"The Sunlight Pilgrims"

 The Sunlight Pilgrims

Written by Jenni Fagan

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

The Sunlight Pilgrims creates an eerie and uncomfortable year 2020 as the world breaks into crisis, as global warming allows for the development of an extinctive Ice Age. Reading this novel in April 2021, after a year of isolation, social distancing, and staying safe from a viral pandemic, feels bizarre. Naturally, the cause of the deaths of many humans on Earth is completely different, but the parallels are haunting.

Fagan tells the tales of Constance, Stella, and Dylan as they prepare for the end of the world as they knew it. Constance and her transgender daughter, Stella, live in a caravan park, wrapped up in the community that they are so determined to protect. Dylan chooses to visit, to the site where his mother had left him a caravan in her will. Dylan and Constance find consolation in each other, while Stella is desperate to keep her life as comfortable as it once was.

Unfortunately, this novel was not one for me. I found many of the elements to seem unbelievable, such as the temperature being below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and it raining. A few of the apocalyptic elements were interesting, such as the animals freezing to death, the freezing temperature preventative measures, and different perspectives of those who are living on this Earth.

Additionally, I found the dialogue style to be distracting and simple, where I prefer to have it be much more of an important part of storytelling. Also, I just found the plot to be very small and limited, when I felt that this novel had much more potential that Fagan could have built upon. The novel turned out to be more of a character study than a plot revolving around the end of time, when I prefer equal portions. I personally did not feel connected or sympathetic to the characters, because we hardly know deep detail of each. I felt that the characters we read were not likeable and just idiotic. I feel I can no longer enjoy immature, adolescent characters like Stella, who repeatedly made dangerous choices and made herself more of a nuisance in each chapter. I liked the character, Dylan, who reminded me of stoic but caring Joel from the The Last of Us video games. I felt that if the story only followed him, I would have enjoyed it more.

I did enjoy learning of some of the consequences of the global warming, but I just felt that we could have explored that a little more. One of my favorite novels of all time is Station Eleven. In SE¸ we see what the world like before a virus hits, during the first arrival and first deaths, and the aftermath. I felt that in The Sunlight Pilgrims we did not see how high the stakes were. Only seeing the beginning of the end, I do not feel as satisfied with the novel as I had initially anticipated. Only chapter 34 of 38 do we even see society locking down buildings, people struggling to find food, and riots. Also, that information is provided in a news broadcast, not experienced by our characters. Due to my lack of connection to the characters, I do not even feel I need to know if they survive. The book is branded as a story of courage and resilience, and I do not feel that at all. The climax incorporates moments of bravery, but I felt like they came all too late. My interest in the well-being of these characters expired eons ago.

I felt so thoroughly disappointed in this novel. If you enjoy apocalyptic or dystopian fiction, I would rather point you in the direction of Station Eleven, I am Legend, After the Flood, or Never Let Me Go.

I rated this book at two out of five stars.

Thank you to Hogarth Press for sending along a finished copy for reviewing purposes.

"Half a World Away" Book Review

 Half a World Away

Written by Mike Gayle

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

 

Half a World Away happens to be a novel that I had looked forward to for months. After misplacing my secondhand copy, a day after finding it, I longed to find it once more. I returned back to the United States after staying with my fiancé for a good majority of 2020, I found a new hardcover copy of it on my bookshelf, thanks to the lovely publisher.

Half a World Away was written from two perspectives: of tired, overwhelmed single mother Kerry and her long-lost brother, Noah, who is struggling with an impending divorce. The two characters were separated by the English foster care system. Kerry grew up in a home and eventually aged out of the system, while Noah was adopted by a kind, large family. Although they were not connected until mid-adulthood, Kerry has written to Noah so they can meet and become reacquainted.

The premise itself is not one that I would typically be drawn to, but the allure of the long-lost novel and the long-lost plot intrigued me. I personally felt that the premise itself was executed well, but my enjoyment while reading was lackluster. First and foremost, Mike Gayle’s writing style is extremely lengthy and excessive. Nearly every paragraph has at least four lines, and at one point I counted one paragraph to be twenty-three lines long. The characters ramble within their own thoughts, and the dialogue is just as ridiculous. Kerry and Noah’s dialogue, as well as other characters, is presented more as a monologue or a speech, as if each paragraph is meant to be a groundbreaking, plot-revealing moment. I felt that most of the time, many chunks of dialogue were unnecessary.

Additionally, I found it extremely difficult to decipher any differences in the way each perspective was told; Kerry’s and Noah’s prose was nearly identical, without any different calling cards to spice up the prose.

I found it incredibly difficult to like Kerry and Noah. Kerry loses her temper often, she smacks her child, and consistently lies so that her life runs more smoothly. Are we supposed to pity and / or sympathize with her? Noah is a better person, but I still find him tiring to read. His entire commentary seems to be ‘I don’t know how to trust people, because I was adopted. Did you know? Did you know that I was adopted? I’ll tell you nine more times in this chapter, in case you forget.’ Many of the decisions Kerry and Noah make seem rushed and immature, which makes me lose my interest in them almost immediately after I find some.

 Lastly, I felt there were too many scenes that were too short. Imagine, having paragraphs so long that they fit half a page, but half a chapter is dedicated to an interesting location or adventure, like when they went to Brighton together. It felt so disappointing to have the characters travel there, eat a cone of chips, and head home. Then, we learned much of the conversation that was had through the other character’s perspective, in the next chapter. Too much of the novel just gives away exposition without actually providing an interesting plot or sequence of events.

However, there are some positive aspects to the novel. I enjoyed the idea of the separated siblings becoming close once again. Their plot lines of struggling with their marriages and children felt very natural, and I appreciated the inclusion of them to flesh out the characters. As someone who has a personal connection to separated relatives, I felt it interesting to see how these characters reacted to similar events. I could see why some readers may recommend this novel to fans of This is Us, Gilmore Girls, and Parenthood for the tough but sentimental family drama. The ending felt incredibly predictable, but I was still not really interested in its execution. I feel that most readers and writers could have predicted each plot point in order.

Unfortunately, I disliked this novel more than I liked it. I would consider reading another novel by this same author, but I just cannot speak to the brilliance of this one. The lackluster plot and writing style brought the novel down for me, lessening my enjoyment.

 

I rate this book at three stars out of five stars. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending along a finished review copy.

"Eden"

 "Eden"

Written by Tim Lebbon

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

Eden bursts out onto the scene of a newer sub-genre: eco-horror. Eco-horror is categorized as a horror work, that has the true villain be a secondary cause of the conflict. The main conflict instead is the human influence on the world, on the ecological environment. Additionally, Eden can fall into the sub-genre of natural horror, as the world attacks back. The author, Tim Lebbon, might be familiar to some from his books and the recent Netflix adaptation of his novel, The Silence, starring Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, and Stanley Tucci.

In Eden, a group of adventure explorers decide to illegally enter Eden, one of the safe, beautiful thirteen zones off limits, in a world that is on the brink of falling apart. With oceans rising to unsafe degrees and the depletion of the rainforest, Earth looks how scientists predict it will. The crew consists of Lucy, Aaron, Selina, Dylan, Cove, Gee, and Jenn. Jenn is our leading female protagonist and 'final girl'. Her father, Dylan, has been exploring with her for years.

Notoriously, Eden is a beautiful, lush zone that has been reclaimed by nature but many know it to be dangerous. Each crew member has a reason for entering. Many people have been searching each zone for the fabled ghost orchid, which may have properties that can save the planet. Jenn has an underlying motive for joining the expedition. She believes that her mother, Kat, was on an earlier expedition through Eden.

The horror style of the story comes into play early on. The beginning of the novel feels a tad slow, but author Lebbon takes his time to develop each character and introduce exposition in a realistic way. I do love an action / adventure / horror that begins while the characters are in transportation, en route to their dangerous mission. When the characters land, they start to discover some sinister plays in motion. They find many dead bodies, not necessarily decomposing but placed in a way that nature reacts to them. Water flows through a body. Flowers grow from a body. Additionally, we have a perspective that follows Kat, as she descends into a monstrous animal. 

Personally, I felt the story fell a little flat for me. I enjoyed the action and adventure moments, but many scenes felt a little too long. I also wish that the relationship between Dylan and Jenn. Their father-daughter dynamic is interesting, but I felt that Lebbon focused heavily on Dylan's relationship with his ex-wife. However, I still genuinely liked the story. I found the bloodthirsty animals and strange plant biology to be very unique, and it proved to be an effective horror novel, even though I felt like most of the novel was a combination of Jurassic Park and Predator, possibly due to the author's work for the Alien vs. Predator novels and on other sci-fi novelizations. I think that some readers might have hoped for more of a post-apocalyptic story, but I found that Eden succeeded in not living up to that expectation. I just wished that the novel was a bit more insightful than fun.

Finally, I rated this story at four out of 5 stars. I'll be keeping it in my collection and continuing to read more works from Tim Lebbon in the future!

Thank you to the lovely Titan Books for sending a finished copy in early 2020 for my reviewing purposes. I think we can all understand why us reviewers are a little delayed this year!

"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?

"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.

 

“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.

"The Au Pair"

“The Au Pair”

Written by Emma Rous

Review written by Diana Iozzia

 

“The Au Pair” is a mystery novel that is told in two perspectives: Seraphine, a woman who unravels her past and family secrets, and Laura, the au pair who took care of her older brother, up until the suicide of Ruth, Seraphine and her twin brother, Danny’s mother, on the night they were born. Already, this book sounds confusing beyond belief, and I personally was intrigued. I listened to this using the Overdrive / Libby app, which is a great way to borrow audiobooks and e-books. I think that one of the main downfalls of this book is the plot.

First and foremost, Laura’s perspective explains the past and what led Ruth to her suicide. Seraphine is unraveling these facts, slowly, as the tale progresses. Unfortunately, other than this, there is no true conflict. I think that a mystery novel still should have some elements of a plot. I have grown a bit too disinterested in mystery novels that only concern with a death and those left alive to figure out why. The characters are not currently in danger. A dead bird on the porch and a lipstick message on the bathroom mirror do not frighten me or feel like compelling threats.

I felt highly disappointed once all of the facts and details were revealed. Although I did not predict every solution to the mystery, I felt that I wasn’t excited or curious enough to be on the edge of my seat. In the end, the mystery still felt unsolved a bit. I don’t really understand why Ruth did choose to kill herself.

Perhaps one of the added layers of my confusion about the book was that I listened to an audio version. It felt like the story dragged on too long, because the audio version was about 12 hours. I would have read this book in a three-hour sitting or two short sittings.

I enjoyed Laura’s perspective more than Seraphine’s, because that one was interesting. I felt Seraphine constantly droned on about how she didn’t know who she was and what was happening. She must have asked “Who am I?” at least 8 times. I understand that it could be difficult to be in her position, but it did not add an interesting element to the story. Laura’s time with the family and the mysterious secrets she involved herself was interesting, and it revealed the plot in an intriguing way. However, when all of the plot twists and surprises are revealed in one long story, it feels anticlimactic. I’m not the biggest fan of characters just rambling on for pages on end.

I recommend that if you read this, do not listen to the audiobook if you want a quick, fast, easy read. The audiobook has great actresses performing the parts in very different accents and voices, but I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. This wasn’t the best mystery I’ve ever read, but I would consider reading a future book by Emma Rous.

"The Crash"

“The Crash”
Written by Lisa Drakeford
Review written by Diana Iozzia


In reading “The Crash”, I found myself wondering a few questions. Why do we decide a book premise is interesting to us? Is a premise interesting if it contains familiar tropes or plot devices that are appealing?  On a similar note, do we also choose books that remind us of others, in hoping that we would feel the same way when reading it? Either way, I’m not entirely sure why I decided to read “The Crash”. As I began reading through it, I found myself like it less and less. Is this a fault of the author or myself? Let’s explore.

The premise of “The Crash” starts when a car with three people destroys the living room of a small family in England, leaving some characters injured and all characters forever changed by this event. The players in this story are:
• Sophie, a simple, ‘average’ teen.
• Tye, Sophie’s best friend, on the verge of coming out as gay.
• Jordan, Tye’s hidden boyfriend.
• Deano, an abusive delinquent.
• Gemma, a naïve girlfriend of Deano
• Harry, protective brother of Gemma.
• Issy, a young neighbor who is abused along with her mother by her evil stepfather.

When Sophie’s living room is crashed into by Deano, Gemma, and Harry, this event sets off a domino effect. Tye becomes so injured he’s in a coma. Harry breaks his ankle and becomes close with Sophie. Issy involves herself, pointlessly. Deano is on the run.

We experience the story through multiple third-person perspectives. Issy and Gemma’s storylines mirror each other. Gemma’s perspective is told two years prior, when she and Deano met. Under his influence, she was involved in a few serious crimes. Under Issy’s stepfather’s abuse, Issy’s young life is affected deeply. We experience the story mainly through Sophie’s eyes as she puts the pieces together of those around her and completes the story to figure out what really happened.

The results of this book are disappointing. This was a very easy to read book without many complex characters or confusing plot lines. This book felt reminiscent of “Big Little Lies”, “The Slap”, “Dirty Little Secrets”, “Never Have I Ever”, and a few other neighborhood-based, dramatic thrillers. I felt the story revealed important details about each character, but I never felt the reveals propelled the plot in any way. There wasn’t a conflict to me, rather than just a mystery that (I guess) needed to be unfolded.

In conclusion, there’s no clear resolution for most of the characters and none of them do seem truly happy. I enjoyed the writing style and dialogue of this story, which lead me to believe I would enjoy more from this author. Hopefully, the characters would be more fleshed out, they would develop, and the plot would be more interesting next time. I do recommend this book to those who enjoyed the books I mentioned earlier. The small-town vibe, the close neighbors, and the character study of a story definitely are reminiscent of those books. I hope to read more by Lisa Drakeford in the future.

"Final Girls"

"Final Girls"

Written by Riley Sager

Review written by Diana Iozzia

"Final Girls" is a unique thriller, telling the perspective of a ‘final girl’, the teen / young adult who survives the end of a massacre. In cheesier horror movies like “Scream”, “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, “Halloween”, the female survivor who defeats the mass murdering male villain is praised for enduring and making it to the end of the film. Often, films like this are parts of franchises, in which the ‘final girl’ continues to survive, throughout at least two or three films. Riley Sager offers us our main character, Quincy, who has survived a group murder at a cabin in the woods.

The story takes place in two separate time periods. As each chapter alternates, the first perspective shows Quincy and her friends at the cabin, as we bite our nails waiting for the killing to start. The second perspective is about ten years later. Quincy was the sole survivor, so she is a neurotic and morally ambiguous woman. She works as a dessert blogger, which was pretty interesting. I enjoy when characters in psychological thrillers have hobbies, so we can relax and read a little about that, instead of chasing back and forth through action sequences.

However, Quincy’s life in the present isn’t just peachy. In the media coverage after the Pine Cottage murders that she survived, the newscasters named her a ‘Final Girl’, also covered with two other girls who have lived through similar events. In the present, Quincy is met by one of the girls, Samantha Boyd, who now goes by Sam. In addition, it has also been released that the other girl of the three has committed suicide, but the police are possibly investigating it further.

Under the influence of Sam, Quincy morphs into a “Mr. Hyde”-like personality. She is reckless and dangerous, injuring herself and others. She makes crazy decisions and becomes unhinged. Sam is clearly unhinged as well, leading us to question her morals and why she decided to seek out Quincy. As the plot progresses, we start to doubt everyone and everything, finding it difficult to trust any word or thought of each character. We also wonder, is Quincy still in danger?

Another aspect of the book that I really enjoyed is the links between each chapter. They are often small and subtle but great to notice if you can. Each “past” perspective has a parallel in the “present” in a clever way. For example, Quincy’s ‘blood-drenched arms’ during the killings links to “her hands covered in frosting” in the present.

To be honest, I was not the biggest fan of the two twists. One I saw coming from the first meeting of one character. The second twist was niggling in the back of my mind, but I hoped that I was not right. However, I still think that I truly loved this book, and the read is certainly worth it. Although I was not hoping for the second twist, I think it was done especially well. It makes complete sense, offering no plot holes, and was really jaw-dropping. I said to myself, “I can’t believe that just happened”. The climax is also incredible, giving a new meaning to ‘final girl’.

In conclusion, READ THIS BOOK. This was my first experience reading Riley Sager, and I cannot wait to read his next books. This became a new favorite.

"Never Have I Ever"

“Never Have I Ever”
Written by Joshilyn Jackson
Review written by Diana Iozzia



“Never Have I Ever” was a domestic thriller with an interesting concept: a woman is blackmailed by a con artist, who knows far too much about a horrific secret. It’s not a surprisingly new concept, but I still enjoyed the book. This story is usually told with male characters, so it was refreshing to have both characters, flawed and realistic, to be women.

There is a book club meeting in a cozy little town. Our main character, narrator Amy, instantly dislikes a new member to the book club, a drifter who is renting a house on the street. Roux is confident, sexy, and irritating. She commands the center of attention, shaking up the lives of these neighborhood women. This was a very soapy, "Desperate Housewives" type of book, also similar to Liane Moriarty's works.

We soon are wrapped up in their game of cat and mouse, and boy, it’s a ride. I think this book was enjoyable, in the fun, summer vacation sort of way. Once you look too much into it, it’s not the best thriller I’ve ever read. I enjoyed the characters, the cunning dialogue, the laugh-out-loud arguments, and especially the intense show-downs. However, this ended in a very predictable way, which was not satisfying enough. There is also a really uncomfortable set of events including sexual abuse of children, which made the book extra disappointing to me.

I felt that this was a very base level thriller, with all of the typical tropes and aspects. Unfortunately, nothing really wowed me. I felt the predictable nature to be a bit flat, the book stalling for me in some parts. I never felt that I just couldn’t put the book down or I was eagerly waiting to pick it back up again. The strange amount of intricate detail made the book feel endless, rather unique for the insight.

Lastly, the red herrings. There are too many to boot. I was able to predict the final big twist, but some of them were just unnecessary. I felt that there was too much detail to not question many of the characters’ secrets and motivations, so not much was left to the imagination. We do not feel clever for figuring out the truth. It just happens.

One last thing that I did like was the inclusion of the scuba scene. No more detail I will include, due to spoilers, but it was an intriguing scene that deserves some recognition.
In conclusion, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I felt that it had all of the typical makings for a domestic thriller, but it did not excite me any more than that. I would love to read more by Joshilyn Jackson and definitely give her other books a chance.

I received a complimentary advanced reader’s edition from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you to William Morrow.

"The Missing Years"

“The Missing Years”

Written by Lexie Elliot

Review written by Diana Iozzia

“The Missing Years” is Lexie Elliot’s second thriller, following her fantastic debut, “The French Girl”. Her second book follows suspicious but clever Ailsa, who has inherited half a house, the other half owned by her father. Her father disappeared 27 years ago. When Ailsa and her sister Carrie move into ‘The Manse’, the two become very uncomfortable, feeling a foreboding presence coming from the house.

Ailsa sees neighbor Jamie in her house in the middle of the night and becomes frightened. He gives a strange excuse that he didn’t realize the house was occupied; he was looking for his sister, who often sneaks into the house. Ailsa and Carrie become friends with Jamie, his sister, and a group of other people who all know about Ailsa’s father.

We have two mysteries: what ever happened to their father? Also, what is this mystery behind the creepy house and the odd neighbors? This book brought me back to many different types of books, films, and tv shows I’ve enjoyed over the years. Specifically, I felt reminiscent of “The Amityville Horror”, the “Welcome to Dead House” episode from Goosebumps (ha, ha), “Big Little Lies”, “The Haunting of Hill House”, “Hinterland”, and “I Am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House”. I also enjoyed that “woman comes back to eerie hometown” vibe that is present in two of my favorite thrillers, “The Roanoke Girls” and “Sharp Objects”.

For the most part, I was a bit disappointed with this book. Not devastated, but I felt that this completely paled in comparison to Elliot’s first book. Elliot’s main brilliant writing elements still rang true, but I felt that the plot and premise were just not intriguing enough. I enjoy her character building, the ensemble cast of characters, realistic dialogue, thorough and visual detail, and brilliant climaxes. Elliot writes a spot-on climax, chilling readers deep to the bone. Readers can barely keep their eyes open and stop themselves from shuddering, waiting to see the villain’s next move. As mentioned earlier, Elliot’s characters are always excellently written. Some characters are more interesting and more necessary to the story than others, but they all weave their way in. Her plots are thoroughly developed, but I feel that the characters really complete the book.

I loved “The Missing Years” and “The French Girl” for weaving past and present story elements together, without using flashbacks. We are told about the past, but not through detailed scenes. I like that the books feel more like diaries than full of intense scenes one after another. I feel that some may feel this is a slow pace, but I disagree.

There are two aspects that I really disliked, but I think I can still push past them. Before every chapter, there is a few paragraphs giving a scenario in which the father could be alive. Some of them include him living in strange marriages or odd countries, but it felt really out of place. I mean, every chapter. The scenarios become darker as the book proceeds, but I felt that they could have been taking out, without diminishing the book in any way. In addition, the second point of dissatisfaction was the Scottish dialect. I understand the want for an American audience to feel more engaged in the story, to make it seem more realistic. In my personal perspective, my fiancé is from England, near Scotland, so when I often visit him, I am already familiar with the accent, so I can read it in my head. Because I visit England often and plan to move there, I love the English / Scottish tidbits. They feel special for me. There are some English things referenced, but I still felt the book was heavily Americanized, sans the dialect. For example, sentences read “I dinnae ken if I want to go,” instead of “I don’t know...” I felt that this jumped me out of the book, leaving me less engaged, because it annoyed me. I’m sure this was done with the author’s intent, but I felt it too distracting, ruining some of my enjoyment.

I find this book hard to rate, because I liked half of the aspects of it. I just did not love it. I cannot wait to read more by Lexie Elliot, but for now, I’ll just re-read “The French Girl”. I recommend this book for the characters and the prose, but just not the plot. I really did enjoy the climax, so if that makes or breaks a book for you, I hope you’ll like it too.

I received this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for reading and reviewing it. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the opportunity.

"The Hate U Give"

“The Hate U Give”

Written by Angie Thomas

Review written by Diana Iozzia

 

“The Hate U Give” is an intense, character and action-driven young adult novel, encompassing many themes such as racism, ageism, sexism, and especially police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. Our main character, Starr Carter, speaks in first person present tense, bringing an “in the moment” intensity to the story line, as if we are in the room where it happens. She is a teenage girl who chooses to go to the wrong party on the wrong night. While speaking with a childhood friend, Khalil in his car after the party, a policeman pulls them over. There is a strange friction in the air as Officer 115, or Brian, asks for the license, registration, and uncomfortably talks to Khalil. Officer 115, as Starr calls him, kills Khalil by shooting him thrice, without any clear threat or instigation. This is clearly an act of racism and police brutality, which causes a firestorm of events in the small community of Garden Heights.

I think this book was interesting to me, as a white girl from the suburbs. I learned a lot about a different culture then mine in an interesting and understandable way. It was interesting to see how the characters acted differently in front of certain groups of people. For example, Starr refers to herself as Williamson Starr when she is at the wealthy boarding school with her white friends. To continue, it was hard to read the mixed messages, the blurred lines, and the grey area that follows during riots and violence for the Black Lives Matter movement. I think this book opens a great dialogue for those who read to see how they would act and where their morals lie.

Additionally, this was a very well-written book. For the subject material, I had wished the book focused a bit more on this rather than Starr’s high school ‘drama’. I understand that this book is aimed at a teen audience. As it’s well written for a teen audience, I would have preferred it to be equally as enjoyable for older generations. This felt very modern and that it will be dated in ten years with the Beyonce and Taylor Swift references. I guess for the teen drama and romance, I enjoyed the more serious topics that are the foundation for the fights and the disagreements. First and foremost, my favorite part of this story is the family relationships.

Lastly, I think this book would have been more interesting if it focused on more than Starr, family, friends, and riots. Although my favorite character is Starr’s uncle Carlos, I felt the book centered too much on Starr’s family. One of the main background aspects is the gangland environment of the community. Seven, Starr’s brother, is scouted to join the gang, and Khalil was also involved in the gang. It would have been interesting to have more of an influence by the antagonist, King, the crime lord in the community. He felt like an afterthought, rather than one of the main forms of conflict in the book. His followers appear every now and then to threaten. We hear how terrible a father he is to Seven, Kenya, and Lyric. I plan to see the movie, and I am curious to see how the film portrays the balance of all these aspects.

I fully recommend this book. I felt that if you’d like to know more about the Black Lives Matter movement, this isn’t the best book for it. Perhaps a nonfictional account would be more informative. However, this book makes learning about the movement accessible and age appropriate for young teens, without shying away from uncomfortable actions and decisions.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free as a giveaway prize to promote the film’s release. I did not receive this book in exchange for writing the review.

"The New Neighbors"

“The New Neighbors”

Written by Simon Lelic

Review written by Diana Iozzia

I received a free advanced reader’s edition for reviewing purposes. Thank you to Berkley Publicity.

“The New Neighbors” was a novel that was completely different from what I expected it to be. It’s branded as an exhilarating thriller that hinges upon a body found on a back porch, of our two unreliable narrators Jack and Sydney. As we begin their perspectives, we notice a little arguing back and forth, as if they know what the other is saying in this perspective. This does not particularly break the fourth wall, but it leads to a bit of intriguing narration.

“The New Neighbors” is not a thriller to me, in the typical sense of the genre. This is first and foremost a love story, or well, falling out of love story. Jack and Sydney are complicated people in complicated situations. They are busy with their own lives, while they are falling apart. As they move into a weird new house, we learn more about Sydney’s abusive childhood and Jack’s difficult job dilemma. I really enjoyed this story for the parts that weren’t involved in the murder on the back porch. We only really find out the ‘thriller’ aspect during the last 75 percent of the book. Naturally, we read through their unreliable narration, but it’s different to me than regular unreliable narration. Often, we read denial, lies, and it’s clearly overt who is unreliable. Until we reach the climax and resolution, I personally did not distrust either Jack or Sydney.

I think this was a very complex thriller with much more aspects and fragility than I expected. I think this is a hard book to brand, because yes, there is abuse, rape mentions, drug addiction, and murder, but the most interesting aspect is the relationship failure. I beg you to read this; this is absolutely a new favorite.

"Little Darlings"

“Little Darlings”

Written by Melanie Golding

Review written by Diana Iozzia / Bookworm Banter

I received a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for reviewing purposes.

“Little Darlings” is a fun psychological thriller that blends in dark fairy tales, like that of the Grimm Brothers. We meet Lauren, who believes that her twin boys were almost kidnapped at the hospital on the day of their birth. Her paranoia increases until one day, she shuts her eyes at the park, and the boys are taken.

We are enraptured in a horrific way as we see the eerie fairy tale elements. The dark shadows, the witch-like woman, the singing twins, and more build to a creepy atmosphere, that makes this book reminiscent of “The Babadook” and “The Changeling”. This is an absolutely fun and entertaining psychological thriller. As fun as it is, it’s still written very well with great suspense and well-written characters.

Everyone is suspicious, of someone else or in their own way. We are not sure who to trust. Are the creepy apparitions real or are they imagined by Lauren? Is she crazy? Or is she seeing something that no one else does? Our other main protagonist is police officer Jo who is unraveling the mystery and finding out the truth, as Lauren struggles to keep her head above water and her wits about her.

No big twist ending, but this is a really fun ride! I highly recommend this for those readers who are looking for a little bit of fantasy and supernatural, mixed in with their psychological thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I imagine others will too!

"The Girls at 17 Swann Street"

“The Girls at 17 Swann Street”

Written by Yara Zgheib

Review written by Diana Iozzia / Bookworm Banter

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for reading and reviewing it.

Reading books about mental health, especially ones written by people who have experienced the mental health illnesses, can be difficult to do. This book is about a woman in her twenties, Anna, an ex-ballerina whose health has declined so drastically, she must stay in an in-patient home for women with eating disorders. Anna has anorexia, and she has been battling it for years now. Loved by her husband, Matthias, and her family, she feels the motivation to get better.

This book is difficult to read in different ways, but this book is important. We read through Yara’s voice, explaining her own experiences, but through the medium of Anna’s story. Anorexia is very personal, and we see Yara’s own heart and sadness in the story. This book does not glamorize eating disorders, unlike many forms of media about mental health. We see the happy lives of Anna and Matthias turn cold and lonely as Anna descends into her anorexia. We see heartbreaking patients that Anna befriends. We see death in the home.

This book is told in a very poetic style, with descriptions but not set prose. Everything seems more in Anna’s head than told out loud. When we do see Anna’s past, we are told through third person omniscient, which gives us the information that Anna does not tell us.

Now, with a mental health book about characters in a mental help facility, we know that they will either fail or improve, so we are not surprised with the path that Anna goes through. We have hope for her, but we also are frustrated with some of her decisions. I enjoyed this book, but I did not enjoy this book at the same time. I think that as someone who has never struggled with mental health issues, that I do not feel as sympathetic or understanding, because I do not know how this character feels. I do want her to get better, to be happy again. I recommend this book for those who enjoy reading mental health fiction but not to those who would like to learn more about anorexia. This is more about Anna’s relationship, her family, and her rather than her eating disorder.

"The Silent Patient"

"The Silent Patient"

Written by Alex Michaelides

Review written by Diana Iozzia

Like other people, I have enjoyed reading many psychological thrillers and mysteries. To the point where when I have a plot twist ending revealed to me, I find myself either satisfied that it was a good twist that made the book completely new to me, or extremely dissatisfied that the ending ruined the book for me. In the odd case of “The Silent Patient”, I disliked the book until the ending, enjoyed the ending and how it connected the two narratives told to us, but still disliked the book. The ending was satisfying, because it explained everything, or so I thought. In the recent days after reading this book, I hesitated in writing my review, because I felt too many contrasting thoughts. Did I like this aspect? Wait, no I didn’t. Did I like this character? Well, not when I realized the truth.

This book is extremely difficult to discuss without explaining the plot twist. I think this is why the hype is so dramatic. How can you discuss a twist ending that completely changes the book from the first line to the last? This idea is fantastic! It could be a completely new way to write a book. Only then we remember many thrillers that are exactly like this. I compare this book to “Murder on the Orient Express” or “The Sixth Sense”. Once we understand the truth, we dive back into every character’s sentence or motivation. We dive back into the two perspectives and look for inconsistencies, complications, and plot holes. Boy, I am not so sure I enjoyed the second read through. Granted, I did not read every line, but in remembering how the book progressed, I found myself aggravated. When creating a twist ending, I believe that you should create an ending that disrupts the story and turns it on its head. Then, you should have created a story that cohesively glues both the explained narrative to the twist, allowing no questions or holes. Everything should match back together like a puzzle piece. Perhaps this is wishful thinking, as I have enjoyed reading thrillers and mysteries for most of my life. Perhaps it can be difficult to create a unique twist ending nowadays. However, I have read many, many fantastic psychological thrillers that are more enjoyable and more consistent than this.  

We question the motives of both main characters, Dr. Theo Faber’s and Alicia Berenson’s, as we look back into his narrative and then Alice’s diaries. We question how on Earth did this character think like this, once we know the truth? Why did this character think this way? There are so many aspects of this book that do not connect properly once you read the story. We do not comprehend why characters chose certain actions, even though we know understand the truth.

To continue, the main character is first and foremost the narrator, Theo. We have his storyline: him grappling with his wife cheating in addition to his budding career helping Alice as her psychologist. When we read through his perspective, he is unlikeable, irritating, and obsessive: to a point that I found myself not enjoying his character’s perspective. Alice’s diaries slowly progressing, explaining her husband’s behavior and her increasing dislike for him makes us wonder why she has decided to kill him. We also have side characters that we question their motives and decisions as well, but I do not think they received the attention they needed in the story. They did not feel fleshed out or realistic.

In conclusion, I personally do not recommend this novel. I enjoyed Alex Michaelides's writing, but his talent was not a match for the story. I would still happily read his next book, but "The Silent Patient" just did not do it for me. Perhaps this could be a good psychological thriller if you enjoy going back into every single sentence and picking apart each meaning, but I do not. I enjoyed the ending, because I did not see it coming, but it still does not make this an enjoyable read for me. I am glad I stuck it through, but this is just not the book for me. Perhaps I'll read it again in five years.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for reviewing purposes.

"Looker"

"Looker"
Written by Laura Sims
Review Written by Diana Iozzia



"Looker" is a highly enjoyable, unsettling psychological thriller compacted into only 180 pages. We are introduced to our unreliable narrator, who has become utterly obsessed with her neighbor, 'the actress'. We see an incredibly fast plot, with disturbing and uncomfortable scenes as interest turns into pure obsession.

This book would be enjoyable for people who enjoy unreliable narrators. For example, Ruth Ware's books, Paula Hawkins's books, Gillian Flynn's books, and the recent hit, "You" by Caroline Kepnes.

Half the book is just in our narrator's mind as well, which leaves us wondering what actually was real, and what our narrator imagined, fueled by insanity. We do not often read psychological thrillers, in the case that the character completely spirals down mentally and physically, so this is a rare treat. I highly recommend this fun and impulsive read. I did not want to stop reading until I reached the fever pitch.

Personally, the only thing I disliked about this book was the pacing. Because it was so compact, I still had a thousand questions, but I guess the point is to leave the reader wanting more? I most certainly do.

I received this advanced reader's copy for reviewing purposes. Thank you to Scribner and Simon and Schuster.

"No Exit"

“No Exit”

Written by Taylor Adams

Review written by Diana Iozzia

“No Exit” was a surprising thriller for me. I have not read a thriller in a while in which I felt my heart pounding and my eyes wanting to shut to hide from the horror. Let’s begin.

Darby Thorne is a young woman driving home to see her mother who is very ill in the hospital. A major, dangerous snowstorm forces her to pull over, into a quiet rest stop, in which four other people are holed up: Susie, Ed, Lars, and Ashley. She feels apprehensive to all the people in the rest stop, but she tries to ignore her niggling suspicion. Outside in the parking lot, she notices that one of the trucks has a little girl kidnapped in the back. Darby kicks into super hero, action speed and decides she will fight to save this little girl, Jay.

Once Darby discovers who the kidnappers are out of those in the rest stop, she begins to fight for her life and Jay’s. In many fantastic and cinematic action sequences, we see Darby protect herself and the others, while kicking some butt. She’s tough physically, but she is also very clever. Now, she is a new role model for young adult women. Be like Darby.

I have to say, there are some gruesome, grotesque parts. Although this is an action-packed thriller, do not be surprised by the horrific parts. This book reminded me a bit of Stephen King’s writing style, the loud and vivid and gross imagery. Do we need to know what everyone’s breath smelled like? No. Do we find out? Yes. I read this all in one night. It was pretty dang good. I could imagine this as a fun suspense film, certainly helped by the great dialogue and vivid descriptions. I have to say, I would have hoped for more of a psychological thriller type mystery, but this action payoff was a breath of fresh air.

We are absolutely rooting for Darby and Jay at all costs. I have to say, I’d love to see more of Miss Darby Thorne. Cool gal.

I received this book as a complimentary advanced review copy for honest reviewing purposes. Thank you to William Morrow and Harper Collins.