Book Review Blog

The Midnight Feast By Lucy Foley

RATING: 7.8/10

GENRE: Mystery, thriller

ABOUT:

One amazingly curated vacation stay that’s bound to end up on Condé Nast’s top ten list, plenty of secrets, and one dead body. Perfect guest houses, unlimited drinks, expensive couches, sparkling pools, entitled billionaires, unrelenting locals, pills, revenge, perfect weather, birds whistling, and plenty of healing stones to go around. What could possibly go wrong during The Midnight Feast? Each character alike experiences an unraveling in the deep forest of the manor as new and old secrets of the forest and town unfold.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

Foley tells a story of suspense in both the present and the past while using different points of view throughout. Her imagery is vivid, characters interesting, and there is at least one aspect of this ending you haven’t guessed, which is the tell-tale success of an interesting thriller. However, some aspects of this novel felt make-believe and whimsical, eliminating a certain sense of realism for the reader. This book would’ve been better off had Foley eliminated this aspect.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

RATING: 8.0/10

GENRE: Young Adult

ABOUT:

Charlie is a 14-year-old freshman this year and is scared to go to high school. In truth, there isn’t much that Charlie isn’t scared of. Yet, with the help of his newfound friends, great teachers, loyal yet dysfunctional family, and you, Dear Reader, he might just make it through.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

There is something in this book for everyone: people who grew up in happy homes, broken homes, loved high school, hated high school, are well past their coming-of-age story, or are just beginning. Charlie is an endearing narrator; this novel tackles the heaviness of some unfathomable experiences through the lens of a 14-year-old just trying to fit in, ultimately cultivating a beautiful and genius juxtaposition. This book, however, does have a tendency to be overwhelmingly upsetting, compelling the reader to feel a sense of trauma-dumping within the work.

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash

RATING: 6.5/10

GENRE: Thriller, Corruption, Dysfunctional Family

ABOUT:

The Flynn Family is anything but a normal, functioning, loving family. Bud Flynn is a has-been musician on the brink of divorce from his wife, Catherine, who smokes and bathes more than she cooks. Their three daughters follow in their parents ‘ footsteps, finding trouble wherever they can. It isn’t until Harper Flynn, the youngest of the three, takes note of how bad her father is doing at keeping the books for his millionaire boss that the Flynn family comes together, revealing that when faced with adversity, family triumphs all.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

This book had extreme potential to be great, as the idea behind bad business and familial dysfunction is intriguing, no matter what type of books one favors. Yet, the plot line, pace, and general execution of the story were lacking greatly. It was as if Cash wasn’t sure what work she wanted to write: a political statement, a book about religion, or a book about the depths and significance of familial love. Nonetheless, the complexity of each character was engaging. It’s not easy to keep readers engaged when wrapped in the mind of a 9-year-old girl, but Lost Lambs did just that.

Gild (The Plated Prisoner Series #1) by Raven Kennedy

RATING: 7.6/10

GENRE: Romance, Fantasy Fiction

ABOUT:

Auren spends her life in a gilded cage, yet she doesn’t complain because King Midas saved her from poverty and despair. Yes, she’s the King’s pet, never allowed to leave her golden prison, speak to anyone, or see the light of day, but who needs a life outside when you are the Kings favored? It isn’t until the King expands his rule that she discovers she needs more and is willing to do whatever it takes.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

Gild was the perfect start to a fantasy series, with all the detailed imagery of world-building and elements of a slow-burning romance to immediately captivate the reader. The last 50 pages set up the next book well, as readers become enthralled with what could possibly come next. However, the beginning was repetitive and slow, so minus two points!