Review: The Child by Fiona Barton

The Child by Fiona Barton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed The Widow last year, so I was excited to read the author’s follow-up The Child. I mistakenly thought this was a sequel, but although the books share a common character, it is definitely a standalone with a completely different plot. Like The Widow, the book is very slow building with a character-driven narrative. A lot of different stories are weaving through The Child and it takes some time for the connections to be revealed. I think the book could’ve been thinned out a little since some of the sub-plots only came across as filler and didn’t lend much substance to the novel. The Child was a solid 3 stars for me, but the ending was very well done and elevated it to 3 ½ stars.

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Review: The Winter Sister by Megan Collins

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Winter Sister is full of broken characters. Besides Sylvie's aunt, all of the characters are a hot mess. The messy characters and messy relationships really made this book work for me. I felt the author did an amazing job of making the reader feel the complex emotions that come along with losing a sister. Sylvie, Ben and her mother are all carrying around guilt over Persephone and are stuck in their tragic pasts. The mystery was fairly predictable, but that didn't take away my enjoyment of the novel. There's a romance that I was actually a big fan of, but I could see it being polarizing too. I'm just always drawn to romances with broken characters who find solace in one another. 4.5 stars to this stellar debut!

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Review: The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian

The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the premise of this book because I've never read a novel about a character who sleepwalks. I don't know anyone who is a sleepwalker so it was compelling to learn about the affliction. The mystery of what could've happened to Annalee was also compelling. The main issue I had was the pace of the book is painfully slow. The first half especially drags on and on. It took me forever to finish because I kept falling asleep reading at night. Once the plot kicked into gear and a twist is revealed, the narrative was much improved. Recommended to fans of character-driven books about family drama.

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Review; The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Girlfriend is a solid read with a very strong middle. The beginning was very slow and the ending was super abrupt, but the pacing was absolutely perfect in between. I felt a lot of sympathy for the main character Daniel, because both his mother and girlfriend were absolute disasters and he was caught between the two. I was expecting more of a thriller of a book based on the description, but I’d label it more of a domestic drama. Highly recommend for fans of character-driven novels with leads that you love to hate.

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Review: First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always find Emily Giffin's books compulsive reads—even when I usually don't love the main characters. I never really cared overly for Darcy and Rachel in Something Borrowed but I still enjoyed the book throughly. I have the same feelings about First Comes Love. Sisters Josie and Meredith seemed a little stunted with their emotional growth, but their trials and tribulations following a tragedy with their brother make for a compelling read. Some of the drama seemed petty, but I think it only added a realistic feel to the novel. Another solid book from a must-read author.

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Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This Savage Song was incredibly good. It was so good, in fact I'm having a hard time reading a new novel after it. The beginning had me lost, but I'm so glad I was patient and waited to see how the story was going to come together. I loved the dual POVs and although I didn't care for Kate at first, she definitely won me over by the end. The book had a definite conclusion but left enough loose ends for the next book. I normally like a lot of romance in YA books, but this was one of the rare exceptions when it wasn't needed and the bond between Kate and August went deeper than romantic partners. Can't wait for the next book!

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