The Revaluation Of Dion Daphane
By Mara Brock Akil
4⭐ While it took me a chapter or two to fully sink into the narrative, I was completely hooked once I did. However, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of trauma in these pages. I actually had to skip a few intense scenes, so please take note of a heavy trigger warning for sexual assault. Knowing that this is someone’s true story out there in the world is absolutely heartbreaking. Mara handles the painful subject matter with incredible grace, and the added HIV epidemic was very insightful. These are the stories that need to be told and heard. The pacing stayed medium to fast throughout, and the ending felt a bit abrupt. Overall, I loved this book. It left me emotionally wrecked, and it is absolutely one of those stories that will stay with me for a very long time.
The Family Chao
By Lan Samantha Chang
3⭐ I almost gave up on this book at first and seriously considered DNFing it. The writing style was really frustrating, which made it hard to get into. But I’m so glad I stuck with it! I love learning about different cultures, and this book delivered that beautifully. Once the story finally clicked for me, I couldn’t put it down!
Score
By Kennedy Ryan
5⭐ While Reel didn’t quite hit the mark for me, I absolutely devoured Score! It was a fantastic read from start to finish. The book dives deep into the complexities of mental health and bipolar disorder, making it an incredibly emotional journey that took me a couple of days to fully process. Kennedy does a phenomenal job bringing these tough topics to light. She writes about them with so much empathy that you can deeply connect with the characters’ experiences, even if you haven’t gone through them yourself.
On The Hook
By Rea Keech
3⭐ This was my first sailing cozy mystery, and I really enjoyed it! The story was fast-paced and jumped straight into the action right off the bat. While I didn’t hate the quick start, it did feel a bit rushed, leaving little time to connect with the characters. I also generally dislike third-person narration, which made it a little hard to follow the plot and bond with the cast. However, those are my only negatives! I absolutely loved the small town vibes, the nosy neighbors, the hidden secrets, and the central murder mystery.
Home Wrecker
By Becky Mandelbaum
4⭐ A bit unhinged but in the best way possible, I could not put it down! Heads up for a trigger warning here, as there are some really dark elements and a lot of tragedy. The story takes form through the grief of losing a sibling, and the way he passed was truly tragic. Piper is a complex character you can’t help but root for; you just want to see her win. I really enjoyed Mandelbaum’s writing style and connected deeply with it. I absolutely hated Aaron, he was awful, and I wish Piper had handled things differently with him. The ending wasn’t what I envisioned for such a crazy ride, but overall, it was a solid read that I’m sure I’ll be thinking about often
