Shock of Birth by Cadwell Turnbull
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Loved this episode of Levar Burton Reads. Turnbull has such a way with vivid details of person that draw me into the scenes and characters – the hands, the mug, the Anne Rice book, the jean cuffs. I usually dislike when stories don’t resolve a plot, but this one so masterfully ratcheted up the tension and then drew it down into that beautiful ending. Really lovely.
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Providence by Caroline Kepnes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This has been sitting on my to-read list for 3 years. Glad I didn’t read this in the depths of pandemic quarantine. The story is centered around isolation, identity, and pretending to adult but failing at all the parts that matter. Not quite balanced enough by the “just let weirdos be weirdos and stop bothering them” message. Didn’t hit me the way I expected because there are too many themes and ideas that don’t quite come together for high impact. That being said, it’s a solid book, especially if you like strange crime and detectives who are determined to the point of obsession.
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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just overwritten enough (in both overwrought emotions and repetition of ideas) that I almost put it down a couple of time. Schwab really likes to write characters motivated by “fuck you,” which I appreciate for days. This book tried too hard and needed some editing, but was very readable and ultimately enjoyable.
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The Atrocities by Jeremy C. Shipp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Too short. Resolution felt very abrupt. Creepy the way I like while it was happening, but when I got to the end I thought, “that’s all?” Also frustrated by the ambiguity of the supernatural elements. It really took the teeth out of both the concept and the ending.
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Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Stiefvater delivers, as always. I love the ways these characters are growing, growing apart, changing, getting in their own ways, lying to themselves, trying on identities, and trying their best to look out for each other, as misguided as their efforts are. You can have more than one coming of age in your life, and I’m excited to see Stiefvater explore that idea through these characters and this story.
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