"Mayhem"

"Mayhem"

Written by Estelle Laure

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Mayhem soars onto the scene, boasting a young adult supernatural and thriller premise but also tackles feminism and female relationships. Estelle Laure is a newer writer, but she proves in her writing of this novel that she has chops and that she's worth investing in time and attention. Mayhem follows the descendants of the Brayburn women, a magical family, that drinks from a magical water in scenic Santa Maria, California. This cautionary tale warns of madness, power, ambition, and learning when to step down, but it also promotes female empowerment, standing up for oneself, and saying 'no'. Females from all ages can appreciate this story, as many of us have had moments in our lives when saying 'no' was not an easy choice or not option at all.

To continue, the main character of this story is no other than Mayhem Brayburn. She and her mother, Roxy, move back to their hometown, Santa Maria, after Roxy decides to escape her abusive husband, Lyle. With the assistance of Elle, Roxy's sister, they become assimilated back into the beachy yet mysterious town. Mayhem befriends the teens that Elle has taken in, Neve, Jason, and Kidd. She is soon clued into a magical water, that empowers the Brayburn women but will drive others mad with anger and desire to kill. The intense emotions add fuel to the fire, as the teens brace up to hunt down a serial killer who has been targeting teen girls.

Laure references many inspirations for this novel, including The Craft and The Lost Boys. I also see a bit from the dark humor reminding me of Heathers and the evil magic of Carrie. I personally found that the most important plot point within this novel is the relationship of Mayhem and Roxy, and the rest seems to be background noise. I personally was invested in this novel due to the magic and the mystery, but I found both to be lackluster. Most of the novel follows Roxy and Mayhem's relationship and the teens Mayhem befriends. I hoped for a more developed storyline as the characters hunt for the serial killer, but we found out early on who it was, and we had about a chapter dedicated to their murder of him. 

I do like the themes of this story, of trust, friendship, feminism, and power. Additionally, Laure's portrayal of the characters after the serial killer's death was interesting. In many stories like this, the characters feel remorse for their crimes, but there often is one character who continues to act irrationally. I enjoyed the final reveal of the worst villain, but I think that due to the morals projected from each reader, perhaps they will not agree with my point of view.

Lastly, I do believe that the book was a very worthy entry into the teen supernatural subgenre. Also, I believe that I had very mixed feelings on this novel, so I can understand why others might not be blown away. However, I implore you to try to read it, even if it does not sound enrapturing. I'd love to see this turned into a mini-series or a film. It has cinematic potential, and I'd love to see this important story become more public and well-known.

I offer a trigger warning for suicide, abuse, mental health, and sexual content.

I rate this novel at four out of five stars.

Thank you to the wonderful Wednesday Books for sending an advance copy to read and review. Thank you for the opportunity. 

"Ghosted"

"Ghosted"

Written by Rosie Walsh

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Ghosted or alternatively known as The Man Who Didn't Call, is a romantic thriller that piqued my interest when looking for a new audiobook to listen to. Instantly, I found myself entranced in the story, narrated by the wonderful Katherine Press. Rosie Walsh, the writer, has created an interesting story, with likeable characters more developed than most in both the romantic and and thriller genres. 

In the story, Sarah and Eddie have had a seven-day whirlwind romance after meeting. Sarah, recently divorced from her business partner, and Eddie, single, learn more about each other than they ever could have anticipated. After Eddie leaves to go on a pre-planned vacation, he stops responding to calls, messages, and is inactive on social media. Has he 'ghosted' her, by ignoring her like a ghost, or could he possibly be in danger?

The story progressed to have multiple perspectives, from Sarah's, Eddie's, and through letters. Sarah's fear for Eddie's safety stems from an accident that she caused, leaving us to wonder more about the mystery. Could Eddie have been involved, more than she knows? Additionally, due to Eddie's disappearance, Sarah's career is faltering. As a CEO of a company that brings clowns to patients in hospitals, her career relies on her responsibility and communication with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Coupled with a bit of drama between her and her best friends, Tommy, Jo, and Jenny, Sarah's life feels out of control.

By the time we receive all of the facts, it is up to us readers to decide who is right, wrong, and who deserves forgiveness. The question of mercy brings the reader in more, making the story seem more realistic and relatable, depending on the morals of those turning the pages.

I personally loved this book. There were many reveals that I could not expect but there were enough I saw coming, so the plot did not seem far-fetched. I also loved the writing style, characters, and overall message. It sheds a light on today's society and the change that one must undergo to be forgiven.

I rate this novel as 5 stars out of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I recommend listening to the audiobook. It provided a great listening experience, as I have begun daily walking, yoga, and running. I look forward to reading more by Rosie Walsh, even though I think I have accidentally already owned this book but didn't realize due to the title change. One of those things, eh?

"Exhibit Alexandra"

"Exhibit Alexandra"

Written by Natasha Bell

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia 

Exhibit Alexandra

Let's begin. My first impression in the first few chapters of this novel was that I had begun a visceral, wild ride of a novel, one from which I could trust not a single character. Alexandra, the narrator, explains that she has been taken, and she knows how her husband would react to every moment following. Her character tells the story in first person omniscient, which is a style I have not read in some time. She tells his perspective based on what she thinks he would be doing and what he has done. Additionally, we are introduced to letters from Am to Al, which appear to be Alexandra's ex-roommate attempting to contact her.

There are various plot twists in this story, so I will keep the review brief to prevent any readers to spoil themselves. We find out the truth behind the kidnapping, we find out who is involved, and why.

Personally, the turns that Bell developed were surprising to me, but I also was not thoroughly impressed. In the vein of many similar thrillers like

I rated this novel at 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Crown Publishing for sending along a finished copy to read and review.

"The Secret History"

“The Secret History”

Written by Donna Tartt

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

The Secret History is a modern classic, that helped define the dark academia genre. The genre is classified by its mix for characters’ appreciation and love for Greek, Roman, Italian, French, and romantic culture, and the characters’ descent into dark crimes. The setting is almost always an exclusive boarding school or college. Other famous novels, which I have all read, in this genre are If We Were Villains, Long Black Veil, Dead Poets Society, Black Chalk, and She was Always the Quiet One. As an anglophile who would consider this genre to be a favorite, I knew for years I wanted to go to the core, to return to the roots of this type of novel. Many say that The Secret History and Dead Poets are the parents of this genre, so I was thrilled to begin.

 

This novel, one of Donna Tartt’s masterpieces, about a group of Classics majors at an elite university has become praised, mocked, and emulated in many popular films and television shows. Most recently, a teen favorite to love and hate, Riverdale centered its fourth season around the similar theme, with a main character beginning school at a literature-centered boarding school. There are characters similar to Tartt’s, including a character even named after her, called Donna Sweett. Tartt’s novel has such lasting power, that so many works have been inspired by her. My favorite is mentioned earlier, If We Were Villains, about a close-knit group of theatre students who begin acting suspiciously like their William Shakespearean counterparts.

 

In The Secret History, we meet a cult-like group of individuals, obsessed with classics culture and speaking romance languages. Charles and Camilla are twins, bordering on the incestuous side. Francis is wild yet reliable. Henry is a sensitive yet caring guy. Lastly, Edmund “Bunny” Corcoran is Henry’s foil, a rude and terrible man who takes advantage of everyone in the group. However, the story starts out on a very interesting note: our narrator, Richard, tells us the investigation team and police have found Bunny’s body after ten days of his murder. Richard also tells us that he and his friends are behind it. The story then propels backward to the beginning of Richard’s education at the Hampden boarding school, showing us each character’s descent into mania and madness.

 

Tartt does an excellent job at creating characters that are meant to be disliked, beloved, frowned upon, and absolutely hated. Depending on the reader’s personality type, Tartt’s characters will be relatable to some, while all readers can agree that Bunny is purely disgusting. However, we readers must look upon our own moral compass and decide if his death is justified.

 

Tartt’s writing style may be off-putting to some, but I found myself eating it up like ice cream. I found her verbose and eloquent way of writing to perfectly match the story style. Each character has distinct mannerisms, vocabularies, and personality traits that easily define them and allow us readers to find them significant. Additionally, a dark tale at an elite university would require thick language and require references to the romance languages these characters speak. To some, the language and dialogue may feel pompous, but I believe that the story could not be told in any other fashion. The bombastic style allows the story to feel authentic. While I personally never attended a university or boarding school, I can recognize the human nature and imagine myself there. Her more irritating characters feel realistically annoying. Tartt’s work never feels excessive, and readers can appreciate the time, effort, and research she invested into this project.

 

I personally loved the story, but I must acknowledge some flaws. There are some horrific moments of sexual content that has not aged well. We must consider the time it was written and also which characters are saying and acting this way. We are not meant to sympathize and agree with the horrific words and actions in which the main characters partake. Additionally, I believe that many readers could find frustration in how long the story is. In comparison, I find other stories in the dark academia genre to not be long enough. The Secret History takes place over the darkest year of Richard’s life, so it would feel it would be an injustice to have the story take place over only 300 pages. The 550+ page length of the story includes fleshed-out characters, intense but vivid scenes, and appealing sequences. Many novels do not include every length that Tartt has included. I only wish we could have a current adaptation of this, perhaps into a mini-series directed and acted in by the best and brightest of current Hollywood.

 

Moreover, this novel includes LGBT characters, similar to If We Were Villains. Thankfully, in comparison, Tartt does not use the LGBT characters to send a graphic message or manipulate the characters specifically because of their sexuality. However, I still do not think the representation of the LGBT characters, especially for Francis and Richard, was a successful one, merely glossing over certain moments due to the characters’ inebriation. As mentioned above, I do warn about the incestuous relationships, and the sexual content. Also, this genre glorifies murder, smoking, drugs, alcohol, sleepless nights, and unhealthy relationships.

 

Furthermore, I highly recommend this novel to those who have enjoyed all books, films, and television programs I have mentioned above. Those who love gothic and dark themes, especially in works for young adults and teens, may enjoy this novel, if they have not yet learned about it. I also recommend this book to lovers of Carrie, Heathers, Kill Your Darlings, Never Let Me Go, and even Rope.

 

Lastly, I will rate The Secret History at 5 out of 5 stars. I was very lucky to find my copy at a free little library, but I will plan to buy a nicer and cleaner copy.

"Bottled Goods"

“Bottled Goods”

Written by Sophie van Llewyn

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

A tale of political revolution mixed with magical realism could be a cocktail for a great novel, with lasting power and relevance to today’s climate. Admittedly, Bottled Goods is a fantastic look into the Romanian Revolution, how defecting your government and escaping would look in that era. Our main characters are Alina, Liviu, Alina’s mother, and her Aunt Theresa. Conversely, the plot barely relied on the magical realism aspect, being able to shrink people to fit in a bottle, until the last act of the story.

Alina’s narrative voice interested me. I loved learning more about the Romanian Revolution in simplistic and realistic views, letting us see how it affected everyday citizens, like a favorite of mine Persepolis. Her unhappy marriage and her strong dislike towards her parents led to an unsympathetic choice she makes, but it does not lead to a perfectly happy ending. Personally, I became invested in this novel for the wrong reasons. I imagined it to be more like Snow in August, Pan’s Labyrinth, Exit West, and more, in which the magical realism relates politics to magical elements in a symbiotic way. However, I felt that the plot was not propelled by the shrinking magic, where I thought it would have more of an influence.

Additionally, this book was only 180 pages. Due to its small size, it includes chapters that are more vignettes and were serialized by the author. This lends the book to feel too short and hardly developed, without us learning much about each character. I do recommend this novel, but I just wish that the story would have been longer and fulfilled my expectations more.

I rate this novel at 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the advance copy, sent to me in exchange for a reading and reviewing purpose.

“Goodnight Beautiful”

“Goodnight Beautiful”

Written by Aimee Molloy

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Goodnight Beautiful is the second psychological thriller that Aimee Molloy has written. Molloy’s first thriller was a favorite of mine, The Perfect Mother, about a woman whose son goes missing a few weeks after she’s joined a mommy group. When picking up her next, I remembered how I enjoyed Molloy’s ability to subvert expectations, without providing too much detail and allowing the reader to assume and trust the writing. Again, what a brilliant entry into the psychological thriller genre. Molloy’s manipulative style allows for another conniving villain to come forth, without us even realizing what was wrong until it’s too late.

To begin with, the plot follows Sam and Annie, a married couple who seem happy on the surface. We learn that it’s far too easy to listen in on Sam’s therapist sessions with his clients, which allows us to be instantly suspicious of him. Also, in a stark change to the genre, Sam is the one who goes missing, which was so surprising to me, because we never see the husband go missing. Additionally, the story is told in two perspectives: a third person perspective of Sam and Annie and a first-person narration which maybe you shouldn’t trust. Similar to great thriller writers like Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks, and the Liv Constantine sisters, the reader learns that all too soon, we cannot trust who we’re reading about.

Without giving too much more away, I applaud this book. Many moments of the story are completely unexpected, while some are perfectly expected, but not for the right reason. Molloy sets certain scenes to follow the pattern of what we would expect from this type of book, to throw it in our faces and say “No. Of course it wouldn’t be her or him”. Similar to the great Knives Out film that has just graced us with its presence, we should never predict anything in this novel.

There were some issues I had with the novel. I found the final mystery to be an interesting reveal, but due to my familiarity with Molloy, I was not surprised. Was this intentional? Hm. Also, a major nod to a great mystery thriller, Misery, allowed for some fun moments, but it felt that Molloy took too much inspiration and did not make her story unique enough.

Finally, I loved this book. Although I was unimpressed with the Misery connection, I found this novel to be outrageously fun and deliciously twisted. I highly recommend it, to even new readers to this genre. I rate this at 4 out of 5 stars. I plan to keep it in my collection for years to come. I eagerly anticipate future works from Aimee Molloy.

I received an advance copy from Harper Books in exchange for my reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.

“And Now She’s Gone”

“And Now She’s Gone”

Rachel Howzell Hall

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

For many years, I have gravitated towards psychological thrillers that have a female lead, because frankly, we do not get many female protagonists unless they’re in perilous situations. Am I enabling the genre for not expecting more from its authors, or am I embracing any chance at a female lead? Either way, the newest debut from Rachel Howzell Hall is presented to us in two perspectives: of Grayson Sykes and Mrs. Dyson. We soon find out how the two are connected, and how the connection will lead to the disappearance and search for Isabel Lincoln. Gray is hired by Isabel’s partner, Ian, but it soon becomes suspect that Isabel has fled on purpose, hoping to not be found.

Hall creates a dark abyss of deceit that Gray falls into, as she searches for the elusive Isabel. Furtive characters come out of the woodworks and reveal interesting clues about who Isabel may be and what her choices might mean. Eventually, we are led to an appealing and challenging climax that made the book worthwhile.

 

However, I felt that the execution of its plot, characters, prose, and dialogue did a disservice to those elements. Hall uses long-winded descriptions, common dialogue, far too large an ensemble, and many filler scenes that do not reveal enough detail about the story. I felt that the two major plots: Isabel’s disappearance and the truth behind Mrs. Dyson were too different and unnecessary to have both. I could see how the Mrs. Dyson plotline could tie into the backstory of Grayson, but it did not feel necessary to set it up as half of the plot. Two major plotlines with two major villains turned the book into a tiring reading experience for me.

 

One of the best things about this story is that it is written by a woman of color. Although the psychological thriller genre is dominated by white men and women, I was so grateful to spend more time reading from perspectives and experiences of black characters. In today’s climate, we have an obligation to read more diverse books and encourage budding black writers, so let’s start here. I fully plan to read other works by Hall that have been already written and more to come.

 

Due to my dislike for much of the writing style, I give this a three out of five stars. I still enjoyed the book for the most part, and I recommend it.

Thank you to Forge Reads at Tor Publicity for sending along a complimentary copy to read and review.

 

"Algedonic"

“Algedonic”

Written by R.H. Sin

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Algedonic is a collection written by the prolific and well-beloved modern poet, R.H. Sin. His type of poetry includes themes of mental health, romance, confidence, self-care, and self-love. Sin creates many dark poems with light tones and vice versa, allowing the reader to indulge in his figurative language and appreciate the deeper meaning to his words. The word ‘algedonic’ means: characterized by or relating to pain, especially as associated with pleasure, says Merriam-Webster. This collection’s theme is poetry that fits into this category: how pain from love and life can be mixed with pleasure. Sin creates the poetry in this collection to incorporate the full scale, of how painful love can be attractive and how it can be deadly.

The two sections, PAIN | CHAOS and PLEASURE | PAIN, have small poems inside without titles. The poems speak to the survivors of these experiences. Using beautiful figurative language and twists on common phrases and idioms, Sin creates wonderfully written poetry.

In conclusion, I absolutely adored this collection. Due to its interesting theme, I felt myself very entertained. Many verses in these poems feel truthful yet heartbreaking. As I had borrowed the book from the library to read this, I now will be planning to purchase it and keep it in my collection.

I rate this collection at 5 out of 5 stars.

“Making Friends with Alice Dyson”

“Making Friends with Alice Dyson”

Written by Poppy Nwosu

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

As a nostalgic fan of teen / young adult romance novels, I felt excited to begin reading Making Friends with Alice Dyson. I have long enjoyed these types of novels, and I was hoping to find them similar to those I read when I was in my teens. However, I have learned in my twenties, that teen fiction does not always hold my interest anymore, with new slang, technology, and pop culture references. To my surprise and pleasure, I found that Alice Dyson held my interest and entertained me in many different ways.

To continue, Nwosu impressed me, with witty yet realistic dialogue, appealing characters, and a very handsome love interest. Alice Dyson is reserved, shy, and intelligent, while her best friend, May, has become obsessed with dating and popularity. Alice has become tentative friends with Teddy, a mysterious new kid who is rumored to have been violent towards teachers and students at his previous school. The plot centers around Alice’s friendship with May, changing for the worse, as May becomes cruel and uncaring towards her friend. Alice also is consumed by her budding interesting in Teddy, about whom she learns and realizes that he is not the dangerous bully people say he is.

In all honesty, this story is fresh and sweet, but it does not feel incredibly unique. The plot does not feel very complex, when I would have hoped it to be a bit stronger. The themes of first love and loss of friendship are important, but I felt that Nwosu could have dug deeper and made them more meaningful. Also, I felt that some scenes were memorable, but many of them feel similar to any other book from this age and genre. I wish that this book would stand out a little more, but it felt very basic.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story, but I felt it could have been more elaborate, with more details and better scenes. If Nwosu continues Alice’s story, I’d happily continue reading it in a series. I also plan to read Nwosu’s book Taking Down Evelyn Trait shortly. I recommend Alice Dyson to those who enjoy the work of Jenny Han, John Green, David Levithan, and Gayle Forman.

I received a complimentary copy to read and review, from Walker Books US. Thank you for the opportunity.

“She Felt Like Feeling Nothing”

“She Felt Like Feeling Nothing”

Written by R.H. Sin

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

 

A favorite romance poet of mine is R.H. Sin, who writes on bad relationships, self-worth, mental health, abuse, alcoholism, friendships, and raising children. This prolific writer has created many poetry collections so far, writing hundreds of poems for each book. His poetry feels genuine, as if he just speaking to you from the heart while you’re having a cup of coffee together. Sin’s work is just so impressive to me, and I perfectly plan to own all of his collections.

 

She Felt Like Feeling Nothing specifically hones in on female emotion before a relationship, during, and after. I appreciate how Sin creates poems that encourage his readers to strive to be their best and to wish to be treated well. He also seems to write more wisely and more about the real world as he grows older, his poems becoming more realistic and less dream-like. The collection is split into some sections, such as the Scenes and the Hymns, with other poems spaced in intermittently.

 

The poems I enjoyed most from this collection are:

Scenes: “Two, Three, Twelve, Fourteen, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-Two, and Thirty-Five”

Hymn: “Four, Seven, Nine, Twelve, Seventeen, Twenty-Two”

“My Life After You”

“I Blame the Movies”

“22 Minutes Beyond Midnight”

“Broken Fuse”

 

I rate this collection at 5 out of 5 stars for the content, the poems I enjoyed, and the themes. This is one of the stronger collections in his repertoire.

"Blood Moon" - Book Review -

“Blood Moon”

Written by Lucy Cuthew

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“Society is disgusting. You are amazing”.

In verse, Lucy Cuthew uses poetry, imagery, and symbolism to create Blood Moon, a timely portrayal of how high school teens view sex, menstruation, and friendship. Cuthew’s story begins as our main narrator, Frankie, loses the trust and respect of her best friend, Harriet, as she reacts negatively to Harriet’s decision to send an inappropriate photograph of herself to their teacher.

Although the story is told in a format I strongly dislike, I still feel that the novel feels whole and encompasses the plot well. Frankie is a sweet and quiet girl, who spends her time learning about astronomy and physics, while crushing on a cute boy named Benjamin. Frankie’s reputation landslides after she has a sexual experience with Benjamin, then promptly has her period. Harsh begin to spread, as well as jokes, photos, and lies, with Harriet seemingly at the epicenter.

I personally loved the portrayal of the friendship between Frankie and Harriet. When the characters are spending quality time, it feels nostalgic and warm, as if the reader wishes they were at the same sleepover. When bitter emotion turns their blood cold, we feel like we’re in the room when it happens.

The story feels important and interesting, as it questions the readers’ opinions on ‘slut-shaming’, bullying, sex, menstruation, and friendship. I feel that the lessons that we come away with are relevant in today’s society, when many citizens feel that this country is full of people who dislike women and disrespect them. Additionally, I recommend this novel to those who enjoy reading coming-of-age stories about teens in high school, with themes centering around first love, bullying, perception of self, and female friendships. I felt reminded of Speak, Carrie, and a favorite, Jennifer’s Body.

Unfortunately, I felt that the format took me out of the story often. Many of the characters use teen slang far too often, to the point of it being distracting rather than realistic. I felt that the epic poem style of this story left out many important aspects that I enjoy. I felt it harder to relate to characters and harder to see myself through the same lens. I have not ever enjoyed the verse style of reading a full fiction story. I do believe that if you personally enjoy verse fiction storytelling, you’d enjoy this.

In conclusion, I thought this short novel to be enthralling, as it made me question my own thoughts on the subject. It also made me regret some things that I have said about my fellow gender in the past. This story allows you to take many lessons: how to treat others, how to respect ourselves, who we need to respect, and how to be respectful. I do not imagine many of those who need to learn these lessons will read this story, but I appreciate how this novel could create a dialogue. I would be interested to read more from this author.

For this novel, I give a few trigger warnings for: threats of sexual assault, rape, bullying, and sex.

I received a complimentary advance copy from Walker Books at Candlewick Press to read and review. Thank you to the publishing company for the opportunity.

"The Turn of the Key" - Book Review -

“The Turn of the Key”

Written by Ruth Ware

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

The Turn of the Key is the fifth novel in Ruth Ware’s repertoire, another incredibly enjoyable entry into the psychological thriller subgenre. Reminding many readers of The Turn of the Screw, The Others, and the many gothic works of Daphne Du Maurier, this novel tells the story of a nanny who quickly realizes her job is more than she bargained for. In this story, we are introduced to Rowan through her written letters to a lawyer as she waits in prison for her trial. She protests her innocence, that she did not ‘kill that child’. Her secrets unfold in her letters, as she tells the lawyer the tale of her time at Heatherbrae House.

I do believe that most of Ruth Ware’s novels are best consumed without much information, so I will attempt to keep this review vague and concise. Rowan meets her employers, Sandra and Bill, who have two little daughters and a rebellious and rude teen daughter. Rowan finds solace in her colleague, the caretaker Jack. Rowan’s main motivation through her letters is to absolve herself and prove her innocence, but she starts to unveil secrets that make her the more suspicious.

Another central conflict is the fear of Heatherbrae House. The legendary owner is a man whose young daughter died after ingesting berries from the house’s poison garden!! Also, there is a locked door in Rowan’s bedroom, which she feels a draft coming from. Why does she hear footsteps at night?

My final thoughts on this are that I enjoyed the plot, characters, and the mystery. The final ending was unpredictable, but I personally did not love it. I felt halfhearted about it, since I felt the mystery was cleverly planned. For what it’s worth, I think that my enjoyment of this story was heightened by Imogen Church’s brilliant narration. Her creativity with her voice work is worth awarding.

In conclusion, I loved it. It will not cement itself as my first favorite of Ruth Ware’s, but I do plan to purchase a print copy and keep in my collection. I highly recommend her work and think it to be a higher caliber than other mystery thrillers. She is a favorite author of mine, and I cannot wait to read her next novel.

"Sweet Sorrow" - Book Review -

 

“Sweet Sorrow”

Written by David Nicholls

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

As a fan of David Nicholl’s previous work, Us and One Day, I found myself drawn to his new coming-of-age tale that reminds us of childhood, first love, and lost love. We are introduced to the main character, our narrator, Charlie Lewis. As Charlie is preparing to marry his fiancé, Niamh, he looks back on one summer, when he fell in love with his first girlfriend, Fran Fisher. Before her, Charlie felt scared of the future and tired of taking care of his lazy and angry father. Now that he has met Fran, he feels alive again.

 

Charlie spends nearly all of the novel doting on this one summer. Nicholls has a very dream-like yet realistic way of telling his stories, in a way that feels easy to read in a calming way. Through Charlie’s eyes, we’re reminded of our nostalgia for our childhood and teen years, while being able to relate to his bumbling and goofy actions and personality. Additionally, his time spent with his friend group is fun but a little exhausting. I found his summer in the wacky theater group to be a bit chore-like after chapters upon chapters of it.

 

 I enjoyed all of Charlie’s memories, but I do feel disappointed with the novel. Based on the premise, I had hoped that we would travel back and forth, have Charlie ponder his future with Niamh, while he looks back on the past with a different wisdom and hindsight. When I realized we were not going to focus on adult Charlie, I was unhappy. I feel that when we readers pick up a book that includes a coming-of-age story, we hope to see where the character is now. Is he better off that he and Fran broke up? As an adult, does he long to be with Fran again? I felt there was no central conflict, which made me lose my appreciation for the story.

 

I recommend this for readers who enjoy the idea of the premise but may overlook the execution. I would much rather recommend his other works that I have read. I believe I went into this book hoping for a book similar to Ian McEwan’s, where I would feel heartbroken for these characters, who have pined for so long, to only have to stay with the person they’re with, as they wonder forever what could have been. I love a ‘the one that got away’ storyline. I still enjoyed my reading experience, but it just was not what I was looking for.

 

I received an advance copy through the BookishFirst program to read and review. Thank you.

"Heartless" - Book Review -

“Heartless”

Written by Marissa Meyer

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

As a retelling of a famous literary work, especially one for children that was made into a Disney film, Heartless, had my significantly high expectations to overcome. For all my life, I have loved Alice in Wonderland, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and many different retellings. Remakes and reimagining of Alice’s story have been pervasive in media since Lewis Carroll’s first publishing. This work, Heartless, comes from a writer who has made most of her career adapting and reimagining fairy tales and folklore, so I expected greatness. This recreation is spear-headed by Catherine, ‘Cath’, who lives in the Kingdom of Hearts in what will be known as the dimension of Wonderland.

Cath is a teenager, of noble blood, whose main ambition is to open her own bakery in the small cozy village nearest her. Her parents believe that Alice should be married off, to the King of Hearts, who has begun courting Cath. However, Cath does not want to be married to him, for she meets a new boy to capture her heart, Jest, a joker at the castle. Jest is charming and clever, while the King is boring and oafish. The premise of the story is that we meet a young Queen of Hearts, before her rise to power and her descent into madness. Can we reconcile that Cath will be later this demonic and horrific villain? Will we see why? Cath’s journey introduces us to many familiar characters from the Alice lore, including some interesting new characters. We see the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, many cards turned guards, a cobbler named Caterpillar, Magpies, Cuckoo birds, Duke Warthog, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, the Jabberwock, and more.

My thoughts on this novel are all positive. This is a fantastic work of young adult fantasy, with gorgeous figurative language, incredibly visual scenes, witty yet intelligent dialogue, and a true author’s ability to adapt a classic. Mayer’s wisdom shines through, as she acutely can adapt these characters and story into a fresh and unique work of fiction that honors the original and praises her innovation. Heartless is a stark novelty, almost a new fairy tale all on its own. Additionally, I was impressed by the character development of Catherine, her positive changes and the unraveling of her mental state. I was surprised by the causes of her descent into madness, but I found some clues that alluded to it.

After completing the story, I found that the plot was so incredibly intricate, with clues for every reveal embedded in details. The author’s ability to create nuance, providing appealing and effective context for most memorable scenes and moments from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: painting the roses red, ‘off with her head’, the Mad Hatter’s craziness, etc. I was completely invested in all plot aspects: her bakery dreams, her marriage woes, her romance with Jest, the fear of the dangerous Jabberwock, and the secrets surrounding certain characters. I loved the inclusion of fates, puzzles, riddles, Time, the Looking Glass, and a thorough world build of each kingdom, Hearts and Chess. The final act of the book includes a fascinating climax with many interesting reveals, important deaths, heartbreaking decisions, and a great final line. Cath’s descent into madness was unexpected and crushing, yet unbeatable.

Personally, I think this may be the best Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland reimagining that I have yet to read. Heartless was absolutely perfect, without any glaring flaws or poor aging aspects. I truly wish this could have been extended into a series, but maybe if we beg Mayer enough, Catherine’s story would continue. I would love to spend more time in Mayer’s version of Wonderland. Truly, I recommend this novel to anyone interested in fantasy, young adult, Disney, and fairy tales. As an adult, I have grown skeptical of teen fiction, for fear of cheesy dialogue, poor character choices, and unhealthy romantic depictions. None of these fears came true, leaving me blown away. If you find yourself on the fence about picking this novel up, take the leap.

"Landline" - Book Review -

“Landline”

Written by Rainbow Rowell

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

A nostalgic and magical story, yes. A thorough and developed story with layer and lessons learned, no. Landline by the beloved Rainbow Rowell feels similar to if Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote It’s A Wonderful Life. In this novel, we meet Georgie (a nod to George Bailey, a similar character, perhaps?), who has been ignored and avoided by her husband at Christmastime, when she chooses to spend more time working on her work project than spending important time with her family. Georgie struggles to contact Neal, through errors with her cell phone and voicemail tag, finding her parents’ landline to work. However, once Georgie is enabled to speak to Neal, she finds that it is a version of her past Neal that she is communicating with.

Georgie’s tale is one that I imagine most adults who have been in long term relationships can understand. The Last Five Years is a favorite musical of mine, telling the tale of Cathy and Jamie, who have separated after they cannot both achieve their dreams and are determined to hurt the other. I understand Georgie’s plight, that she does not want to sacrifice her beloved career for the sake of her family. However, I do not think that she would need to sacrifice one or the other; I think she just has an unyielding and pressuring husband. When she speaks to Past Neal, Georgie does not seem to learn any lessons or adapt any new behaviors, she acts the same way as before. Perhaps it can be argued that Georgie realized how much she has missed with her husband and children. Unlike good Old Georgie Bailey, our Georgie does not seem to need this wake-up call. Personally, I was not going to be surprised if she and Neal decided to divorce, Georgie would date Seth, her co-worker, and if Neal would go back to date his pretty neighbor who happens to be his ex-fiancée.

I liked this novel more than I disliked this novel, but as this is the second book I have read by this author, her work has cemented into my mind in the ‘no’ category. Years ago, I was given Eleanor and Park as a present by my mother, and we both were severely disappointed by it. When considering buying Landline, I thought there would be a possibility that as an adult, I could enjoy an adult-aged story, rather than her work for teens.

I was drastically unimpressed by the unanswered questions. Was Georgie imagining the communication with Past Neal? Now that she has completed a massive grand gesture of soaring through airports at Christmastime on her way back to him, they embrace. However, does that just solve every problem they have? To me, Present Neal is the true problem that Georgie and he have. Although her job is vitally important to her and her dreams are coming true, Neal feels jealous of Seth. Neal nearly ruins his marriage, because she needs to spend time on her dream project. When Neal and Georgie finally see each other after she returns home, the story abruptly ends. Do they rekindle, and will they be happy?

In conclusion, although I enjoyed the plot premise and certain elements, I found the story to be too disinteresting. I found certain chunks of the story to be filler, without any important lessons or events occurring. I enjoyed the inclusion of Georgie’s sister, Heather, but I did not see much of a point to certain scenes with her, including her dog giving birth and her striking a romantic interest with the pizza delivery girl. A last and final gripe finds me strongly disliking some of her jokes that have aged poorly about eating disorders and victim blaming. I recommend this book, because I am sure that many people would enjoy the story, I just have extremely high expectations when reading romance novels. Due to my expectations, there are only certain authors that I would consider to be my favorites and from who I love all their work. I do not think I plan to read more from Rainbow Rowell, because none of her other books’ plots appeal to me.

"Meet Cute" - Short Story Collection Review -

“Meet Cute”

Written by various authors

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Meet Cute is a young adult short story collection written by many popular authors. The collection is full of ‘meet cutes’, which are the moments or scenes that love interest characters meet for the first time. These popular and well-loved experiences are sought after in romantic or romantic comedy films and are often remembered for years to come. When creating meet cutes, the author needs to make the characters interesting and appealing. They also must introduce a small plot, so we can imagine where the story may go. These short stories vary differently, with some introducing very bland characters or plots, which have not paid off successfully. However, I did enjoy the collection as a whole.

The first story in the collection kicked off in an unsatisfying way. Sadly, “Siege Etiquette”, written by Katie Cotugno, followed the vein of characters who instantly do not like each other, due to a massive clash of personalities. I liked the setting of the story: a high school party bathroom, where two characters ride out the police attempting to break up the party. I just did not enjoy the characters.

Next is “Print Shop” by Nina LaCour, about a teen girl who begins her new job at a print shop. Her new bosses are eccentric and a tad lazy. She finds that she needs to rush an order, to be delivered as soon as possible. She searches through social media and develops a small crush on the client. This was cute, but I would feel it could be perceived creepy if she was a male searching on social media then crushing on the client. I liked how this story had a problem and solution, rather than a couple meeting on a bus bench.

“Hourglass” by Ibi Zoboi did not impress. About a girl searching for her prom dress, we receive tons of information about her that hardly feels relevant, as if it is padding the story with filter. The boy she meets seems nice. The end. I do not know if the author’s writing style appealed enough for me that I plan to read her work, Pride.

I very much enjoyed “Click” by Katharine McGee. A slightly futuristic, possibly sci-fi story, it includes the tale of Alex and Raden, who meet when Alexa loses her phone. We realize she is creating an app to be able to communicate with dead friends and family, almost reminiscent of the Black Mirror episode, “Be Right Back”. I enjoyed the writing style, characters, and conflict.

“The Intern” hails from a childhood favorite author, Sara Shepard, of the Pretty Little Liars and The Amateurs. Her story was relatively enjoyable, about a teen female intern who must help a teen heartthrob musician travel through New York City. Clara struggles with the demons of loss of a parent, while Phineas comforts her. Although some of the dialogue and plot of the story is a tad cheesy, I would read this if it was turned into a novel.

“Somewhere That’s Green” by Meredith Russo stars a young transgendered teen named Nia and her castmate from Little Shop of Horrors, Lexie. Nia feels out of place in high school, as she strives to receive equal treatment, while Lexie hopes to help. It was a tad disinteresting to me, but I can appreciate the author’s writing style and effort place into the story.

Dhonielle Clayton’s “The Way We Love Here” is a folklore-based fantasy story about a couple who are tied by destiny, who have the opportunity to see their future in a few different scenarios. I felt that this was a unique story, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story.

Emery Lord’s “Oomph” is an absolute favorite story from this collection, following two sweet female teens, Joanna and Cassidy, who meet in an airport. Full of funny Marvel references, the characters chat about mysteries, college plans, and their futures. We leave on an exciting and very cute gay ending, leaving us wishing this was adapted into a full-length book. I eagerly anticipate looking into this author. I have absolutely no complaints about this story, and I highly appreciate the music suggestion that the story ends on, “Pretty Girl in an Airport”. What an adorable song.

The next story in the collection is “The Dictionary of You and Me” is by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It follows a young man and woman who have a cute, Sleepless in Seattle-like romance. She works for a library and must convince him to bring back a book. They have developed a phone conversation friendship, but now we see them meet. This was a pretty good one, but it wasn’t a favorite.

“The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love” was written by Jocelyn Davies. This is a cute, New York City set story, in which a statistical wonder meets a cute boy on the subway by chance. Our narrator explains how unlikely that it would be they’d meet again, but we see him wear his same blue hoodie every time they see each other, so she knows it’s him. Finally, they both get off the separate subway and finally are able to speak to each other. I liked this one.

“259 Million Miles” hails from the science fiction teen queen, Kass Morgan. As a dear fan of her series, The 100 and its television adaptation, I was eager to begin this story. Unfortunately, I felt unimpressed by nearly everything other than its setting: a space mission preparation base. I did not enjoy the cheesy, ‘teen’ dialogue, characters, or plot.

“Something Real” by Julie Murphy was my second favorite in this collection. A massive fan of the Dumplin’ series, I felt my previous love for the author to continue through this story. June, the head of the fan club for a famous boy singer, Dylan, has the chance to enter a competition to win a date with him. After a grueling and terrible experience in the game and learning her hero is a jerk, June finds a romantic interest with her competition. Loved it and would love to read it in a full-length novel.

“Say Everything” felt supremely disappointed, with the bad boy character giving off creepy vibes, rather than being a cool, smarmy outsider. I did enjoy the creation of the narrator’s ‘Book of Lost Opportunities’. It’s a cool journal idea.

“The Department of Dead Love” was a massive let down. I have not read Nicola Yoon’s work yet, but I was really disheartened by this story. The setting is an eponymous office, in which a male teen goes for an autopsy, to see why his relationship fell apart, only to fall in love with the receptionist. It felt like a cheesy episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which is an insult to Sabrina.

In conclusion, the sweet and entertaining interactions played out musically. I enjoyed many of the LGBT-friendly stories and the stories from diverse authors. I felt invested in many of the stories, which outweighed the ones I did not enjoy. Many stories in the collection would have been great to read in long length. The problem with meet cutes is that although the gimmick of this collection was fun, it feels empty, because we may never see the promise of these characters. Nearly each story feels incomplete, like you’ve only read a chapter from a full-length novel. I recommend this collection, but I perhaps would suggest to look over the ones I disliked.

I rate this collection at four out of five stars.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sending an advance reading copy, in exchange for my honest review. Sorry I took so long to read it.