Book Review: Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

Yellowface

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Yellowface 〰️

What a wild ride! There were so many good quotes in this book that I agree with.

Though June was a dick most of the time, I still wanted her to succeed. I desperately wanted her to succeed even more with something wholly her own, with no "inspiration" from Athena. She was close to that with her sorta memoir, but then it seems like she never finished it, which is a shame. It would allow her to come clean about everything, all while telling an original and engaging story.

I'm not sure about the ending, however. She says all the things that can happen with her new book, but we don't know for sure if it will even see the light of day.

That said, this book contains a lot of excellent, thought-provoking questions! Should people be able to write people who are not of the same culture and race and tell a story that is not their own lived experience? (Provided it's not plagiarized). June makes an excellent argument about that, though I sadly forgot which page it was on to quote it, but I totally agree with her. Yes, I'm a white woman myself, but that doesn't mean I can't write people of colour (which I have in my novel, SOUTH). If I wrote a story entirely of white people because I'm white, then I'd also get called out for lack of diversity. So, as you can see, this book poses lots of questions in regard to the writing world, in who can write what and why. It's an excellent book for discussion.

Back to the story of Yellowface, yes, June made it her own story, but the idea and the skeleton of the story were Athena's and therein lies the ethical debate. She took the story, a very rough first draft, edited the hell out of it, added to her writing, completely made it her own and used Athena as her biggest inspiration. But it wasn't entirely her work, and thus, she should have credited Athena as a co-author or something. What she did was wrong, but maybe also not. It toes the line of right and wrong (more on the wrong side).

As a writer myself, I love reading about the publishing industry. I feel like this book had great insights into what it's like to be one of the authors who made it big, because not every published author gets a six-figure book deal with potential movie rights and earns out their advance. This book indeed shows the hardships of being an author in general, and I respect that.

I love all the work Kuang put into making this book. It deserves all the recognition it received, and I highly recommend it. Probably an excellent book for some book club debates, too.

Book Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover

Verity

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Verity 〰️

My friend read this book and highly recommended it to me. I hear so many mixed feelings about Hoover online. Some people love her, and others hate her. I'm sure there exist people out there who are indifferent, but I've yet to find them. So, after hearing so much about her and having my friend tell me if I was going to read any of Hoover's books, it should be this one, I picked it up.

Holy shit.

Thank you, friend, for the recommendation! This was one helluva read. I mean, that first chapter, heck, the opening scene was intense and had me hooked from the beginning! I could barely put it down.

I thought for a while Lowen may have been an unreliable narrator, and she is, but having Verity be confirmed to be faking her injuries made me question my own judgment. Turns out Lowen was right all along!

I will say, however, that I get why Verity did what she did; it's a little hard to believe. I mean, she should win an Oscar for her acting. She really sold the catatonic state. Does that make for an interesting story point? Absolutely. Do I buy that it can happen in real life? Not as much. No matter how good an actor you are, that type of injury is hard to fake. But did I suspend my disbelief for the sake of enjoyment? You sure bet I did.

That said, Hoover kept on coming with twists after twist that I didn't see coming. That final letter by Verity. Woah. Did she truly mean it? Or was it a safeguard for later? And will Lowen feel safe with Jeremy knowing he tried to kill Verity multiple times? (I mean, yes, since she watched him actually kill her and is still with him seven months later). But yeah, so much to unpack and though we want these questions answered, I'm glad for the ending Hoover provided.

I'm unsure if I'll end up reading another of Hoover's books. So far, the plots haven't spoken to me. But I will say that I don't think Hoover is a lousy writer. She certainly knows how to tell an engaging story.

Book Review: The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

The Last Girls Standing

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The Last Girls Standing 〰️

Actual rating: 3.5/5

I'm torn. The premise of this book is everything I love. I mean, a gay slasher final girls' story? Sign me up! And I've read every single one of Dugan's books and loved every word of them. And the cover for this book? Absolutely stunning.

Yet I feel like Dugan wasn't fully ready to commit to this new genre. Don't get me wrong. I still loved the story. But that ending? That's why I'm not rating it as high as her usual books.

Yes, it's okay not to answer every plot point that gets brought up. It's like life. We don't always get everything we want. But I swear EVERY major plot point went unanswered. And Sloan fully committing to the cult is real, and that she's a part of it, and then murders Cherry? Yeah, I wasn't here for that. I don't think Sloan's descent into madness was handled very well. Was it believable? Sure. She went through some pretty severe trauma. But that doesn't mean I like how it was done. And speaking of trauma, as much as I love a good gay story, Sloan and Cherry's relationship was a bit toxic. I still felt the love, but Cherry was a bit too controlling in Sloan's life for my liking.

As for the other characters, they weren't built up very much. I get how Sloan would distance herself from her besties after the incident at Money Springs (terrible name, by the way). But the way she used Connor (such a sweet boy, loved him!) after not speaking to him in months, and then Dugan just kinda writes him off into oblivion, kinda irked me. Sloan mentioned he ghosted her, which fair, but I felt like his character was wasted.

I know I harped on about a lot of negatives (especially with how quick the ending was and with no resolution), but I truly did enjoy the book. It's only because of the above-mentioned that it got a lower rating than usual for Dugan's books. This book won't stop me from auto-buying anything else Dugan writes, and I am glad she's trying different genres with her usual gay twists.

Book Review: Survive the Night by Riley Sager

Survive the Night

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Survive the Night 〰️

This is the third book I've read by Sager, and I've got to say, I'm now a huge fan. I loved everything I've read and can't wait to devour more of his books. Sager is excellent at building tension and writing an unreliable narrator that makes you question everyone and everything. (Though I think Charlie's story may be his most unreliable narrator yet, and I'm here for it).

I realized (a little too late because I can never pick up on clues) that Robbie was the Campus Killer, and his reveal was a slight letdown, but that didn't deter my enjoyment. As great as it was having Maddie's murder solved, I think I would have preferred that the killer hadn't been found, as Charlie stated that life isn't like movies where things don't get wrapped up all pretty. I mean, Robbie could have still been a bad guy in some way, but it felt a little last-minute to have Robbie be revealed as the killer. An open ending on the murder case would have subverted readers' expectations and probably would have gone over well. (Though I'm still not mad at it. I'm glad Maddie got justice, but still).

Also, it took me way too long to realize why all the chapter titles were written like a screenplay scene intro. (This is nothing on the author; that's just me being an idiot. I knew it was screenplay text right away, but it's embarrassing how long it took me to realize why it was screenplay text). That said, the whole book reads like a movie (like Charlie's mind!), and I wouldn't be upset if this became a movie. I'd watch the hell out of this.

That being said, I was hooked right from the beginning. I wonder if I would have made the same decisions Charlie made. There were plenty of moments where I wanted to scream at her when she had the opportunity to other escape or ask for help, but she acted differently. I get why she acted the way she did. Even if her decisions weren't always the smartest, I can see how anyone else would do the same. I might have done the same in this situation. (Hopefully, I'll never have to find out if that's true or not). Either way, it made for a fascinating read.

I think Sager is an author to look out for, and I highly recommend this book or any of his other works. I haven't read all his books (yet), but I haven't found one where I wasn't hooked from the very first page.

Book Review: Misery by Stephen King

Misery

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Misery 〰️

I don't think a Stephen King book had me as invested as this one did. I've read many of his books, but this one kept me on the edge of my seat. King is able to write with excellent tension. For a story that takes place mostly in one room, King kept it fresh and interesting to keep readers invested.

I also love that there was a story within a story and that we got to read some of the Misery novels that Paul was writing. I will say, however, that there wasn't much Misery in a book that is supposed to be about her. I mean, it fits with what Paul had to write in order to keep Annie happy, but it felt like Misery was an afterthought in her own novel, especially as it seemed like it should have been all about her return.

Still, this was one of King's best works I've read. Annie is such a stand-out villain. She's not an over-the-top Disney villain but a very believable character with clear motives. She is an excellent manipulator and gaslighter, yet you can sympathize with her, all while wanting her to get what's coming for all the horror she's done.

And for Paul, you can also relate to him. He'll do anything he can to survive the horrible situation he's in. King was able to describe Paul's pain so vividly that I, too, felt as though my legs were mangled. (Though maybe that was because of my sitting position). Still, I don't know if I would have had the dedication to write a whole new novel, even under such duress. I hope his PTSD isn't the end of him! He survived so much.

If you are looking to get into King's books, this is an excellent gateway into his works. Loved it from start to finish, and I can't recommend it enough.

Book Review: Under the Dome by Stephen King

Under the Dome

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Under the Dome 〰️

I read this book back when it first came out. Well, maybe not when it came out. I got the book because I saw the show, and I loved the show, so I picked up the book. It's been years since I've read this book, so it was basically like reading it for the first time since my memory forgot most of the events. (I also don't remember much of the show, but I do recall that a lot was changed in the show.)

I enjoyed this book my first read, but I know for a fact I was more invested in this second read and that I loved it even more. I don't even mind that it was aliens all along. What I did feel, however, was so much sadness in this read. So many characters, good and bad, died pretty horrible deaths. Even the characters we were meant to hate, like Big Jim, died horrifically. We spent a lot of time with so many characters and this whole plot about corrupt politicians, drug deals, and just random people, that, in the end, it almost didn't matter. So few survived. Everything Big Jim did was in vain (which, good, he's the villain, but also he caused most of the disasters inside the dome). Almost everything everyone did was in vain. But hey, sometimes that's life, I guess. At least some survived.

I also feel King's writing style was slightly different than his other works. You can still read it and for sure know it's his style. His writing style is very distinct. But it still reads a bit differently. It's not a bad thing; I just want to mention it. I appreciate all the time he took to build lives and backgrounds for so many characters. Even characters only appearing for a sentence seemed to have life and distinct personalities. Love that. I applaud King for pulling it all together. And though we spent around the first 20% of the book just dealing with people and what they were doing when the dome fell, he didn't make it boring or repetitive.

I love King's work, and this one is one of my favourites. It's a long read and a bit of a downer with all the deaths, but I think it's an excellent read. It shows people's true nature when it comes to an unnatural disaster like the dome.

Original rating: 4 stars. Original review:

This book was excellent, though it did have a few flaws. (Of which the show fixed). Things like how electronics worked when the dome fell. In the show, everything stopped working because the dome cut all the power lines, which makes sense. Not in the book.

Also, I didn't care for the ending. For a book with such a great premise, the fact that it was aliens just threw me off. Still, it was a good read.

Book Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

Final Girls

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Final Girls 〰️

This is my second book by this author, and it will certainly not be the last. I've already ordered two more of Sager's books, and I'm pretty sure he's now going to be an insta-buy for me.

I absolutely love horror movies. Especially ones that include final girls. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to name a few. So, I picked up this book on the title alone. (And also because I've read The Last Time I Lied by the same author, which I also loved). While this book isn't anything like those classic horror movies, it still has that element of thriller, mystery and suspense.

We know Sager wants us to figure out what really happened to Quincy during the Pine Cottage incident. Sager tries to make us think Quincy herself was the real killer. But it's too obvious despite all the evidence pointing towards her for most of the read. Then, when we learn about Sam's true identity, the first twist, I was like, Oh my God! It was actually her the whole time! But nope! Sager pulls a fast one, and it was probably obvious to most readers, but it wasn't to me until a chapter or so before the big reveal of who actually committed the Pine Cottage killings. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Love that Tina, despite all her flaws, was actually pretty cool in the end and formed a bond with Quincy.

That being said, I love Sager's writing style. I also love how he breathes life into each character. And the twists! I'm a super big fan of Sager from now on. I think this author is one to watch out for.

Book Review: The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

The Last Time I Lied

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The Last Time I Lied 〰️

Two truths and a lie.

One: I loved this book from the very first page.

Two: I didn't see the twists coming (it might be obvious to some, but I'm usually pretty oblivious to these kinds of things).

Three: I wouldn't say I liked this book.

Which is the lie? Did you guess number three? Because it was number three.

I absolutely loved this book, from the three chapters in the second person POV (well written), the big reveal about the girl's disappearance (both sets!), and the writing style. I loved it all. When done correctly, I also love a good unreliable narrator, and Sager delivered on that front.

My only nitpick is the side plot about the asylum. I loved that side plot and thought it was super cool and creepy. But I feel like the ending to that plot was a bit of a letdown. I mean, sure, the girls were found there and it was a perfect murder place, but I don't know. I was expecting something more for some reason. Also, I would have liked to see Emma interact with the campers more. She barely did her job and I'm surprised she didn't get in trouble for that.

Besides that, the story had a very interesting premise that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. I never wanted to put the book down and I love that feeling. This book had everything I didn't know I needed in a book. Some mystery, a bit of horror, a bit of romance, great characters, and great writing.

I think I'll be checking more of Sager's books. As for this one? I highly recommend it.