This title is probably new to no one, considering the successful BBC adaptation that aired in 2024. Drawing subtly from the real-life murder case of Hae Min Lee, this binge-worthy young adult true crime novel keeps readers on their toes to the very end. And though it seems to be partly inspired by a real case, that shouldn’t sway the reader into thinking they’ll know what happens. Aside from the “girlfriend possibly slain by boyfriend” and “racially motivated witch hunt” aspects, the narrative takes its own twists and turns.
Our main character is the plucky Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an extremely likeable if-not a bit reckless heroine on a mission to prove the now-deceased suspect convicted in the court of public opinion to be innocent. She turns sleuth in order to complete her senior project, though she goes a bit deeper than the confines of the project allow as she, with the aid of Ravi Singh, brother of the supposed perpetrator, follows clues down increasingly unexpected rabbit holes. With each stone Pippa turns over, she finds herself closer to the truth that someone does not want uncovered, which draws her closer and closer to danger.
This is a fabulous novel for eager true crime, mystery, and thriller fans of all ages. It’s a fast-paced and engaging read. It’s short, easily digestible, and has an extremely likeable cast of characters for which readers can’t help but root. Despite this, it does actually delve into some deep and emotional topics, such as racial stereotypes, sexual abuse, and some other subjects I shouldn’t really mention for fear of giving away the ending. The compelling narrative draws to a highly satisfying conclusion. Overall, I’d say this one is a fabulous choice if you’re looking for something quick but not sloppy. It’s a tight story that accomplishes what it came here to do. I give this one a solid four stars, and it’s definitely worth the read.
First Published May 2, 2019 by Electric Monkey. Edition published February 4, 2020 by Listening Library. ASIN B0F7ZK929T. Runtime 10 hrs, 53 mins. Narrated by Bailey Carr, Marisa Calin, Michael Crouch, Gopal Divan, Robert Fass, Kevin Free, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Carol Monda, Patricia Santomasso, Shezi Sardar, Amanda Thickpenny.
I am still overwhelmingly behind, the dread of catching up just pushing me to become even further behind. So here I am trying to remedy that. The plan is to do little else than write reviews for the next few days until I’m all caught up. I may as well start with one of my favorites of the last few months. 
I have numerous other reads I finished before this one, but I just completed the audiobook and have a lot of thoughts I’m desperate to get out, so I’m skipping ahead a bit.
I have been very fortunate this year so far in that the book club books chosen by my fellow members just happen to slot into my Reading Challenge. This book, Parable of the Sower, the first book in the Earthseed series, fits into the Banned Books category, which is always a favorite of mine to explore. I wish banned books didn’t exist at all, but they do, and I love seeking them out. It doesn’t take too many pages to see why a certain sector of the population doesn’t want this book within reach of young people. Those young people might actually learn something and, worse, they might even begin to ask tough questions.
I stumbled across this lovely novel when meandering through the local library, which I can often be found doing. I was initially intrigued by the cover and the weighty title, so it wound up going home with me. The novel follows Georgie Bricker, a French professor at a small women’s college in Virginia. A victim of childhood trauma, Georgie’s intense agoraphobia hasn’t allowed her to leave her little cocoon of safety on campus in years. I should note here that this is actually a follow-up novel. The first book, Georgie Girl, takes place when Georgie is young and sets up a lot of what comes later. I picked this book up not knowing there was a first. Thankfully, Wafler does enough looking back to fill in the gaps of what readers may have missed by not reading the first. 
If you, like me, are a child of the 90’s or before, you are quite well-versed in the fact that some children’s programs meant to bring joy and comfort dredged up feelings less desirable, often inspiring regular nightmares and originating new deep-seeded fears. Even shows I adored when I was a kid I can watch today and there’s something unsettling about the characters, costumes, and plot points. Sometimes it’s not overt but just a vague sense that things aren’t quite right. Other times the nightmare fuel is quite in-your-face. 
Tonight both the husband and the boy child are away for the evening, and I have four 10-year old girls singing karaoke at the top of their lungs on the floor below me, so I figured it was a great time to catch up on some book reviews. I’ve had The Wedding People finished for more than a couple of months but haven’t come around to writing the review yet. *wrist slap*
I was first introduced to Liz Moore a few years ago when I devoured The Unseen World, which I noted in my goodreads review from 2017 as “quietly spectacular.” I remember it being a technologically-driven mystery for super smart people, and I often think about the book even today. This novel, The God of the Woods, is an incredibly different type of book. There’s still a mystery involved, but it’s a much more standard type of mystery. Their commonality exists in the fact that both books are extremely well executed by Moore, a human who is obviously very adept at her craft. 
Karen Marie Moning has a pretty big fan base, but I’m admittedly a newbie to her work. Simply from the title, I thought I was picking up a haunted house tale, but that’s not what this is. It is a tale in which a woman inherits a creepy old house from a relative she didn’t know existed, but that’s where the similarities with other novels in the Gothic house trope end. From there, this one becomes a tale of centuries old covens and magical beings. Oh, and it’s the first of a new trilogy. If I’m being completely realistic, I can see this one being one that falls off my radar and I never finish the trilogy. Let’s get into why… 
A Librarian and Her Books 