BOOK REVIEW ROUND UP – VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3

Greenwich Park
Author: Katherine Faulkner
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: thriller, mystery
Method: hardcover borrowed from TPL

I’m not usually the biggest fan of domestic thrillers but I devoured this debut by author Katherine Faulkner! Personally I loved the slow pace of this thriller, getting to know the main characters, their connections to one another, and the string of clues we as the reader were trying to piece together along with Helen, the main character. I’ve never read a story following the pace of a pregnancy but I found myself really liking that aspect of this book.

For me, this was the perfect blend of family drama and quiet thriller where the uneasiness of the story comes from misplaced items, lying characters, and speculation, rather than out right graphic violence (which I also enjoy time to time). And the reveals at the end, one hit after the other, left me jaw dropped and gasping.

While the plots have little to nothing in common, the pace and bread crumb trail reminded me of When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole and A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins. This is a thriller I would read again in a few years, definitely.

The Office of Historical Corrections
Author: Danielle Evans
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: short stories, fiction
Method: audiobook via TPL

I so badly wanted to love this like The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. I mean, I liked it overall, but it’s not Church Ladies level of love. Each story in this selection was unique and spoke to themes of racism, domestic violence, and what it means to be a black woman in America – a perspective I’m always grateful and appreciative to learn from as a white reader.

My favorite of the 6 short stories was Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain. Unfortunately, I was a tad disappointed in the novella, The Office of Historical Corrections – I loved the concept, didn’t love the execution. Definitely something I would recommend to others, but not a collection I expect to revisit.

Ghosts
Author: Dolly Alderton
Publication Date: August 2021
Genre: contemporary fiction
Method: hardcover

I usually blow through books in a week or less but I found myself really savoring this story and enjoying it’s slower pace – the subject matters is well suited for it. It’s rare for me to ever feel connected to a character but Nina Dean felt real. Like you could easily convince me this was a memoir. I thought her character was so relatable, honest, and raw. Dolly Alderton perfectly encapsulated what it means to be a a 30 something year old, single millennial in a technology driven, dating app centric world.

I appreciated how the author handled a character with progressing dementia. As a healthcare professional who has worked with hundreds of older adults with dementia, I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of the family members most affected by the disease.

If you’re in the mood for a relatable read with characters that feel true and real, like people you actually know if your real life, pick this book up. It wasn’t earth shattering but it kept me engaged.

Blacktop Wasteland
Author: S. A. Cosby
Publication Date: July 2020
Genre: thriller
Method: hardcover

I was so hyped for this and HOLY HELL it didn’t disappoint! I had high expectations and S. A. Cosby far exceeded those expectations. Not my usual thriller, full of tons of violence and gruesome deaths, but I couldn’t put it down!

Fast paced and gritty, this heist tale is perfectly woven with shocking moments and thrilling violence. When I tell you I gasped so loudly at one point that Kyle literally said, “okay Meryn” in annoyance because he assumed I had exaggerated my response. But it was just that good and that shocking.

A Game of Cones
Author: Abby Collette
Publication Date: March 2021
Genre: cozy mystery
Method: paperback borrowed from TPL

Cozy mysteries are not for me, of that I am absolutely certain. But that’s not gonna stop be from picking up every book Abby Collette publishes in this series because the charm of reading a story set in a Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is too good to pass up. I just love Abby, okay. It’s just that simple.

Honestly, the plot of this story is as bland as vanilla ice cream. The characters are annoying and make some of the stupidest decisions. The text is incredible repetitive and simple. All I wanted from this book was some romance between Win and O and he made it into a total of like 6 pages. Maybe next time?

Again, I’m not the audience for this story nor genre. Take this brief review with a grain of salt. But I’ll definitely be picking up book 3. The cover is too cute not to. In the end, 2.75 stars rounded up to 3.