Review: Pandora by Susan Stoke-Chapman

Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I opted to listen to the final production version of the audiobook. This book was published in January 2023, so I'm a bit late with my review. As always all opinions expressed are my own.

This was a bit different that I expected. Many of the retellings I've been reading have been set in ancient times and told from the female perspective. Pandora is told from Dora Blake's perspective but it is set in London just as Napoleon is threatening to invade. I really like what the author did with the Pandora myth here by not setting it in ancient Greece, but using the original myth to inspire a completely new story with new characters in a different time period. The original myth is referred to often in the story so you can easily make

Dora as she is known, has grown up surrounded by antiquities, as her parents ran a shop filled with them and after their death's her uncle took over the shop and her care. When an ancient yet pristine vase show up at the shop, Dora can't help but be curious at the vase's origins and her uncle's strange behavior. She is also hoping that the vase might inspire her to sketch some new and interesting jewelry designs in the hopes of supporting herself and moving out from under her uncle's care. With the help of aspiring antiquarian Edward, Dora begins to uncover more information about the vase and with it information about her past that she was not expecting to find.

This was a fun retelling of the Pandora myth. I like the creativity that was used and the social commentary woven throughout. There was a good discussion regarding those with station (aka money) and those without. There was also good commentary regarding women like Dora and Lottie and their reliance on men to keep them fed and housed as there weren't many options for women's employment at the time. While I am of the mindset that artifacts should be returned to the countries of their origin, the book is accurate that black market trade and shops like the Blake's did exist for the sale of antiquities to be used as decoration for anyone with the means to purchase them. I also liked that Pandora struggled between the so called cursed vase causing all of the bad things happening around them and their being a completely logic explanation for every event.

I think this book would be perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Anatomy: A Love Story. There is a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, some historical fiction, a hint of magic, and it is perfect for readers of all ages.

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Review: Missing Clarissa

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. This book will be publised on March 7, 2023.

I was initially called to this book because I loved Sadie. This unfortunately did not live up to the expectations of being anything like Sadie other than there was a podcast. There was no suspense, the plot was predictable, and the characters were very immature even for teenagers. I had a lot of problems with this book, but it seems I'm in the minority.

This follows two best friends, Cameron aka Cam and Blair as they work on a project for their high school journalism class. Cam is genius level smart and decides they are going to do a podcast focusing on their small town unsolved case of Clarissa Campbell. Clarissa disappeared 20 years ago during a party without a trace, and Cam has decided that she and Blair can blow the case wide open with their investigative prowess and rudimentary podcasting skills. Despite their teacher reminding them to do their research and take care with the investigation they push ahead without abandon. This makes them both look impulsive, irresponsible, and unintelligent. Young women don't need that type of representation in literature. Cam being really smart and Blair being a good athlete and people person was a great combination for them to be a wonderful investigative team. Blair's constant self-depreciation. lack of confidence, and need for validation from her boyfriend that she's pretty because she is all made up got on my nerves. Both characters lacked development and I feel that was a missed opportunity. Maybe this was the author's attempt at satire, metaphor, or allegory. I feel like the author was trying to make a political or social justice statement but I'm not sure what it was. The social commentary aspect needed a bit more well commentary. The author mentions white people alot in this book, but again I'm not sure what message the author was trying to convey by mentioning skin color for every character. I think it was a clumsy attempt at representation and diversity. I love good world building and that includes developing your descriptions of your characters into more than tan and white. There are other political mentions but none of them were well developed. If you are going to make a statement and have an agenda, I feel like I should know what you are trying to tell me. Again I think the author was trying to call out inequality and marginalization but I don't feel it was well developed into the main storyline.

The author does a decent job trying to throw you off the trail of who the actual culprit is while the girls are investigating if you can get past their over the top teenage impulsive behavior. There are enough red herrings to keep you interested, but I did figure out who did it very early on. I thought the plot was pretty predictable.

I'm hoping that the abrupt transition from novel to inserts of podcast script will be fixed in the final edits. In other mixed media you clearly know when you've transitioned from novel to podcast, email, text message, etc. Here there are some excerpts of the podcast between Cam and Blair and those are obvious by the formatting. Later in the book we switch to a different format mostly at the end of each chapter more in a script or blog format that isn't always obvious that is part of their podcast. A quick format in the final version will hopefully fix that, but you never know how that is going to go. I actually thought the podcast script pieces were well written and really enjoyed those sections alot. I needed more of what we got in Blair's final post.

I feel like I was really harsh in this review. I was really hoping to love this book. I think alot of people are going to enjoy this, but this particular style is not my cup of tea. I think this is perfect for readers new to the mystery/thriller genre and those who want something without gore and violence. This is also going to be perfect for the young adult reader. I'd let my middle schooler read this.
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Review: Only You by Samantha Young

Only You by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is the final installment of the Adair Family series, but it is not the final book set in the world of Ardnoch.  There are going to be more books in the world coming later this year.  While this is the 5th book in the series, I do feel you can read it as a standalone.  If you want to get to know the rest of the Adair family, I highly recommend reading the rest of the books in the series.  Each of the books follows a different member of the Adair family, this one is the much awaited story of Brodan and his former best friend Monroe.  We've met them both in previous books and the tension between them was very high, and now we know why.

I love a good second chance romance and this delivers.  As with all of the Adair books this does have a slight bit of suspense to it but the main story arc focuses on the breakdown and rebuilding of Brodan and Monroe's relationship.  They have been best friends since they were around 5 years old, but a big misunderstanding and miscommunication in college drove them apart.  They both felt betrayed and abandoned when they needed each other the most and didn't speak again for 18 years when they both moved home to Ardnoch.  Brodan has spent the last 18 years following in his older brother's footsteps and has become a very successful actor, but he has worked himself into a state of exhaustion and is home for an extended vacation.  Monroe is a school teacher, and she has come home to take care of her mother who has recently broken her hip.  Living in a small town they can't help but run into each other, especially when Monroe teaches Brodan's nephew and his siblings are determined to rekindle their own friendships with her.

I really loved getting to know Brodan and Monroe.  There was so much backstory to these characters.   She has not had an easy go of it, but she is determined to make the most of what she's go on her own terms.  Monroe has quite a bit of trauma in her past and has a hard time trusting people after what she has been through.  Despite the horrible things she has been through she is a wonderful teacher and person, she puts those she cares about first and I really enjoyed getting to know her.  Brodan is hurting, he feels betrayed but he doesn't have the full story he doesn't want it either.  In the beginning I really didn't like him, he doesn't treat Monroe very well and I didn't want her to forgive him at all.   He grew on me after a while and while I think she forgave him far more quickly than I would have, and watching their relationship bloom was a pleasure.  I appreciate that Young brought in real life vulnerabilities that couples face and that Brodan and Monroe actually called each other out when they were being unreasonable about it.  They had a conversation and worked through their insecurities so they could work on their relationship instead of calling it quits at the first sign of trouble.  

I loved the second epilogue showcasing each of the couples and "where they are now".  I really appreciate when authors do this in a long running series featuring multiple couples.  It is a nice feature to bring closure to the series.  I loved this series and this installment wrapped things up perfectly.    

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Review: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I ended up borrowing the audiobook from the library .  This book was published January 31, 2023.

The book is told from the perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley.  The use of two different narrators works really well here as you can tell who is telling the story at the time based on the voice you are hearing.  This audio does have sound effects like cell phones ringing and door bells as part of the audio experience. 

I don't know why I thought this was a horror novel, it is a mystery with an emphasis on social commentary.  This takes place in the wake of Nova Albright's murder.  Nova was killed on the night of her coronation as homecoming queen.  She was the first queen of color at her high school, and her best friend Duchess is determined to find out what happened.  Tinsley is is the epitome of white privilege, she uses her wealth, beauty, and status to bully and manipulate those around her.  She comes from a long line of previous homecoming queens, and this was supposed to be her year.  She is not happy to have competition, and she is not happy when Nova is announced as this year's selection.  When a video surfaces of Tinsley threatening Nova and saying hateful things, Tinsley quickly becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation.  She finds that after the horrible way she has treated people, her fall from grace is quick and hard and everyone is pointing fingers her way.

I enjoyed this!  As a lover of the mystery and thriller genre, this was well crafted and kept me engaged.  I will say that I had the "twist" figured out kind of early on, however the storyline had enough red herrings to keep you reading just in case you were wrong.  The story is told from the perspective of Duchess and Tinsley as they take up the mantle of the investigation.  Like typical teenagers they think they think they know everything and can solve the murder before the police.  I thought Emill captured the teenagers well.  I did feel that some of their actions were a bit silly as they overstepped the actual police investigation, but I think the author was trying to make a point about how ridiculous racial bias is when it comes to real life investigations and racial profiling by law makers.  There are quite a few stereotypes represented, and I felt the author used them to make a point about issues with diversity, systemic racisms, and the other social justice issues represented in the book.

This covers alot of uncomfortable subject matter so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in.  This is a YA mystery/thriller, and I think it would be appropriate for a mature young reader who is able to understand the complex and uncomfortable topics presented.  As Duchess and Tinsley try to solve the case, Tinsley has to take a good look at herself and her privilege and she doesn't like what she sees.  As she received treatment that is the norm for Duchess and her friends, Tinsley tries to justify her actions and doesn't appreciate being treated as anything other than a princess.  I do feel as if Tinsley and her story took up too much space in this book, and I actually wanted more of Duchess' perspective and I wanted to get to know Nova.  I didn't want Tinsley to be redeemed for her years of being a terrible person.  I do think there were great conversations about how to become a better person and become an ally, but those things don't happen overnight or without work.  

If you are looking for a good YA thriller that also touches on social issues, give this a read.  

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Review: Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah

Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both the print and audio arc via Netgalley, as always all opinions are my own.  Thank you to OrangeSky Audio and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me the opportunity to read this early.  I spent most of my time listening to the audiobook, though I feel either choice would work well for this story.  

Check the trigger warnings before reading this one, as there are some heavy topics in this book.  There is a trigger warning page in the book, the following are mentioned as well as some I've added:  underage drinking, physical violence, death (some gore), sexual assault, and teen sex.

I felt that the multiple narrators in the audio worked really well here.  Rachanee Lumayo, Sarah Beth Pfeifer, Emily Ellet, Lindsey Dorcus did a great job with the narration.  I really appreciate when there are multiple POVs that there is more of a full cast narration so I can tell each of the characters apart.  I thought they all did a good job bringing the girls to life in this YA horror novel.

This follows 4 teen girls trying to survive after the disappearance of their mothers.  They live in the creepy town of Bishop that is surrounded by sunflowers and has constant windstorms, oh and women seem to disappear or drop dead without much concern.  Each of the girls is coping with the loss of her mother in a different way, but they each have secrets surrounding the night their mothers went missing.  When the town decides to honor the missing women with statues, the girls are prompted to look more closely into the history of the town the trail of missing women that the town has left in its wake.  I don't want to say too much about the plot and spoil it.

I really enjoyed this.  This is like if Children of the Corn met The Handmaid's Tale and mixed together into one horror novel.  I would say it is meant for a more mature YA audience given some of the content and themes.  I've read several books this last week about female empowerment and this is the one that sticks out to me the most.  Hannah did a good job making the town of Bishop have the creepy and atmospheric vibe that you need to drive a horror novel.  I'm not sure I can look at sunflowers the same way ever again.  Each of the girls is on her own journey of self discovery to break free from the terrible things that happen in the town and break the cycle going forward.  

If you are looking for an interesting YA horror book to pick up this spring I recommend this one!

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Review: The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss+, all opinions are my own.  This book will be published February 21, 2023.

This had a really interesting premise, and I don't want to spoil anything for you since this is a thriller/mystery.  This follows Alex an aspiring writer who has been deep in the throws of depression after a fight with her now former best friend.  She has had writer's block since the incident, but luck shines on her and she gets invited to an exclusive retreat at the mysterious estate of her favorite author.  The catch is the ex-best friend will also be there with three other talented writers.  Alex loves the attention she is getting from her idol Roza as the retreat progresses, and her book is coming along nicely until Roza literally starts playing games with the women at the retreat.  Roza's tactics are a bit insane, and the women start to question their well being after one of the women goes missing.

Overall this was just OK for me.  I actually really enjoyed the snippets of Alex's book that she was writing for the retreat.  I didn't connect with Alex as the main character, she gave the impression of an unreliable narrator.  That isn't one of my favorite character traits, so I found it hard to invest in her.  Honestly I didn't connect with any of the characters.  There are alot of plot elements to keep track of and I would have preferred if the author had picked a few to really focus on and develop really well instead of throwing them all in here.  I never really got that suspenseful feeling, perhaps because it all seemed a bit farfetched.

I think this is going to appeal to alot of readers.

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Review: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Weyward by Emilia Hart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me an early listen.  This book will be published March 7, 2023.

This is told from the perspectives of 3 women in the Weyward family and each POV has it's own narrator.  I thought the narration was well done, Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, Nell Barlow really brought Emilia Hart's story to life and I appreciated that Altha, Violet and Kate had their own physical voice so you knew which time period and which character was the focus of the story.  As the story progresses we learn how the three women are connected, but I liked that each chapter focused on one of them specifically and the narration followed suit.

I would look up trigger warnings before delving into this book.  While this focuses on women finding their own power, there is mention of physical and verbal abuse as well as SA, there is also miscarriage and abortion.  None of of it is particularly graphic and most of it happens off page, but there is enough there to make the reader uncomfortable.

Altha is being tried for witchcraft, Violet's affinity for insects makes her strange and undesirable, and Kate is fleeing from an abusive marriage.  These women all come from a long line of Weyward women who have an affinity for nature and have power within them if they are willing to tap into it.  Kate has been left her Aunt Violet's estate, and seeks refuge there as she figures out to do after leaving her husband.  Violet was a bit stranger, preferring to spend her time with insects and wildlife instead of people, but as Kate spends more time in her cottage she discovers that there was more to her aunt and her family than she knew.  As the book unfolds we get to know Violet and Altha and the hardships they faced as women and how they found the courage to overcome them.

I thought Hart did a great job of showing the historical accuracy of how women were treated and how we as humans treat things we don't understand throughout history.  Men are able to do evil things to women, yet women are still shamed as it was in Violet's case.  This still happens today.   Kate's situation was portrayed very accurately, and unfortunately many women are victim to those types of relationships.  I definitely got the feeling that this was trying to portray that women are good and men are evil.  I do also feel that Hart was trying to send us a message about body autonomy as well, which is still a pretty hot topic today.

Overall, this is an interesting yet dark historical fiction with a hint of magical realism.  I thought the switching back and forth between the POVs and timelines was interesting to connect the three women, however their character development suffered a bit because of it and there was a bit of repetition throughout.  

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