New books – Page 6 – Derby Public Library's Blog

What’s Ashley Reading?: None Of This Is True

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

First line: Josie can feel her husband’s discomfort as they enter the golden glow of the gastropub.

Summary: At a local pub, Alix Summers and Josie Fair, meet each other and discover that they are birthday twins, they were born on the same day in the same hospital. A few days later, they bump into each other again and Josie has a proposition for Alix. After listening to Alix’s podcast, Josie believes that her story is one that Alix will want to share. As the women start recording, Josie starts to work her way into Alix’s life and even her home. Even though Alix finds Josie to be a bit strange she cannot help needing to know her story. But as suddenly as she appeared, Josie disappears. It seems like the end until Alix finds that she has been living inside a true crime podcast. And the big question is, who is Josie?

My Thoughts: After finishing this I had to sit and think, ‘What did I just read?!’. This is probably the best Lisa Jewell I have read. It was absolutely crazy! This story was jam packed full of shocking events, eccentric people, horrifying back stories and an ending that leaves you guessing.

I never knew what to make of Josie. As a reader we saw what life was like in her home and inside her head. But how much of this is real or skewed based on her perceptions? This is the ultimate unreliable narrator. Josie is very willing to discuss her past with a total stranger. She reveals a life that was filled with misfortune and regrets. I felt sorry for her and shocked as more of her life is revealed. But with each new detail you start to wonder how this has affected Josie and what is she going to do to change it?

I highly recommend listening to this book because it is told using a full cast. Since the premise is that it is a podcast recording that is picked up as a true crime documentary, the full cast idea adds an extra layer to the story. Using this format style, it is easy to forget that this is a novel and not an actual podcast.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Trade Off

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones

First line: “You’ve got a nerve showing up here,” he hisses, coming to an abrupt halt beside me as he leads the mourners back up the aisle.

Summary: Jess has just landed her dream job. She is going to be a real reporter for The Globe newspaper. With her new job she hopes to change the world with her reporting. But once she meets the infamous Stella, her boss and deputy editor, she sees that standing by her morals may be harder than she thinks. On her first assignment she learns that the underhanded ways of the paper can lead to some deadly consequences. How can she continue working at a place that puts sales over the lives of those they report on?

My Thoughts: I was not sure about requesting the newest Sandie Jones book. The last two books were just not that good. I wondered if it was time to move on but I am glad I picked this one up. It was a quick paced and shows the backstabbing nature of modern news outlets.

The two main characters seem to be night and day. Stella is the hardened reporter who will do whatever to get the big story. Jess is the rookie who still believes in justice and the truth no matter what. With the alternating chapters the reader sees the differences in how they deal with similar situations. But really how different are they? Both are women in a world dominated by men.

Reading this really made me think about how tabloids and clickbait is used to destroy people’s lives. How much can we really trust some of the “news” that is circulating all over social media? I think this will give readers a look at something we see every day but then question how these stories were tailored.

FYI: Suicide, rape and stalking.

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Twisted Love Story

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

First line: Wes can’t get the song out of his head.

Summary: Wes and Ivy have a deep relationship. They love each other beyond words. But at times they also hate each other with a fierce passion. In their on-again off-again relationship they have damaged property, taken revenge and called the cops. But during one of their breakups they did something that they refuse to discuss. However, a police detective is digging into their past and it may lead to the darkest night of their lives. Can they stay together through everything? Or will this finally destroy them?

My Thoughts: The characters and their relationship was a disaster in this book! I could not believe how these people acted towards each other. No one was likeable. There is not someone to really cheer for. It is just a big train wreck. But I did think that some of the petty things were pretty ingenious.

I don’t know how to feel about this book. It is a domestic thriller dealing more with personal relationships than anything else. There are flashes back to times during Wes and Ivy’s past relationships that gives us a look at their troubled history which leads to the night that changed everything. Much of the reasons behind the drama was spurred on by them. If they hadn’t been vengeful then it would not have led to other events. It just seemed to be a cycle and became repetitive. But then the story just comes to an end. I didn’t feel like there was a real conclusion. I just did not like it as much as some of Downing’s other books.

FYI: Abuse, assault and violence.

Monica’s Musings: Goblin Mode

Goblin Mode by McKayla Coyle

“Honoring our goblin selves means celebrating our passions, asserting our right to green spaces, listening to our bodies, watching the world with curiosity, and prioritizing comfort.” – McKayla Coye, Goblin Mode

Summary: Embrace your inner goblin! Learn to decorate, dress, craft, forage, and live according to the goblin principles of community, diversity, proud weirdness, and joyful mess.

Do you ever feel strange, gross, chaotic, underappreciated, or like you don’t quite fit in? Great news: you might be a goblin! That means your imperfections and idiosyncrasies are the most awesome things about you, and you can build a more balanced, comfortable, harmonious life by accepting and honoring them—taking inspiration from the frogs, fungus, moss, rocks, and dirt that goblins love.

Can a mushroom give you fashion tips? Can a snail teach you to be a better person? You bet they can—and in this book, you’ll also learn to: Build a moss garden for your lair, grow and use medicinal plants, forage for berries (even in the city), mend your cozy sweaters, display your cool rock collection, and more!

Anyone can be a goblin, and Goblin Mode includes life advice for celebrating physical and mental diversity, rejecting prejudice, and generally hanging on to a little joy. Featuring 25 whimsical illustrations by Marian Churchland, Goblin Mode will help you rethink your relationship with your body, home, community, and the earth.

My Thoughts: Goblincore is an aesthetic and subculture inspired by the folklore of goblins, centered on celebrating natural ecosystems usually considered less beautiful by conventional norms, such as soil, animals, and second-hand objects. This book is so cute and fits the goblin core aesthetic quite nicely. It discusses the history of the term “goblin,” with its negative connotations throughout history, and how it has recently been reclaimed to mean something positive and relatable.

This way of life is about finding positivity, beauty, and joy in the world around you. You get craft ideas and helpful tips on plant and pet care. My favorite chapters were about dressing comfortably, decorating your home in a way that makes you happy, and how to wallow and take time for yourself. I recommend this to anyone looking to connect with nature and embrace themselves without conforming to society’s standards!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Zero Days

Zero Days by Ruth Ware

First line: The wall around the perimeter was child’s play.

Summary: With the help of her hacker husband, Jack is hired and paid to break into companies to evaluate their security systems. One night after a job she comes home to Gabe dead at his computer. It looks like it was a professional job but the police are convinced she is to blame. Rather than letting the police pin her husband’s murder on her, Jack goes on the run trying to find who would kill Gabe and why. Using her expertise with security systems and street smarts she dives into the dark underworld of the hacking sphere to clear her name before she becomes the next target.

My Thoughts: I actually really enjoyed the newest Ruth Ware book. Her books have been hit or miss for me but this one was an epic cat and mouse game. From almost the very beginning we are thrown into a world that is moving at a very quick pace. Jack is an intelligent and easy to cheer for protagonist. She deals with things that many people would have no knowledge about but Ware does not make her unbelievable. Jack knows her limits and draws on information she has gathered through years on the job and tips picked up from Gabe.

The one part I was a little bummed by was the fact that it was pretty easy to know who was behind everything. It is probably harder now though with so many books in this genre to create something as twisty and shocking as it was just a few years ago before Gone Girl. But the buildup and tension was great fun for a summer read!

Monica’s Musings: I Have Some Questions for You

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

“Just because you can’t picture someone doing something doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of it.”- Rebecca Makkai, I Have Some Questions for You

Summary: A successful film professor and podcaster, Bodie Kane is content to forget her past— her four miserable years at a New Hampshire boarding school and the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, in the spring of their senior year. Though the circumstances surrounding Thalia’s death and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer are hotly debated online, Bodie prefers—needs—to let sleeping dogs lie.

But when the Granby School invites her back to teach a course, Bodie is drawn to the case and its increasingly apparent ﬂaws. In their rush to convict someone, did the police overlook other suspects? Is the real killer still out there? As she falls down the very rabbit hole she was so determined to avoid, Bodie begins to wonder if she wasn’t as much of an outsider at Granby as she had thought—if, perhaps, she knew something that might have held the key to solving the case.

My Thoughts: Rebecca Makkai wrote Bodie in a way that perfectly shows how when you’re in so much pain yourself, you feel downright lonely. In those moments, you fail to notice that those around you feel the same way. Bodie is strong, resilient, flawed, and scarred by tragedy. All of which add to her character development.

Makkai shows the social dynamics between classes and genders while asking uncomfortable questions about victim narratives in order to gain status and attention. She tackles highly relevant topics such as gender norms, racism, “Me Too”, Covid, the justice system, misogyny, cancel culture, predatory behavior, and more, challenging our preconceptions and underlining the complexity of the real world

This story does have multiple timelines. In the beginning, you have a forty-four-year-old Bodie in the present, but the next minute you are in 2016, and then 2018, where the bulk of the novel took place. Additionally, there are multiple flashbacks to Bodie’s four school years at Granby (1991-1995) and a few from her childhood. And, these flashbacks and flash-forwards switched at the drop-of-a-hat or a scene that triggered something from Bodie’s past. Once I got into the groove, though, I enjoyed it.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Only One Left

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

First line: The office is on Main Street, tucked between a beauty parlor and a storefront that, in hindsight, feels prophetic.

Summary: In 1929, Lenora Hope killed her whole family. Or that’s how the rhyme goes but Lenora was never charged and is now living a lonely life in her family’s house on the cliffs. It’s now 1983, Kit McDeere has just ended her suspension after an investigation into her previous patient’s death. Her new assignment is to care for the local murderess, Lenora Hope. Several strokes have left Lenora mute and wheelchair bound. Using a typewriter Lenora is able to communicate with Kit but one sentence changes the course of Kit’s life. Lenora wants to tell Kit everything about that night in 1929. Intrigued, Kit begins helping Lenora type her story. What really happened in 1929? And can Kit trust what Lenora is telling her?

My Thoughts: To date this is probably my favorite Riley Sager book! It was crammed full of twists at the end. It was twist after twist after twist. But I was invested for every bit of it. The beginning is a slow burn as we are introduced to the characters and what has brought Kit to this point in her life. She has struggled through life but finally found something she is good at. Then one mistake takes everything she has done into question, changing her whole life. I ended up liking Kit by the end. She starts out rather timid and unsure but as she learns more she becomes a stronger character who stands behind her decisions.

Hope’s End seemed a living museum. The house was stuck in the past along with the uniforms and amenities. Lenora is kept upstairs in her room. Everything about the house and it occupants was perfectly done. It had that eerie feeling with what appears to be a Mrs. Danvers character running the show. The house is perched on the edge of a cliff face but the ocean is slowly eroding the land away. Adding the imminent threat of destruction to a need to find out the truth added suspense and urgency to the plot. This book could easily be read in one sitting because it is so packed with shocking moments and revelations that makes it hard to put down.

My favorite parts were Lenora’s memories of 1929 and the times leading up to the murder of her family. There were so many clues hiding in plain sight and I did not notice until everything has been revealed. And red herrings were placed throughout as well to throw the reader off and they did just that! It was plotted out perfectly.

I love that Sager sets his books in the 80s. It such a modern era but still in the past before internet and cell phones. I have to keep reminding myself about the time period when I get frustrated and question why the characters did not do or know something. But this is part of the appeal of Sager’s books. They have a nostalgia factor mixed with the wonderful 80s horror movie tropes. As always I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a thrilling read.

Monica’s Musings: A House with Good Bones

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

“Strange, the powers you find sometimes, in a garden at the end of the road.”
― T. Kingfisher, A House with Good Bones

Summary: “Mom seems off.” Her brother’s words echo in Sam’s ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam is excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. When Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.

My Thoughts: Sam is hilarious with her quirky sense of humor, which captured my attention immediately. She is a great protagonist, but most of the book is listening to her inner monologue. There are just a few characters in this book, and it takes a very long time for them to begin to interact with one another. I did think that the characters complement each other well in the story, and I enjoyed how it all came together by the end.

T. Kingfisher’s horror in this book is surprisingly normal-ish. She uses very ordinary people in very ordinary settings and then allows the dread to grow. Unlike the previous T. Kingfisher book I read, What Moves the Dead, I found this story much less creepy.

Podcast: And That’s Why We Drink

If you are a fan of paranormal and true crime stories, I highly recommend giving this podcast, And That’s Why We Drink, a shot! I found it while I was in-between books, and I have been binging the content for a few weeks. Hosts Christine and Em are both very well-spoken, and their friendship reflects in their banter back and forth on topics. Each host brings a story to share, and the episodes are each two hours long or more! I personally listen on Spotify or YouTube.

*Found wherever you get your podcasts!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I by Tracy Borman

First line: One of the oldest and most precious items in the collection of Chequers House, the country residence of Britain’s prime ministers, is a tiny, exquisitely crafted ring, fashioned from mother-of-pearl and embossed with rubies and diamonds.

Summary: In Tracy Borman’s newest book she explores the lives and connections between Anne Boleyn and her daughter Queen Elizabeth I. Rather than just a straight biography of the two women she looks at how they shaped and changed each other. Anne died while Elizabeth was a toddler leaving a legacy that Elizabeth had to contend with her whole life but she persevered and honored her mother in all she did.

My Thoughts: I am always excited to read Tracy Borman’s books. She is an excellent historian who I have followed and envied for years. She gets to spend her days at the palaces of England studying the history of each location. I found her newest book to be very interesting and I actually learned stuff while reading it. I have spent years reading everything about Anne Boleyn so it is always fun to learn new stuff about her. Having heard for years that Elizabeth never mentioned her mother it was fascinating to see that she actually honored her through much of her life.

My favorite part was hearing how Elizabeth used her mother’s emblems and mottos during her lifetime. I never understood why Elizabeth never tried to rehabilitate or reinter her mother’s remains but Borman does a good job of explaining the possible reasons behind the choice. And rather than forcing people to change their opinions about Anne, she subtly displayed her around her kingdom and throughout her court. It shocked me how many of her Boleyn relatives and supporters surrounded her during her reign. I knew of her association with her Carey cousins but the extended family and friends was new information for me. I like to think that they talked about their memories with the queen and shared admiration for Anne to her daughter.

For any fan of Anne Boleyn or Elizabeth I, this is a must read! It is informative and interesting read. It may be one I buy for my own collection. I can see myself reading it again in the future.

*Releases on June 20, 2023.*

Monica’s Musings: Maame

Maame by Jessica George

“Accept that your life is different now because of this monumental, irreversible change and that it’s okay to feel guilty one day and indescribable happiness another. This is life now. This is how you live.”
― Jessica George, Maame

Summary: Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.

It is fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced-stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare, and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mom returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. She finds a flatshare, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it is not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family.

Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism to the complexity of love. Most importantly, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures, and it celebrates finally finding where you belong.

My Thoughts: Maddie is a very naive 25-year-old navigating the world as she has just moved out. Throughout the book, she is asking Google how she should handle all of these situations coming up in her life, and it is pretty hilarious. The author did a fantastic job portraying Maddie’s emotions because it feels like you are experiencing this new world right along with her!

I was fully immersed and engaged in her life as she faced all her ups and downs. It is sad sometimes and sweet at others. The relationship between Maddie and her father is very moving and is written with empathy and love. You will want to yell at her mother and brother, whose selfish use of Maddie makes you so angry.

This is a book that takes you on a journey. It includes some difficult topics such as; grief, microaggressions, and depression, but does so really well and with sensitivity. I love the ending, or better yet, I love the whole book!