As I turned the first page of Bound in Winter's Grip, I had no idea just how deeply this book would pull me in. From start to finish, it was an incredAs I turned the first page of Bound in Winter's Grip, I had no idea just how deeply this book would pull me in. From start to finish, it was an incredibly suspenseful journey that held my interest until the very last word. Emma Langston masterfully weaves a plot so intricate that I couldn’t predict the culprit early on—a rarity and one of the highlights of my experience.
While the romance takes a backseat to the mystery, it’s executed to perfection. The dynamic between Riley and Olivia, filled with tension, doubt, and undeniable chemistry, added layers of complexity to the story. Their uncertainty about one another only heightened the stakes, and I found myself rooting for them to overcome the shadows of suspicion.
The final twist—a connection between Riley and one of the victims—added a powerful emotional punch to the narrative. Langston’s ability to surprise while maintaining the story’s believability is truly commendable.
Riley and Olivia are both intelligent, strong, and layered characters, and I loved following their journey. Their love scene was a standout moment, written with such poetic beauty that it felt deeply emotional rather than overtly erotic. It fit perfectly with the tone of the story and left me satisfied in every way.
I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end, and even then, I wished for more. If you’re looking for a gripping mystery with a touch of romance and unforgettable characters, Bound in Winter's Grip is the book for you. ...more
A Woman Ignored continues the story of Lizzie and Sarah, whose relationship is, at best, perplexing and, at worst, deeply unsettling. For readers famiA Woman Ignored continues the story of Lizzie and Sarah, whose relationship is, at best, perplexing and, at worst, deeply unsettling. For readers familiar with the series, this installment offers little growth or evolution, particularly for Lizzie, whose character remains unchanged from previous books. While Markinson is known for creating complex and flawed characters, the dynamics between Lizzie and Sarah verge on unhealthy and unbalanced, making it difficult to connect with or root for their relationship.
At the heart of the story is Sarah’s inability—or refusal—to understand Lizzie’s quirks and limitations. Sarah often holds Lizzie’s peculiarities against her, weaponizing them to push her into uncomfortable situations. One of the more glaring examples is Sarah’s unilateral decision to have a baby, a life-altering announcement she makes without any prior discussion. This blindsiding approach is presented as a mix of humor and drama, but it comes off as manipulative and selfish rather than endearing. Instead of fostering a sense of partnership or mutual respect, Sarah’s pushiness highlights the glaring lack of genuine emotional connection and understanding in their relationship. This dynamic is further strained by Sarah’s dismissive attitude toward Lizzie’s struggles with unplanned or unforeseen circumstances.
The book’s broader narrative feels equally flat. Much of the story revolves around Lizzie and Sarah visiting restaurants with their friends, engaging in snarky banter, and passing judgment on others. While witty dialogue can often elevate otherwise mundane scenes, the incessant sarcasm and demeaning comments, often directed at Lizzie, fail to add charm or levity. Instead, they reinforce the troubling power dynamics at the core of the story. Lizzie’s unresolved issues with her mother are also never adequately explored, leaving a significant emotional thread dangling by the end of the book.
The ending itself is abrupt and unsatisfying, offering little resolution to the conflicts that dominate the narrative. It feels more like a pause than a conclusion, as though the story simply ran out of steam. For a book that aims to delve into the complexities of relationships, it misses the mark by failing to provide meaningful growth, insight, or resolution for its characters.
Readers looking for a heartfelt exploration of love and personal growth may find themselves frustrated by the shallow, unresolved conflicts and the ultimately hollow conclusion....more
Do you know someone so self-absorbed and dishonest that they truly believe their own exaggerated sense of self-worth? If so, you’ve already met someonDo you know someone so self-absorbed and dishonest that they truly believe their own exaggerated sense of self-worth? If so, you’ve already met someone like Lizzie, the protagonist of T.B. Markinson’s A Woman Lost. This novel explores the tangled mess of Lizzie’s relationships and inner turmoil, but while I understand the direction the author was aiming for, the execution fell flat for me.
Lizzie is a character defined by her flaws—self-involvement, compulsive lying, and a knack for making everything about herself. While flawed protagonists can be engaging, Lizzie is almost unbearable. I’ve never wanted to slap a fictional character so badly. Her endless complaints, emotional blindness, and lack of understanding about what it means to truly love or be loved by someone make her more frustrating than compelling.
Her relationship with Sarah, her girlfriend, is a central element of the story. Their relationship feels more like a battle of control and passive-aggression than anything resembling partnership.
To the author’s credit, the book is well-written. Markinson develops the characters with skill, and there is undeniable growth in Lizzie over the course of the novel. However, the main issue for me is that Lizzie is so unlikable that I struggled to connect with her journey. While she does show moments of introspection and development, her overwhelming self-centeredness and inability to empathize with others made it hard to root for her.
Thematically, A Woman Lost touches on complicated topics, such as family dysfunction, self-loathing, and the messiness of human relationships. These are rich veins to explore, but Lizzie’s approach to these issues feels so self-absorbed that it’s difficult to fully engage with the emotional weight of the story.
Ultimately, A Woman Lost is not a bad book—it’s well-crafted and delivers a clear arc for its characters. But Lizzie’s grating personality and the unhealthy relationships she navigates left me frustrated rather than invested. If you enjoy stories about deeply flawed protagonists and can tolerate their shortcomings for the sake of the bigger picture, this might be worth a read. For me, it was a miss....more
What a misleading premise! "The Coin" promises intrigue but delivers monotony.
If you're expecting a gripping tale of scheming or reselling Birkin bagWhat a misleading premise! "The Coin" promises intrigue but delivers monotony.
If you're expecting a gripping tale of scheming or reselling Birkin bags, you're in for a disappointment. This book offers neither. Instead, it's a tedious journey through the protagonist's obsessions with cleanliness, clothes, students, and disjointed childhood flashbacks, spiraling into an incoherent mess.
Contrary to its synopsis, "The Coin" is a first-person narrative of a Palestinian heiress in New York who is compulsively clean, dedicating pages to the grotesque details of her hygiene routines. Her job at a private boys' school is barely about teaching and more about using the students as subjects for her bizarre stream of consciousness moments. The protagonist is deeply unlikable and strange, not "unraveling" as promised but rather starting off unstable. The book hints at deeper themes of existential turmoil and Palestinian heritage, but these are lost in a mire of pointless detail.
The protagonist's dream isn't the American Dream; it's a distorted reenactment of Palestinian suffering which I found thoroughly distasteful.
Ultimately, this book is neither unique nor memorable. If you dislike disjointed, stream of consciousness narratives with hardly any resolution at the end, "The Coin" most likely won't appeal to you....more
While I was drawn to the concept of this book, I found the writing to be lacking in depth and characterization. McGuire introduced an intriguing premiWhile I was drawn to the concept of this book, I found the writing to be lacking in depth and characterization. McGuire introduced an intriguing premise and crafted an impressive array of worlds, but I couldn't help but wonder what could have been achieved with more thorough editing and guidance. Although the potential for greatness is evident, the work never quite managed to surpass that threshold for me....more
A couple of years ago I read this as a fanfic on Archive of Our Own and loved it. I'm happy to see it was turned into a book. Vivienne Carter is a sterA couple of years ago I read this as a fanfic on Archive of Our Own and loved it. I'm happy to see it was turned into a book. Vivienne Carter is a stern, brilliant scholar, yet somewhat inept when it comes to people. Selene, on the other hand, is precise and meticulous, yet possesses a hidden softness. The interactions between the two, whether sexual or not, were well written and full of tension. Although I am not a fan of last-minute breakups, I found the underlying rationale behind this one to be reasonable and understandable. Furthermore, the novel has an excellent subplot exploring themes such as tolerance, love, and personal accountability, exemplified through Vivienne's niece and her transgender best friend who is being bullied at school.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
In my experience, there aren't that many authors that can write longing, passion, pain and love quite as well and as masterfully as McKay. The evolutiIn my experience, there aren't that many authors that can write longing, passion, pain and love quite as well and as masterfully as McKay. The evolution of the relationship between Magdalene and Sam was beautiful and more intimate, there was much more to this book than just a retelling. I also loved the little nod to another well known and beloved character, Audrey Avens....more
A quick read with some seemingly casual romance that turns quite vile by the end. It just failed to grab me, the twist was easily predictable early onA quick read with some seemingly casual romance that turns quite vile by the end. It just failed to grab me, the twist was easily predictable early on. Ro's internal monologue felt naive and distracting, and the way her position as an Assistant Professor was depicted sounded unrealistic to me. The horror part of this short book also takes a while to unfold, most of the action takes place within the last few chapters....more
A psychological analysis of one suppressed, tortured soul living in a dysfunctional family. A novel that makes you think, critiques society, sheds a lA psychological analysis of one suppressed, tortured soul living in a dysfunctional family. A novel that makes you think, critiques society, sheds a light on aggression and juggles with the roles of power and submission....more
A nice quick read but unfortunately the drama and lies that set the atmosphere in Champagne Problems, where Sophia and Emily's relationship started, cA nice quick read but unfortunately the drama and lies that set the atmosphere in Champagne Problems, where Sophia and Emily's relationship started, continued in this follow up as well....more
This novel examines the political culture and the shady drama of a college in Seattle in the days before the 2016 presidential election. It is told inThis novel examines the political culture and the shady drama of a college in Seattle in the days before the 2016 presidential election. It is told in a chronology that alternates between a present tense and the aftermath of some terrible event which remains unclear until the very last chapters. I personally think that Jha's attempt to tell her story through the voice of the opposite gender fell short. Men are portrayed in very stereotypical ways, starting with the deeply misogynistic, middle-aged white male who never really rises above being an avatar. Oliver Harding's growth, if it could be called that, is his downfall from workplace lust to a criminal outburst with fatality. Ruhaba was not particularly likeable either, the sharp and opinionated contradictory character was simply used for shock value at the end without any real purpose. This book tried to be complex and intense but it missed the mark for me....more
Bland and mind numbingly uneventful. "I don't know" was the most common phrase used by Natalie and perfectly described her character in it's entirety.Bland and mind numbingly uneventful. "I don't know" was the most common phrase used by Natalie and perfectly described her character in it's entirety. There was barely any character growth or resolution to the very predictable twist. ...more
An okay read, but to me the characters often sounded quite immature and not like college professors in their 40s. I also found Stef's yearning to haveAn okay read, but to me the characters often sounded quite immature and not like college professors in their 40s. I also found Stef's yearning to have a family and her overreaction to an evening gone wrong a bit pushy and self-absorbed. ...more
Loading...
