"Only Mostly Devastated"

“Only Mostly Devastated”

Written by Sophie Gonzales

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“Only Mostly Devastated” is my favorite book from the romantic comedy genre that I have read this year so far. In such a genuine and wonderful way, Gonzales has recreated “Grease” into a modern version with two gay males replacing the roles of Sandy and Danny. We meet sweet and sheepish Ollie who has had a wonderful summer fling with Will. After Ollie must move to the same town as Will, he soon finds out that football star Will is not yet out of the closet. We also spend a large amount of the book learning about and seeing the interactions of their friends and family, which allows the story to feel very full and complete.

One of the main problems in both “Only Mostly Devastated” is the secret-keeping that both Danny and Will do. In “Grease”, Danny hides his attraction for Sandy, for whatever reason. Is it because she’s the new kid on the block or is she not cool enough? His peer pressure (which hardly seems to be there) allows him to only really fall for Sandy once she transforms herself and takes on a leather-donning, sexy persona. In “Only”, the main reason that Will does not want to announce his relationship with Ollie is due to fear of rejection and hatred from his friends and family. Will’s hesitation irks Ollie, but that’s not the only problem. Will wants to seem so straight that he will blow off Ollie, flirt with girls at parties, insult Ollie, and only speak to him when they can be alone. I can understand the hesitation to come out, but both Ollie and I cannot understand the deception. In one of the best moments of the book, Ollie spends four pages screaming at Will and fighting with him, in such an honest and heartbreaking way of standing up for himself. This was a fantastic moment and one of the best scenes like this that I’ve seen in teen books and films.

Ollie does not compromise his beliefs and his choices, due to the hopeful romance with Will. In defending himself and explaining to Will how he hurt Ollie, Ollie becomes a wonderful role model for any teen or adult who reads this. In a few different books I have read lately with gay characters, many of them had romance issues. In “What if it’s Us” by Adam Silvera, my favorite character, Arthur wants to stand up for himself, but he doesn’t really. The relationship ends in that, instead of becoming stronger with the characters confessing their true thoughts. In this, Ollie is triumphant, and what a great character he is for that.

As mentioned, prior, the characterization of the friends and family of this story is purely magical. Ollie’s Aunt Linda is very sick with cancer. Ollie’s mother, Linda’s older sister, takes care of her and spends most of the story trying to help Linda and her family stay together and supported for as long as possible. Ollie’s newfound friendship group includes Niamh, Juliette, and Lara. These friends are fantastically written. Niamh’s conflict includes her vying for attention from her busy boyfriend, so she is not the most involved character in the plot. Juliette begins the story as the typical “new kid’s tour guide / first friend” trope. Lara is an interesting character, as she is bisexual, but she is head over heels for her friend, Reagan and her ex-boyfriend. Lara is one of those tough characters, similar to Rizzo from “Grease”, who although has a rough exterior and spends most of her dialogue teasing Ollie, is the greatest friend character in the story. Her gentle and humble side are apparent in one beautiful scene involving a necklace.

In conclusion, there are just far too many wonderful aspects about this book. I was so utterly impressed by this author and her genuine story. Every character felt so real. None of the annoying tropes of this type of teen drama / romance were present, but the great, fun tropes were there. I really enjoyed this story, and this will absolutely be a new favorite. I cannot wait to see and read more from this author. I am so happy to have found this book.

I am so grateful to thank Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, for sending along this fantastic story in an advance review copy in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you.

"Thornhill"

“Thornhill”

Written by Pam Smy

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“Thornhill” is a startling literary feat. In this book, around 75 percent of the story is beautiful, monochromatic illustrations and 25 percent of the story is told through diary entries.

In the illustrations, we see the story follow Ella, a girl whose mother is sick, as she moves into her new home. She stares out of the window and observes a dark and decrepit home. She spies a ghost-like girl in the yard and begins to investigate. She finds dolls in the gated yard and begins to unravel the mystery, as she finds a hidden diary. In the diary entries, we hear from a selective mute orphan, Mary, who has been continuously bullied by another girl at the orphanage, Thornhill.

As we continue to read the horrors of life at Thornhill, we become suspiciously worried for Ella. Who has she been following the ghost of? Mary or the vicious bully? Is Ella in danger? Was Mary in danger, thirty years ago?

The story progresses drastically into a frightening and vengeful plot, written and drawn in a taut and emotional manner. This story evokes classic gothic stories, like those of Daphne du Marier, Edgar Allan Poe, and Shirley Jackson. Truth be told, if you have a haunted house, I often am intrigued.

I was very impressed by how interested I was in the story. “Thornhill” is one of those creative, illustrated books for children that absolutely should be read by other generations. I felt the themes of love, loss, anger, revenge, and betrayal to be themes understood and relative to adults as well. I would love to read and view more books and illustrations by Pam Smy. I think this book is severely underrated, and many people should know more about it.

"The Bridges of Madison County"

“The Bridges of Madison County”

Written by Robert James Waller

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Bridges of Madison County” is a remarkable novella about very unremarkable people and their small romance. We learn about Robert Kincaid and Francesca Johnson, two people who serendipitously meet when Robert visits her farm to ask for directions. Francesca’s husband and children are away for the week, and the two develop a mature affair. One of the most beautiful and most difficult elements of the affair is that Robert is the type of person Francesca has always wanted: a vibrant, interesting photographer whose joie di vivre is infectious. They are both in their fifties and have a mutual attraction and respect for each other. However, they know that Francesca must not leave her family for the wild nomadic Robert. They part ways, and for the rest of their lives, miss and love each other.

This is a very simple, pretty, and maddening story. This is one of those stories in which the one that got away never will come back. It’s a bit heartbreaking, but I also feel very strongly for Francesca’s husband, who does not know his wife pines for Robert.

I enjoyed this story, the characters, and the beautiful, poetic language. The prose and dialogue are so realistic, so vivid, it feels like you are sitting across the table from these characters. As a fan of the musical, I knew I had to read the source material. I recommend this book for those who like simple, romantic books that have a small amount of plot but a lot of emotion.

"The Better Sister"

“The Better Sister”
Written by Alafair Burke
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia



“The Better Sister” is the second law-based, psychological thriller that I have read by this author. Alafair Burke’s book “The Wife” was a great read for me, but as the book progressed, I found myself disliking it more and more, almost in a downward spiral pattern. The ending blew my mind, but I was not satisfied. In picking up “The Better Sister”, I became instantly interested in the premise, and I hoped for the best, wanting to enjoy this more than I enjoyed “The Wife”.

To begin, nearly all of my expectations were met, and I really liked this book. The premise describes the story from the perspective of Chloe, whose husband, Adam, has just been murdered, possibly in a break-in fashion. Chloe’s sister, Nicky, was the first wife of Adam, and now Chloe is raising Nicky’s son as her stepson with Adam. With that introduction, the story unravels, leaving every character seeming suspicious in a very cold and clinical way.

One of the greatest elements of Burke’s writing is that she writes with a tough and straightforward style. Burke draws on her experience as a prosecutor and lawyer to provide insight into both worlds and creates highly realistic characters and situations. Her writing is never over-dramatic or wasteful, leaving every scene vitally important to the plot, even if characters are seated at a dining table drinking coffee. The characters are intense, yet believable.

The sections of the story in which we receive information are suspenseful, but they are precisely what is necessary. Burke has an instinctual writing style that allows her to scatter in small sentences that completely shatter a character’s persona. There is just one sentence I recall that just threw me, like being hit with an unexpected thunderclap.

The conclusion of this story was not predictable nor earth-shattering, but it was satisfying. I was not overwhelmed with excitement or disappointment, yet I still highly recommend the book for more than just the ending. I plan to continue reading Burke’s thrillers and look forward to her next one.

"The Mall"

“The Mall”

Written by Megan McCafferty

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

In order to enjoy “The Mall”, I think you might have needed to be above the age 10 in the 1990s. In this story chockful of 90s nostalgia, the story has a very childlike and whimsical plot. Teenage Cassandra has just found out her boyfriend had been cheating on her, she loses her job, and has to begin a new job, working with Drea, who she instantly despises. Their friendship blossoms quickly, and Cassandra becomes adjusted to the job at a boutique in the mall.

Now, I am a 90s kid, but I was born in ’95. Every reference to the Cabbage Patch Kids, Britney, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, frosted hair, “Beverly Hills: 90210”, and Morrissey go right over my head. Naturally, I understand that they’re from this time, but I was too young for all of these when I was that age. For someone older than me, I can imagine this summer read would be perfect for that adolescent and teenage nostalgia. Unfortunately, this book felt very alien to me.

I personally did not enjoy the main character, Cassandra. She felt very “Woman Power!” but also, “Let me become insecure by every gust of wind that blows my way”. She had a tendency to overreact to most occurrences. I enjoyed Drea’s character but not to the point that would turn my dislike for this book into enjoyment. Cassandra’s relationship to her parents and her reaction to their divorce felt very forced and unexpected. I have read many books for teenagers that had better depictions than this did. Additionally, I was not enthralled by the romance of this story.

The most difficult speedbump to overcome in this story is the writing style. Again, with the references. The characters spoke in ridiculous catch-phrases, odd jargon, and with terrible description. We often read sentences that would HAVE ALL THE CHARACTERS SHOUT HYSTERICALLY. Orrrrrrrrrrrr talk like this. ORRRRR we’d hear about Drea’s HAAAAAWNNKKAAANNNNKKK laugh at least 20 times. Reading this book made me feel like I was stuck in “The Truman Show”, with characters and dialogue that felt super unrealistic and frankly annoying. Most of the dialogue and typing style felt immature and like an eyesore.

I had very high expectations for this story, but all of them fell very flat. I was initially excited to read this, because it takes place in New Jersey! I did enjoy some of the New Jersey references, but yet again, they did not recover my interest.

I do not recommend this book if you are above the age of 18. I would say younger, but there are sexual jokes and content that felt very tiring to read. I don’t think this book was enjoyable in most ways. In reading a book by an author has already been established, I was expecting more. I do not think I would read another book by this author. I understand that I was reading an early version of the book, so I do hope this is smoothed out more before full publication.

I received a bound manuscript for reading and reviewing purposes. Love you and thank you, Macmillan, but this was a tough one for me.

"The Perfect Girlfriend"

“The Perfect Girlfriend”

Written by Karen Hamilton

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

There are many things I could say that caused me to enjoy “The Perfect Girlfriend”. First and foremost, the plot, execution, characters, and writing style were absolute hits. The plot of “The Perfect Girlfriend” follows our main character, Juliette / Elizabeth, who has become obsessed with trying to win back her ex-boyfriend, choosing to commit some strange and illegal acts to do so.

When creating a despicable and psychopathic character, the author must not mirror each characteristic. When Juliette is heinous to one character, she cannot show kindness and respect to another. When we think she will go one step too far, she will absolutely not feel remorse for her actions. Juliette has concocted fantasies in her head that Nate will still love her and choose her. In this twisted love she has for him, she will not stop until she has him back.

The writing style was very interesting and compelling. I found myself loving Juliette but also completely hating her. She is a horrible and terrible character, but we almost want her to solve the problem and still come out on top. She’s sympathetic. Everything occurs through Juliette’s first-person narrative, so we can see through her eyes as she continues through the story. We wonder if she’ll get caught. What might happen to a few of the other characters?

This was a wholly enjoyable thriller. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy psychological thrillers and mysteries. I absolutely loved it and plan to keep the book in my collection. I hope this is created into a mini-series or film.

"Three Little Lies"

“Three Little Lies”

Written by Laura Marshall

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

I was a bit surprised by “Three Little Lies”, in good ways and ways that I did not like so much. I felt there to be little to no suspense, but I enjoyed reading about each character and learning more. Unfortunately, this book did not really stand out to me. Although I enjoyed the experience of reading the book, in the long run, I do not feel like this was that great of a thriller. I usually expect more.

I enjoyed the initial premise: Sasha, Karina, and Ellen are friends who love to hate each other, whose friendship is ruined by one party. Karina was raped at the party, held at the house of the Monktons, a nice family who took Sasha in after she was taken away from her drug-addicted mother. The Monktons consist of Olivia and Tony, the parents, and Daniel and Nicholas, the sons. Both hold a candle for Sasha, but Karina holds a candle for the boys. When Karina is raped at the party, she accuses Daniel with evidence of assault. Years later, we also see these characters and how they have been affected. Sasha has gone missing, and it seems that Ellen is the only one looking.

This story had a great beginning, but it began to falter when nothing seemed to be occurring, other than the reveal of information. Ellen speaks to many different characters, hoping to find out why Sasha has fled. We eventually are clued into why, and the climatic reveal was surprising but not completely unexpected.

I enjoyed reading this book and diving in, but I felt that if I hadn’t read it all in two sittings, I would have become a bit disinterested. A story that only progresses with information revealed is not that brilliant for me. I felt that a lot of the plot was placed conveniently to create a longer story, but for large portions of the story, we just did not have much occurring. I felt that this book could easily blend into five others I’ve read this year.

I recommend this book if you do not read it in depth. To look at it complexly will give the right impression, but you might not enjoy it as much. This is one that should be read for pure fun, not because it’s a well-written and thought-out thriller. I will absolutely read this author’s other books, because I enjoyed the characterization, certain scenes, and general mysteries. Also, a small gripe: what are the three little lies? There are tons of lies, and I’m not quite sure how to determine which are mentioned in the title...

I recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers that are based on toxic female friendships, which have been a favorite type of thriller recently. I recommend this book to fans of “If We Were Villains”, “Necessary People”, “Genuine Fraud”, “The Perfect Fraud”, and Liane Moriarty’s books.

"Someone Knows" by Lisa Scottoline

“Someone Knows”

Written by Lisa Scottoline

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

In a tradition of many of my favorite books, “Someone Knows” is a cautionary tale of friendship, one in which tells of a small group of friends who had made a grave mistake and caused a death. We meet Kyle, Allie, Sasha, Julian, and David. Twenty years ago, they played a prank, telling one of their friends that they had played Russian Roulette and that the friend should play as well. The gun fires and kills. Told in two storylines, we see the beginning of their friendship group and then later, we see how their lives and the lives of their families have unraveled.

One of the interesting choices that Scottoline makes is telling the story through all of the characters’ perspectives, including the parents of these children. In creating a more well-rounded story, attempting to give us the most amount of detail, Scottoline does not provide enough detail into the teens and how they’ve grown up. We receive I absolutely love this type of story, but I did not feel that the parent perspectives were necessary to this story.

I enjoyed how the story progressed, giving us small details about each character, making us wonder who will be killed and who is the true cause of the murder. The villain is quite clear early on, but we receive such small sprinklings of information about them, that we are not quite sure. However, once the reveal occurs, we are still enraptured, waiting to see what the villain will do next.

Although I had wished the story had been told a tad differently, I still enjoyed this book. I loved the introduction of the character, Larry. This story had a very satisfying ending, and I enjoyed the climax. I had never read a book by Scottoline before, and I am now interested to read her others. I recommend this story, but it will not become a favorite. I enjoy books with this similar sort of storyline: a group of friends cause a horrible accident. Other stories that I recommend with this sort of premise are: “The French Girl” by Lexie Elliot, “The Secret History”, and “If We Were Villains” by M.L. Rio.

I received a complimentary advance reader’s edition of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you again to Putnam Books.

"We Are Lost and Found"

"We Are Lost and Found"
Written by Helene Dunbar
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"We Are Lost and Found" is a poignant and honest story that takes place over the span of one year: 1983, during the AIDS crisis. We meet our main character, Michael, who teaches us about what it was like to be a young, gay teen during this time. Michael has not yet come out of the closet, as when his older brother Connor came out, his parents kicked him out. Michael grapples with his friends, James and Becky, as they begin to grow apart from him as they grow older. In addition, Michael spends his time at a club, where he meets a very handsome and charming boy named Gabriel. Now, Michael must decide what risks he'd like to take for love.

When I began this story, I instantly loved Michael and James. They are two sweet and wonderful characters. James is an ultimately wonderful character, and how I wished to receive more story involving him. He is absolutely a secondary character, when I wished he would have been Michael's true love. I am a sucker for relationships that begin as pure friendship. I personally did not care much for Gabriel's character. He often left Michael high and dry, spending most of his time partying and disappearing, while Michael longed for his attention.

I can see the comparisons made to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "Dead Poet's Society". I find that friendships combined with coming of age stories are very important and books that I really enjoy to read. I felt this was a very simple and easy story to read.

Frankly, I did expect more sadness and heartbreaking moments than we received. I would have thought for sure that we would have lost one of our main characters to AIDS. Personally, I do not mind a happy ending, but I would have appreciated a little more hard-hitting and emotional plot. I find that it can be strange to have a story about the AIDS crisis being very cheery and silver-lined.

In conclusion, I found this to be a very sweet story to read, but I was certainly hoping for more from most of the characters and the plot. I'd be interested to read other stories by this author in the future.

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

"American War"

"American War"
Written by Omar El Akkad
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"American War" is an alternative historical fiction story, full of survival, violence, and hope. We first meet Sarat Chestnut as a six year old girl, as she first experiences loss, the death of her father caused by an explosive. We quickly learn about the world she lives in: a second Civil War in the United States. The separation and anger had begun with global warming and a lack of fossil fuels, causing the North and South to disagree once more, splitting into halves again. Sarat, her sister Dana, her brother Simon, and her mother, Martina, are sent to a camp in which they receive a tent with minimal supplies.

Dana becomes quickly friends with the girls and boys who lives there. Sarat is a quiet and strange mind, walking around playing with the boys, searching for turtles, and playing in the dirt. Simon joins the rascally boys and threatens to rebel. Martina, their mother, attempts to hold it all together.

This story spans over the lifetime of Sarat, in the most tiresome and slow way. Unfortunately, I found Sarat to be a very boring and simple character, who only became interesting after the main arc of her character. She's fierce and stubborn, but I have grown tired of fierce and stubborn children in ages of war and destruction. I enjoyed reading about Martina and wish that the story had centered around her more. Although Sarat's portrayal was very realistic for a child, I still could not keep my interest. It took me far to long to read this book, purely because I did not enjoy it.

I wish that I had enjoyed the story more. I liked learning of the alternative history: the battles, the assassinations, the plagues, the Birds, and the war in general. I was disappointed that one of the major events of the story was revealed in the first chapters but then completed in the final chapters. I felt there was no suspense or curiosity by the end of the story for this arc.

Another aspect I was disappointed by was the portrayal of Sarat's sexuality. She is revealed to be interested in women, but I felt that this part of her was glossed over and hardly mentioned enough.

Sadly, I was very disappointed by this story and do not recommend it. I was looking for so much more in this story that I just did not receive. I was hoping this story would be very similar to "The Last of Us" or "Station Eleven", but I did not receive what I was looking for. Lastly, I had a thousand questions about this society, but we never received those answers. If you do choose to read this, I do hope you enjoy it, but I just was so unhappy with it.

"What if It's Us"

"What if It's Us"
Written by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

"What if It's Us" is a young adult romance fiction novel, taking place in New York City. I personally listened to this story in its audiobook format, and I absolutely loved it. The narrators playing our main characters Arthur and Ben were fantastic. The story is told in their separate chapters.

We meet Arthur and Ben as they are both walking past the post office for their own separate reasons. Arthur spots Ben first and becomes infatuated with him. Ben liked their little flirtation. They both never make the true connection but begin to seek the other out using friends and the internet. Arthur places a sign up, in a form of a "Missed Connection" from Craigslist. The two reconnect and begin a summer romance.

I really enjoyed Arthur and Ben's characters, but I often found myself arguing in my bed with Ben. Arthur is a lovely character in his funny, nervous, and sweet personality. Ben is confident but charming. The characters feel so genuine and realistic. Additionally, I enjoyed reading about their friends and families and learning more about these characters, based on who they interacted with.

To continue, this sweet and simple romance was not without flaws. I found myself losing interest with Ben, since he was not always very kind or understanding. He developed a relationship with Arthur but did not often find things he liked about Arthur. There were certain scenes like the arcade and the karaoke night, when I thought to myself that Arthur was not appreciated enough. I did love how Ben was very understanding and caring when it came to Arthur losing his virginity. I often find in romances that characters can sometimes be too pressuring and make the other character feel uncomfortable and possibly unwilling.

I highly recommend this story. This wasn't the most enchanting romance I'll ever read, but it was a really nice experience. I liked the characters, the pop culture references, the resolution, and much more. I absolutely plan to read more by these two authors. Lastly, I do plan to purchase a physical copy and keep it for my collection. I love a romance that ends on a happy but open-ended cliffhanger. I would not mind if we eventually receive another book with these two characters, continuing their relationship through long-distance and college.

I rated this story a four out of five stars.

"The Lady Rogue"

“The Lady Rogue”

Written by Jenn Bennett

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Lady Rogue” is a mystifying adventure, spanning through Transylvania, Romania, Bulgaria, and other countries in Europe during the 40s. Our main characters are Theodora and Huck, who are searching to find Theodora’s father and the ring of Vlad the Impaler. Theodora’s father has been on his own adventure searching for the ring, but Theodora jumps in when she suspects that her father is in danger.

Told in first person from Theodora and diary entries from her father, the story is reminiscent of many adventurous journey stories. Theodora reminds me of a female Indiana Jones, a smart and cunning hero.

In this story, we experience crazy characters, great fight scenes, and interesting folklore. The main thing that I had felt disappointed with is that there are small sprinklings of horror and fantasy, but this is more like a Dan Brown mystery thriller than anything else. I was hoping for vampires, creatures, a little bit of Van Helsing-like missions.

Additionally, I was not invested in the love interest, her best friend Huck. He was cute and charming, but the romance felt unnecessary to the story line.

The conclusion of this story felt very rushed and simple. I was absolutely hoping for so much more, but in leaving room for a future sequel, the climax and conclusion of the story were lacking. I appreciated the final large boss battle and the reveal of the true villain, but I was not truly happy with the conclusion.

In conclusion, I still enjoyed this novel. This was a fun and entertaining story to read over two nights. I would happily read more books in this series, but if it does not continue to be a series, I would not consider re-reading this story. It does not work as purely a standalone.

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

"The Hazel Wood"

“The Hazel Wood”

Written by Melissa Albert

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Hazel Wood” is a very unexpected and horrifically enchanting book, full of dark fairy tales, evil creatures, and mystical adventures. This mystifying tale centers around Alice, a girl from New York, who has discovered a dark past of hers, one that has been greatly influenced by her grandmother’s collection of terrifying fairy tales.

Alice’s mother, Ella, has been taking into “The Hinterland”, a magical place that Alice once thought of as the fictional setting from her grandmother, Althea’s book. Additionally, our main heroine has begun to notice creatures and characters from this story appearing in her ‘normal’ life. Has she been destined to be apart of the Hinterland? Alice decides to find her way back to The Hazel Wood, where her grandmother had lived in isolation, cared for medically, prior to her death.

The book is told by Alice, as she adventures her way through the story, weaving in and out of reality. She is accompanied by a friend, Finch, who has the potential to be a fantastic love interest. Alice and Finch travel together on a journey, one that reminds me of “Silent Hill”, “Goosebumps”, “Coraline”, “Phantom of the Opera”, and even Dan Brown’s books.

One of the most interesting elements of this novel is the folklore. Albert has created a fictional book, with fascinating fairytales, horrifying creatures, and a beautifully haunting following. The clues and riddles that result from these tales are interesting to dive further into, especially ones including puzzle-like steps. Although some characters are archetypal, I feel like the true origins of most classics are based upon archetypal characters and story ideas.

I really enjoyed a few other unexpected qualities of this story. Alice is seventeen-years-old, a teen that would be expected to be in a young adult story. However, she is wise, intelligent, and very unlike other teen heroines. She has power, drive, and curiosity. Most young adult fantasy books feel a bit juvenile. There’s always one too many slang terms or pop culture references. I felt this book had the perfect balance of being great for young adults but also for adults.

In conclusion, I know many people who would not recommend this book. I purchased this book, intrigued by the premise. I had hoped that I would enjoy this story much more than others, knowing that you should not take every review as gospel. I am so glad I chose to read this. It was such a rewarding experience, and I cannot wait for its sequel. This will easily be a favorite book from this year.

"The Jane Austen Society"

“The Jane Austen Society”

Written by Natalie Jenner

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Jane Austen Society” is about a small town in England, in which Jane Austen and family lived for some of the time that she wrote some of her hits. In this town, around 12 fictional characters interact, fall in love, befriend each other, and create a society dedicated to her, using her old home as a meeting ground. This tale is a bit fairy-tale like, with characters reflecting some of their favorites from Austen’s work, while making this feel old-fashioned and classic enough to emulate the style of writing that Austen used. This was a very romantic and entertaining book, based on the characters and the setting.

I felt that the characters and the atmosphere were the best parts of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through Adam’s, Adeline’s, Mimi’s, and Jack’s perspective. These characters breathed life into the story. In some ways, the small American town vibes reminded me of one of my most beloved relationships in book and film history, Sam and Kate from “Holes”. Additionally, I also felt lovingly reminded of “King Kong: The Musical” and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, due to the creation of fictional celebrities and the talk of fame in the 40s.

However, this was not plot driven, so I found myself a bit bored in some sections of the story. Without a conflict, the book was purely just a love letter to Austen, with some sweet characters to read about. Additionally, I do have to complain about the character, Doctor Gray. He is easily one of the most self-indulgent and uncomfortable characters to read about. Dr. Gray is inappropriate with his patients, pursuing a romantic relationship with one. I cannot forget to mention that the patient, Adeline, had recently lost her husband in war. The child that they were expecting together also died. Dr. Gray just keeps pushing romance at her and makes her unbelievably uncomfortable.

In conclusion, this book was a really cozy, relaxing read, perfect for fall and winter. I do not think this was the most thought-provoking and astounding book I’ve read this year, but I still really enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary advance reader’s edition from St. Martin’s Press.

"I Let You Go"

“I Let You Go”

Written by Clare Mackintosh

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“I Let You Go” is the second psychological thriller and mystery novel that I’ve read by the English author, Clare Mackintosh. There are two main compelling story lines, told from the detectives who are solving the crime of six-year-old Jacob, who has been killed in a hit and run accident, and Jenna, who has started her life over after the accident and the loss of her son. In this twisted tale, readers must keep a strong head on their shoulders and pay very close attention to who is speaking and what they are saying.

This was a very well-written story, especially due to the major plot twist, introduced right at the end of the first half of the story. The twist reveals that Jenna is not who we believe her to be and that she’s hiding far more secrets than we initially imagined. The narrative is so clever and compelling. I was very pleased with this story, staying much later than my bedtime to finish it.

Unfortunately, this is one of those novels that is so difficult to explain without revealing any major spoilers. I can safely say that if you’ve enjoyed any other books by her, Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, or other female English thriller writers, you’d probably enjoy this story. The true villain behind this story is a pretty interesting one. The moments up until the climax and throughout it were pitch perfect and a wild ride. I enjoyed reading about the detectives. Although they touched on a trope that I am really not a fan of, they were relatively interesting and did not fall into other detective stereotypes that turn me off as a reader.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book, purely because of its narration. Jenna is a tantalizing character, and the reveal about her is groundbreaking. I truly did not see that coming. I rated this story out of five stars, giving it a four star rating.

"The Wayward Girls"

“The Wayward Girls”

Written by Amanda Mason

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Wayward Girls” was a book that appealed to me in many different ways. There are many literary tropes that I enjoy reading, and when reading the plot premise, I thought some of my favorite tropes would be included in this story. Specifically, I love stories that have the main character return to her family home, supernatural investigation teams, messy families, and creepy houses with possible ghosts. This story initially seemed to me like “Sharp Objects”, “The Haunting of Hill House”, and “The Glass Castle” combined. Unfortunately, all of the exciting elements did not prove to equate to a novel that I loved.

The largest flaw with this book is also unfortunately a positive to some. When I read, I want a book that has a very descriptive narrative style, with compelling dialogue, and an interesting plot. The characters should be fleshed out, with enough detail to easily decipher and compare between them, with perhaps some character development if the plot allows. The style of this book is the downfall. The story takes place in two separate time frames.

 Half of the book takes place in the past, when our main characters were young. Bee and Loo are sisters, separated in a larger age gap. It’s not clearly defined, but Loo seems to be about 10, while Bee seems to be 16 years old to 19 years old. Bee and Loo’s family is messy, poor, and disorganized. The girls, their other siblings, and their mother begin to experience a haunting. Marbles fly across the room, chairs lift up and crash down, there’s knocking at the doors, and a few other minor bumps in the night. Their mother, Cathy, capitalizes on possible money and invites a supernatural investigation team and a psychic into their home to record sounds and take photographs, in hopes of understanding the phenomena.

Years later, Loo, now Lucy, has come home to take care of Cathy, who is older and senile. She imagines she sees shadows outside of her nursing home and decides to wander outside the grounds at night. Lucy does not believe her mother. Additionally, Nina, the daughter of Simon, a member of the past investigation team, has contacted Lucy to attempt to finish her late father’s research and finally debunk the haunting of Lucy’s childhood home. Lucy returns with Nina and her team to the home, and so begins another investigation.

For most of the story, we learn all about the characters and do not see much of a haunting. In the later part of the novel, we finally are told all of the secrets behind the haunting. I enjoyed the eerie and creepy scenes of this story, but most of the book is just exposition and conversation. I was hoping for much more horror than we received. Most of it was just spent on detail that was not necessary.

In conclusion, I did enjoy this book. About 25 percent of the time. I can only give it a three out of five-star rating. I would consider reading more from this author in the future.

I received this book in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes.

"A Spark of Light"

“A Spark of Light”

Written by Jodi Picoult

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“A Spark of Light” is a polarizing and electric read by an author that I haven’t read from in years. The novel is told in a reverse chronological order, showing us the last second in a shooting. We learn about the characters that are held hostage in an abortion clinic, by George Goddard, a man who has been so angered by his daughter choosing to self-abort, killing his grandson. We are instantly introduced to those who have survived up to 5 pm, and then we are shown the story unfold until 10 a.m. Our main character is fifteen-year-old Wren, who asked her aunt Bex to take her to the clinic to be prescribed birth control pills. They are caught up in the shooting. George keeps Wren alive to taunt her father, Hugh, who happens to be the hostage negotiator.

In Jodi Picoult’s typical fashion, the prose is fantastic. Picoult has a brilliant and sharp way of describing characters, implementing motifs, and speaking of important issues with a great gravitas. The dialogue sounds realistic. The characters feel read. However, I was not a fan of the reverse chronology.

In creating a reverse chronology, I feel that the writer must consider how every plot element now needs to be in opposite. We have the climax at the very beginning, which allows the rest of the story to unfold up to that point. However, in revealing the most important scenes early on, there is no more suspense. We know which characters will make it and how. Virtually, the only added element that results from this chronology is the way that we learn about these characters. Since we are introduced to a few, in quick moments, we know nothing of who they are and why they have come to this decision. To create characters backstories, there must be a large amount of exposition. And that’s what we receive for the next 300 pages.

I have to say that this book was filled with sensitive political topics. As most of Picoult’s books are political, I cannot say that I was surprised to have this be so vivid and grotesque. The timely talk of mass shootings and the debate over abortions are two topics that flood the news. In my town about a week ago, there was a shooting. In an amusement park that is one of the most famous on the East Coast, the police force was able to confiscate at least 7 different types of weapons from a man who wanted to hurt those who wouldn’t give him a job at the park. I, myself, am a woman who believes in pro-life. This book is set out to challenge your opinions and make the grey area seem a little easier to understand. However, I do not think that Picoult truly brought a new, refreshing perspective to the table. She wanted to tell a story about shootings and abortion, so she did.

As much as I liked the descriptions and Picoult’s writing style, I still feel underwhelmed by this book. In the fashion of the chronology, the more intriguing and exciting parts of the book happened in the first 50 pages, leaving the book to just need finished. I felt that I was not able to savor the book and enjoy it, since I did not enjoy the style. The conclusion was satisfying, but I still think I would have preferred to read this book in an average chronology. I felt that I might enjoy a different plot of hers, told in the reverse chronology, but implementing it into a novel like this felt like a waste.

In conclusion, I still appreciated this book. I enjoyed reading some of it. I highly recommend some of her other books more. My favorite is “The Tenth Circle”, which touches upon more than just a horrific rape. I’ve always loved when Picoult includes a plot that is so family-centric. I liked both father-daughter relationships in “A Spark of Light” and especially “The Tenth Circle”. Perhaps this book just hit a little too close to home for me. Perhaps that’s just what it’s meant to do.

"The Space Between the Stars"

“The Space Between The Stars”

Written by Anne Corlett

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Space Between The Stars” is an apocalyptic, science fiction novel. In this story, a virus has annihilated almost all of the human population on Earth and its space colonies. Our main character, Jamie, has woken from this viral fog, safe and alive. She begins a journey to find her loved ones and help the other survivors.

I can understand the time and effort placed into writing a book like this, but I did not enjoy this book. I personally love apocalyptic science fiction. This book had all of the components for a great novel in this genre, but the final product felt lost on me. Having unlikable and unreliable characters navigate this journey made the story feel strained, as if I had to push myself to continue reading. Jamie is not a strong female hero; she constantly butts heads and puts everyone in danger, by siding with those whom she shouldn’t. In addition, Jamie’s core goal is to find her ex-husband, Daniel, who once she finds, is completely different. Daniel wants to start the human race anew, with great big plans to help everyone. Yet Jamie, who does not have the scientific knowledge or power, complains and makes more trouble for what she’s worth.

The other characters in the story are not well-written. Callan, Mila, Rena, Lowry, Gracie, Finn, and more are the ensemble cast, but their characterization is so limited. We find out crucial information about these characters, two pages before climatic moments hit. Some characters die, but we do not have time to process, grieve, or feel relief.

I also felt the plot to be far less exciting than I initially anticipated. The story is just one adventurous journey, but I found myself wondering if it would ever become more than just that. Bopping from one planet to another. The ending was not satisfying for me, either.

I do not recommend this book, but I recommend other books more. If you are looking for a meaningful, important apocalyptic fiction, I highly recommend “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel. The characters in this are fully fleshed out, interesting, and we care about them.

"Genuine Fraud"

“Genuine Fraud”

Written by E. Lockhart

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“Genuine Fraud” is the second mysterious young adult fiction novel written by E. Lockhart. In this tale, we learn of a secretive and suspicious young woman named Jules. We meet Jules at the end of her story, hiding in a tropical hotel. We learn quickly about her, that she is hiding her identity and plenty of truths. Told in a reverse chronological narrative, we see each chapter reveal previous moments, almost begging us to read from the end of the book. It’s a very interesting way to see how the story unwinds, letting us slowly learn about her manipulative and murderous side, as we learn how far she would go.

“Genuine Fraud” is a book that reminds me of many others, but I feel that this story is refreshing. Frankly, the book “Necessary People” has a very similar toxic friendship that ends in the exact same way. I’m surprised that Lockhart didn’t sue because of how exact the two scenes are. Jesus. In addition, this feels very reminiscent of one of my favorite books and films, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, which also has the same murder. Why does this keep happening? I feel like I’ve been thrown down a rabbit hole of copycats.

Other than the similarities, this is a pretty interesting tale. Jules is an intriguing and slightly terrifying character. We also learn in deep detail of the friends she has, especially Imogen. Other than what I’ve told you, there is a great room for spoilers, so to prevent any further ones, I’ll end my plot description here.

I recommend this book, but I also have to point out how “young” the book feels. The characters are in their twenties but use dated slang. Their dialogue makes the characters feel like teens. Their descriptions of how often they apply lipstick makes this book feel like “Gossip Girl Gone Wild”. E. Lockhart’s first book, “We Were Liars” is also about friendship, but I feel that one feels so much more mature than this one. I absolutely recommend her first book more.

In conclusion, I rate this book about three stars. I really enjoyed the more intense scenes, but they felt very derivative. Jules’s present tense storyline of her in the hotel, running away from a detective, was not very compelling. I did enjoy the reverse order narrative; I felt like that it definitely worked for this story.