The Familiar is the latest adult novel by Leigh Bardugo. Like Ninth House, The Familiar is magical realism, but it is also historical fiction as it is set in 16th century Spain. I enjoyed The Familiar and at this point I think that Bardugo cannot fail to write a novel that I find interesting.
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Where Sleeping Girls Lie is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s second novel, after her debut Ace of Spades. I have pretty much gravitated away from YA novels, but I decided to give Àbíké-Íyímídé’s second novel a chance because I liked Ace of Spades and I appreciate that her YA fiction is grounded in realism. Unfortunately, I was not as engrossed by Where Sleeping Girls Lie as I was by Ace of Spades. I feel as though this novel is lacking something, and after pondering over it, I have concluded that it is because the characters are somewhat bland.
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Listen for the Lie is Amy Tintera’s adult debut novel. I have read some of her YA novels, The Ruined Trilogy, but I honestly do not remember much about them (oops). I decided to read Listen for the Lie because it sounds interesting and has been getting good reviews. I think Listen of the Lie is an entertaining and easy read (I read it in one weekend) that is perfect for fans of the mystery genre.
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This is the first – and most likely only – “blind date with a book” that I have purchased. A Hero of Our Time is apparently “whip smart with biting humor” but I did not find it humorous at all. It actually kind of made me feel sad – when it wasn’t making me feel so bored that I wanted to DNF it.
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I came across a collection of Maggie O’Farrell’s novels in the bargain book section of my local independent bookstore, and since I have read and enjoyed O’Farrell’s The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet, I decided to read one of her more contemporary novels. After You’d Gone, O’Farrell’s debut novel that was first published in 2000,sounded the most intriguing out of the collection. I found After You’d Gone to be just as interesting as both The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet.
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I came across The Book of Doors while browsing my local Indigo bookstore. The inside book flap says that this novel is for readers of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, which almost made me pass it over, but then it said that this novel is also for readers of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, which is a book that I really enjoyed reading, so I decided to give The Book of Doors a chance. I like it better than The Midnight Library, but it does not hold a candle to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. The Book of Doors is an interesting idea, but I really do not care much for certain aspects of the novel.
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Ottessa Moshfegh is the author of the darkly funny and bizarre My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which I read back in 2022 and enjoyed. This inspired me to read Moshfegh’s Death in Her Hands, which I came across in the bargain section at my local independent bookstore. I did not enjoy Death in Her Hands. It is one of those books where the idea is better than the execution.
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The Circle is a sequel to both The Break and The Strangers. It is apparently the last of Vermette’s trilogy of novels that feature the same characters. SPOILER ALERT: Do not read any further it you plan on reading The Break and The Strangers.
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The Break is the first in a trilogy of novels by Katherena Vermette that are set in Winnipeg, Manitoba and feature a recurring cast of Métis characters. The Break is a good novel that tells a powerful story, but its frank depictions of sexual assault make this novel difficult to stomach at times.
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