![]() 3.5/5 serial killers! stalkers! corrupt sheriffs! FBI profilers! sitcom stars and literary geniuses! I’m not sure if there’s a single thing that this book didn’t have. When Kristen Ashley was promoting this book on her own insta I was a little thrown off by her statement that The Girl in the Mist is her first foray into romantic thrillers, because most of her other books could be described that way. Case in point: Sweet Dreams, my absolute favourite Kristen Ashley novel, involves a serial killer and a kidnapping. However, after reading this book I see what she’s saying. The set up of her other books are definitely romance first and then the thriller-esque details are almost subplots. The Girl in the Mist reverses this structure and the romance is definitely secondary to the mystery. I think this could have very easily not worked but I found it just as addicting as all of KA’s other books, meaning I literally could not put it down once I started it. I personally did not figure out whodunnit, but that is quite possibly more a testament to my lack of detective skills. Unless it’s VERY obvious I never figure out who the murderer/criminal is, partly because I don’t really try. I’m just along for the ride, man. I was a little surprised when it was revealed because some of her commentary earlier in the book made me think she wouldn’t go in this direction, but I think it was well done and appropriately shocking. This is definitely her most political book (that I’ve read). Pretty much every big social issue gets a mention, and normally I would say that I’d rather authors didn’t bring something up if they aren’t going to devote the time to actually exploring or discussing it but I think this was done in a way that felt organic to the story and realistic to the characters. It’s not like Delphine was snotty about someone else’s recycling habits and then bought her stepdaughter a Chloe handbag (which she did but like, fair). I think it felt like the narrative and mindset of someone living in our modern world where these issues are (or should be) part of our everyday lives. While I still prefer her romances, this atmospheric and moody thriller has me hoping KA explores this genre more!
0 Comments
![]() Once Upon a Time This week’s #throwbackthursday is one of my favourite Alice In Wonderland retellings. Alice in Wonderland is one of my all-time favourite stories, and it’s also no secret that I love retellings. Basing your story on Alice gives an author leave to do something truly bizarre, and AG Howard definitely delivers Alyssa Gardner not only dresses like an emo’s dream, she’s an artist who creates beautifully grotesque pieces out of plants and insects - because she can hear them whispering to her and it’s the only way to quiet the noise. This little quirk is the exact affliction that landed her mother a full-time stay in a mental health facility. Her mother believes she IS Alice from Wonderland, and Alyssa is just trying to keep a hold on reality when her mother seems to take a turn for the worse. However, Alyssa discovers that there may be more truth to her mother’s delusions then she ever believed, and that Wonderland is a lot darker than Carrol ever let on. I’ve seen some critiques of the way this book portrays mental health and mental health treatment, and they’re absolutely valid. It’s far-fetched and highly sensationalized, but I don’t think this bothered me because the book isn’t really about that. To me, the mental health angle and the hospital that her mother was in aren’t supposed to be realistic, it’s supposed to add to the danger and the macabre aesthetic of the book. I completely understand why some people would have a major issue with this but it personally wasn’t a problem for me and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, especially because it’s such a small aspect of the narrative. And what would a 2013 YA be without a love triangle? Alyssa is accompanied into Wonderland by her childhood best friend Jeb, who she just so happens to have a huge crush on. She also meets Morpheus, her charismatic but suspicious guide through Wonderland and this world’s version of the Mad Hatter. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of love triangles, but I don’t hate them when they’re done well and I think this one is. It’s not clear who she’ll end up with (but you’ll definitely have a preference. Hello, morally grey hot dude with a penchant for cool hats). Quite frankly, I hated Jeb and the more time they spent in Wonderland the more I couldn’t believe that Alyssa was so hung up on him. That said, he’s a crucial part of the book and seeing his relationship with Alyssa evolve and mature made me hate him a little less. This book is definitely different from the original Alice in Wonderland but I think it’s commitment to the bizarre and fantastical is a tribute to the source material. Highly recommend for any fans of Alice or retellings! ![]() 5/5 “That sparkle was positivity and life and promise of better things, and she always, always had it, glowing within the blue of her irises, lighting up the room.” Okay y’all, this is my new all-time favourite Tessa Bailey book, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that it’s going to be one of my favourite reads of the year, I don’t care that it’s only January 8. It Happened One Summer is inspired by Schitt’s Creek, which is an incredible show, do yourself a favour and watch it immediately. Tessa Bailey really nailed the Alexis Rose vibe when it comes to Piper. As Ted Mullins puts it: it’s rare to meet someone so beautiful and deeply selfish, yet charming. With Piper she completely captured the ditziness, loyalty, optimism, and twinkle that made Alexis such a fantastic character. I never felt like I was reading fanfiction of the show, but you can completely see the inspiration. I related to Piper in a lot of ways and I love when the main character is someone who could be the villain in another story. In a lot of romances the mc has to disregard traditionally feminine things so that she’s “not like other girls,” and doesn’t know she’s beautiful - as if this makes her more deserving of love. This character usually contrasts a rival who is into clothes and make-up and appears vapid. But Piper is all of those things and still has incredible depth and feeling. Her interests become a strength and source of joy for those she’s close with, and I found it really refreshing, especially as someone who has always been VERY girly. It’s Tessa Bailey so yes, the spice is… spicy. But I think if you only watched TikToks about this book then you might think that it’s just all smut when it’s definitely not. Personally, I prefer my spice to come with a real story and actual character development and Tessa Bailey always delivers. The development of Piper and Brendan’s relationship is just incredibly romantic, and they’re both so vulnerable and just completely gone for each other that that adoration infuses every single scene of the book. As individual characters, both Brendan and Piper are interesting and well-rounded. Brendan wasn’t just a stock hot dude and I liked that he had his own issues and shortcomings that he was willing to acknowledge and work past, same as Piper. I loved that he always respected and admired Piper for who she was rather than just brushing off the things she cared about as silly. Safe to say I’m obsessed with this, thank you to my best friend for giving me this book for Christmas (fun fact: in all the years we’ve been doing our romance novel swap, this is the first time we’ve unintentionally given each other the same book), and I can’t wait for Hook, Line, and Sinker! ![]() 4.5/5 “We women are peculiar creatures. We tend not to love those who murder our families.” This is one of the books that I received for Christmas (from my own list) and my first read of 2022 but what I did not realize is that it’s a sequel because I… am stupid? The Women of Troy takes place directly after the fall of the city when the Greek forces find themselves stranded as they wait for the winds to clear to sail. It centres around Briseis, a Trojan woman who was given as a prize of honour to Achilles and was kept as a slave during the war. Anyone familiar with Achilles will know that he died before the war was won, and so Briseis now finds herself married to a Greek commander and carrying Achilles’ child. She does her best to help the other Trojan women who are kept and abused by the Greek fighters and Kings. If I hadn’t looked it up I doubt I would have even realized that this was actually a sequel, I didn’t feel like I was playing catch-up on anything and I didn’t feel confused about the politics and structure of the camp. I’m sure that the first book would have given me a more nuanced understanding of the complicated relationship between Briseis and Achilles, as this was only touched on in this one but I don’t think it impeded my enjoyment or comprehension of the story. It’s definitely a quiet novel, not in that it’s boring but there’s just not a lot of big action. It’s more about the manipulations and behind the scenes machinations that the women have to navigate to survive. The story is obviously at its core about women, and I liked the inclusion of characters like Helen and Cassandra. Even as they’re victims of their own circumstances doing what they must to survive, they’re still villains in their own right. Cassandra takes her own anger out on Ritsa and Helen mocks Andromache for no reason other than that she can. I was surprised that there wasn’t more camaraderie among the women, but I think that this was a much more realistic story. Everyone had their own goals and was dealing with their own pain as they suffered the indignities that come with slavery - and marriage. The way that Briseis and the other women looked out for each other while still not knowing who to trust made the book feel gripping even when it seems like nothing of significance is happening. Intermittently, Pyrrhus gets his own chapters. Briseis is clever and observant and she sees him (and everyone else) very clearly, but having these small glimpses into him both confirms what she sees and makes him a more complex character than she gives him credit for. His savagery and unpredictability is undeniable, but there’s still something pitiable about him even as he instigates horror after horror in the name of his own pride. I definitely think that I’ll go back and read the first book because I love Greek mythology and I really enjoy these kinds of stories that discuss the experiences of characters/people that were simply overlooked in the classical canon. |
Find Me!
|