"The Network"

“The Network”

Written by L.C. Shaw

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Network” was a highly disappointing read, due to the many tropes of novels in the political thriller and psychological thriller subgenres. After truly loving “The Last Mrs. Parrish” by Lynne and Valerie Constantine of the pen name, Liv Constantine, I had been disappointed by their second thriller, “The Last Time I Saw You”. L.C. Shaw is an additional pen name, created by Lynne Constantine. I had been interested to try out this novel, to see how it would compare.

Unfortunately, “The Network” encompasses so many tired trends from the thriller genre, including big evil corporations called “The Institution”, two main characters that used to love each other, evil corporate villains who want to rid the world of sin, and disinteresting main characters.

Jack Logan is an investigative reporter, who is tasked with hiding his ex-girlfriend, whose senator husband has just been murdered. Taylor, the wife, is pregnant with complications that require her to take certain medication and have as much bed rest as possible, which makes their situation all the more complex. We learn about their previous relationship which is eerily similar to another perspective, of Maya. Maya had been taken in by a super secretive and scientific institute, ruled by the power-hungry and righteous Damon Crosse, who has impregnated her illegally. He holds her hostage in the corporation, to help him take over the world.

As the story continues, we learn more about Maya’s unfortunate scenario and see how her parents’ relic coins with supposed powers tie in with Taylor’s family history. Are they connected?

Very early on, it can be quite predictable to see how this story is progressing. I found myself rolling my eyes at certain dialogue, especially with scenes involving sex. Also, can a dog be trained to bite into a neck artery and kill a bad guy? That was a question no one had ever asked or thought, “Wow, that must be included in a action thriller.

Personally, I felt very disengaged from the story. I never felt connected with any of the characters. I was very surprised to see that this may be the first in an action / political thriller series, with Jack starring as the lead character. He’s not an offensive character, but I certainly would not continue onto the rest of the series. The writing feels incredibly immature, which combines with “The Last Time I Saw You”, makes me wonder if I would still love “The Last Mrs. Parrish” as much as I did when I initially read.

Due to my true disappointment for the story, I cannot recommend it. If you love big, bad government corporations that want to take over the world, I recommend “Recursion” by Blake Crouch instead, which has very realistic science fiction and well-written characters. I was disappointed with the story turning out into more of a Dan Brown / religious conspiracy novel. Lastly, I am not sure if I will continue to read from the Constantine sisters.

I received an advance edition of this novel in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to Harper Collins for the opportunity.

"Full Throttle"

“Full Throttle”

Written by Joe Hill

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

As an occasional fan of Stephen King, I became gradually interested in reading works by his son. I was curious to see how the two prolific writers would be similar and how aspects of their works would contrast. Personally, I was astounded to see how much I enjoyed Hill’s short story collection, “Full Throttle”. I was happily surprised to notice less harsh and brutal sequences, less foul language, and less sexual content, compared to King’s work.

Hill’s short stories have very creative horror themes, as well as his father’s. However, I find that Hill does the technique of “showing” more than “telling”, while King provides far too much detail often. Hill’s work was very intriguing, depicting very realistic characters in an accurate and appealing portrayal. I chose to read this book by listening to the audiobook, which was a longer process, but I felt that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the different actors and actresses and hearing how they would bring the stories to life. There are many memorable narrators, but I was especially excited to listen to Kate Mulgrew, Zachary Quinto, and Neil Gaiman. I found myself enjoying the other lesser known narrators far more, and I hope to find more audio work by these narrators. I’d like to share my thoughts on each individual story.

The first story in this collection, “Throttle”, is about a maniacal truck driver who brutally attacks motorcyclists on a tough road. Unfortunately, I strongly disliked this story. I felt it was a strange story to open on and especially to be the story that the collection was titled after.

“Dark Carousel” is one of my favorites from this collection. A group of four teens goes to a New Jersey boardwalk, which you may know is a favorite place to be. The teens dumbly and drunkenly mess with the carousel animals and the ride’s operator. As they begin to leave, the teens notice that the animals have come to life, to wreak their vengeance on behalf of their owner. Although the premise sounds a tad ridiculous, I can assure you that the execution of the story is so well-created that the story plays off like a horror movie, akin to the great “The Twilight Zone” or Alfred Hitchcock’s work. The second act of this story was absolutely spine-tingling. The conclusion of this story truly showed madness in its most human and animal forms.

“Wolverton Station” follows a businessman, whose career involves running small businesses into the ground, to make way for new locations of Jim Coffee, a fun reference to “The Green Mile” by King. The main character of this story sits on a train, awaiting transportation to the next step in his journey, when he notices deadly and horrifying wolfmen in business clothing. This story is a tad more political but not quite absurd in its content. The audiobook narrator creates a great atmosphere with his diction and acting abilities.

“By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain” was a more unusual story, with a far too irritating narration by the great Kate Mulgrew. The story bites off more than it can chew, with a family who owns robots, of which the children find a mysterious dinosaur fossil in the woods. The children and their friends turn on each other when deciding what to do with the fossil.

“Faun” is a truly bizarre but well-rounded story. This follows two boys, Peter and Christian, who are brought on an illegal hunting expedition, in which the boys and rich men hunt elusive and endangered animals. The game changes and increases in bewildering ways, when the boys are shown magical and other-worldly creatures to hunt, that must be found in a magical parallel world. Zachary Quinto’s narration adds such delight to this story.

“Late Returns” is absolutely my favorite story of this collection and may have become my new favorite short story of all time. This splendid tale of sadness, love, grief, and death encompasses so many important themes. Our main character has begun a job, in which he drives and maintains a mobile library that’s contained in a large van.  The main character has been told by his boss that many previous drivers have encountered some strange sights. One driver had been so confused, he thought he had been trapped in a different decade. One driver believed he was seeing ghosts. The story continues in a fantastic direction. Our new driver begins the operation but comes to the realization that the people who come onto the van to return books past their due date are ghosts. They are not yet dead ghosts, but they have traveled to this bookmobile to return their late books and read a new one. There are many different characters that come aboard the bookmobile, with many different types of backgrounds and elements that add wondrously to this story. I found myself listening to this story during a night of insomnia. The story was so heartbreaking yet warming, and I found myself crying twice. “Late Returns” is a story that I will find myself talking about for the rest of my life and also perhaps hope that it might come true.

“All I Care About is You” was a strange story, and I am still not quite sure of my enjoyment level. In this, a woman named Iris uses tokens to have the assistance of a ‘clockwork’ named Chip. Iris develops an uncomfortable and obsessive relationship with the piece of machinery, that has been programmed to detect emotions, to cater to the user’s needs, and to provide conversation.

“Thumbprint” is a gritty and gruesome story about a military crew who tortures an Arab man for information. Our main character from the crew has been finding thumbprints, first delivered to her by mailbox, then inside her house, and then on her mirror. This story was very uncomfortable to listen to, and due to the material, I was not interested.

“The Devil on the Staircase” follows a man who is in love with his cousin. After killing her lover on a beautiful, ornate staircase, he becomes haunted by madness. This feels like an ode to the great Edgar Allan Poe, in its atmospheric nature and insanity.

“Mums” follows our main character, Jack, who lives in a very unhappy family. His mother attempts to escape her manipulative husband, but she is accidentally killed. By his father? Hmm. Jack must learn to survive his childhood, but he slowly loses his mind. The true kicker hits when he starts to see mums that he planted by his mother’s grave take on the countenance of his mother. The mums scream to him, begging to eat flesh. This absurd but deliciously gripping story was great, especially when narrated by a fantastic voice actor. This story reminds me of “1922” by King, one of my favorite novellas by him.

I had previously watched “In the Tall Grass” about two weeks prior to reading its short story origin. Although my anticipation for the film did not pay off, I still wanted to listen to the source material. “In the Tall Grass” follows a few different characters but primarily Cal and his pregnant sister, Becky, who have wandered into a grassy field, when they have heard a child calling for help. The grassy field starts morphing around them, which cause Becky and Cal to be trapped and separated. The grass changes the space between the characters rapidly, letting them think they are closer when they are much further apart. The two meet the Humboldt family, who have also been trapped in the woods. Father Russ, mother Natalie, and son Tobin have been running around searching for each other, but something is off about Russ. And the massive enchanting rock in the middle of the field. In reading the source material, some of the aspects I did not enjoy from the film had been taken out, but I felt that the source material also lacked a bit of charm that the film created.

“You Are Released” was a bit of a confusing and sad story. On an airplane, the story chronicles specific passengers, the flight attendants, and the captain’s crew as they all discover that Guam has been hit by a nuclear bomb, sent only by North Korea. The third world war is breaking out, which causes a certain level of terror at twenty-thousand feet.

Moreover, a great part of most short story collections is the afterword, in which the authors provide a bit of background on each story or share the inspiration behind it. Although Hill’s notes were not very fulfilling, I am glad he incorporated them. He mentioned that his main goal with assembling a short story collection is making the stories seem coherent, as if they are all connected in some ways.

In conclusion, I am so thrilled that I chose to read this collection of short stories. I do not read collections as often as I would like, so I appreciate that I took the time. I plan to continue reading Hill’s work at my next opportunity. I wholeheartedly recommend these, as well as King’s collections. I truly recommend listening to “Full Throttle” as an audiobook. It was such a worthy experience.

"The New Husband"

“The New Husband”
Written by D.J. Palmer
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


“The New Husband” was an exciting and entertaining thriller, that follows a mother named Nina, who’s daughter is very suspicious of her new stepfather, Simon. Nina is a very strong-willed and likable character, whose first husband either perished or disappearing during a fishing boat accident a few years ago. After falling in love with her daughter’s teacher, Simon, Nina feels happy and at peace. When her daughter, Maggie, begins to suspect that her new stepfather is lying and has a hostile temper, Nina feels empowered to protect Simon and her family, by squelching the lies. So why does Simon seem so perfectly innocent when he’s around everyone? Is he just the perfect fiancé, who cooks wonderful dinners, loves his new stepchildren, and always remains a calming presence? Or is Maggie right, that Simon is truly dangerous?

I have always loved thrillers like this; the new partner joins the family and perhaps they are not all that innocent. D.J. Palmer is not a new writer to me. I read his book “Saving Meghan” over the summer, which again, was a novel where you are not meant to trust the narrators or any characters for that matter. Palmer creates appealing and interesting characters, with relatable traits and qualities that either allows the author to build trust or completely demolish it. We readers project our trust and distrust onto the characters, siding with those who uphold the same morals.

I truly enjoyed this novel as a whole, but there were some aspects that did not cement this book as a perfect new favorite. To begin, I personally did not enjoy the perspective told through Maggie. Having an omniscient narrator tell the rest of the story was great, but Maggie’s perspective certainly flawed the story. A thirteen-year-old narrator would not use the vocabulary, idioms, and overall language that this one did. For example, Maggie uses the word “miffed”. She explains events in ways that adults would, using expressions that thirteen-year-olds do not use, unless they are English and History prodigies.

Additionally, there are quite a few cheap cliffhangers that finish off certain chapters, attempting to create shock value. These cliffhangers are immediately popped like balloons the very next page, leaving the cliffhangers to be unnecessary and a tad over-dramatic. For example, Simon enters the living room, with a gun!!! Wait. Next page, it’s revealed that since he’s a history teacher, it’s a Civil War musket he plans to take on a field trip. There are a few more mystery thriller tropes that could have been eliminated. How many times do we need characters to have an allergy, that naturally is played upon by the villain?

I truly love the red herrings in this story. This is one of those mysteries until the absolutely last page that prevents you from being completely sure of the truth. Switching from so many different clues and details, with suspicious elements and scares, Palmer truly accomplished creating his plot efficiently.

Lastly, I found the final act of this story to be very well-executed. The reveal of the villain occurs halfway through the book, leaving the main characters to decide whom to believe, while also trying to escape to safety. Although I certainly enjoyed “Saving Meghan” more, this was an excellent addition to the mystery thriller and psychological thriller sub-genres. I believe if you enjoyed books like “The Girl Before”, “A Nearly Normal Family”, and “The Whisper Man”, you’ll enjoy this. I truly loved the family element, how much one would go to save their family, similar to the other books suggested here.

This was a four-star read for me, which is still pretty great. Although the book will not cement itself as a favorite, I will still highly recommend it to those who enjoy reading thrillers.

I received an advance edition of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to the wonderful St. Martin’s Press for organizing this opportunity.

"The Flight Attendant"

“The Flight Attendant”

Written by Chris Bohjalian

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Flight Attendant” was a very polarizing book for me. In certain chapters, I felt eager to continue, enraptured by certain scenes. In other chapters, I felt that attempting to read any further was more difficult than Frodo and Sam journeying through Mordor.

This political and mystery thriller was initially interesting to me, kicking off with a brilliant first chapter, full of intrigue and confusion. Cassie Bowden has found herself hungover, lying in bed next to the man she slept with the previous night. One issue: he’s been murdered, his throat cut by a broken bottle. The book chronicles Cassie’s guilt over disappearing, without calling the police, and links her story to Elena. Elena is a Russian spy, involved in the murder of Alexander Sokolov, Cassie’s one-night-stand lover. We initially are let into the fact that Elena is the cause of his murder, which was an interesting choice on Bohjalian’s part.

To continue, the writing style is mainly what ruined the book for me. Cassie is an extremely unlikeable character, flitting through the book with guilt and trope-like actions. Cassie does not feel original nor does her character create nuance to an old type. Elena’s character is fun and interesting: the parts of the book that you do want to read. Most of the book is dialogue, much of which is talking about what happened, reacted to by every single character. Also, there is not a lot of action in the prose, featuring the inner monologue and thoughts of both Cassie and Elena. The detail placed into both monologues and dialogue is just too in-depth. Much of the story is stuck in Dante’s circles of hell. “We don’t know what happened; what should we do?” and “How do I frame this stupid woman for murder?” No matter the inane actions that Cassie takes, Elena takes an absurdly long time to complete her tasks.

Additionally, there are small inclusions of interview transcripts, letters, e-mails, investigation materials, and more. These additions add a small element of appeal into the story, purely because it’s more information to which we’re finally privy.

Another aspect that saves this book is listening to it via audiobook. Being able to speed up the audiobook allows the book to be listened to quickly and efficiently. Reading every sentence in stark concentration is not effective, allowing room for distraction and boredom. Listening to the audiobook while completing chores and errands efficiently breaks up the monotony.

Although this review seems to be harsh, I feel it to be justified. I hardly enjoyed this book. I do not plan to continue reading Chris Bohjalian’s work for a while, unless the premise really grabs ahold of my attention. This book was not for me. Perhaps you’d enjoy this book if you like “Homeland”, “The West Wing”, and “Argo”. This admittedly was a departure into political thrillers, which I plan to steer clear from in the future. I rated this book at 3 out of 5 stars.

I received a finished copy of this book from Doubleday Books, in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to the publishing house for the opportunity.

"Providence"

"Providence"
Written by Max Barry
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia



A fascinating and charming read by a new-to-me author, "Providence" is a survival story, telling of the crew of Providence 5, a battle ship in space. The story is fictional, but there are many elements of this story that feel very realistic.

Providence 5, with its crew of Captain Jocelyn Jackson, Gilly, Beanfield, and Anders, are in space to stop salamanders, six-legged slimy aliens that "huk", which is spitting out material that can mangle matter, especially from the human body. The salamanders live in hives on planets and moons but are cloned from their 'queen'. Our ensemble of tough and interesting characters must save themselves, when after shutting down the too protective and powerful AI on their ship, must fight to survive.

The writing style in "Providence" is informative, yet succinct. In creating a fast-paced novel, the uses quick and deliberate dialogue, which feels highly realistic. The characters each have interesting qualities, and we even have the semblance of a "final girl" trope that occurs often in science fiction and horror. I truly loved the characters and the technology. There is a strong and important development of character development, especially with Gilly.

A fascinating element of this story is the communication between the salamanders and Gilly. This is easily the best section of the story, feeling reminiscent to a favorite of mine, "Arrival".

I do admit that there is a bit of a slow start, but this proves important for exposition about the interstellar transportation, technology, the salamanders, and the characters.

With many heart-pounding scenes and a phenomenal third act, I truly think this is a fantastic book. I do hope that this becomes a popular read for years to come. This would be a fantastic film. A wonderful interstellar adventure and survival story is precisely the novel I needed to read. I highly recommend this novel and author. Those who enjoy "Alien", "Arrival", "Interstellar", "Gravity", and "The Martian".

I received a complimentary advance edition of this novel in exchange for reading and review purposes. Thank you to  Hodder and Stoughton.

"The God Game"

"The God Game"
Written by Danny Tobey
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


This confusing and ridiculous story is a true combination of all the things I like. However, this combination felt more like Frankenstein's monster than a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately, I felt myself strongly dislike this book, but I understand where the author was coming from.

Attempting to appeal to those interested in his interests, Tobey creates an artificial intelligence game, played primarily using private internet connections, cell phones, and the dark web.

To easily map up my likes and dislikes of this story and author, I will be separating the two using numbered thoughts. Sadly, most of my likes are also mirrored. In finding one positive aspect, there is usually a dislike relating to that aspect.

Likes: (Not many.)
1. This book reminds me of "Gossip Girl" mixed with "Black Mirror".
2. I like horrors and thrillers that use a small group of nerdy friends.
3. By page 225, the book becomes interesting, as we finally see the drastic consequences of trying to play and leave the game.
4. I liked that this story is not told in first person. I feel that to have a creepy, "Big Brother"-like game, you'd need an omniscient narrator.
5. Once we finally arrive at the scary consequences, the action does pick up.
6. The God Game is interesting, due to the strange tasks and religious symbolism.

Dislikes:
1. In creating teen characters, the author has not encompassed the magic of friendship. The characters feel like they are constantly fighting and disagreeing with each other.
2. The characters clearly should have not begun playing this game in the first place. There are truly not enough appealing reasons to play.
3. I feel like the characters could have tried a few different ways to exit the game. Since one of the main characters stops playing early on, asking their advice might have been useful.
4. It takes 225 pages for the book to become interesting and appealing to read.
5. I feel disappointed in the character descriptions. I feel that many of the characters do not have interesting hobbies or descriptors. It's quite unfortunate to have a larger group of characters. I feel that most of the characters are not very appealing to learn about.
6. Is pantsing a form of bullying in 2019?
7. I CANNOT stand the vulgar language. Teens do not need to speak 5 curses a page to be current and modern.

In conclusion, this is not the worst book I have ever met, but dear God, was it difficult to finish this. I do not plan to read this author again.

"Call Me Evie"

"Call Me Evie"
Written by J.P. Pomare
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


A manipulative and complex thriller written by J.P. Pomare, "Call Me Evie" has a unique and fascinating plot, with many intriguing characters and eerie elements.

Pomare has created a super intense plot, following a girl named Kate, who is being called Evie by her protector, Jim. Evie is unsure of why they must move to many different locations, quietly isolate themselves in small towns, and be suspicious of everyone around them. Jim is caring yet dramatic. He has a violent streak. However, Evie is not entirely sure if he is helping her or protecting her?

The entire plot hinges on the fact that Evie cannot remember the reason she has fled. Unfortunately, the answers we receive for all of the questions in this story are not entirely helpful. Allow me to point out some of my favorite aspects of this story and things I did not enjoy about the plot.

Enjoyed:
1. I appreciated the 'before' and 'after' timeline.
2. I liked that nearly all of the story was told through Evie's mind.
3. The characters were interesting.
4. Pomare has a great writing style, full of interesting detail, plot, and dialogue.
5. The texting and technological communication felt very realistic, which is not always possible in thrillers and most stories.
6. The fear of escaping is just as real as Evie's fear of being caught, which feels manipulative and horrible but realistic.
7. There is a great and well-placed red herring of who Jim's identity may be.

Disliked:
1. Who Jim is really, in relation to Evie. There is no realistic way that she could not remember who this vitally important person is, and that she wouldn't have accidentally referred to this character in the true nature.
2. The crime that was the true catalyst for Evie and Jim's secret location and changed names.
3. Her memory loss in general. Evie has forgotten major events, such as her crime and the recent relocation. Why can't she remember not to trust him? We never receive an answer for why she cannot remember these major details.
4. The true identify of Jim will not be spoiled in this review. However, certain actions he performs, such as taking pictures of Evie in her underwear, do not make sense for this character reveal.
5. There are some strange idioms and phrases that Evie, a seventeen year old, would not know. For example, how many seventeen year old girls measure whiskey in fingers?

In conclusion, I was very engrossed by this read. This book feels similar to "Before I Go to Sleep", in the sense where the memory loss feels confusing and convenient. Although the ending and many aspects that went into the ending were misrepresented, I felt that I enjoyed this book. I would absolutely read more by this author.

I received an advance proof in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to Putnam Books.

"If You Knew Her"

“If You Knew Her”

Written by Emily Elgar

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

A startling entry in the psychological thriller subgenre, “If You Knew Her” by Emily Elgar grips ahold of its readers, with an enchanting and harrowing tale. The story follows three perspectives: the past perspective of Cassie, a woman who has been brutally injured in a hit and run, Alice, her nurse, and Frank, a man who is also in a coma, on the same ward as Cassie.

With a twisted eye for detail, Elgar creates highly likeable protagonists, with many interesting qualities and personality, as well as shifty and a manipulative, evil villain. The other remaining suspects are indelibly fascinating, leaving a strong impact in each red herring.

In each perspective, we learn drastically important, but sometimes intriguingly subtle, details about the other characters. In some ways, we have that interesting contras that leads to false leads.

I was quite surprised by the serious themes of this story including troubled marriages, spousal abuse, treatment of mental illness, miscarriages, and difficulty with pregnancy. Those more important themes were handled with pure grace and care, in a wonderfully delicate manner. The emphasis on including these themes greatly improved the novel, creating far more developed and thorough characters. Every step that Elgar added to this book was purposeful and honest, with genuine intentions. The reveal of the villain was perfectly paced, in a manner that was quick and deliberate, but also teasingly suspenseful.

There were not many areas of this book that I did not enjoy. Sometimes, the dialogue felt very rushed and a tad unnatural. The police procedure and hospital procedure of a hit and run felt very glossed over and could have been improved by more research. I personally think that this book would have been much more enjoyable without the “in a coma, yet present” perspective of Frank. I personally am not a fan of stories and books told through the perspective of a person in a coma, but who is so aware, they are able to solve the mystery. Elgar’s portrayal of him was pitch-perfect, but I would have far preferred his character and story placed into a different book.

In conclusion, I felt this was a great read. I whole-heartedly believe that Elgar is a brilliant writer, and I intend to read future works by her. I highly recommend this book to those interested in psychological thrillers that delve into the domestic, family theme. I rated this book at four out of five stars; the book’s focus on Frank felt unnecessary and a tad boring to me in certain places. I fully hope that my readers would give this a try, because I have not yet heard a single person mention this. Let’s spread the word.

I received a complimentary finished copy of this novel, in exchange for my reading and writing a review. Thank you again to William Morrow and Harper Collins.

"Virgin"

“Virgin”
Written by Analicia Sotelo
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia



“Virgin” by Analicia Sotelo is a collection of poetry, the first work I have read by this author. The author incorporates themes of murder, death, comedy, mythology, religion, mental illness, adulthood, femininity, modernity, and literature.

Personally, this collection was not within the realm of poetry that I would enjoy. I found Sotelo’s poetry to be odd and blunt, with elements that were too dark and complicated for me, often too political.

I had a wonderful favorite from this collection, “South Texas Persephone”. If you had told me that this was the inspiration for a favorite musical, “Hadestown”, I would have absolutely believed you. This beautiful and interesting twist on Persephone’s mythology was a great read.

Other poems I enjoyed were: “A Little Charm”, “Trauma with Damp Stairwells”, and “Trauma of Haberdashery”.

To conclude, I was not a fan of this collection. The poems I did not like completely outweighed the great ones. However, my enjoyment for the much more enjoyable ones does allow my review with three stars instead of lower. I recommend this poetry to those who like the themes I had mentioned. However, Sotelo seems to be an acquired taste. I hope those who give her a try will enjoy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book to read and review from the publisher.

"Saint X"

"Saint X"
Written by Alexis Schaitkin
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


Unfortunately so, "Saint X" was a crash and burn read. After promising an intense and interesting mystery, with a hint of thriller, the book's true pay off was highly disappointing.

"Saint X" is told through many perspectives, mostly unnecessary, about a teenage girl named Allison who died on vacation on a quiet, unpopular island. Her sister, Claire, explains the story, telling it in many time periods: before, currently, and after. Now, if we purely just stopped there, I would have thoroughly enjoyed the story, because Claire's voice and character are so honest and heartbreaking to read from. Instead, we receive information through the eyes of multiple unneeded perspectives: including the possible murderers, the police officer, the actress who found Allison's body, the actress who played Allison in a true crime television show, Allison's high school teacher, friends of the possible murderers, ex-boyfriends, and more. These perspectives are told in first person, second person, and through diary entries, newspaper articles, press statements, and an autopsy report.

There are some elements to the story that I just could not abide by. In an "American Beauty"-like style, the book allows many shock value sex scenes and information, that are just not pleasant.

Additionally, the story of Claire, now Emily, sounds appealing from the premise. The book's blurb pronounces this book as thought-provoking, fresh, endearing, and important. However, the book hardly allows us to know anything about current day Claire. We're told early on that she is supposed to develop a friendship, with one of the murder suspects. This story line occurs over maybe twenty pages.

One of the biggest upsets in this book was the reveal. The climax involves the author choosing to use homosexuality as a reason for murder, which is not a new eye-rolling concept in thrillers. Lastly, we are "treated" to one of the most ambiguous and open-ended conclusion in any thriller that I have read in a while.

I cannot recommend this book in any way. There are so many other wonderful books that this publishing house has published in 2019. I highly recommend "The Whisper Man" by Alex North or "A Nearly Normal Family" by M.T. Edvardsson instead.

I received a complimentary advance proof of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes.

"I'm Not Dying with You Tonight"

"I'm Not Dying with You Tonight"
Written by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


Last week, I listened to "I'm Not Dying with You Tonight" in its audiobook format, narrated by the wonderful ladies, Brittany Pressley and Channie Waites. This easy read falls within the realistic fiction genre, but the book touches upon many mature and complex topics that many children, teens, and adults experience throughout America.

The story is told in two perspectives by two very different teens. Campbell is a shy and nervous white female, who has volunteered to cook and sell in the concession stand at an important high school football game. Lena has come to the game with friends, but she intends to meet with her boyfriend later in the evening. A massive riot breaks out between the rival teams and their fans, causing a gigantic brawl. Campbell and Lena must push past their dislike for each other, to protect each other, and survive the night.

As much as I anticipated this novel, I was uninspired by the actual riots. This novel touches on prevalent and important American topics, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality, gangs, and silence. Strangely enough, the novel is quite tame, nearly brushing over every topic. It's apparent that the girls are possibly in danger of getting hurt, but the results of the riots is not highly impactive. The main inciting incident is a teen shooting a police officer. Then, the riot truly develops into pure chaos.

Most of the novel is spent following Lena and Campbell as they hide in different locations, bicker at each other while walking back and forth, and attempting to find their way home. It's understandable that the city has become riotous, however, you'd imagine that hiding behind trash cans and wandering the streets would realistically cause the girls to get hurt or into more trouble. When the girls had left the high school to find their way to Lena's boyfriend, the girls could have easily jumped on a bus or found their way to an underground train at that point, before the entire city broke out into violence.

Even when there are moments of violence, we receive the information through rose-colored glasses. The girls do not experience much of the violence, because they watch it occur. We meet characters who become injured, but the impact of the riots does not hold high enough stakes. In my opinion, if you plan to write a violent scene or book, you should show the true impact of the violence. If you are writing a horror novel about a murderous villain, the viewer should be able to understand how awful that character is, usually by experiencing the murder. If we are told that the entire city in "I'm Not Dying with You Tonight" is in a complete apocalyptic rampage, we should be shown more violence or a death. The book feels too tame, almost ineffective.

Another flaw I found with this novel is the constant need for dialogue. Lena and Campbell are either talking to each other, fighting with Lena's boyfriend or cousin, or complaining in their own thoughts. The lack of action taken by these characters makes this more of a character study, rather than an introspective and appealing story about black teens in America. Many scenes are spent with the characters bickering, looking for cell phones, or arguing over where to go next.

I appreciate the character development in the story, but we barely receive enough about Lena and Campbell prior to the riot. If we understood their true intentions and characteristics, we could understand why Campbell is hesitant to communicate. When characters need to journey together, either to a positive location or just out of danger, the readers need to see how the characters came together as one. The lack of characterization does not allow the girls to grow closer and ignore their differences. They just depend on each other, because they're scared, which is fine in a violent novel, but the execution feels a tad empty.

This was a short and sweet novel, which made for an easier and faster audiobook consumption. However, I felt that cutting this novel into a short novella almost did not allow the story to develop to its potential.

I personally am not interested in recommending this book to others. I felt very disappointed by the lack of detail and cohesive 'journey'. I have not read many books like this, so I do not have many recommendations. However, I do recommend "The Hate U Give", which is a fantastically written and well-crafted story about police brutality and violence in America, that incorporates all of the themes and characteristics I would have hoped for in this novel. I would consider reading further books by these authors, but I would not go into them with high expectations.

"The Girl Before"

"The Girl Before"
Written by J.P. Delaney
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"The Girl Before" was a tense and brilliant psychological thriller, about two women who have moved into the same house created by the same bizarre architect. We learn quickly about Emma, the woman who lived in first, who moves in with her pesty and jealous boyfriend. Jane is the second character, who has moved into the home, possibly a few months or a few years after Emma's. We quickly realize that Emma is in danger, and we can assume that Jane is in peril as well.

One of the most interesting aspects of this unique thriller is the location. The high-tech and severely acute landlord, Edward Monkford, designed and built an odd and deeply intrusive house, with over two hundred stipulations that the tenants must abide by. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the strange rules and contractual obligations that tenants agree to in the contract. Some include: no rugs or carpets, no items left on floor, no pictures to be hung up, no books, no ornaments, no clothes lines, and flat packed furniture. Tenants must abide by all rules or risk contract breach.

Allowing Edward to be so manipulative instantly creatives paranoia, that he might be the true evil mastermind. The reader also suspects many other characters but all for good reason. Power balances usually add an interesting element to the plot, but Edward's power over Emma and Jane is unparalleled.

To begin, J.P. Delaney's ability to create interesting characters, dialogue, plot points, and a great writing style becomes apparent within the first chapter. Delaney creates fantastic suspects and red herrings, that throw the reader into the story. There are incredible moments of suspense that tease certain characters' movements, reliability, locations, and even small details that make us think we've arrived at a crucial scene.

The baiting that Delaney creates causes the reader to become constantly on edge, suspicious of any movement, piece of dialogue, and thought. The tornado effect leaves us paranoid, as much as the characters are. One of the best actions to take when reading this novel is to be aware of everything and leave no stone unturned. Every detail is vitally important, and Delaney truly uses each to add incredible detail.

The amount of detail taken into consideration for this novel is truly astounding. The entire novel's payoff astounded me. I felt that this was truly an all-encompassing novel, without any major flaws that lessened my experience. Every aspect was unbelievably well-rounded.

When the plot develops to include more about Jane and Emma, we recognize a mirrored effect. In one chapter, Emma is wearing a pearl necklace, gifted to them by Edward. Next, Jane is wearing the same necklace. Seeing the odd links between the two creates an extraordinary element of anxiety. The reader feels intensely immersed in the novel.

There are a few small aspects that I felt superfluous to the plot, but reflecting upon them leads to the realization how some minor and less exciting parts do add to the whole picture.

The final climax truly proves how well this author created her characters. Also, the final jaw-dropping scene was awesome! I love a great author who knows when they can craft wonderful cliffhangers.

In all, this was one of my favorite thrillers that I have read in 2019. I highly enjoy the work of this author and plan to continue to read his others works as soon as I have the time. I recommend this thriller to those who enjoy the film and television works of Jordan Peele and Mike Flanagan, and the unique thrillers of Liv Constantine, Tana French, B.A. Paris, and the books written by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I truly enjoyed this. I rated this story at five stars out of five stars. This will be a new favorite.

"What She Knew"

"What She Knew"
Written by Gilly Macmillan
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"What She Knew" is the second mystery thriller by the author, Gilly Macmillan, that I decided to read. After relatively enjoying the first one, I was curious to see how her writing style, creativity, and plot uniqueness transferred into this book.

"What She Knew" was written prior to "The Nanny", which was the first I read. Both books have very strong points of interest, great plot devices, well-crafted characters, appealing settings, and a great overall voice. Unfortunately, the villain and the reveal have tapered off and were ineffective, in my mind. This in no way ruins the book, but that definitely would bring my enjoyment level down, creating a less successful read.

The story follows an interesting set of characters. We meet Rachel, a divorced mom, whose son has disappeared after running ahead in the park, with her permission. John is her ex-husband, who with his new wife Katrina, blames Rachel for Tom's disappearance and possible kidnapping. Additionally, the detective following the case is named Jim, who interestingly tells the story through a first person perspective. Including this narrative style allows us to sympathize more with Jim, even though the story is told after the fact, explained to his therapist to help him cope with possible post-traumatic stress disorder. Nicky, Rachel's sister, has also come to help Rachel with the investigation and news storm.

Additionally, the story allows includes smaller characters, such as Rachel's best friend, Tom's teacher, Tom's teacher's assistant, Emma, a secondary detective, and Dr. Manelli, Jim's therapist.

The storytelling technique reflects the current technology inclusion in modern thrillers and mysteries. The author creates e-mails, transcripts, quotes and facts from law enforcement books, Facebook posts, Wordpress blog posts, and newspaper articles. Prior to each chapter, the quotes and facts allow for red herrings and predictions for the section. Additionally, the count of the days since Tom has disappeared also adds tension.

I absolutely enjoy Macmillan's stories, but the endings are truly ruined by the villain. Creating two major characters in this story that could be the villain, could be behind the disappearance, was wonderful! The suspicion due to the backstories behind each character easily led to tension and worry building. However, revealing a tiny character as the villain allowed my disappointment to fully bloom. The heavy red herrings were well-implemented, but they also lead to a less than perfect ending. Although the motive of the character was well planned, the climax barely existed.

In conclusion, I would absolutely read another book by this author. In the future, I would hope that Macmillan changes the way she writes endings and chooses her villains. I rated this book at four out of five stars. I actively look forward to reading her next published novel.

"The Rose That Blooms in the Night"

"The Rose That Blooms in the Night"
Written by Allie Michelle
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"The Rose That Blooms in the Night" is a beautifully written collection of poetry by the modern poet, Allie Michelle. The beautiful illustrations add another great element to this collection.  Michelle's poetry encompasses many themes: feminism, relationships, love, and adulthood. Some of the stronger themes include relationship abuse, death, and mental illness. Her natural ability to reflect the world through a metaphorical but genuine lens is so incredibly inspiring. Michelle calls to us to teach us how to respect ourselves and how we should respect others, especially when in love.

There were far too many favorite poems from this collection to count, but I would still like to add them into my review. Personally, when I read reviews of poetry, I always like to see which poems the writer has mentioned. Favorite poems are personal, so we can receive a bit of insight from whom enjoys them.

My favorites are:
"The Rose That Blooms in the Night", "Wings", "Oxygen of Life",
"It Was Real", "The Mind's Garden", "The Wolves",
"Love Will Never Ask You to Be Small", "Grief",
"The Fingerprints You Left on My Skin", "Open Your Eyes", "Love is Not",
"Feelings", "Let Go", "Home", "Alive", "Ebb and Flow",
"Fly", "Lens of Two", "I Would Have Loved You", "Love's Rhythm",
"Begin Again", "Death Creates Life", "Revolving Door", "You Are Never Alone".


I believe my love for Allie Michelle's work will never cease. Her poetry is absolutely wonderful and truly inspiring. Its thought-provoking nature allows the reader to be curious and examine how they have been treated but also how they have treated others. I feel a tad inspired to try my own little go at poetry, since I have not really tried since high school.

I absolutely plan to read more of Michelle's work. Her poetry and Courtney Peppernell's modern poetry have been engulfing my free time lately.

I'd like to send a great thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for sending me a complimentary copy of this, in exchange for my reading and reviewing purposes.

"You Can't Kill Me Twice"

"You Can't Kill Me Twice"
Written by Charlyne Yi
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"You Can't Kill Me" is the first work that I have encountered by Charlyne Yi, a poet, comedian, writer, actress, and musician. Yi's collection of poetry and illustrations was so incredibly unique, in such a ridiculous and fun way.

Yi's poetry is comedic, serious, feministic, and fun, all in one incredible package. At first, I had to come to grips that some of her poems and illustrations are just plain ridiculous, in a fun and interesting way. Yi's poems are highly likable, once you come to the understanding that some of them are strange and weird on purpose. Her words almost feel like satire sometimes.

A wonderful aspect of her poetry is the serious themes that are underneath the dark comedy elements. Her poetry asks of the reader to take care of themselves, to love carefully, and be a great person. Sometimes, her metaphors and silly verses do really take ahold of you.

Although I am not typically a fan of comedic writing and funny poetry, I still enjoyed the collection. Accompanied by the odd illustrations, the book was quite fun.

Yi has interesting segments in the book, "The Study of Types of Love, Friendship, Family, and Romance" and "The Optometrist". Her peculiar insight creates interesting reading material.

I personally liked her work very much. I plan to look into her other works. I truly think a great career for her would be to write and draw cartoons. Her comedy definitely needs to be brought further into the world. I cannot wait to look more into her art and writing.

I rated this collection of poetry and illustrations at a four star rating out of five stars.

I received a complimentary edition of this book from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing.

"How to Be a Poet"

"How to Be a Poet"
Written by J.M. Farkas
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"How to Be a Poet" is the second book written by J.M. Farkas, in the style of black-out, or in this case, white-out poetry. Farkas draws from Ovid's poem, "Ars Amatoria", an epic poem about love.

Farkas uses seven bottles of white correction fluid to mark out about 90 percent of the poem, leaving words out that help make a cohesive poem for herself. Her encompassing poem sets out to teach the reader how to be a poet, using the secluded words to create metaphors and personification.

Personally, this is not a type of poetry that I had delved into before. In reading the pages and thinking how many of Ovid's words had been manipulated, I found myself drawing a dislike for this style of poetry. I think using someone else's poetry in this way is a bit cheap. Although her final poem reads nicely in a style of poetry I would read, I do not like the entire poetry style.

The second half of the book is Ovid's original poem, but Farkas's poem's words typed in a bold font. I personally did not enjoy this section, because I do not enjoy Ovid's poetry. I felt that this book used a certain level of effort that just does not appeal to me. I feel that the creation of this book feels disengenious, taking advantage of the source material.

I would not recommend reading this book. I do not plan to continue reading Farkas's work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity.

"The Likeness"

"The Likeness"
Written by Tana French
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"The Likeness" is one of the best mystery / thrillers that I have read in a very long time. Tana French does not shy away from providing too much detail, rather she provides detail that truly shows the truth about characters, rather than telling. Her characters are so wonderfully fleshed out through her descriptions and creative dialogue. The plot of this story is also fantastic, with gripping events and a heart-pounding climax.

In the second book in the "Dublin Murders" series, we continue the story of Cassandra Maddox, who is a well-respective detective in the Dublin Domestic Violence Squad. She is called upon by her old colleague, Frank, and her boyfriend, Sam, to help with a terribly bizarre case. The murder victim has an identification of Lexie Madison, a name that Cassie had used undercover years ago. Also, the victim looks just like Cassie. Against her better judgment, Cassie goes undercover again to pretend that she is Lexie, to live with Lexie's group of friends in their isolated house in a small village.

This plot is wickedly interesting, as we become suspicious of most characters, as we delve into their private and secret world. Cassie chooses every word and action so precisely, to avoid detection that she is truly not Lexie. Cassie starts to enjoy spending time with these friends, and she begins to drop her suspicion, accidentally slipping up.

Every aspect of French's work speaks wonders to her writing ability. Her details, dialogue, characters, and plot are so finely tuned, that I could not stop reading. Although at a very busy point in my student teaching, I constantly found myself finding time to read.

Although I accidentally read the second book in the series, there is still enough detail that I was able to understand. The reintroduction of information was assistant in helping me understand and still get to know the characters.

The final few chapters are incredible, as the truth comes to light. The final climax and conclusion were extremely satisfying. In all, I found the entire book to be extraordinary. I fully recommend and believe that this will be a favorite book from this year! I cannot wait to read more by French.

"Sunburn"

"Sunburn"
Written by Laura Lippman
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


Gifted to me last Christmas, I had been putting off this book, until I was really ready to begin it. I have had a very productive reading year so far, but I knew I wanted to squeeze this one in.

"Sunburn" by Laura Lippman is an intense, cutthroat, and taut thriller, told in only 310 pages. This book is short but most certainly not sweet. "Sunburn" follows many suspicious characters, especially Adam and Polly, who have been watching each other and hiding many secrets.

In a hot beach town outside of Baltimore, Adam and Polly have begun a sexy and smooth affair, while they dart around each other like cobras. We also meet other mysterious characters who know far too much about our main characters.

There is no predictability surrounding this novel. Every plot point was created so efficiently and effectively, not leaving one scene that could be cut. Every moment, every piece of dialogue, and every look is purposeful and heavily intriguing. The suspense in "Sunburn" is hotter than well, sunburn. When there's the chance for danger, your heart will start beating like a jackhammer.

As much as I enjoyed this novel, I do have to say that there are some parts that feel a little tired. I am one of those readers who will drop the most important tasks, especially ones from my student teaching, to finish a great book. However, sometimes when I picked this up, I was quick to place it back down again. Although some parts of the book were blander than others, I still enjoyed this book greatly. The author's writing style and voice were pitch perfect.

I highly recommend "Sunburn" to those who enjoy reading tense and compact thrillers like "Looker" by Laura Simms", "Mind of Winter" by Laura Kasischke, and "Lullaby" by Leila Slimani. Lots of Lauras on this list, must be a conspiracy.

I recommend this author. I had not enjoyed the first 50 pages of another book of hers, "Lady in the Lake" and swiftly gave up on it. I do not think I'll pick it back up, but I will be looking for other books of hers with more interesting premises. I hope I do find one like "Sunburn".

"Planting Gardens in Graves III"

"Planting Gardens in Graves III"
Written by R.H. Sin
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

I had read three books of poetry by R.H. Sin before beginning to read this one. I had felt that in the previous books, far too many were false empowerment of women. Far too many were talking about how brilliant women are for things that they do, which is nice, but I felt that the focus of the book was not in line with what I personally like to read. My favorite type of modern poetry is sweet and romantic, but I do not mind a little bit of bite.

I felt that this collection was more romantic and less bite than previous poetry collections. I have always recommended Sin's work, but I had prefaced that it often has strong themes of abuse, sex, and mental illness. I did feel that this collection was very neutral and perhaps more muted than his usual standard, but I appreciated and liked this more.

Unfortunately, with the e-book format of the Hoopla app, it is nearly impossible to figure out the name of each poem. However, some of them were easier to find, so I will recommend those poems that I did enjoy. I do want to mention that there were quite a few more.

"Your Eyes Only II"
"722 Degrees"
"507 A.M."
"Disconnection I" and "II"
"After Midnight in 2009"

Additionally, I must mention that the poems in this collection had many great metaphors. As similar to Sin's writing style, he uses great figurative language to enhance his poetry. Rhymes do not often feel forced or formulaic.

This collection feels more mature than his others. Perhaps Sin has used his wisdom from growing up, starting a family, and being a more successful adult. His words seem wise and enlightened, as he has experienced more than his other collections imply. More of these poems feel sadder and more heartbreaking, but they feel very honest.

Two great points I want to mention are: the poem about coliseums and the poems about keeping your partner safe. These are two fantastic elements in this collection.

In all, I highly recommend this collection, more so than R.H. Sin's other collections I have read so far. As mentioned prior, his maturity and wisdom are well-reflected and developed in his words on these pages.

"The Road Between"

"The Road Between"
Written by Courtney Peppernell
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia



After reading the first poetry collection by Courtney Peppernell, I was eager to begin reading many more poems by her. I had a dark, chilly autumn night ahead of me, with a big mug of hot chocolate.

Alike Peppernell's collection, "Pillow Thoughts", this collection was full of love, heartbreak, and wonderful LGBT representation. Peppernell creates such romantic and honest poetry, that I think I would melt if I had someone write poems about me like she does for her wife. Peppernell draws on their relationship, her life experience, and many other themes to create her words.

One of the main themes of her poetry is a long distance relationship. As a person in a long distance relationship, her verses about LDRs resonate deeply with me. I have felt the same way she has, about airport lines, suitcases, time zones, and more. Every time I read her poems about long distance, I feel my heart cracking just a bit. I plan to bridge our distance in the next few months, but until my fiance and I are married, I will still feel these poems directly and painfully.

Many of Peppernell's poems are hard to describe, because sometimes, they do not have names. However, she separates this collection into these sections: "The Cave", "The Closet", "The Sky", "The Sea", "The Road", "The Mountains", "The Fields", and "The Home".

Lastly, I just have to say how strongly I recommend this writer's work. I eagerly anticipate any new collections from her and cannot wait to read the ones she's already published. Courtney Peppernell is a brilliant modern poet, and I am so glad to have found her work.

"Arisotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe"

"Arisotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe"
Written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"Arisotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" is a gentle, coming-of-age story about our main characters, Aristotle and Dante. These two genuine and fragile young men are interesting, sweet, and scared, needing to overcome tough teenage years. With the help of each other and their friendship, they blossom and grow into great people.

I had listened to this book in audiobook form, which was a great decision. The narrator is the wonderful genius Lin-Manuel Miranda. He brings such extra life into the words that the author has written. The inclusion of Miranda as the narrator absolutely enhanced the reading experience.

Aristotle is our main character, whose perspective tells us the story. He is an angry and sad teen, who misses his incarcerated brother, a time when his family felt normal, and his best friend who has moved away. Dante is a refreshing and adorable character, who has been discovering his sexuality.

The caring friendship between the two boys has the simplicity and mirrored complexity combined into a great story.

In some chapters of the story, we receive little plot. However, those chapters provide important character and details about Ari and Dante. Learning about them explains how they will act together. Their weaknesses and successes balance out, allowing their friendship to bring forth the best versions of themselves, although it is not very easy.

I feel that many different types of people can learn from this story. I personally began to understand my relationship with my parents and my brother, which was enlightening. I believe that this story can be enjoyed by teens and adults of all ages. The story never feels juvenile or dated.

I highly recommend this to readers of Adam Silvera's, Becky Albertalli's, Stephen Chbosky's, Jared Reck's, and John Green's novels. I love a great teen coming of age story, especially when it has been well-crafted as well as this one. Please take a chance on this one. This was such a sweet and heartwarming story. The depiction of love, young gay characters, and family were so well-crafted. I look forward to reading other novels by this author.

"RoseBlood"

"RoseBlood"
Written by A.G. Howard
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"RoseBlood" is a young adult retelling of the quintessential horror and romance novel, "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux. This retelling also draws heavy inspiration from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version of that same novel, and his sequel, "Love Never Dies".

In "RoseBlood", we meet teenage Rune, a musical prodigy, who has been sent by her mother to a wonderful and prestigious musical academy. Rune's talent is outrageous, forcing her into a compulsion to perform as loudly as possible whenever she hears lyrics or a few notes. Rune has a very flat personality, following many characters around, creating unnecessary conflicts, and placing her trust in a manipulative character of whom she sees in her dreams.

Told in a parallel to Rune's storyline, we meet Thorn. He had been taking in by the Phantom, Erik, who has been sucking the life out of unwilling participants at his nightclub. Erik still lives in the catacombs and tunnels under this opera house. Thorn was a child when he was abandoned in an orphanage. We see him tormented by his love for the man he calls his father and his love for Rune, from whom he hides information and watches secretly.

Thorn and Rune are modern characters, living under the evil eyes of Erik, in a modern setting. Placing this in a current day setting and location allows most of the magic of the classic novel and musical to float away. The modern connections of society ruin the beautiful and scenic inspiration. Additionally, Rune has read the book by Gaston Leroux, which in "RoseBlood" is a misunderstood account by a real person to have existed in the universe. Rune has a few secret connections to the real Christine of whom Erik was once obsessed. Unfortunately, having Rune and most characters know who the Phantom is beforehand took most of the mystery out of the novel.

I truly feel that this novel would have been great if the characters had never heard of "The Phantom of the Opera". If we had characters in the 20th or 21st century unwillingly enter into a "Phantom"-like Paris with a twist on the original, that would have been excellent. Taking the original characters and twisting them into the world we know as reality feels bizarre. It's as if a retelling of "The Wizard of Oz" was created, in which the great-granddaughter of Dorothy happened to find herself in Oz, but she knew that "The Wizard of Oz" was a book written by L. Frank Baum. The magic of a retelling, which would be original and a bit unique, vanishes. The way that Howard creates her story feels less imaginative and feels less interesting to me. It feels too meta, too easy.

Rune's savant-like singing ability is far too unbelievable. I understand that she is a Christine-like character, excellent at music, and being instructed by the Phantom, her Angel of Music. However, the writing of this novel felt immature. Rune has an "auditory photographic memory", in which she can replicate any tune in perfect clarity and ability. She was able to recall and master Spanish opera at four years old.

To continue, I did like Thorn's perspective. His story was more unique, as a loving but horrified son to the Phantom, who has watched his father commit horrific crimes. Having him find a romance with Rune felt like it straddled the line of abuse, since Thorn was complicit in most of his father's actions. Additionally, I did like the created Frankenstein-like hobby of his, in which he helps scared and hurt animals in the lair. If this book was entirely in his perspective, I would have enjoyed it much more. Rune's whiny and irritating personality lessened the appeal of this story.

Sadly, the reveal of the true villains of this story were not as to be desired. I felt that most twists and turns were predictable and could have been spotted.

In conclusion, I just felt that this retelling was unnecessary and disappointing. I absolutely love "The Phantom of the Opera", but I do not feel that I only disliked it because it was different. I have loved many different retellings of classic books and films that I've loved. However, this modern and meta take on the source material left much to be desired. As mentioned prior, if this was created as a pure retelling, without any characters understanding that they had walked into the lair of the fabled Phantom, if the Phantom was not already a local boogeyman, that this would have been more effective. How can we be afraid of someone we already know to be terrifying? (Also, he wasn't all that terrifying here!)

I do not recommend this novel. I felt my enjoyment of the book was completely outweighed for the aspects that I severely disliked. I do not plan to continue to read any other books by this writer. I unfortunately could not enjoy this story as an older reader. However, I often read young adult, so I do not think that I could have aged out. I could not stand the "My father is a terrible murderer, you're in danger, but let's make out in a corner" ever-present dialogue and terrible decision making. Run away; don't make out in the Phantom's catacombs!!!

"Dead Voices"

"Dead Voices"
Written by Katherine Arden
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"Dead Voices" is the sequel to a middle grade novel called, "Small Spaces". Written by the poetic and beloved author of the "Winternight" series, Katherine Arden has created a fun and entertaining series about a group of friends solving creepy and adventurous mysteries. Initially, I had been very excited to begin this, due to my received invitation to join a publicity blog tour held by Penguin Random House's kids' imprint.

In this sophomore novel in the series, "Dead Voices" follows the friends, Ollie, Coco, and Brian, as they and their families travel to a ski lodge in a deep blizzard. They meet Mr. Voland, a man who tells the group that he is a paranormal investigator. He has come to the ski lodge to search for the supernatural. The team works with him to investigate the hauntings.

The main girl from the trio is Coco. She becomes haunted by the ghost of a young girl, from the time that the ski lodge was once an orphanage. The crew realizes that the way they can help this girl find peace is to return her bones to her final resting place.

I enjoyed this book, and I felt it to be an enjoyable read. I was anticipating this to be a bit creepier, much more like R.L. Stine, who had given a blurb for the front and back of the book. I find that although I enjoy some middle grade and a majority of young adult fiction, that this book was not as enjoyable for an older audience. I do often still read R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and other middle grade horror authors. I would have preferred more haunts and specters.

In addition, I felt that the crew were not all that intriguing. The creepier scenes lacked a truly eerie feeling as well as effective suspense. The characters felt a little too simple, without many discernable characters. Their lack of characteristics and interesting qualities left me a bit confused who was whom. I just felt that although this was a short novel, Arden could have fleshed out the characters a bit more.

To conclude, I was not as enamoured of this story as much as I had wanted to be. It was a fun, cheesy book to read during the Halloween season. If not for the blog tour, I would not have picked this up. I would not continue this series, purely based on other horror books I'd prefer to read instead. I do recommend this to younger readers and to those adults who primarily read younger novels.

I received a complimentary finished copy in exchange for reviewing purposes and participation on a blog tour. Thank you to Penguin Kids Publishing for the opportunity.

"Take Me Apart"

"Take Me Apart"
Written by Sara Sligar
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"Take Me Apart" is an artistic and surprising thriller, which sets itself apart from others in the same genre. This exciting debut by Sara Sligar opens many new possibilities for the psychological thriller genre. Twisting upon the ever-present fear of distrust for those who care for you, Sligar's characters are tantalizing.

This story feels familiar, but in a nostalgic retelling method. The plot revolves around a main character, Kate, who begins archiving letters, photographs, and paperwork for the son of a late famous photographer, Miranda Brand. Kate starts to wonder and draw suspicions about the photographer and her life. Sligar makes it abundantly clear that there is ambiguity around Miranda's death, a possible suicide, or was it worse? Could someone have murdered her?

"Take Me Apart" is an interesting, guilty pleasure. Its characters are enigmatic. In learning about the glorified Miranda Brand through her belongings, we discover important details about her life with her husband, Jake, and the son who grows up to Kate's boss and romantic interest, Theo. I enjoyed the different forms of personal effects: Miranda's birth certificate, letters, progress reports, disciplinary board transcripts, news clippings, interviews, diaries, and lecture notes. The reader quickly discovers more about Miranda's fractured mental state. In the realistic and quiet example of "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty, the story delves into a true and honest portrayal of spousal abuse. I was also heavily reminded of the fictional fame, reminiscent of "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo".

There were some aspects of this story that I wasn't completely enamored of. I think that most of the figurative language was effective, but due to the author's predilection for creative writing, some of the more artistic elements were too exaggerated. For example, "Her mouth tasted like dishwater".

Either fortunately or unfortunately, the ending of this novel was ambiguous. This startling and refreshing novel was brilliant, but I felt a bit disappointed in the ending. However, the other ninety percent of this debut was perfect, in eyes. Additionally, I feel so strongly that this debut will take Sligar into instant stardom, once this book is fully published. I enjoyed the narrative style deeply. I already am expecting greatness from this author. I cannot wait to read her next book. Sara Sligar deserves every eye on her.

I highly recommend to those who enjoy thrillers by Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks, the Liv Constantine ladies, and Ruth Ware.

I received an advance review copy from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you again to the publisher. "Take Me Apart" premieres next year, on April 28th.

“Stalking Jack the Ripper”

“Stalking Jack the Ripper”

Written by Kerri Maniscalco

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

 

Instantly a favorite for me, “Stalking Jack the Ripper” combines a legendary serial killer, brilliant writing, cunning dialogue, and horrific imagery to create a wonderful medical and horror fiction. Set in the times of ugly and despicable London, we are introduced into a strong and scintillating protagonist named Audrey Rose Wadsworth.

Audrey Rose apprentices under her mysterious and unusual uncle Jonathan, who is a medical doctor who performs autopsies and teaches local medical students. She begins to befriend and flirt with his other apprentice, handsome Thomas Cresswell. Her father begins to devolve into insanity, while Audrey Rose and her brother, Nathaniel, attempt to keep him in line. As Audrey Rose’s head spins rapidly with the dramatic nature of her life, she, Thomas, and Uncle Jonathan start to receive dead bodies of those who most likely have been murdered. These women are poor prostitutes, and this is Whitechapel. Who else is behind this than Jack the Ripper?

In this unparallel murderous fiction, we are slowly and effectively pushed into this dark London. These characters are fascinating but suspicious, as we readers theorize who Jack the Ripper might be. Audrey Rose believes that the murderous Ripper may be someone she knows; due to their proximity and the surgical way the bodies have been sliced.

This is an unsettling and brilliant horror and thriller. It reminded me so much of what I love from “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, “Frankenstein”, and even “Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter”. I do believe that many different types of readers would enjoy this story. This gothic tale is just one of the four books already published in this series, and I cannot wait to read the next ones.

Also, I do have to mention that I switched back and forth from print copy to audiobook. I always prefer reading a physical copy, but while working, on lunch break, or while laying in bed at night, I did really enjoy the audiobook. The narrator is brilliant with voices and intonation.

The final conclusion is not unpredictable. However, once delving through the story and suspecting everyone, the killer remains shocking. The reveal and climax of this story are absolutely riveting, dripping with suspense. I was sweating and nervous, unable to breathe properly as the final scenes unfolded. I could not be happier with this book and look forward to reading the next ones. I strongly recommend this story. I do hope this series becomes a favorite of mine. “Stalking Jack the Ripper” alone has already accomplished being a favorite book of this year so far. What a brilliant read. Kerri Maniscalco’s one to pay attention to, for sure.