour of love.

Cally’s passion for fictional writing first emerged in grade two when she got in trouble for penning her own tale instead of copying directly from a story book as she was supposed to be doing – it was a handwriting exercise, after all.

Cally’s first novel,  The  Big Smoke , was published in 2012. A decade and two children later, Cally has released her second novel,  The   Ripple   Effect .

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Book blitz & #giveaway – frowns and gowns by amanda thrasher.

FROWNS AND GOWNS

The mischief series, book 5, by amanda m. thrasher.

Children’s Chapter Book / Fantasy / Fairies

Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press

Page Count: 236

Publication Date: September 12, 2023

Scroll down for Giveaway!

Get ready to join Lilly, Boris, and Jack on an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, laughter, and a touch of mayhem. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of mishaps as these three fairies plan a magnificent magical ball, only to encounter an unforeseen disaster! Experience the magic of friendship with Lilly, the quick-witted and resourceful fairy, Boris, the mischievous fairy with a heart of gold, and Jack, the troublemaker with a curious, adventurous spirit on their latest adventure.

Throughout, Lilly, Boris, and Jack teach the true meaning of friendship and teamwork. Together with their friends, they’ll overcome challenges, learn valuable lessons, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Don’t miss out on this enchanting tale!

Progressive Rising Phoenix Press

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Two winners, receive autographed, paperback sets, of all five books in the mischief series, + $25 starbucks gift card, (us only; ends midnight, cdt, 03/28/24).

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Excerpt – the leopard of cairo by bayard & holmes.

John Viera left his CIA fieldwork hoping for a “normal” occupation and a long-awaited family, but when a Pakistani engineer is kidnapped from a top-secret US project and diplomatic entanglements tie the government’s hands, the Intelligence Community turns to John and his team of ex-operatives to investigate — strictly off the books. They uncover a plot of unprecedented magnitude that will precipitate the slaughter of millions.

From the corporate skyscrapers of Montreal to the treacherous alleys of Baluchistan, these formidable enemies strike, determined to create a regional apocalypse and permanently alter the balance of world power. Isolated in their knowledge of the impending devastation, John and his network stand alone between total destruction and the Leopard of Cairo.

This is the first book in the Apex Predator series.

John Viera jumped back from the swirl of soot. The bright green-and-blue Quetta city bus choked out another cloud, and a donkey beside it snorted, rattling its cart full of secondhand housewares. The vendor in the driver’s seat searched the crowd for one last customer. John ignored his hopeful glance and watched the bus chug deeper into the bowels of the Hazara Town market district.

The aroma of fresh bread sweetened the stench of exhaust that hung over the rush-hour crunch. John ducked into the bakeshop’s recessed doorway and scanned the street.

Bright paints battled vainly to beautify cement walls between dirty gray roll-down metal shop doors. Signs above the portals broadcast goods and trades in Urdu and English, revealing the creep of Westernization into the Islamic stronghold. Above John’s head, electrical wires crisscrossed, tying the one- and two-story structures together.

Vendors bustled to secure their wares in time for evening prayers. Mothers gripping plain cloth shopping bags herded children down sidewalks while bicycles competed with cars and donkey carts for street rights. None of them appeared to notice John. Western influence was widespread enough that he did not stand out with his collar-length umber hair, reddish beard, blue jeans, and khaki jacket.

Satisfied there were no immediate threats from the street, he glanced at his watch: 5:45. Martin would be waiting. John exited the bakery doorway and continued in the bus’s wake.

A bicyclist veered into traffic, and a truck swerved and jerked, cutting off a rusty sedan. The sedan’s horn blared. John flinched and pressed his hand to his ear.

¡Hostias! ¡Qué idiotas! He wished for a split second that he was still crouched in the mountains of Afghanistan, where he was sanctioned by the US government to capture or kill hostile actors, or at least to slam their heads in their car doors. In the city, though, he was constrained by rules of law and discretion. John quelled his irritation and strode to the corner.

He crossed with the light and visualized the remainder of his route to Martin’s. His MI6 counterpart had said his good-byes only a few weeks before, anticipating the welcoming women and rich cigars he would explore at his new post in Cuba. What ill wind could have blown the man from paradise back to hell so soon? Had he identified the mole in MI6? John picked up his pace.

An open truck shoved past, its load of sheep bleating protests through warped wooden slats, stinking of mud and hay. John wrinkled his nose. A block up the street, the truck spun a U-turn through an unlikely gap in the traffic and parked in front of a restaurant.

The bus ahead of John stopped at the corner across from the sheep. Passengers crowded on. Then a shopkeeper stepped from his corner store and threw his arms wide. The bus driver sprang to the sidewalk. The men clasped in a hug and submerged into conversation.

A fresh-faced woman in a pink hijab and sky-blue kameez veered around the talking driver, a little boy in tow. The child hugged a toy blow-up horse and grinned as if he clutched the Koh-i-Noor diamond. John gave the boy a smile when he passed.

Suddenly, three men in gray kameez tunics and salwar trousers burst around the opposite street corner. John’s head snapped up, drawn by their speed and focus. They stopped and scanned the crowd. One pointed toward the truckload of sheep and then pulled a pistol and fired.

John dove behind a parked car and drew his Makarov pistol from his waistband. Fight or flight? He stilled his urge to fire back. The last thing he needed was to become embroiled in a local turf war, particularly so near Martin’s. He only hoped his friend was not involved. He had to get to Martin.

More shots. Horns blared, and cars crowded one another to escape. The bus driver levitated into his vehicle. He threw it into gear and bullied his way around the corner. People who had sheltered behind the bus scrambled toward shops, even as shopkeepers slammed down their corrugated metal doors. Only two people weren’t moving—the child with the toy horse kneeling beside the woman in the pink hijab.

Blood seeped across her shoulder and rib cage. She gestured toward a shop with her good arm and shouted in Urdu. “Run. Now. Run.” The child burrowed closer.

John shoved his pistol in his waistband and charged to the woman. He swept her up and spoke to the boy in Urdu. “Follow us.” He sprinted toward a spice stall. The child dropped the horse and dogged John’s heels. The shopkeeper met John’s eyes, shook his head, and crashed down his metal door.

A bullet whizzed past and shattered a divot from the cement wall. John ducked away from the flying chips. The woman in his arms screamed, and her gaze sought her son. The boy tugged the end of her kameez and let go.

Intrigued by this series? You will want to follow it up with another book in the series.

In a chilling continuation of their Apex Predator novels, Bayard & Holmes compel us into the darkest corners of the Shadow World. A world where billionaires are not subject to governments and assassins, rogue nations, and terrorists are their tools to obtain global dominance. In an explosion of unrelenting action, one man and his team risk everything to protect the Western world.

Former CIA Operations Officer John Viera is doing his best to lead a “normal” life and start a family. Fate has other ideas.

When a Russian ship is mysteriously torpedoed off the coast of Peru, untracked enriched uranium is revealed within its cargo. Protecting his family’s multi-billion dollar business interests, the US president blocks agency investigations into the incident. Top intelligence officials covertly call in John Viera and his unofficial network of former operatives to uncover the new player on the nuclear chessboard. What they discover threatens the annihilation of the West.

From the jungles of the Amazon to the Sea of Japan, John and his network are the only ones who stand between international security and the Caiman of Iquitos.

This is the second book in the Apex Predator series, but it can be read as a standalone.

“Wild adventure, delicious storytelling, tradecraft that only the insiders know. An excellent reminder that great spies tell great stories. The Leopard of Cairo is Bayard and Holmes’ best one yet. Do not miss the Truth and Fiction section at the back.”  ~ Annie Jacobson, Writer/Producer of Jack Ryan

“This is a tightly woven thriller, and as an author, I appreciate the capability of Ms. Bayard (and Holmes) to blend seamlessly the personal lives and the dangers in the field for the main characters as well as those within the novel.”  – Claire O’Sullivan, author of the Whiskey River Mysteries

““Bayard and Holmes’s The Leopard of Cairo is everything I love in a story: action, intrigue, exotic locations. Here is a lightning-fast tale of intrigue, lies, and the mother-of-all terrorist plots. Big story, big adventure, big thumbs-up!””  —James Rollins, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Sigma Force series

About the Authors

Jay Holmes is a forty-five-year veteran of field espionage operations with experience spanning from the Cold War fight against the Soviets, the East Germans, and the various terrorist organizations they sponsored to the present Global War on Terror. He is unwilling to admit to much more than that. Piper is the public face of their partnership.

Together, Bayard & Holmes author non-fiction articles and books on espionage and foreign affairs, as well as fictional international spy thrillers. They are also the bestselling authors of The Spy Bride from the Risky Brides Bestsellers Collection and were featured contributors for Social In Worldwide, Inc.

When they aren’t writing or, in Jay’s case, busy with “other work,” Piper and Jay are enjoying time with their families, hiking, exploring back roads of America, talking foreign affairs, laughing at their own rude jokes until the wee hours, and questing for the perfect chocolate cake recipe.

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Review & #Giveaway – The Desk from Hoboken by ML Condike

THE DESK FROM HOBOKEN

A genealogy mystery, #1.

Mystery / Women Sleuths / Forensic Genealogy

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC

Date of Publication: March 5, 2024

Number of Pages: 446 pages

After a personal loss, forensic genealogist RaeJean Hunter accepts what she believes is a straightforward case to ease back into the game: a student at Connecticut College has found human remains on the school campus. The College hires RaeJean to confirm their tentative identification that it’s a woman named Mary Rogers, whose cause of death has never been determined.

Unfortunately, it becomes downright dangerous. Someone thwarts her investigation of the same case that inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt.” Still, she meets relatives, some helpful and others not, amid escalating threats. Using her skills, including DNA analysis, historical records research, genealogy mapping, and guidance from a mystical antique desk, she follows every clue.

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Who knew that genealogy could be so dangerous?

This new cozy series is full of information, so much so that you might need to reference the family tree documents on the author’s website ! If you have ever been fascinated with genealogy, this is a series you might want to dive into. I really enjoyed watching the process of RaeJean uncovering documents and tying them to the people she is researching. She is one smart woman, but not without issues that sometimes impact her work when she comes across something that reminds her of her loss. The relationship that she has with her husband, Sam, is a loving one. They are supportive of each other, and their chosen careers sometimes intersect. This happens when RaeJean finds a puzzle box in a desk she accepts as part of her fee to research Mary Roberts.

The mystery is very detailed, especially when it comes to the affected family trees. It takes a little time to keep these people straight in my head, but I think I had it by the end of the book. It is quite interesting to see the lengths some people will go to protect their family name. RaeJean runs into this with Lillian, a Mather and self-appointed historian for the family. Turns out, not many in the family like her, which is a good thing when all is revealed in the end. Lillian has some secrets; see if you can figure them out. I know I didn’t!

The story flows nicely, and I was never left hanging, wondering what happened in different situations. The answer might come later in the book, but everything is explained.

There are some minor characters that I would love to see more of in future books. Claire is a fellow genealogist and quite brilliant in her own right. She has a minor storyline in this book, but it ties everything together. Caitlin is RaeJean’s sister and, I think, a strong supporter of RaeJean. You can see the family bond quite well.

My review would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sophie, her corgi. I love dogs in books, and I really enjoyed Sophie and how she didn’t let RaeJean get too engrossed in her work. After all, dogs need to be walked and fed.

This book revived my interest in my own family’s genealogy. There is a lot that goes into tracking down the correct information. I am still unsure how forensic genealogy can help identify bones, but I can understand tracing the family lineage.

This book was hard to put down, and we give it 5 paws up.

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THREE WINNERS:

1 st : signed paperback + corgi plush toy, 2 nd : signed paperback + $25 amazon gift card, 3 rd : choice of $25 gift card or signed paperback.

Interview & New Release – The Waves Take You Home by Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez

In this heartfelt story about how the places we run from hold the answers to our deepest challenges, the death of her grandmother brings a young woman home, where she must face the past in order to become the heir of not just the family restaurant, but her own destiny.

Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn’t approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes.

After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in the first place. The journey leads her to rediscover her home, her grandmother, and even the flame of an old love.

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“From the moment Vi stepped off the plane in Barranquilla, I felt as if I had come along for the journey. The wonderful descriptions of the town, its people, and Caminito’s traditional Colombian dishes made me wish I was visiting for real. I especially enjoyed the supernatural element to this emotional story about going back home to discover who you were always meant to be.” ― Annette Chavez Macias, bestselling author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry

“ The Waves Take You Home is a tender, generous novel that sings with the rhythms of family, food, and love. A warm and wise meditation on the ghosts of lives unlived that challenges familiar immigrant narratives and resounds with the voices of three unforgettable women. María Alejandra Barrios Vélez conjured a world I didn’t want to leave.” ― Katie Gutierrez, national bestselling author of More Than You’ll Ever Know

“It’s hard to put down an international love triangle, especially one featuring ghosts and a quest to save a family’s legacy set along the Caribbean coast! Every page in The Waves Take You Home sizzles with life and lush descriptions. I grew nostalgic as I read for the sights and smells of Colombian street food and culture. It’s a love story, deeply invested in all the ways love defines us―love for family, childhood crushes, tradition, and especially a well-cooked meal.” ― Adriana E. Ramírez, author of Dead Boys , winner of the PEN Fusion Award, and author of the forthcoming novel The Violence

Interview with Maria

What inspired you to write the waves take you home.

In 2020, my Abuela’s health declined, as she started to lose her battle with cancer. Due to the pandemic, I couldn’t visit Colombia and say goodbye. My worst fear had happened, and I was left with immense grief. My Abuela, and her stories, were central to my life and shaped my vision of the world. For me, she represented home and although I had left Colombia, it remained in my heart.

The idea for a novel started to take shape during that year as I reflected on how my relationship to my Abuela and her memory would live on. After she died, I was left with the idea of her as a ghost. Not in the classic sense, but she remained someone with whom I constantly spoke. I would wonder what she would do or how she would react to a situation, and sometimes I could sense her by my side. I wanted this book to embody that idea, that you always carry your ancestors with you, and even if you can’t see them, they’re still rooting for you.

I also knew in my bones I wanted this book to be inspired by the stories of the women in my family, and I wanted it to be centered around my interests and what I knew. Like Toni Morrison said, I wanted to write the book I wanted to read. So, I started writing about a family of women, food, cooking, Barranquilla and New York. This is what I knew. I also wanted to write about what scared me, and the feeling that my two lives were growing farther away from each other and the repercussions of this pull. There’s an immense amount of sacrifice with the decision of choosing one life instead of the other.

Doña Emilia, Vi’s Abuela, is central to the plot of the story. What do you think is the role of the matriarch in the book?

The matriarch in many Latin American cultures is everything. She is the center of the family, the decision maker, the voice of reason and warnings, and a representation of the past; how a particular family unit has lived until now. I think Doña Emilia is the key in acknowledging what has come before for these characters (a past of heartbreak, fear, and struggle), but she is also the one who ultimately leads Vi to examine her life and her choices, and to encourage Vi not repeat the mistakes she made.

Generational trauma is another theme discussed in THE WAVES TAKE YOU HOME. Why is this theme important to address?

It’s interesting because as I get ready for the book launch, I’ve been reflecting on my writing path. I didn’t grow up writing consistently like many other writers do, and I wasn’t a good reader until I was fourteen or so. But I was always a good listener.

My Abuela would tell me stories about her life, and the life of women in our family. And these stories were always so complete in my head, like the classic tragedies: they were stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end and with one single message: that’s what you get for trusting, for being a pendeja. There are stories about us and our families that we are always listening to, and that lead us to believe things about who we are, and who we could become. It makes it seem like we’re trapped in these ideas and concepts that sometimes aren’t the right fit.

I wanted to show the stories in the Sanoguera family that they tell each other, and I wanted Vi to confront them in order to finally ask a question that we sometimes never ask: What do I think? And what do I believe to be true? And now that I know that, how will I respond?

How did you approach the magical realism in the story? What was it like creating a ghost as a character?

I grew up surrounded by ghost stories. My Abuela was my best friend, and my caretaker during the day when I was a child. She would tell me all kinds of stories, but my favorite kind would involve ghosts. She had a very matter-of-fact way of talking about ghosts, as if they existed and were just another fact of life.

The greats of magical realism Allende, Marquez, Esquivel, always approach the magical elements in the story as they are, not as something to explain or dissect. Staying true to my Abuela, and my own family history, I also didn’t want to explain it. I was more interested in the readers feeling alongside Vi. I should add that this is the way of my culture. We tell ghost stories with interest and curiosity, without worrying about convincing the audience if they are real or not.

There are so many delicious dishes featured in the book! Are these family recipes? What made you decide to include them in your debut novel?

Yes! My Abuela’s side of the family is from Spain, and one of the things that was passed down from that heritage was the food. I grew up at my Bisabuela and Abuela’s side watching them cook sopa de bolli (a velvety broth with tender rib and a side of potatoes and green beans you bathe in olive oil), coca bread (a delicious thick pizza with onions, bell peppers, paprika and plenty of spices that give it a great kick!), the classic tortilla española with french bread, and more. We also had the succulent Colombian dishes at home, and since my Bisabuela had a very prominent sweet-tooth and was an incredible baker, she also made sure we had plenty of sweet treats: poundcake, pineapple-rum upside-down cake, black cake, hot flaky dough sprinkled with sugar, a homemade flan bathed in caramel!

The love language of the women in my family was food. I wanted to incorporate that rich and proud heritage of food in the novel because I think you can tell a lot about someone’s culture and background in the spices they eat, how they approach food and cooking (do they do it in a relaxed manner? Is there pressure around it?), and the legacy that this food carries. I wanted Vi to explore the complicated relationship she had with her family through food and cooking—I also wanted to feature the delicious food I grew up eating!

A lot of the novel takes place in Barranquilla, Colombia. What is something you wish readers will take away from visiting this place?

This book is centered in a real neighborhood, “Barrio Prado,” which is an epicenter of culture and art deco architecture in Barranquilla. Walking there, you can see the beautiful big roble trees and the flowers that the florón trees spread in the streets, that smell like vanilla. Every house in that neighborhood is different and unique. I wanted to share the magic of this neighborhood, both in how it looks and through the wonderful community of people who live there.  Everyone is in everyone’s business, but at the same time, everyone cares so deeply about Caminito and the Sanoguera Family. I wanted to show that side of us, while also showing the beautiful beaches and delicious food.

And the heat! I want people to feel the scorching heat that we get all year round.

She was the 2020 SmokeLong Flash Fiction Fellow, and her stories have been published in Shenandoah Literary, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, El Malpensante, Fractured Lit, SmokeLong Quarterly, The Offing , and more. Her work has been supported by organizations such as Vermont Studio Center, Caldera Arts, and the New Orleans Writers’ Residency.

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Heresy by Catherine Nixey review – book of revelations

From Herod as the Messiah to a virginity test for Mary – the Christian story, but not as you know it

A s far as variant versions of the nativity story go, the one from the second-century Gospel of James is hard to beat. It starts off rather beautifully by telling how, at the moment of Jesus’s birth, the world suddenly stops turning: birds hang in the air, a shepherd’s arm is frozen and the stars stand still. A few minutes later, a woman arrives and, sceptical about whether Mary can really be a virgin, insists on shoving her finger up the new mother’s vagina, whereupon her hand is immediately burned off. “Woe,” says the woman. Mary’s reaction is unrecorded, perhaps because she felt that she had made her point.

This is just one of the hundreds – thousands, probably – of alternative versions of Christianity that teemed in the centuries following Jesus’s life and death. Take the Ophites, who believed that Christ had appeared on Earth in the form of a serpent. They celebrated mass by encouraging a snake to crawl over the altar on which loaves had been placed, consecrating them in the process. Another sect from the first century AD believed that King Herod rather than Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. In Ethiopia, meanwhile, Pontius Pilate was looked on as far more than a Roman middle manager with a tendency to dither. He is revered there as a saint to this day.

And that’s even before we get to the Apocrypha, those ancient texts that teeter on the edge of legitimacy and offer a kind of through-the-looking-glass version of the gospels. Here you will find tales of how dragons worshipped the young Jesus and of how Mary was capable of breathing fire. The tone is usually highly excitable. Another version explains how Herod’s daughter was accidentally decapitated by her mother while worms poured out of her father’s mouth. Talking donkeys and a dash of necrophilia provide the final flourish.

The reason that we haven’t heard of these disreputable variants of the Christian story, suggests Catherine Nixey in this enthralling book, is that the early Church Fathers moved heaven and earth to ensure they were nipped in the bud. Whenever they came across something – a text, a practice, a belief – that they hadn’t authorised, they labelled it as “heresy” and threw the book at it. Flogging, fining and banishment were the obvious sanctions. But if you really wanted to send a message, then rowing heretics out to the middle of the sea, weighing them down with a sack of sand tied to the neck and legs, and pushing them overboard was the way to go. The idea was to make sure that no body could be recovered and turned into an object of veneration.By dint of such repressive measures, only one version of Christianity survived and flourished. That is the Christianity of the Sistine Chapel,the King James Bible, Milton’s Paradise Lost and Bach’s Magnificat.

In Nixey’s words: “heresy would tilt European history for centuries”. It would lead to the excommunication of Martin Luther and the house arrest of Galileo. Heresy – or rather fear of it – pushed Thomas Cranmer into writing the Book of Common Prayer in 1549. As late as 1947, a group of British bishops attempted to pass a vote of censure at the heresy of a fellow bishop because he had written a book that rejected the virgin birth. They failed, but the fact that they thought it worth a try tells you a lot about heresy’s continuing ability to disquiet and even dismay.

At the beginning of this revelatory account, Nixey tells us that she is the child of a former nun and monk, and, until her late 20s, counted herself a believing Roman Catholic. There is then nothing sneery about her wonderful writing, although you will detect occasional flashes of anger when she recounts some egregious bit of censorship and repression.

What shines through is a kind of exasperated love for the tradition in which she was raised and an impossible-to-suppress laugh at the idea of a Virgin Mary who blasts out flames from every orifice as if it were some kind of Marvel superpower.

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A.J. Finn had a spectacular rise and fall. Now he has a new novel.

Five years after a damning new yorker profile, the author of the blockbuster novel ‘the woman in the window’ returns with ‘end of story’.

If you’ve picked up a thriller in the past five years, you’ve probably seen A.J. Finn’s name on it. But not necessarily on the cover.

Since the publication of his blockbuster novel “ The Woman in the Window ” in 2018, Finn has become something of a serial blurber, adorning dozens of novels with his praise. “Loved every word,” he said of Richard Osman’s “The Thursday Murder Club.” He declared Alex Michaelides’s “The Silent Patient” “that rarest of beasts: the perfect thriller.” Of Nita Prose’s “ The Mystery Guest ” he gushed, “Wise and winning and altogether wondrous,” adding: “I was nearly hugging myself as I turned the pages of this splendid novel.”

Meanwhile, Finn’s next novel — the second part of the two-book, $2 million deal he made with William Morrow in 2016 — remained a work in progress. Expected to be published in 2020, the book, “ End of Story ,” finally lands in stores on Tuesday.

The question is: Will it be enough to save Finn’s reputation? Before answering, I need to explain the unexpected plot twist that preceded its publication.

“The Woman in the Window” was a smash hit that put its witty, camera-ready author on the cusp of celebrityhood. The book — a domestic suspense tale about an agoraphobic child psychologist who believes she has witnessed a murder — debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to sell millions of copies worldwide. Stephen King called it “delightful and chilling”; Louise Penny declared it a “tour de force.” Translated into more than 40 languages, the novel was made into a film with Amy Adams, Gary Oldman and Julianne Moore. It even inspired a spoof, “The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window,” a Netflix series starring Kristen Bell.

But something funny happened on the way to fame. In early 2019, an exposé in the New Yorker portrayed Finn, whose real name is Dan Mallory, as the kind of unreliable narrator you might find in an A.J. Finn novel. The article detailed a trail of less-than-true stories Mallory had told about himself over the years: that he had a doctorate from Oxford; that his mother had died of cancer; that he had a brain tumor; that his brother had died by suicide. Colleagues reported that during his decade as a book editor, Mallory used these struggles to elicit sympathy, further his career and vanish when things got awkward. At one point, when Mallory was working in New York at Morrow, he stopped coming into the office, a disappearance that was explained away by a series of emails from a mysterious sender claiming to be Mallory’s now-alive brother but sounding a lot like Mallory himself.

If the author of ‘Woman in the Window’ is a serial liar, can we still love his book?

Mallory eventually confessed to his fibs, sort of. Through a publicist’s statement to the New Yorker, he said that he had “severe bipolar II disorder,” which caused “delusional thoughts” and “memory problems.” Mallory’s psychiatrist told the magazine that the writer’s experience with his mother’s (real but not fatal) bout with breast cancer had contributed to his expressing “‘somatic complaints, fears, and preoccupations,’ including about cancer.” Mallory said he was “utterly terrified of what people would think of me if they knew” about his mental health problems. “Dissembling seemed the easier path. … I’m sorry to have taken, or be seen to have taken, advantage of anyone else’s goodwill.” Reaction to this expression of regret-cum-justification was mixed; some, including a letter-writer to the New Yorker with bipolar disorder , criticized the author for further stigmatizing the disease: “It was upsetting. … Mental illness does not make you a liar, a scammer, or a cheat.”

Given this heavy baggage, to consider “End of Story” on its own merits poses a challenge. Let’s try.

As a commercial suspense novel, “The Woman in the Window” — at least for the first 200 pages — is quite entertaining, if derivative for anyone who’s seen “Rear Window,” or any Hitchcock, for that matter. (Mallory also defended himself against accusations that he had plagiarized plot points of Sarah A. Denzil’s “Saving April,” with he and his agent saying Mallory’s book had been plotted before Denzil wrote her book, which Mallory never read.) Told in the present tense, in short sentences and chapters, the tale speeds along. At its center is the distraught, pill-popping child psychiatrist Anna Fox, who is not as she appears.

In the heyday of thrillers with unreliable narrators — see “The Girl on the Train” and “Gone Girl” — Anna was a master dupe. She loved her merlot (a detail mocked to brilliant comic effect in the Kristen Bell parody) and staring out the window (like Grace Kelly but in a ragged bathrobe) at her neighbors, who were up to something but not what she thought.

What the plot lacks in plausibility, it makes up for in the zippy immediacy of the writing, even when it patters on too long, collecting a few odd descriptions along the way, as when a phone rings: “My head swivels, almost back to front, like an owl, and the camera drops to my lap. The sound is behind me, but my phone is in my hand. It’s the landline. … Another ring. And another. I shrivel against the glass, wilt there in the cold. I imagine the rooms of my house, one by one, throbbing with that noise.” Still, Anna is a compelling character (“I feel as though I’m falling through my own mind”), and readers rooted for her even if we knew she probably wasn’t telling the truth.

The 12 best thrillers of 2023

“End of Story” is written in the same staccato style. The first page ends: “A breath. Then that scream. They’ve found her.”

But things get leaden right away. The setup is complicated — as one character says, “There’s too much time to keep track of.” Nicky Hunter, the book’s protagonist, is a young journalist hired by a dying mystery writer named Sebastian Trapp to write his biography (the pair met as pen pals). Trapp invites Nicky to live at his mansion in San Francisco while she writes. Trapp, called “the champion deceiver” (wink, wink) by critics, writes novels featuring a “gentleman English sleuth” named Simon St. John. Trapp is also a murder suspect. Years before, his first wife, Hope, and his son Cole disappeared and are presumed dead. How Trapp figures into this puzzle is one of the questions Nicky hopes to resolve while researching her book.

Sleeping in the bedroom once occupied by young Cole, Nicky gets to know various members of the Trapp family: Sebastian’s bitter daughter Madeleine (“her hair is careless and blond, her shoulders round”), his beautiful second wife (“fortysomething, lavish lashes and Cupid’s-bow lips”), his handsome, troubled nephew (“six feet of built-to-last, muscles bulging within his sleeves”). All of them think and speak in a similar way — droll, coy, urbane — which is to say with the same studied cleverness that Mallory deploys in interviews. Even Sebastian’s dog, Watson, is a French bulldog, the breed favored by Mallory. And then there’s this comment by a bit character late in the book: “Moral indignation is envy with a halo.” Could that be Finn throwing shade on his critics?

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The plot drags on — the phrase “the plot thickens” appears without obvious irony. At times the book reads like a dime-store romance novel: “Up and across. The man is vast, an eclipse in coat and tie, pink linen shirt taut around his belly, like the skin of some unwholesome fruit. Black eyes lurking beneath zigzag brows. Face the color of rare beef.” (Thank you, but I think I’ll have the chicken.) Elsewhere, you can almost see Finn consulting a thesaurus. “You absquatulated,” Nicky says to Madeleine, whose desk is “a dainty escritoire that chafes her thighs.” At one point, books are “rutilant in the light.” And the ending, which I shall not spoil, raises more questions than it answers.

Finn drops heavy references to the works of literary greats: Agatha Christie and Alexandre Dumas, “The Count of Monte Cristo” in particular. The epigraph is from “Bleak House.” A copy of “Rebecca” is the key to opening the door to a hidden room. The book includes a note on sources, citing Raymond Chandler and Dorothy Sayers, among others. Perhaps the purpose is to protect himself from another accusation of plagiarism, though it also comes off as rather self-aggrandizing: Does he think his words would be confused with those of Arthur Conan Doyle?

Let me end the suspense here: Even readers looking past Finn’s personal woes — or those looking at them and wishing him well anyway — will quickly be hoping for end of story.

End of Story

By A.J. Finn

William Morrow. 408 pp. $37

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Group seeks to fight book censorship as Huntington Beach parent advisory board returns for final vote

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The Huntington Beach City Council will again discuss a controversial parent/guardian children’s book review board at its meeting on Tuesday night.

Ordinance No. 4318, which passed by a 4-3 vote at the last meeting on March 19 despite hundreds of emails and more than 100 public speakers in opposition, will come back for a final reading on Tuesday. An approval then would amend the Huntington Beach Municipal Code by adding chapter 2.66, entitled “Community Parent-Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children’s Library Materials.”

Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns, Tony Strickland and Casey McKeon supported the ordinance that would create a board of up to 21 community members, appointed by the council, to review children’s books before they enter the Huntington Beach Public Library. Council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton voted against.

Those disturbed by the ordinance continue to organize against the review board as well as the possible privatization of the public library, as the council also voted by the same 4-3 vote at the last meeting to initiate the request for proposal (RFP) process.

A silent protest is planned for 6 p.m. Friday at the Main Street Branch Library downtown, which organizers say will feature a walk to the pier and back. And on Thursday morning, Kalmick, Moser and Bolton took part in a Zoom discussion hosted by the group Authors Against Book Bans .

Along with remarks from each of the three council members, the Thursday’s event also featured four California-based Authors Against Book Bans members — Elana K. Arnold, Gretchen McNeil, Molly Knox Ostertag and California chapter lead MariNaomi .

Bolton started by noting that there were no qualifications for someone to serve on the proposed children’s book review board; those selected won’t be required to have backgrounds in library science, education or any other study that might better help them form their decisions.

“Having one group of political leaders decide what you can access in your public library is un-American,” she said. “Intellectual freedom is a 1st Amendment right, and this is a principle that’s been settled law for decades. What we have here is a City Council and a city attorney [Michael Gates] attempting to hoodwink our city’s residents into believing there’s something wrong with our public library and that librarians present a danger to children. It’s bull. We want people to know the truth.”

Kalmick made reference to Van Der Mark, who has been a proponent of restricting certain books for children for years, in his remarks.

“This is a craven attempt to control people because one person who expresses her opinion as more important than experts is on a mission here,” he said. “They’re taking it out on the residents of Huntington Beach, when they really need to work on themselves.”

Van Der Mark was on the television news on Thursday morning. She debated Allison Lee , the director of PEN America’s Los Angeles office, about censorship of children’s books on KCAL 9.

Van Der Mark said in a phone interview Thursday that her priority has always been to protect kids, and that’s not going to change.

She added that she believes parents are just as qualified to review children’s books as librarians, many of whom hold master’s degrees in their field.

“We’re not talking about law manuals or, you know, brain surgery here,” she said. “We’re talking about reading a child’s book ... Do you think librarians are superior to parents? I don’t ... I think we’re equal. I don’t care what degrees anybody has, we are equal.

“When it comes to children’s books, I guarantee you, we are equal. It really is insulting for people to think we can’t read a child’s book and decide if it’s appropriate or not … I do see us — moms, dads, grandmas, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters — I do see us as equal to librarians. You don’t need a librarian’s degree to read a child’s book and understand it.”

But Moser said during the roundtable discussion that qualifications aside, the review board would ultimately take away the rights and privileges from every other parent in the city.

“They should be the ones making that decision and having that conversation with their child,” Moser said. “It shouldn’t be up to somebody else’s parent to make a decision for my child. I can work with my child to do that.”

Each of the authors in the discussion condemned Ordinance No. 4318 , which would allow the committee members to screen books for sexual content and/or sexual references before entering the library.

Arnold introduced herself as a local resident and Ocean View High School graduate who’s a longtime patron of the Huntington Beach Public Library.

“A reader is in a powerful place with a book,” she said. “With a book in their hands, they are in charge. They can read it if they choose. Equally, they have the power to set it down and walk away. When someone makes that choice for readers by banning a book that has been included in a library’s collection by an educated, trained library professional, they rob readers of their freedom. They cheat them of an opportunity to engage safely with information and art.”

McNeil noted that advocates in favor of restricting access argue that children will be swayed by content that parents, political groups or religious organizations are either not ready to address or find personally inappropriate.

“Unfortunately, by restricting access to these books, censors undermine one of the basic functions of education — teaching students how to think for themselves,” she said.

Tuesday night’s Huntington Beach City Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

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Matt Szabo is a sports reporter for the Daily Pilot. A Southern California native and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate, he has been covering sports for L.A. Times Community News since 2006, most extensively water polo and tennis. (714) 966-4614

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A Memoir of a Marriage Cut Short and the Secrets Left Behind

After his partner, Molly Brodak, died by suicide, Blake Butler found painful truths in her journals and personal items.

By Dwight Garner

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MOLLY , by Blake Butler

The first sign that “Molly” is not going to be a typical memoir arrives on Page 20. That’s when the author, Blake Butler, finds himself on his hands and knees in agony beside his wife, whose body he has found in wild grass after she has ended her life with a handgun. It is at this moment that he is stung by a bee — the first bee sting of his life — on his right eyelid. It is as if the universe is declaring: Here is some extra awfulness, friend, just for you.

“Molly” carries on in this fashion. It’s an atrocity exhibition. Butler taps a vein of garish and almost comic malevolence that keeps flowing.

You may have heard about “Molly.” It was published in December, but the tide of its impact is still rising. It is into its fourth printing and has become an unexpected hit for Archway Editions, its small Brooklyn-based publisher. Its champions include the writers Patricia Lockwood, Catherine Lacey and Emma Cline. I missed it when it came out. A few weeks ago, I realized that nearly everyone I knew was toting a copy around. People talked about it in unusual terms, as if it had given them a mysterious nosebleed.

If I had to boil their comments down to a sentence, it might be: “I loved ‘Molly’ until I began to loathe it, then I admired it again before wanting to bury it in the yard.” I don’t have a yard. But I did drop “Molly” behind the couch, twice. Both times I groaned and fetched it out again.

It’s a disordered book, almost Lovecraftian at times in its airless luridness. By the end, the writing has become both tedious and odious. But the first 125 pages or so are electric and sharply observed. These pages have a midnight sort of impact many novelists would kill to smuggle into their fiction. This impact is amplified by photographs of its subject throughout. These can resemble Francesca Woodman’s otherworldly images .

“Molly” is about the writer Molly Brodak , who decided at 39 that the up in her could no longer fight the down. Her husband finds the many journals she left behind, some in plain sight. He reads them, as well as the contents of her laptop and phone, and he sees things he did not want to see, including graphic proof of nearly constant infidelities. He exploits this material to its fullest in his telling of their lives together.

Other writers have picked over the ethical issues of exposing this private writing. I will add only that Butler is hardly the first writer to publish a book that might have been alternately titled “Not My Story to Tell” — and, arguably, this is his story as well. He is unsparing about Brodak’s flaws, but his tone is warm and sympathetic. If you squint, you can see this tell-all, train-wreck memoir as an act of love. This is true even though, as the observant writer and undertaker Thomas Lynch reminds his readers, “the dead don’t care.”

Many fond things get said about Brodak. She was an accomplished poet, brainy, with a great laugh. Butler liked the way the light played in her grainy eyes. She was a sophisticated baker and happiest out in nature. She had a sardonic sense of humor. She was a perceptive consumer of books, movies and music. She was drawn toward, among other things both highbrow and low,

the style of Sofia Coppola, particularly “Marie Antoinette,” which she would watch on mute, just for the colors and the costumes, though I think really she loved it all and didn’t want to have to say, the way she’d sometimes get about the things she liked that she imagined other people thought were lame; the loner brooding of Cat Power, whose apparent madness she romanticized, solemnly relating a story of how Marshall once had played an entire show with her back to the audience.

Brodak had survived an appalling childhood. Her father robbed 11 banks and spent years in prison. His story is recounted in her book “Bandit: A Daughter’s Memoir” (2016). Her mother, a social worker, fought suicidal impulses and was a dark figure in her life. She brought home, and had violent sex with, awful men. Have you ever felt like crawling back into your mother’s womb? For Brodak, the answer was nay, and nay again.

She and Butler met in Georgia. He lived in Atlanta, near where he had grown up, and she was teaching in the state. Warning signs about her troubled psyche blink from the start. Suspense is the art of withholding information. Butler drops a disconcerting new fact every few pages.

Brodak is a committed shoplifter. She tells constant, casual lies. These include, less casually, her denial that she had previously been married. Insults pour out of her “like black exhaust.” She is a collector of “dark Garfield” cross-stitches, including a “deformed Garfield with a syringe several times his size.”

They marry. Below her surface disarray he intuits “how rich her soul was, how hungry to shine.” She begins to dig a deep hole in the backyard, to study the underground. A psychic is involved. She has her breasts augmented and tweets that she will send a photo of her left one to anyone who asks. She proposes a threesome with another man. She is given to comments like, as Butler is tucking her into bed one night, “There’s nothing after death, and I will see you there.” He discovers that once, after winning a poetry prize, she hit herself on the head again and again with hammer, weeping, because if she had won the prize it must surely be worthless. Butler himself has a gambling problem and is a blackout drinker and picks at his scalp until he bleeds.

In some respects, they are a typical couple in their 30s. They own a decent house. Their work — writing — matters most to them both. In other respects, they are the Morticia and Gomez of the ATL, edgelords with good power cords, with a neurotic need to flee anything that evokes, to borrow from Luis Buñuel, the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie.

They cause scenes in good restaurants, as one will, joking loudly about Jeffrey Dahmer. She hopes to dance, at their wedding, to music from “The Shining,” their favorite film, which they have watched “a hundred times together, including the very first night we moved in together.” They do themselves up as the Insane Clown Posse for Halloween. On a whim, as if drunk on something Don DeLillo put in the water, they fly to Los Angeles to ironically attend a live taping of “Dr. Phil” while on LSD. Older readers will remember when mass-market paperbacks had ads in their middles. This book would advertise fog machines and nose rings.

The broken crockery piles up vertiginously. I am not suggesting a word of this material was made up or exaggerated — that Butler was not stung by that bee, for example, or that Brodak did not utter in private all the dark sentences that are attributed to her. I repeat: I am not suggesting a word of this material was made up or exaggerated. But in the remorseless and almost novelistic density of its squalid detail, the book that “Molly” reminds me of most is James Frey’s unhinged, rock-bottom addiction memoir “A Million Little Pieces” (2003), details of which Frey later admitted were fabricated.

It is all so much that, near the end, when Butler’s suffering, self-loathing, addiction to cliché and self-help verbiage extend to dozens of pages, you want to send him up on a Ferris wheel and strand him at the top for an hour or two. Ideally, he would have with him a pile of Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, or any of the great Stoics, to cool him down for a bit.

This over-egged feeling is a shame because Brodak’s story is moving. She goes through so much in her life, including surgery for a brain tumor. Publishers begin to reject her manuscripts. Her options in academia are narrowing. She is cast in the third season of a reality TV baking show that is canceled after the premiere; the rest of the episodes she’s in are canned. She feels ridiculous afterward for caring so much about it. She senses she is on the verge of settling for a lesser life than she planned for herself.

Butler notes the likelihood that Brodak had borderline personality disorder. Might medications have helped? There’s some, but not much, talk about that here. She was in therapy, but it seems like there were forms of help she did not receive.

People often mistake dark things for deep things. My feelings about this book are mixed, but I won’t forget reading it. It makes you look up at the sky, fearful of what might fall out of it. That sky might seem to bellow, to borrow one of the many maledictions in Cormac McCarthy’s 2022 novel “ Stella Maris ”: “Your life is set upon you like a dog.”

MOLLY | By Blake Butler | Archway Editions | 316 pp. | Paperback, $17.95

Dwight Garner has been a book critic for The Times since 2008, and before that was an editor at the Book Review for a decade. More about Dwight Garner

Harvard Library removes human skin from book binding

Harvard University removed human skin from the binding of "Des Destinées de L'âme" in Houghton Library on Wednesday after a review found ethical concerns with the book's origin and history.

French physician Dr. Ludovic Bouland “bound the book with skin he took without consent from the body of a deceased female patient in a hospital where he worked,” according to Harvard Library .  

Bouland included a handwritten note inside stating that “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering,” associate university librarian Thomas Hyry said in a published Q&A . The note also detailed the process behind preparing the skin for binding.

The removal was prompted by a library review following the Harvard University report on human remains in its museum collections.

"Harvard Library and the Harvard Museum Collections Returns Committee concluded that the human remains used in the book’s binding no longer belong in the Harvard Library collections, due to the ethically fraught nature of the book’s origins and subsequent history," a statement from the library said Wednesday.

The removed skin is now in "secure storage at Harvard Library," Anne-Marie Eze, Houghton Library associate librarian, said in the Q&A.

The library will be conducting additional research into the book, Bouland and the anonymous female patient. It is also working with French authorities to determine a "final respectful disposition," it said.

Bouland received his copy of "Des Destinées de L'âme," or "Destinies of the Soul," from the author, Arsène Houssaye, in the early 1880s. The book has been in the Harvard Library collection since 1934 on deposit from John B. Stetson Jr., a philanthropist and businessman.

Katherine Itoh is a news associate for NBC News.