BOOK ReviewsAn avid readers since age three, my love of reading jumpstarted my writing career. However, during my author hiatus, I stopped reading! In January 2021 as soon as I began reading again, the writing bug kicked back in full swing. Since I believe in the “sharing is caring” principle, each month I'll share two short book reviews of what I read. Hopefully, you can find your next good reads here. Enjoy!
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Miss Pearly's Girls by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Crazy Family Drama!
Although I guessed all the family secrets (and nit-picky hated the passive verbs "was"), it was a story of family drama and trauma as four sisters are forced to come together when their dear mother, Miss Pearly falls ill. Can these women peel back the layers on long-hidden secrets and reconcile for their mother's sake or is their convoluted past to painful to overcome?
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Crazy Family Drama!
Although I guessed all the family secrets (and nit-picky hated the passive verbs "was"), it was a story of family drama and trauma as four sisters are forced to come together when their dear mother, Miss Pearly falls ill. Can these women peel back the layers on long-hidden secrets and reconcile for their mother's sake or is their convoluted past to painful to overcome?
The Hard Way by Lee Child
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Intense Thriller!
My first Jack Reacher read and it doesn't disappoint! Enjoying one cup of coffee in a cafe lands Reacher smack dab in the midst of a twisty abduction. It takes all of his investigative and military skills to unravel the twists and lethal turns as he reluctantly helps a "businessman" with a murky past, rescue/save his abducted wife and child before it's too late.
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Intense Thriller!
My first Jack Reacher read and it doesn't disappoint! Enjoying one cup of coffee in a cafe lands Reacher smack dab in the midst of a twisty abduction. It takes all of his investigative and military skills to unravel the twists and lethal turns as he reluctantly helps a "businessman" with a murky past, rescue/save his abducted wife and child before it's too late.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Sudsy Romance!
Fun, effervescent, multicultural rom-com. The book that started it all. Answers the question, would you go to a wedding with someone you were stuck in an elevator with? High-jinx and love ensues!
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Sudsy Romance!
Fun, effervescent, multicultural rom-com. The book that started it all. Answers the question, would you go to a wedding with someone you were stuck in an elevator with? High-jinx and love ensues!
The Executive Order by David Fisher
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Inflated Thriller
Wanna-be thriller set in a post-Trump world, where a reporter's world falls apart when he investigates coordinated terrorist attacks and traces them back to the new president.
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Inflated Thriller
Wanna-be thriller set in a post-Trump world, where a reporter's world falls apart when he investigates coordinated terrorist attacks and traces them back to the new president.
Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Sexy Thriller!
Loved it, very sexually charged thriller about a woman who inherits her mother's hidden talents and is hunted by a man who's son she killed.
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Sexy Thriller!
Loved it, very sexually charged thriller about a woman who inherits her mother's hidden talents and is hunted by a man who's son she killed.
Copycat by Kimberla Lawson Roby
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cautionary Tale!
Cool, quick cautionary tale of watching who you allow into your circle. Could have gone deeper or ended later, but fun read from one of my favorite authors.
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cautionary Tale!
Cool, quick cautionary tale of watching who you allow into your circle. Could have gone deeper or ended later, but fun read from one of my favorite authors.
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Perfunctory Thriller
Not as good as the President's Daughter, tries a bit too hard to weave the threat plot together as the President tries to stay one step ahead of multiple threats to his presidency and the fate of the USA. Does give a behind the curtains look at the Washington in-fighting and the convoluted and complicated decisions weighing on a president.
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Perfunctory Thriller
Not as good as the President's Daughter, tries a bit too hard to weave the threat plot together as the President tries to stay one step ahead of multiple threats to his presidency and the fate of the USA. Does give a behind the curtains look at the Washington in-fighting and the convoluted and complicated decisions weighing on a president.
The Right Swipe by Rai, Alisha
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cute and Sassy
Saucy Indian/Samoan rom-com pits two dating app competitors together until sparks fly. Hang on when Rhiannon Hunter loses control of her fiercely protected love life when she meets her match with former pro-football player and protective family man, Samson Lima.
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cute and Sassy
Saucy Indian/Samoan rom-com pits two dating app competitors together until sparks fly. Hang on when Rhiannon Hunter loses control of her fiercely protected love life when she meets her match with former pro-football player and protective family man, Samson Lima.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Poignant mystery!
Family secrets swirl around this mystery. Heartbreaking book of a Chinese-American family who never communicates the pain within after the oldest daughter Lydia is found dead in a lake.
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Poignant mystery!
Family secrets swirl around this mystery. Heartbreaking book of a Chinese-American family who never communicates the pain within after the oldest daughter Lydia is found dead in a lake.
Sooley by John Grisham
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Heartbreaking...
It took me awhile, but I eventually got into the story of a Sudanese teen playing basketball to escape the war-torn terrors of his life. Join him on his journey to save what's left of his family. Heartbreaking.
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Heartbreaking...
It took me awhile, but I eventually got into the story of a Sudanese teen playing basketball to escape the war-torn terrors of his life. Join him on his journey to save what's left of his family. Heartbreaking.
Three-fifths by John Vercher
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Cautionary thriller!
Fast-paced thriller about the costs of pretending. Things go horrible wrong when Bobby Saraceno's skin-head best friend, Aaron, gets released from prison right when Bobby and his mother grapple with lies from their past.
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Cautionary thriller!
Fast-paced thriller about the costs of pretending. Things go horrible wrong when Bobby Saraceno's skin-head best friend, Aaron, gets released from prison right when Bobby and his mother grapple with lies from their past.
The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Twisty Turns!
Let the "Mean Girls" meets "I Know What You Did Last Summer" antics fly when Ambrosia Wellington
receives an invitation for her 10-year college reunion and an ominous note that reads, “We need to talk about what we did that night.” Will she have to pay for all the mean things she and her bestie, Sloane “Sully” Sullivan, did all those years ago?
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Twisty Turns!
Let the "Mean Girls" meets "I Know What You Did Last Summer" antics fly when Ambrosia Wellington
receives an invitation for her 10-year college reunion and an ominous note that reads, “We need to talk about what we did that night.” Will she have to pay for all the mean things she and her bestie, Sloane “Sully” Sullivan, did all those years ago?
The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Cautionary thriller!
Excellent American take on the movie "Parasite"...be careful who you invite into your life, they just may remake your world!
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Cautionary thriller!
Excellent American take on the movie "Parasite"...be careful who you invite into your life, they just may remake your world!
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Wanted better!
Hated it! Well not quite, but it didn't live up to the "Get Out" meets "Devil Wears Prada" hype. The ending seemed contrived. I loved the idea, this could have been so much more.
My rating: 3.0 of 5 Stars
Wanted better!
Hated it! Well not quite, but it didn't live up to the "Get Out" meets "Devil Wears Prada" hype. The ending seemed contrived. I loved the idea, this could have been so much more.
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Inspirational, inaugural poem!
Beautiful words for the country to aspire to and live by. Poignant, cautionary, and inspiring as Ms. Gorman asks all of us to be brave enough to climb toward the light.
My rating: 5.0 of 5 Stars
Inspirational, inaugural poem!
Beautiful words for the country to aspire to and live by. Poignant, cautionary, and inspiring as Ms. Gorman asks all of us to be brave enough to climb toward the light.
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cute interracial rom-com!
Not quite as good as The Wedding Date, but neat to see Alexa's sis, Olivia Monroe, find love with junior senator Max Powell. Another fun, breezy read by one of my favorite NY Times bestselling romance authors.
My rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars
Cute interracial rom-com!
Not quite as good as The Wedding Date, but neat to see Alexa's sis, Olivia Monroe, find love with junior senator Max Powell. Another fun, breezy read by one of my favorite NY Times bestselling romance authors.
Later by Stephen King
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
One of the best King books I've read!
Taut, supernatural mystery as a young teenaged boy, Jamie Conklin, must face his sixth sense demons and help a dirty cop find justice.
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
One of the best King books I've read!
Taut, supernatural mystery as a young teenaged boy, Jamie Conklin, must face his sixth sense demons and help a dirty cop find justice.
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Cool story concept!
Interesting format using screenplay stereotypes. The narrator plays against these tropes to discover his Chinese heritage and demand more. However, it’s a bit overdone and we never quite get to know the character enough. I did enjoy learning more about the history and discriminatory laws experienced by many Chinese immigrants and further understanding the effects of the "model minority" stereotypes.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Cool story concept!
Interesting format using screenplay stereotypes. The narrator plays against these tropes to discover his Chinese heritage and demand more. However, it’s a bit overdone and we never quite get to know the character enough. I did enjoy learning more about the history and discriminatory laws experienced by many Chinese immigrants and further understanding the effects of the "model minority" stereotypes.
Mrs. Wiggins by Mary Monroe
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Wonderfully Warped Drama!
What will a church lady with secrets do to protect her family and respected family name? I enjoyed every twisty turn that the fantastic, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe throws at her avid readers.
My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Wonderfully Warped Drama!
What will a church lady with secrets do to protect her family and respected family name? I enjoyed every twisty turn that the fantastic, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe throws at her avid readers.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Hilarious heist?!?
Crazy story of bank robber, hostages, and a bridge. Fun, circular writing style gets annoying after a while, but the Swedish story keeps twisting between characters and perspectives to a solid conclusion.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Hilarious heist?!?
Crazy story of bank robber, hostages, and a bridge. Fun, circular writing style gets annoying after a while, but the Swedish story keeps twisting between characters and perspectives to a solid conclusion.
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Satirical Sales Pitch!
A New York Times Bestseller and Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick. Over the top, hilarious yet ridiculous, satirical sales pitch book that follows Darren (Buck) on his rise and fall in a cult-like business and beyond. For fans of “Sorry to Bother You” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Satirical Sales Pitch!
A New York Times Bestseller and Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick. Over the top, hilarious yet ridiculous, satirical sales pitch book that follows Darren (Buck) on his rise and fall in a cult-like business and beyond. For fans of “Sorry to Bother You” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
True Crime Thriller
This taut thriller follows NYU student, Matt Pine, who's family is murdered in Tulum, while his brother rots in jail for murdering his high school girlfriend. With his family already infamous from a true crime documentary, is everything really as it seems?
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
True Crime Thriller
This taut thriller follows NYU student, Matt Pine, who's family is murdered in Tulum, while his brother rots in jail for murdering his high school girlfriend. With his family already infamous from a true crime documentary, is everything really as it seems?
While Justice Sleeps by Stacy Abrams
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Twisty Thriller/Mystery!
A gripping, twisty, legal thriller that launches aspiring law clerk, Avery Keene into a life-or-death treasure hunt when her Supreme Court Justice slips into a coma. Loved this New York Times Bestseller from the political mind of civil rights activist Stacy Abrams!
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Twisty Thriller/Mystery!
A gripping, twisty, legal thriller that launches aspiring law clerk, Avery Keene into a life-or-death treasure hunt when her Supreme Court Justice slips into a coma. Loved this New York Times Bestseller from the political mind of civil rights activist Stacy Abrams!
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Could not stomach
This New York Times Bestseller and Most Notable Books of 2017, tried my patience. I have read a number of books that deal with abuse, but this one just seemed icky with how the author dealt with this delicate situation. Overly detailed prose and completely unlikeable characters, made reading this book an exercise in torture.
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Could not stomach
This New York Times Bestseller and Most Notable Books of 2017, tried my patience. I have read a number of books that deal with abuse, but this one just seemed icky with how the author dealt with this delicate situation. Overly detailed prose and completely unlikeable characters, made reading this book an exercise in torture.
The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Twisted Thriller!
Feels like a self-published book initially, but quickly pulls you into the twisty world of Faith Winters. After surviving a horrific night at the family cabin where four people were brutally murdered, she struggles with sanity and drugs to mask her guilt. Is she delusional or could multiple people really want her dead for witnessing too much?
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Twisted Thriller!
Feels like a self-published book initially, but quickly pulls you into the twisty world of Faith Winters. After surviving a horrific night at the family cabin where four people were brutally murdered, she struggles with sanity and drugs to mask her guilt. Is she delusional or could multiple people really want her dead for witnessing too much?
What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster
My rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Could have been so much more
Disliked. Tried too hard to weave together two family sagas as they deal with heartbreak, integration, their past (traumas), and racial identity. Although it’s well written, I disliked half the characters and ultimately didn't care who was related to whom and why.
My rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Could have been so much more
Disliked. Tried too hard to weave together two family sagas as they deal with heartbreak, integration, their past (traumas), and racial identity. Although it’s well written, I disliked half the characters and ultimately didn't care who was related to whom and why.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Favorite read of 2021!
Sharing my review in honor of my absolute favorite read from last year becoming a movie this month. A NY Times #1 bestseller for an astounding 30 weeks, this book is hard to categorize. It’s a murder mystery, a coming-of-age story, a survival manifesto, and a love ballad to nature rolled into one. Set in a backwoods North Carolina town in the 1960s, we follow Kya Clark as she tries to survive a horrific childhood on her own in the marshes. It’s a beautiful read with a cool mystery to boot!
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Favorite read of 2021!
Sharing my review in honor of my absolute favorite read from last year becoming a movie this month. A NY Times #1 bestseller for an astounding 30 weeks, this book is hard to categorize. It’s a murder mystery, a coming-of-age story, a survival manifesto, and a love ballad to nature rolled into one. Set in a backwoods North Carolina town in the 1960s, we follow Kya Clark as she tries to survive a horrific childhood on her own in the marshes. It’s a beautiful read with a cool mystery to boot!
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Cute Memoir
Cute, semi-inspirational, but very repetitive memoir from the creator of ABC’s Thursday night lineup. In case you’re not familiar, Shonda Rhimes is the powerhouse behind some of my favorite shows: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, and Bridgerton (the first season only, not fond of season two). Regardless, Shonda Rhimes writes her life's stories in the same dramatic frothiness as her tv shows. Overall, it’s cute and inspiring, but grows tedious with fluffy mantras.
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Cute Memoir
Cute, semi-inspirational, but very repetitive memoir from the creator of ABC’s Thursday night lineup. In case you’re not familiar, Shonda Rhimes is the powerhouse behind some of my favorite shows: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, and Bridgerton (the first season only, not fond of season two). Regardless, Shonda Rhimes writes her life's stories in the same dramatic frothiness as her tv shows. Overall, it’s cute and inspiring, but grows tedious with fluffy mantras.
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Inspirational Memoir
You may know her as the girl the Taliban shot or the girl who won the Nobel Peace Prize. There’s so much more to Malala’s story. This excellent memoir transports you to the innocence and war-torn terror of her beloved Pakistan as she fights to stay alive and get an education under the threat of the Taliban.
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Inspirational Memoir
You may know her as the girl the Taliban shot or the girl who won the Nobel Peace Prize. There’s so much more to Malala’s story. This excellent memoir transports you to the innocence and war-torn terror of her beloved Pakistan as she fights to stay alive and get an education under the threat of the Taliban.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Wrenching tale of twin sisters
NY Times Bestseller, named a best book of 2020. Beautiful, heartbreaking novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Wrenching tale of twin sisters
NY Times Bestseller, named a best book of 2020. Beautiful, heartbreaking novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Moving family epic
This National Book Award Finalist follows four generations of a Korean family living displaced in Japan but never quite fitting in. This sweeping saga covers the heartaches and triumphs as the family tries to fit in and survive obstacle after crippling obstacle. We’re watching it on Apple streaming services now to see how it compares to the beautiful book.
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Moving family epic
This National Book Award Finalist follows four generations of a Korean family living displaced in Japan but never quite fitting in. This sweeping saga covers the heartaches and triumphs as the family tries to fit in and survive obstacle after crippling obstacle. We’re watching it on Apple streaming services now to see how it compares to the beautiful book.
White Ivy by Susie Yang
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Chinese Disillusionment
I know you’re not supposed to hate a book solely due to the main character, but I can’t help myself. Although it’s well written, I hated this book! White Ivy follows a detestable young Chinese girl into womanhood as she fails to understand why she does the horrible things she does for "love," acceptance, and family. It’s supposed to be an Asian take on the Talented Mr. Ripley but I just could not sympathize with Ivy at all. Please feel free to read it and let me know your thoughts as this is a New York Times bestseller and “Read with Jenna” book selection.
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Chinese Disillusionment
I know you’re not supposed to hate a book solely due to the main character, but I can’t help myself. Although it’s well written, I hated this book! White Ivy follows a detestable young Chinese girl into womanhood as she fails to understand why she does the horrible things she does for "love," acceptance, and family. It’s supposed to be an Asian take on the Talented Mr. Ripley but I just could not sympathize with Ivy at all. Please feel free to read it and let me know your thoughts as this is a New York Times bestseller and “Read with Jenna” book selection.
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Gripping thriller about gentrification
I’m so delighted I read this Book Club Pick! Gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning in this gripping thriller best described as Rear Window meets Get Out. When Sydney’s longtime neighbors start to move away suddenly, she thinks she's going crazy. Is she or is there something really wrong in her neighborhood?
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Gripping thriller about gentrification
I’m so delighted I read this Book Club Pick! Gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning in this gripping thriller best described as Rear Window meets Get Out. When Sydney’s longtime neighbors start to move away suddenly, she thinks she's going crazy. Is she or is there something really wrong in her neighborhood?
Bridgerton: The Duke & I by Julia Quinn
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Light, pithy rom-com
In all honesty, I’m not a fan of historical romances typically because of the limited role of women and the lack of diversity. So, I knew what to expect going into the first of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels. Overall, it’s a light, pithy rom-com with snappy dialogue and fun chemistry between the main characters, Daphne and Simon. However, throughout the book, I kept thinking that it's cute but it fails to live up to the sizzling, captivating Shonda Rhimes treatment seen on Netflix. An unfair comparison I’m sure, but I hope it urges authors to think bold, push the envelope, and write more inclusively in the future.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Light, pithy rom-com
In all honesty, I’m not a fan of historical romances typically because of the limited role of women and the lack of diversity. So, I knew what to expect going into the first of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels. Overall, it’s a light, pithy rom-com with snappy dialogue and fun chemistry between the main characters, Daphne and Simon. However, throughout the book, I kept thinking that it's cute but it fails to live up to the sizzling, captivating Shonda Rhimes treatment seen on Netflix. An unfair comparison I’m sure, but I hope it urges authors to think bold, push the envelope, and write more inclusively in the future.
Daemon by Daniel Suarez
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Scary, crazy harbinger of IT taking over the world
If you’re like me and can easily imagine the Terminator future where robots take over earth, then read Daemon. Daniel Suarez’s sci-fi technothriller novel investigates a scary all too real possibility. What if people were getting murdered by a dead man? With the inventive and frightening use of artificial intelligence technology, can a recently deceased computer game architect refashion the world to his twisted will? This twisty, high-tech murder mystery thriller takes you on a wild journey with gruff Detective Peter Sebeck. Leaving readers to sweat as they wonder, what if?
My rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Scary, crazy harbinger of IT taking over the world
If you’re like me and can easily imagine the Terminator future where robots take over earth, then read Daemon. Daniel Suarez’s sci-fi technothriller novel investigates a scary all too real possibility. What if people were getting murdered by a dead man? With the inventive and frightening use of artificial intelligence technology, can a recently deceased computer game architect refashion the world to his twisted will? This twisty, high-tech murder mystery thriller takes you on a wild journey with gruff Detective Peter Sebeck. Leaving readers to sweat as they wonder, what if?
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Heartbreaking memoir of the fight for justice
If you truly want to understand the devastating effects of systemic racism in the criminal justice system, read this book. Just Mercy is the heartbreaking memoir of Bryan Stevenson, a young black lawyer fighting for the disenfranchised, underserved, and/or wrongly convicted serving time on death row. Not only does he cover the case of Walter McMillian, which is the basis of the major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, but he shares the stories of so many, many more. This is an excellent read and if you want to help, support his Equal Justice Initiative!
My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Heartbreaking memoir of the fight for justice
If you truly want to understand the devastating effects of systemic racism in the criminal justice system, read this book. Just Mercy is the heartbreaking memoir of Bryan Stevenson, a young black lawyer fighting for the disenfranchised, underserved, and/or wrongly convicted serving time on death row. Not only does he cover the case of Walter McMillian, which is the basis of the major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, but he shares the stories of so many, many more. This is an excellent read and if you want to help, support his Equal Justice Initiative!
