“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.

"How Far She's Come"

“How Far She’s Come”

Written by Holly Brown

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“How Far She’s Come” is a thriller incorporating many important themes such as women empowerment and women’s privacy. Cheyenne is our cutthroat protagonist, who absolutely knows what she wants and how she plans to get it. After having her reputation ruined publicly by a release of her private photographs, she strives to make herself known and respected again.

Cheyenne begins working at the INN, a well-loved news station. She struggles with disgusting coworkers, an unruly assistant, a untrustworthy boss, and catty coworkers. She has also found a diary of a woman who used to work at INN, who has detailed stories of her harassment by certain people in the business. Cheyenne receives uncomfortable messages and begins to worry for her safety.

In one of the most non-thriller thrillers, Cheyenne is an interesting character, but the plot surrounding her is practically non-existent. Most of the story is her trying to prove herself and fighting off attention from men. This story is very politics-driven, which makes for an interesting ambition-based motivation from Cheyenne.

Sadly, this book is quite forgettable. The lack of biting plot allows for many scenes of us struggling through Cheyenne’s thoughts and useless diary entries. We also have so many pages of Wikipedia entries and tweets that do not effectively add to the story. The climax is non-existent. The ending was not satisfying. I really just did not enjoy this.

I received a finished copy from William Morrow Publishing in exchange for reading and reviewing.

"Love Looks Pretty On You"

“Love Looks Pretty on You”

Written by Lang Leav

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“Love Looks Pretty on You” is a feministic and overdramatic collection of short stories. Unfortunately, in most poems, it feels apparent that Leav has attempted to create poetry that speaks to people.

Leav’s poetry spans across many popular topics in modern poetry: love, abuse, relationships, heartbreak, feminism, slut shaming, and mental illness. Many of her poems feel forced, in discussing many buzzwords and topics that are included in nearly every poem collection nowadays. Long live the poems that are unique. Her poems feel as if she had written them with a rhyming dictionary around, with so many verses rhymed in unnatural and forced couplets. Additionally, Leav’s work feels very false. If one speaks directly to the audience and mentions how we women must be encouraged and stand up for ourselves, her work cries false to me.

If this poetry is just not for me, then I accept that. However, I do see many people who feel similarly about her work. I understand that poetry is an outlet for writers and artists to vent and speak their truths, but many of these poems feel disingenuous.

The poems I enjoyed from this collection are mostly romantic. Additionally, I have always been a sucker for poems with figurative language and allusions. I enjoyed:

“Making History”

“Wonder”

“Twenty-Seven”

“Flowers”

“A Love Letter to Bali”

“Never Again”

“It Was Love”

“Gold”

“This Was the Year”

“More Than You”

“How Love Comes and Goes”

“Sunday Afternoon”

I may read more poetry collections by Lang Leav in the future, but I do think I will consider taking a break for a bit.

"My Dark Vanessa"

“My Dark Vanessa”

Written by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“My Dark Vanessa” is a deeply unnerving cautionary tale about statutory rape, pedophilia, consent, abuse, and trauma. This story follows Vanessa at two ages: a young fifteen and in her early 30s. Vanessa has begun an illegal and illicit relationship with her English teacher.

Taking place in a dark academic setting, the story has a haunting and secluded environment. Vanessa who has become so absorbed with her professor, has isolated herself. Vanessa becomes obsessed with reading the literature that Professor Strane suggests to her, including her favorite, “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov.

 In telling the narrative through her perspective, we perceive her fear, her naivety, her sadness, and her affection. Through her eyes, the story is even more haunting than you’d imagine, as she becomes so enraptured by him. He’s pure in her mind and enticing. It can become horrifying to hear how she describes him and certain nights they’ve spent together. In creating a poetic yet realistic story, Russell creates a heartbreaking portrayal of power imbalance and abuse.

Vanessa’s second perspective looks back on the years that she spent with Strane. As she becomes older and wiser, she starts to see how he manipulated her. However, his hold on her still sets the scene for a sorrowful adulthood. We learn that she had never really let him go.

We continue through the story and finish the story in a satisfying but difficult position: wondering where our sympathy lies. Can someone change after many years of regret? Can we forgive them? Can we believe them?

To conclude, this was a very startling and difficult novel to read. As a woman, I can sympathize with Vanessa. Wanting to be loved and cared for is a human right. However, we readers want to save her and protect her. I think this is a perfect companion to reading “Lolita”. Comparing and contrasting the narration and the characters was a great experience for me. I found that Humbert’s love for her was eerier and more uncomfortable, because it felt like love. His words were caring and sweet, but like Strane, their words were dipped in poison. One of the issues with “Lolita” is that we do not feel love and worry for Dolores, while in this, we are so concerned and so worried for Vanessa.

Finally, I highly recommend this story. Reading about abuse and rape is never an easy experience. I do think this is an important story. Perhaps this can help to cause those who do not understand or sympathize with abuse victims to begin to understand. This book can help people discuss these topics and make them less taboo. Parents can teach their children how to protect themselves. Please give this a shot, if you feel comfortable reading the material. If you are struggling with and triggered mental health or abuse trauma, this is absolutely not the book for you. This is not a book for those looking to heal, as the resolution is not quite healthy.

I received an advance review edition in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to William Morrow for the opportunity.

“The Future of Another Timeline”

“The Future of Another Timeline”

Written by Annalee Newitz

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. In this time-traveling, revenge-fueled story, we see two main characters, Beth and Tess. Their choices impact the past, present, and future. This story is an alternate history fiction, which utilizes time machines as the catalyst for all historical changes, wars, and disasters.

Beth’s storyline is not based in time travel. We meet her as a teen. After spending a night getting drunk and enjoying herself at a music fest, she and her friends kill a friend after he rapes their best friend. Beth and her friends begin a dark descent into avenging women and murdering those who hurt them.

Tess is a time-traveling scientist. She travels back to many different eras, those of which look very different to the world of which we readers are familiar. Tess and friends are attempting to stop a group of terrorists and rebels, before they have the chance to rise up and become too powerful.

In a sense, both characters are attempting to protect. Both characters are entangled together in this science fiction tale. We are not quite sure why until we have two separate twists, finally revealing the connection between the two.

Due to my interest in alternate history, I certainly enjoyed the changes and events. It was interesting to learn that Harriet Tubman later became a senator and had a group of feminists called the Daughters of Harriet, dedicating to spreading her messages. Times that were inhabited by cave people are recalled up, but time machines had existed there. The late 18^th century has been populated by time travelers, who have made the era more advanced and civilized. Lastly, the author has taken quite a few real people and adapted them into this story.

I think this was an entertaining read during the action and murder scenes. I felt very bored during scenes in which we received pounds and pounds of information. At times, I felt tired of Tess’s storyline of traveling to different places. To be honest, this felt like “The Magic Treehouse” but darker and less exciting.

I can acknowledge the time and effort that the author placed into this book. I feel the political undertones were a little too overt. I also felt that the two different lead characters could have had more characteristics. We saw a lot of what they did, but we did not really see it through their eyes. I recommend this book to those who like alternate history and time travel. This reminded me of a female version of a Blake Crouch novel. I do not plan to continue reading from this author.

I received a complimentary finished edition of this novel to read and review. Thank you to Tor Publishing.

“Pillow Thoughts”

“Pillow Thoughts”

Written by Courtney Peppernell

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Modern poetry can be a difficult genre to fall in love with. I personally have had many woes when reading poetry collections from the past five years. I often find it to be too political, preachy, and angry, which polarizes a poet for me. However, I have found a modern poet of whom I have become quite fond. “Pillow Thoughts” was my first introduction to the writer, Courtney Peppernell, and boy, was I glad to have had that introduction.

Peppernell’s writing is gentle, gorgeous, complex, and entertaining. She writes with magnificent honesty, humility, and wisdom. She draws from personal experience of love, mental illness, and heartbreak to create deeply moving and romantic verses. Peppernell is a gay woman, so I was delighted to find a new favorite poet, who is part of the LGBT community. Also, due to my relationship and future marriage occurring over the span of 3,000 miles, I supremely enjoyed the poems that speak about long distance.

Many of her poems feel lyrical and like they’ve come from a fairy tale. Many of them blend in together and seem to create one large romantic epic. Many of her poems also seem like they would be great inspiration for wedding vows.

I had many favorite poems from this collection. However, the most adored ones are:

“Flowers on Your Doorstep”

 “A Mulberry Street and Park Bench”

“If You Are in Love”

“If You Are Missing Someone”

“Chicago”

“23” (This really hit home).

“Favorite Sweater”

“Gentle Reminders”

“Looking for Ice Cream”

In conclusion, I loved this poetry collection. So much so, I plan to read all of her works. I am so grateful to have found this writer. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves romantic and genuine poetry.

“One Night Gone”

“One Night Gone”

Written by Tara Laskowski

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“One Night Gone” initially begins with a killer premise, but later develops into the run of the mill domestic thriller, with just an average ending. The story is told in two different perspectives, Maureen’s from thirty years ago, and Allison’s from present day. Both girls have come to Opal Beach, a small, fictional boardwalk town near Wildwood, New Jersey. We have come to the conclusion that Maureen will disappear. Now, will Allison be in danger?

Both perspectives are written very well, but the downfall of this book is truly plot-based. I found the danger of each character to be very simple and stereotypical, for female characters in this genre. Unfortunately, I was not wowed by the true villains, although I was surprised by how many red herrings that were placed into this book. The plot is very twisted and wrenches into many different directions, but the ending just did not live up to its expectations. There is a great twist within it, but the one great twist does not make up for the entire conclusion.

Being from New Jersey, I have a very fond love for the Jersey Shore, so I absolutely loved the setting. The vivid imagery of the beach, the carnival, the boardwalk, and the diners definitely made me feel nostalgic. In the next few months, I plan to move to a different country and get married, so the nostalgia for the boardwalks definitely hit home. They’re just not the same elsewhere.

I truly enjoyed the characters, prose, and dialogue, and I absolutely recommend this author. I’d like to read her future mystery thriller novels. I just hope she becomes a bit more unique with her endings. I do recommend this book for those who have not fully dived into the deep abyss of psychological thrillers. As a major reader of this genre, this book blends into many others like it. I do want to mention that if you are a fan of reading Ruth Ware, Michele Campbell, and Shari Lapena’s writing, you might enjoy this.

I received a complimentary advance reader’s edition for reviewing and reading purposes. Thank you again to Graydon House Publishing and Harlequin Books.

“History Is All You Left Me”

“History Is All You Left Me”

Written by Adam Silvera

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“History Is All You Left Me” is the third novel that I have read by the young and well-loved author, Adam Silvera. Silvera creates wonderfully realistic and loveable LGBT characters in every novel he writes, interweaving emotional and creative stories.

In beginning to read “History Is All You Left Me”, I recognized that the plot was not completely unique to me. I have enjoyed many stories in which a character mourns the loss of a teen or young adult that they were in love with. I loved “13 Reasons Why”, “Tuck Everlasting”, “Looking for Alaska”, and a favorite of mine, “The Secret Year”. I highly recommend “A Secret Year” if you appreciate any of the novels mentioned.

In this, we meet Griffin and Theo. Griffin tells the story of Theo, his first love, who has passed on after a terrible drowning accident. We read the story in two parallel storylines: Griffin recounting the history of him and Theo, and then the story of Griffin that continues after Theo’s death.

One of the most important aspects of this novel is the representation of death, loss, and mental illness. The portrayals are full of stark emotion and poignance. This was my least favorite of Adam Silvera’s books so far, but that does not mean I did not enjoy this story. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my review of “They Both Die at the End”, Silvera’s two main characters in every story he’s written have a very similar trope pattern. This causes the characters to blend in with each other.

I think that the plot of this story is hard to come to grips with. I find it harder to sympathize with novels like this now that I’m older. Teen loss does not relate to me, and I find it harder to relate to the main characters. Additionally, there is not much of a plot, when characters overcome grief. However, if overcoming grief stories are intriguing to you, I recommend it.

The conclusion of this story was not what I expected. There’s a very strange romantic twist that I was not expecting. However, this did not ruin the book for me or make the book any worse.

Lastly, I enjoyed this story, less than I had hoped, but I still appreciated it. I plan to continue to read Silvera’s books, and I look forward to reading any future ones he will write.

"They Both Die at the End"

“They Both Die in the End”

Written by Adam Silvera

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

After recently beginning to read Adam Silvera’s young adult fiction, I have to admit that I enjoy it more than I initially expected. After loving “What if it’s Us”, I began to read “They Both Die at the End”, by listening to it through an audiobook format. The interesting storytelling techniques add an interesting appeal to the already curious story.

To begin, “They Both Die at the End” creates a prophecy for the two main characters, Mateo and Rufus. In this universe, characters are called the day of their death through a company called Death Cast. When called by Death Cast, those that will die within 24 hours now have the opportunity to access electronic tours, virtual reality thrills, and a social media for those looking for many different types of last-minute comfort, either platonic or romantic.

Mateo and Rufus are loveable characters, very similar to the style of Adam Silvera’s other gay male characters. Mateo fits Silvera’s trope of an awkward, sweet nerd. Rufus fits the trope of a cool and laid back, sometimes troublesome, guy. As we progress through the story, learning about these characters, we see how they live out their last day on Earth.

This is a very sweet and emotional novel, but I personally did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped I would. I have found that I do not enjoy audiobooks as much as I enjoy reading physical copies, so I do think I’ll not go in with high expectations. I find myself losing interest after a few chapters in, but I find myself needing to then finish the story. I do have to mention the great narrators. One last issue that bothered me was the random perspectives, of others who might die that day and those who knew the other characters.

The conclusion of this novel was very heartbreaking and definitely made me physically unsettled. It’s also oddly ambiguous and possibly uplifting.

Lastly, I did enjoy this book. Although I expected to love it more, I still think this is a worthy book. Adam Silvera writes very honest and realistic characters that you’d either fall in love with or want to be friends with a lifetime.

"In the Hall with the Knife"

“In the Hall with the Knife”

Written by Diana Peterfreund

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

In a reimagining of the ultra-popular mystery board game, “Clue”, Diana Peterfreund has created “In the Hall with the Knife”. In this mystery who-dun-it, the cast of characters includes: Orchid McKee, Finn Plum, Beth “Peacock” Picach, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, and Scarlet Mistry, all trapped in a boarding school house during a major flood. And, naturally, Headmaster Boddy’s body has been found, stabbed to death.

In this hilariously fun retelling of “Clue”, the story twists in a thousand directions, causing the reader to jump on a wild ride. In the style of “Clue”, the story unfolds in many of the familiar game locations, like the ballroom, the hall, the lounge, the conservatory, the lounge, the kitchen, and the library. The characters all seem suspicious, causing those reading to desperately continue and try to find the solution.

In the end, the conclusion was not unpredictable, if the reader is familiar with the game of “Clue”. However, this was a deliciously entertaining story to read and play along with. I absolutely enjoyed this. Additionally, the story reminded me of “Pretty Little Liars”, “The Breakfast Club”, “One of Us is Lying”, and “The House on Haunted Hill”. I cannot wait to see if Peterfreund continues to write more mysteries along with Hasbro, hopefully creating a series with “Clue” mysteries. The story ends on a fun cliffhanger, hopefully teasing additional sequels.

This was cheesy and great. Please give it a try.

I received a complimentary advance edition in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to Amulet Books at Abrams Kids.

"The Familiar Dark"

“The Familiar Dark”

Written by Amy Engel

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Familiar Dark” is the second book that I’ve read by the fantastic Amy Engel. Her first book, “The Roanoke Girls” is one of my favorite psychological thrillers that I have read in the past five years. In both stories, Engel creates a brilliant level of suspense, as characters revisit the dark side of their families, remembering haunting memories. In “The Familiar Dark”, a mother, Eve, has learned that her daughter, Julie, and Julie’s friend, Izzy, were killed in the park, left to die in a thick down of snow. Eve becomes obsessed with finding the answers and begins to interrogate old ghosts from her past to find the truth.

Eve is a very strong character, in many ways. She is a difficult character to like, because of her past decisions and current demeanor. Wounded, she seeks solace in familiar faces and reconnects with people that have hurt her. She sleeps with another man’s wife, becomes drunk at strip clubs, and harasses people to receive information. Similar to the great Gillian Flynn and V.C. Andrews, Engel creates severely flawed and unlikeable creatures, who we want to succeed and flourish, like dying Venus fly traps.

The plot branches off into many different directions. Possible clues and leads emerge, to be ruined and abandoned completely in the next chapter. By the time we reach the conclusion, the killer was quite obvious. However, the next step after the reveal was one of the grittiest and uncomfortable sequences I’ve read in a few months. For the climax and resolution alone, the book deserves repeat standing ovations.

In conclusion, this horrific and tragic tale was one to be remembered. I wholeheartedly recommend this to those who enjoy characters who return home and reveal dark secrets. This popular trope has always been a favorite of mine. For those who also enjoy that type of book, I highly recommend her first, “The Roanoke Girls”, Gillian Flynn’s “Sharp Objects”, and Lexie Elliot’s books. “The Familiar Dark” is one that you could be frightened of, even if reading at dawn. You’ll lose sleep over it.

I received a complimentary advance edition from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you again to Dutton Books.

"Mind of Winter"

"Mind of Winter"
Written by Laura Kasischke
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia


"Mind of Winter" is an incredibly written horror and thriller novel. A new author to me, I found
Laura Kisischke's writing to be fascinating and intriguing, making simple and mundane scenes entangled with bizarre details that convince us that not all is right.

The story begins on the morning of Christmas Day, following Holly, mother of Tatiana. We learn in two parallels, the memories of when Holly and Eric adopted Tatiana, compared to the current day of Tatiana's increasingly odd behavior. In addition, we also are told of some very bizarre events that have occurred in the years since Tatty's adoption. They include: the injury of the pet cat, scratched CDs, chickens attacking the hen, and other strange events. Holly awakes and finds her daughter wide awake, upset that Holly had slept in. Eric had left earlier in the day to pick up his parents from the airport.

As the morning continues, Tatty's behavior increases in its intensity, causing her to fight with her mother. She's erratic and wild, running and screaming in a maniacal manner. Due to the anger and sadness shown by both mother and daughter, we begin to wonder if one of them is disturbed, or both of them. The book causes the reader to change its alliances often, suspicious of both characters. In addition, certain moments of the day set off red flags. They include: a phone flying and breaking, an unusual rotten fruit smell, Tatty's frequent clothing changes, and a bit of radio silence from Eric, caught in a blizzard.

The events of this story cause the narrative to shift frequently, causing the reader to be unsure if insanity is at play, or if supernatural events could be occurring. Who is in danger? Reminding me of "I Am Thinking of Ending Things" and "Orphan", I was very impressed by the surreal and confusing characters and events.

This shorter yet effective story builds to an unusual and unpredictable reveal. I cannot say that I found the reveal to be absolutely incredible, but I did find myself awestruck and shocked. Then, we also are revealed a second major twist involving the final police report. Wow. I believe that the second twist surpassed the first, which truly cemented this novel as a great thriller and horror story.

In conclusion, I truly loved this book. I think that it is incredibly underrated and should be recognized by many other readers. I can imagine that this might be in the top 15 books of the year for me. I can tell that this is a new favorite. I will continue to tell other readers and reviewers about this book for many years to come. I highly recommend it for every aspect that this author created. I cannot wait to look into more literature written by Laura Kasischke.

"Let It Snow"

"Let It Snow"
Written by Nancy Thayer
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia




"Let It Snow" is a cheesy and sweet Christmas novel that takes place in Nantucket. Our main character, Christina, is preparing for the Christmas season in her toy store, when a young girl, named Wink, steals a few toys. In chastising Wink, Christina causes Wink to become upset. Wink's handsome and very single uncle, Andy, stops by, which causes him and our main character to begin a romance.

In the story, we also have a conflict for Christina, in the typical fashion of a dorky Hallmark movie. The owner of her store and the others on the pier just happens to be Andy's father, a stuck-up billionaire who is trying to raise the rental price. Christina must charm Oscar, help Wink have a great Christmas in her mixed-up family life, and fall in love.

This book follows a simple pattern that most Christmas and holiday themed romance books do. We meet the characters living in a scenic location, one of the characters owns a business, and there's a monetary conflict. Although the story was not very unique or outstanding, I enjoyed the time I spent reading it. Initially, I found Christina and Wink's characters to be irritating, but the focus lessened on Wink, and Christina became more bearable.

I recommend this book if you enjoy Christmas romance movies. If you don't enjoy them, I cannot imagine you'll be won over. It's charming and cute, but I do not think this type of book is for everyone.

I received a complimentary advanced and a complimentary finished edition of this novel in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you again to Ballantine Books.