Category5-stars

Book Review: The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

B

The Gist: The Hunger of the Gods deftly blends epic battles and rich character development, redefining fantasy tropes while exploring themes of loyalty and revenge.

Series: Bloodsworn Saga, #2

Release Date: April 12, 2022

Synopsis
THE DEAD GODS ARE RISING.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own–and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.

Their only hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead…and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

Ending
Cliffhanger
Representation
• wlw side character
• POC side characters
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Knife, sword and axe violence
• Gore
• Murder
• Attempted murder
• Enslavement
• Discussion of genocide
• Mutilation of a side character in the last book discussed
• Sexism
• Abduction of children
• Child abuse
• Torture
Mature Themes
• Sex alluded to and discussed (not graphic)
• Swearing
• Alcohol consumption
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Paperback

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

B

The Gist: Bright Young Women powerfully reclaims true crime stories, centring victims and survivors while critiquing sexism and media glorification of criminals.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Synopsis
An extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America’s first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.

January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.

Bright Young Women is the story about two women from opposite sides of the country who become sisters in their fervent pursuit of the truth. It proposes a new narrative inspired by evidence that’s been glossed over for decades in favor of more salable headlines—that the so-called brilliant and charismatic serial killer from Seattle was far more average than the countless books, movies, and primetime specials have led us to believe, and that it was the women whose lives he cut short who were the exceptional ones.

Ending
In the present, Pamela and Tina find closure about what happened to Ruth when she went missing.
Representation
• Lesbian main character
• Lesbian supporting character
• Lesbian side character
• Sapphic relationship
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Murder
• Interactions with a serial killer
• Sexual assault
• Abduction
• Sexism
• Misogyny
• Lesbophobia
Mature Themes
• Sex (fade-to-black, non-descriptive)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 5-stars

•••

(more…)

Book Review: The Women by Kristin Hannah

B

The Gist: The Women is a powerful novel about the erasure and resilience of women during the Vietnam War through the lens of friendship, societal challenges, and the lasting impacts of conflict.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: February 6, 2024

Synopsis
An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Ending
HFN. Frankie has found peace with her past and has opened up a centre to help women who served. She’s on the road to healing her relationship with her parents. And… there’s an open-ended ending for the romantic subplot. I’ll just say… OMGGGG I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE.
Representation
• Black supporting characters
• Black side characters
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Death of protagonist’s brother in the war
• Medical trauma (e.g., amputation, surgery, gunshot wounds)
• Children and pregnant women are described as victims of the war in Vietnam
• Gore
• Miscarriage
• Alcoholism
• Drug addiction
• Depression
• Suicidal ideation
• Suicide attempt
• PTSD
• War themes
• Death of supporting characters
• Grief
• Racism
• Police brutality discussed
• Sexism
• Infidelity
Mature Themes
• Non-descriptive sex scenes
• Swearing
• Alcohol and drug consumption and abuse
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: Ashes of You by Catherine Cowles

B

The Gist: A heartwarming and suspenseful must-read for fans of the single parent x nanny trope and romantic thrillers, Ashes of You expertly blends love, family, and gripping intrigue in a captivating small-town setting.

Series: Lost and Found, #5*

Release Date: February 8, 2024

Synopsis
Five years ago, I nearly lost everything. But there was a glimmer of hope on that darkest night. There was him—a stranger I could never forget.

Now, I’m finally getting the fresh start I’ve longed for. But when I show up to interview for a nanny position in the small mountain town, the single dad has startlingly familiar blue eyes.

Eyes that have haunted my dreams for the past five years.

Lawson Hartley is everything I know I can’t have. Older, handsome, and my boss. Not to mention the shadows in his eyes that tell me he has demons, too.

Still, he seems to understand me better than anyone I’ve ever met. So gentle and careful of my scars, yet somehow making me believe I’m stronger than I ever thought possible.

And when his lips touch mine, I’m lost.

We find what we’ve been missing in each other. But the terrors of my past aren’t done with me yet, and this time, Lawson might not be able to save me…

Ending
HEA with Epilogue. Married and expecting triplets in extended epilogue.
Representation
• Gay side characters
• Achillean side relationship
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Recounting of child endangerment
• Assault
• Abduction, captivity and torture of Heroine recounted
• Gun violence
• Abduction and captivity (on-page)
• PTSD
• Panic attacks (on-page)
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual assault
• Murder
• Description of murder (what happened to the women)
Safety Rating: Safe
No cheating
No OW/OM drama
– Heroine is insecure the Hero still loves his ex-wife but soon finds out that he hates her
– Heroine is periodically hit on by OM throughout the book, but they’re all rebuffed
Does have the Hero briefly pushing the Heroine away
No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: 5-stars

*Each book in the series is Standalone

(more…)

Book Review: Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

B

The Gist: Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter is a poignant and darkly satirical exploration of classism, mental health, and the dystopian nature of modern work culture.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 11, 2023

Synopsis
A year into her dream job at a cutthroat Silicon Valley startup, Cassie finds herself trapped in a corporate nightmare. In addition to the long hours, toxic bosses, and unethical projects, she struggles to reconcile the glittering promise of a city where obscene wealth lives alongside abject poverty. Ivy League grads complain about the snack selection from a conference room with a view of unhoused people bathing in the bay. Startup burnouts leap into the paths of commuter trains, and men set themselves on fire in the streets.

Though isolated, Cassie is never alone. From her earliest memory, a miniature black hole has been her constant companion. It feeds on her depression and anxiety, its size changing in relation to her distress. The black hole watches, but it also waits. Its relentless pull draws Cassie ever-closer as the world around her unravels.

When her CEO’s demands cross an illegal threshold and she ends up unexpectedly pregnant, Cassie must decide whether the tempting fruits of Silicon Valley are really worth it. Sharp but vulnerable, funny yet unsettling, Ripe portrays one millennial woman’s journey through a late-capitalist hellscape and offers an incisive look at the absurdities of modern life.

Ending
Reflective. Open-ended. It could be construed as suicide or that she finally confronted her depression and was ready to find a fulfilling life by treating her depression.
Representation
• Main character with depression
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Classism
• Depression
• Recounting of child abuse (including flashbacks)
• Intrusive thoughts
• Suicidal ideation
• Surgical abortion
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Drug and alcohol consumption after pregnancy is confirmed
• Toxic parental relationships
• Toxic and abusive workplace
• Panic attacks
• Sexism
Mature Themes
• Drug consumption and abuse
• Alcohol consumption and abuse
• Explicit sexual content
• Swearing
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

B
Cover of Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

The Gist: Disorientation is a gripping campus novel that uses satire to confront bias and complicity in academic spaces.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: March 22, 2022

Synopsis
A Taiwanese American woman’s coming-of-consciousness ignites eye-opening revelations and chaos on a college campus in this outrageously hilarious and startlingly tender debut novel.

Twenty-nine-year-old PhD student Ingrid Yang is desperate to finish her dissertation on the late canonical poet Xiao-Wen Chou and never read about “Chinese-y” things again. But after years of grueling research, all she has to show for her efforts are junk food addiction and stomach pain. When she accidentally stumbles upon a curious note in the Chou archives one afternoon, she convinces herself it’s her ticket out of academic hell.

But Ingrid’s in much deeper than she thinks. Her clumsy exploits to unravel the note’s message lead to an explosive discovery, upending not only her sheltered life within academia but her entire world beyond it. With her trusty friend Eunice Kim by her side and her rival Vivian Vo hot on her tail, together they set off a roller coaster of mishaps and misadventures, from book burnings and OTC drug hallucinations, to hot-button protests and Yellow Peril 2.0 propaganda.

In the aftermath, nothing looks the same to Ingrid—including her gentle and doting fiancé, Stephen Greene. When he embarks on a book tour with the super kawaii Japanese author he’s translated, doubts and insecurities creep in for the first time… As the events Ingrid instigated keep spiraling, she’ll have to confront her sticky relationship to white men and white institutions—and, most of all, herself.

For readers of Paul Beatty’s The Sellout and Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown, this uproarious and bighearted satire is a blistering send-up of privilege and power in America, and a profound reckoning of individual complicity and unspoken rage. In this electrifying debut novel from a provocative new voice, Elaine Hsieh Chou asks who gets to tell our stories—and how the story changes when we finally tell it ourselves.

Ending
The ending is very OTT because the book is satire, but I think it reflects what happens in real life: those who perpetuate oppression through a “free speech” narrative are rewarded, whereas those who call out oppression – white supremacy – are punished by institutions (and the people who want to uphold it). Disorientation ends with Ingrid having dropped out of her Ph.D. and working a minimum wage job at a hot dog fast food joint. But the author emphasizes that while society might consider this “failure,” Ingrid is all the better for it. This is a brief pause as she considers what she wants to do now that she’s left academia. She finally has time to rest and heal from the trauma of academia, and she’s rebuilding her relationship with her parent and learning their native language. Essentially, Ingrid is on the road to reclaiming herself and her identity outside of the white space of academia.
Representation
• Taiwanese-American main character
• Korean-American supporting character
• lesbian Vietnamese-American supporting character
• Chinese side character
• lesbian Black side character
• Taiwanese-American side character
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Racism
• Gaslighting
• Emotional abuse
• Homophobia
• Xenophobia
• Misogyny
• Cultural appropriation
• Racial slurs
• Discussion of a side character’s attempted suicide
• Cultural appropriation
• Yellowface
• Fetishization of East Asian women becomes a main plot point
• Brief allusion to an adult/minor relationship between a supporting character and his wife (he met his wife in China when he was 27, and earlier, it was mentioned that there’s a 15-year age gap between them)
Mature Themes
• Sex
• Cursing
• Drug abuse
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

B

The Gist: A heartfelt slow-burn romance that deftly explores queer awakening and has fun with escapism politics.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Synopsis
First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Ending
HEA
Representation
• Mexican-American biracial bisexual main character
• gay love interest with depression
• Mexican-American biracial supporting character
• Jewish bisexual aromantic supporting character
• Mexican-American side character
• Mexican-American gay side character
• trans side character
• sapphic side relationship
• Nigerian-British pansexual side character
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Racism (including from Henry’s grandmother, the Queen)
• Homophobia (including from Henry’s older brother and grandmother, the Queen)
• Forced outing
Safety Rating: Safe
No cheating
No OM drama
Does have OW drama
– Henry is jealous when he sees Nora and Alex kiss on New Years (even though it’s not romantic)
– Alex is jealous when he sees Henry out with an OW in a tabloid (at this point, not knowing
Does have Henry pushing Alex away
Does have a brief separation (both celibate)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardback

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester

B

The Gist: History, romance, and feminism are masterfully woven into a captivating WWII espionage tale.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: September 28, 2022

Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester delivers an unforgettable story of an orphan turned WWII spy turned fashion icon in Paris—perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Fiona Davis.

1943. After spearheading several successful advertising campaigns in New York, PR wizard Alix St. Pierre comes to the attention of the U.S. government and finds herself recruited into a fledgling intelligence organization.

Enlisted as a spy, Alix is sent to Europe where she is tasked with getting close to a Nazi who might be willing to help the Allied forces–but there’s also the chance he might be a double agent.

1946. Following the war, Alix moves to Paris and takes a position as head of publicity for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes that only she can right the wrongs of the past and bring him to justice.

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is a thrilling, sumptuous work of historical fiction told in three timelines: before, during and after WWII. This completely immersive story takes readers from the dangerous, intrigue-filled rooms in Switzerland where elites of both sides mingled and schemed during the war, to the glamorous halls of the House of Dior in the golden age of French fashion and journalism.

Ending
HFN. Alix and Anthony end up together with plans to take over Anthony’s father’s newspaper business together.
Representation
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
Possible Triggers: Yes
War themes
• Classism
• Sexism
• Alcoholism
• Reference to abduction
• Description of war crimes, including r@pe, dismemberment, and torture
• Allusions to and brief mention of suicide
• Grief
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
No cheating
Does have OW drama
– Alix presumes that Anthony slept with the woman who’s out to get her (Alix was incorrect)
– misunderstanding where Alix thought Anthony slept with a woman he hired (again, Alix was incorrect)
Does have OM drama
– Anthony is a friend of Alix’s dead fiancé
Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Paperback

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: Weyward by Emilia Hart

B

The Gist: A whimsical historical fiction that explores feminist resistance to patriarchy over five centuries through magic and reclaiming autonomy.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: February 2, 2023

Synopsis
I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family’s grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

Ending
HFN
Representation
• wlw main character
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Intimate partner violence
• R@pe
• Sexism
• Attempted murder
• Murder
• Abortion
Mature Themes
• Alcohol abuse
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Book Review: You’re the Only One I’ve Told: The Stories Behind Abortion by Dr Meera Shah

B

The Gist: An impactful and important nonfiction on the reproductive justice fight in the USA, told from the perspective of an abortion provider and patient experiences.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: September 1, 2020

Synopsis
At a time where reproductive rights are at risk, these vital stories of diverse individuals serve as a reminder of the importance of empathy, finding community and motivating advocacy

For a long time, when people asked Dr. Meera Shah, Chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, what she did, she would tell them she was a doctor and leave it at that. But when she started to be direct about her work as an abortion provider an interesting thing started to happen: one by one, people would confide that they’d had an abortion themselves. The refrain was often the same: You’re the only one I’ve told.

This book collects these stories as they’ve been told to Shah to humanize abortion and to combat myths that persist in the discourse that surrounds it. A wide range of ages, races, socioeconomic factors, and experiences shows that abortion always occurs in a unique context.

Today, a healthcare issue that’s so precious and foundational to reproductive, social, and economic freedom for millions of people is exploited by politicians who lack understanding or compassion about the context in which abortion occurs. Stories have the power to break down stigmas and help us to empathize with those whose experiences are unlike our own.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to promote reproductive health access.

Ending
Incredibly informative and inclusive. Ends with a chapter on Calls to Action that identifies how readers can participate in the fight for reproductive justice and reproductive healthcare access.
Representation
• Gender-inclusive language and approach to healthcare
• Written by a Gujarati Indian American author
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Abortion
• Racism
• Medical content
• Discussion of…
– miscarriage
– late-term pregnancy abortion
– grief
– parents deciding to end their pregnancy due to medical complications
– medical trauma
– r@pe
– child abuse
– gender-based violence abuse
Mature Themes:
• Sex is discussed
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardback

Rating: 5-stars

(more…)

Follow Me on Wordpress

Follow Talk Nerdy To Me on WordPress.com

Currently Reading

You Should See Me in a Crown
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
I Hope I Join the Band: Narrative, Affiliation, and Antiraciset Rhetoric


Sarah Anne's favorite books »

Archives

Upcoming Releases

Parade
The Art of Catching Feelings
A Novel Love Story


Sarah Anne's favorite books »