Just a girl and her books
THE GODMOTHER | Barbie Latza Nadeau 09.06.2022 | Penguin Books Rating: 3.5/5 stars For as long as it has gripped our imaginations, the Mafia has been tied to an ingrained image of masculinity. We read about "made men," "wiseguys," and "goodfellas" leading criminal organizations whose culture prizes machismo, with women as ancillary and often-powerless characters: … Continue reading Book Review: The Godmother
FAIRY TALE | Stephen King 09.06.2022 | Scribner Rating: 3/5 stars Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, but he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. … Continue reading Book Review: Fairy Tale
DEAD FLIP | Sara Farizan 08.30.2022 | Algonquin Young Readers Rating: 4/5 stars Growing up, Cori, Maz, and Sam were inseparable best friends, sharing their love for Halloween, arcade games, and one another. Now it’s 1992, Sam has been missing for five years, and Cori and Maz aren’t speaking anymore. How could they be, when … Continue reading Book Review: Dead Flip
THE HACIENDA | Isabel Cañas 05.03.2022 | Berkley Rating: 3.5/5 stars In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. But … Continue reading Book Review: The Hacienda
THEY DROWN OUR DAUGHTERS | Katrina Monroe 7.12.22 | Poisoned Pen Press Rating: 3/5 stars They say Cape Disappointment is haunted. That's why tourists used to flock there in droves. They'd visit the rocky shoreline under the old lighthouse's watchful eye and fish shells from the water as they pretended to spot dark shapes in … Continue reading Book Review: They Drown Our Daughters
LORD OF THE FLY FEST | Goldy Moldavsky 08.30.2022 | Henry Holt & Co. Rating: 3.5/5 stars Rafi Francisco needs something really special to put her true crime podcast on the map. She sets her sights on River Stone, the hearthrob musician who rose to stardom after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. Rafi lands … Continue reading Book Review: Lord of the Fly Fest
THE RESEMBLANCE | Lauren Nossett 11.08.22 | Flatiron Books Rating: 4/5 stars On a chilly November morning at the University of Georgia, a fraternity brother steps off a busy crosswalk and is struck dead by an oncoming car. More than a dozen witnesses all agree on two things: The driver looked identical to the victim, … Continue reading Book Review: The Resemblance
CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD 2: FRENDO LIVES | Adam Cesare 08.23.2022 | Harper Teen Rating: 4.5/5 stars BEWARE OF SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ BOOK 1! After barely making it out of the Kettle Springs cornfields alive, Quinn’s first year away at college should be safe and easy. All she wants is to be normal … Continue reading Book Review: Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives
OLD COUNTRY | Matt Query & Harrison Query 07.26.2022 | Grand Central Publishing Rating: 3/5 stars It’s the house of their dreams. Former marine Harry and his wife, Sasha, have packed up their life and their golden retriever, Dash, and fled the corporate rat race to live off the land in rural Idaho. Their breathtaking … Continue reading Book Review: Old Country
THE DEPTHS | Nicole Lesperance 09.13.2022 | Razorbill Rating: 5/5 stars Eulalie Island should be a paradise, but to Addie Spencer, it's more like a prison. Forced to tag along to the remote island on her mother's honeymoon, Addie isn't thrilled about being trapped there for two weeks. The island is stunning, with its secluded … Continue reading Book Review: The Depths
What Jess Reads 