Everything I read in January 2023

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors, so as soon as this book arrived at my library, I checked it out ... and it did not disappoint! Demon Copperhead is a modern retelling the classic novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Set in the Appalachian Mountains, it tells the story of a boy (Demon) born who is born to a teenaged single mother. As he grows up, he faces countless challenges but never gives up.

I loved this book. The issues it deals with (childhood poverty, addiction, child labor, foster care, and more) are truly devastating, but the story also feels hopeful, and I found myself rooting for Demon throughout. It was the perfect book to kick off the year, and it's one of my favorites this month!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth

Every once in a while I get a hankering (lol) for a little dystopia, and this book definitely scratched that itch! Poster Girl tells the story of Sonya, who was the literal poster girl for a despotic regime called the Delegation. The book takes place after this government was overthrown, and Sonya (along with other members of the Delegation) have been imprisoned in an apartment complex. The new government offers her a way out ... she just needs to find a missing girl who was taken from her parents by the former regime.

While not my go-to book genre, I really liked Poster Girl! It's written by the author of the Divergent series, which I didn't realize beforehand (I haven't read the books or seen the movies), but now I'm curious to read more of her work. I loved reading about this richly detailed and disturbing world, as well as Sonya's (and her family's) part in it. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're a fan of books / media like The Handmaid's Tale or The Hunger Games.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

I've enjoyed Lucy Foley's other books (The Paris Apartment is my fave of hers), but I ended up being so-so on The Hunting Party. It's about a group of thirtysomething friends who met at Oxford. They gather annually to celebrate the New Year together, and this time, they've chosen an isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands. Although the trip starts off well, secret resentments quickly surface, and two days later one of the friends is dead.

You're never quite sure who was murdered until The Hunting Party nears the end, and it does have a good twist. That said, this book dragged for me a bit. While I didn't hate it, I also didn't love it, mostly because the characters weren't that likable (they didn't seem to like each other either), so it was hard to get too invested.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars)

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

If you're a fan of gothic horror, thrillers, or historical fiction, I think you'll love The Hacienda just as much as I did! The book tells the story of Beatriz, a naive young woman whose home was destroyed and whose father was killed during the overthrow of the Mexican government. Beatriz and her mother are left with nothing, and she seeks security by marrying a handsome and wealthy man she meets at a dance. After moving to his countryside estate, things go downhill quickly, and Beatriz discovers that something is not right with the hacienda.

This book has been described as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca, and I think it lives up to the hype! I couldn't put this novel down ... it's dark, has a creepy atmosphere and sinister characters, and the tension builds as the story unfolds. I loved it!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

The Block Party by Jamie Day (Out 7/18/23)

I received an advance copy of The Block Party from NetGalley / St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.

You never know what goes on behind closed door, and that's especially true in The Block Party! This twisty novel begins with an annual summer block party (held on an exclusive cul-de-sac) that ends with a murder. From there, the story (which is told from the perspective of Alex, a divorce mediator and heavy wine drinker, and her daughter Lettie, an environmentally-obsessed high school student who was recently suspended) rewinds a year. As the book progresses, many juicy secrets are revealed, as story makes its way back to that fateful party.

This book made me want to grab a glass of wine and gossip with my neighbors! It was a little hard to keep the characters straight at first and the pacing was a bit slow at times, but this thriller kept me hooked right through the surprising conclusion. The Block Party comes out this summer, and it would make the perfect beach read!

Preorder on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

If you're looking for a novel with an intriguing premise and lots of unexpected twists along the way, you'll love The Christie Affair! The renowned mystery writer Agatha Christie famously disappeared for 11 days in 1926, and this fictional tale (told from the perspective of Nan O'Day, the mistress and eventual wife of Agatha's husband) explains what happened while she was gone. Agatha is actually somewhat of a secondary character here, and Nan's personal story is more sympathetic that it might appear at first.

This clever book is a mystery within a mystery! There were many Christie-esque twists and turns which I didn't predict, which made it an enjoyable read. It's a creative story that's perfect for mystery and historical fiction fans.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Who Is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht

Some books grab you by their cover art, and that was the case for me with Who Is Vera Kelly? It's 1962, and Vera Kelly is struggling to pay her rent while cautiously dipping her toe into the Greenwich Village gay scene. She works a late night shift at a radio station, where her technical skills catch a CIA recruiter's eye. Soon she finds herself in Argentina, wire tapping a congressman and befriending a group of student activists. The story alternates between Vera's present day in Argentina and her troubled past.

I loved this book! It's kind of a cross between literary fiction, a character-driven spy novel, and cold war historical fiction. The story takes its time and it's not a thriller, but it really grips you. This is the first book in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the others soon!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

I've read lots of wonderful reviews for Moon of the Crusted Snow recently, so I had to pick it up! This short novel tells the story of Evan Whitesky and his small Anishinaabe community. When the community loses its power, it also loses its connection to the outside world. With winter just around the corner, and with few answers as to what's going on, the community's leaders struggle to keep everyone from panicking. The arrival of an unexpected visitor only makes things worse.

This post-apocalyptic book had me hooked from moment one! It's a bit of a slow burn, layered with creeping tension and building suspense that never lets up. While the subject matter is dark, the love Evan feels for his family and his community keep it from becoming too bleak. Definitely one of my favorites this month, and I'm eagerly awaiting this sequel which is supposed to come out later this year!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon

If you're looking for dark psychological thriller that hooks you right from the start, check out A Tidy Ending! This book centers around Linda, a socially awkward woman with a traumatic past. She leads a quiet life that revolves around working part-time at a charity shop, spending time with her overbearing mother, and cleaning up after her husband Terry (who starts keeping strange working hours around the same time young women begin turning up missing). Yet Linda yearns for more, especially after flipping through the glamorous catalogs addressed to her home's previous resident.

This book was an absolute page turner for me ... I couldn't put it down and finished the whole thing in less than one day! It's hard to describe the plot (which is more interesting than it sounds) without giving anything away, but I will say that it had me gripped from the beginning straight through to the shocking ending.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)