Some confusing POV stuff, but still a good suspense read. #Netgalley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Full review on Goodreads

Kinda predictable and pretty schmaltzy, but heartwarming and still a good read!

Full review at erinkonrad.com

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*ARC provided by @StMartinsPress*

This book centers around self-help strategies that can fall into place much like the process of making kintsugi art. I appreciated the structure - a little bit of info about kintsugi, suggestions for empowering and discovering your best self., and exercises to do to try out the techniques. I especially loved the inclusion of photographs of beautiful kintsugi art pieces. But I wasn‘t crazy about the repetition. #Netgalley ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark and full of twists...just how I like em‘!

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Kinda obsessed with this latest read. Funny, smart, and inspiring! Check out my review:

http://erinkonrad.com/2019/05/31/sorry-im-late-i-didnt-want-to-come-book-review/

5 stars! #NetGalley

I found that the beginning was frustrating to read - there's a lot of talk about a mysterious event but no details on what that is until at least a quarter of the way in. There was some suspense that I enjoyed, but I would definitely not classify this as a thriller. Overall, it really came down to the structure of the novel not working for me - I liked the idea for the story, just not the execution. #NetGalley ⭐⭐⭐

This book (recently retitled “Suicide Tango“) did elicit strong emotions for me - unfortunately, they weren't positive. The writer completely missed the mark on accurately describing mental illness, a working therapist-patient relationship, and how people actually experience suicidality. I get that the author was trying to write a satire, but that form has to be based in reality to work. Instead, this felt completely irresponsible. #NetGalley

Officially finished this trilogy! This one was actually my favorite of the three. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This novel just completely missed the mark for me. I was expecting a sci-fi angle or even magical realism. It's set up to make it seem like there might be a parallel universe at play since the main characters start seeing people who aren't really there. However, this concept is never fully drawn out. I was also disappointed with the lack of a true plot. The only exciting things happened after 80% of the book was already done. ⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley

Loved this! Excited to move on to the second book and to watch the new show!

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I admire Gates' mission to improve the lives of women around the world. The best parts of the book are her stories of the women she's met who have endured incredible hardships but are still eager to create better lives for themselves and their children. I think this is a great read for anyone interested in charity work or in how they can inspire positive change in the world. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Goodreads

Such a powerful and moving read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Full review at erinkonrad.com

#NetGalley

Definitely obsessed with this short story collection! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My full review: erinkonrad.com

#NetGalley

Locke does an incredible job of transporting the reader to the Deep South - where racial division and violence run rampant. This novel follows the story of a Texas Ranger who becomes involved in a double homicide investigation. Anyone looking for a fast-paced thriller might find this boring, but readers who appreciate a fully-realized and inhabitable setting will enjoy Locke's work. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley

Complicated parents are one of my fave memoir genres, and Guerrero certainly has plenty of interesting stories about her father - a Mexican American immigrant who might have been experimented on by the CIA or is potentially a schizophrenic addict. This memoir is at its best when Guerrero examines her roots which allows the reader to be swept away by the mysticism and magic of Mexican culture (alongside the often brutal violence). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was completely into some of the essays, and then felt a little blah about some other ones. She covers a huge range of topics - everything from Disneyland to "The Sopranos.” I also felt like I had a harder time with some of her writing style choices - her syntax forced me to concentrate really hard, instead of the reading feeling effortless (although this probably has more to do with me than her). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley

There are a ton of great elements to this memoir - honesty, humor, heart. Rannells does a great job recounting tales from his youth. My only complaint about this book is that it felt like it ended right before the part of his life that I'm most interested in. I would have loved to get Rannells' take on actually making it in the industry (and I would have killed for some celebrity gossip). Perhaps he is thinking about writing another book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best. #Bookmail. Day. Ever. 😃

This was a gorgeous book with lots of stunning pictures of delicious foods. However, most of the recipes seemed really complicated to me (as someone who doesn't have a whole lot of cooking experience), so there weren't a lot of recipes that seemed doable. With a great blend of different cuisines from all over the world, I'll certainly be recommending this cookbook to my fellow pescatarians (who are better cooks than me). #NetGalley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every once in a while a main character comes around that steals my heart. Anne Griffin has provided me with that with Maurice Hannigan, an elderly Irish man who decides at the end of his life to look back on how he got where he is. He contemplates the twists his life has taken by toasting five of the most important people in his life. I won't soon forget Maurice - in all of his heartbreaking glory. #NetGalley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A great horror read! Now I‘m hyped to watch the TV show when it comes out! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm afraid that I might have been just the wrong reader for this book. I'm not a fan of a lot of graphic content and descriptions of bodily habits - and this book was filled with that stuff! The story is broken into four sections and follows Mona, a young woman in her 20's who works as a cleaning lady in New Mexico. Although I appreciate Beagin's dark humor and her quirky characters, I couldn't find anything I actually liked. #Netgalley ⭐️⭐️

This was the perfect thriller for me – lots of red herrings, an unreliable narrator, and several twists that I just didn‘t see coming! I read “Final Girls” by this author, but this one left me way more satisfied. The story centers around the mystery of three girls going missing at Camp Nightingale 15 years ago. Their cabinmate, Emma, decides to return to the camp in the present to finally discover what really happened to her friends. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A word of warning: The Royal Art of Poison is not for people with weak stomachs! Herman offers excruciatingly disgusting facts about the horrors of being poisoned. I especially loved the section that broke down several famous poisonings in history (including what scientists have to say now). I'd recommend this to someone who wants to learn some fun facts - and who doesn't mind descriptions of bodily functions and disease! #netgalley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finally, a post-apocalyptic novel that feels fresh and inventive. I've gotten pretty tired of regular ol' zombies, so I loved Ling Ma's creation of "the fevered" - infected people that end up endlessly repeating tasks until they die. The only downside to me was that the jumping around in time frames felt a little disjointed at times. Can‘t wait for more of her work though! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

Loved her voice and her take on everything from rape culture to the loss of a parent. Am so hyped for the new show on Hulu inspired by this collection!
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I'm afraid this was a huge miss for me. The book begins with an exciting event - while talking to her former best friend, Molly, on Skype, Liza sees an intruder in her friend's home. However, that's where the suspense ends. Because I thought this would be more of a thriller, I kept waiting for twists that just didn't come. If this book was trying to fall into more of the 'women's fiction' category, it also didn't seem to succeed. ⭐️⭐️ #netgalley

As far as mental health diagnoses go, I believe eating disorders are one of the most frequently misunderstood diseases. Because of these misconceptions, most books centered around eating disorders have a falsity to them. Enter Yara Zgheib's novel: one of the best fictional depictions of what it's actually like to live with an eating disorder.

Full review up at erinkonrad.com!

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This novel tells the story of a struggling young woman in New York who gets befriended by a socialite and then decides to take over her life. This trope has been done many times before (and better). I was willing to give it a shot because I thought it could be done in a fresh way with a social media lens. However, a lot of it was predictable, and the writing style just felt really stilted and stale. ⭐️⭐️

In my opinion, this novel was a straight-up mess. I'm surprised that Reese Witherspoon chose this for her book club - not sure she read it first. The plot was pretty generic and very predictable. The main character made stupid choices over and over again - which aggravated me and resulted in me not caring at all what happened to her. This is suspense writing at its worst: lazy and boring. ⭐️ #netgalley

This book was a definite hate-read for me. I was interested enough to keep going to see how it all turned out but I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading this. I had some major issues with character development, plot progression, etc. that took away from the story. For example, I understand what the author wanted to achieve by having an unreliable narrator, but it actually caused the book to be completely illogical. ⭐️

I absolutely loved this story of a convenience store worker who tries to fit into society's mold. Murata has crafted a genuinely quirky, and at times heartbreaking, story of what happens when a person isn't considered 'normal.' My only complaint is that this felt much too short! I would have loved to learn more about Keiko's upbringing, her experiences during her 20s, and what happens to her after the events of the last few pages. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm a huge fan of Lovelace's poetry, but this collection fell short for me. Her first two collections in this series felt fresh and boldly honest. This just felt like a bit of a retread. Although I truly admire her ability to bring in painful topics to her work, many of these poems lacked real depth for me. I'd happily reread some of her older poems, but there wasn't one that I could truly connect to in this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

I love a good, gritty memoir, so this book (one I chose primarily for the incredible title) definitely delivered. Madden (related to the Madden shoe co.) lived a strange childhood. I think she has a wonderful way with words - her writing is graphic, intense, and insanely honest. I did have a hard time with how much the book jumped around though. I would have given this book five stars if the narrative was more chronological. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

Gill delivered everything I wanted in this collection of poems and short stories with a fairytale theme. She tackles difficult subjects like eating disorders and abuse with a creative spin and fantastical flair. Some of the selections were so unexpected that I had to reread them several times to make sure I was getting all of the flavors. I loved her switch on classic tales - delivering them from the villain's point of view was fun. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was really fun to learn the truth about the Borden murders, and there was enough suspense created by Robertson that I was excited to keep reading. Although there were a few sections when the action got bogged down by some repetitive details, I found Robertson's non-fiction to be well-researched and insightful (especially her take on Borden being arrested because of patriarchal forces). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

Although it's hard to really root for anyone, Li does do a great job describing the motivations of the members of the Han family who run a well-respected and popular Chinese restaurant. As ambitions and greed take over, they soon see all of their hard work decimated. I enjoyed the inside look at immigrants trying to tackle the American dream, but there wasn't a lot of suspense to keep me inherently interested the whole time. 3.5 stars #Netgalley

A tad slow in the build-up, but oh man, what an ending!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It reminded me sooo much of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime." The story starts with Jasper admitting that he killed his neighbor, Bee Larkham, and then it unfolds in flashbacks to reveal what really happened. I didn't predict the ending but would have loved a little more cohesion throughout the book. Plus, it felt a tad long. Otherwise, I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a unique and quirky narrator. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

As a millennial, I grew up devouring the Babysitter Club and Sweet Valley High books (not to mention the Fear Street and Goosebumps series), so naturally, a book all about 80's and 90's teen fiction is right up my alley. Moss does a great job giving background on why these books were so popular and how they worked to influence the juggernaut of publishing that YA books have become. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

I liked the action elements and there was a lot of suspense. However, there were several graphic scenes that didn't seem to vibe with a YA feel, way too many villains to keep track of, and I ended up not really caring what happened to any of the characters. The true reason this book didn't work for me is that I just couldn't keep the mythology straight. I wasn't sure who the bad guys were or how the characters fit. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

America Ferrera did a fantastic job putting together a collection of stories from many well-known actors, writers, athletes, etc. who are first-generation Americans. The stories range from humorous to sobering, but all of them are extremely heartfelt and inspiring. In a day and age when the American public is being encouraged to foster the divide between immigrants and natural born citizens, the book is timely and much-needed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc

The premise was intriguing enough...a woman's podcast reopens the case of her cousin's disappearance, only to incite a new string of murders related to the victim. Each chapter definitely held my attention, but I completely guessed who the killer was about halfway through the book. There was also a side story of romance that didn't seem to fit the characters or plot at all. When I got to the end, I just felt frustrated. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

Fontaine's story of joining a circus sideshow after her mother suffers a series of devastating strokes is both captivating and heartbreaking. The reader gets introduced to a crazy cast and really gets an inside look into how circus people live. Because some of the portions were written separately for literary journals, there were sections that felt repetitive. Second, the book did feel a little on the long side. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley

Not that I‘m superstitious or anything...😱

I was definitely into this suspenseful novel set with a background of JFK‘s assassination and the mob. The characters felt real and the stakes were high enough to create exciting drama. My only complaint is that some of the details felt implausible to me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pataki's husband suffers a stroke at the age of 30 while they're flying to their "babymoon". Yep, she's five months pregnant when this occurs. Although the story is truly frightening, it was also inspirational. My only critique is that I found myself trying to rush through the sections about the beginning of their relationship that are sprinkled throughout the book. I just wanted to get back to the descriptions of the husband⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley

Was hoping to love this one but it definitely left me disappointed. The story moved very slowly with way too many confusing time jumps. Plus, it was pretty predictable. Probably won‘t be checking out any of her other books. Sad face. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 #botm

This book ultimately left me feeling disappointed. It felt like it was trying to be too many different genres - YA romance, sci-fi, cop thriller - without truly nailing any of them. I'm all for some Lovecraft allusions (of which there are a lot), but Kepnes doesn't really follow through on any of the horror elements that could have added so much more suspense. I'm sure Kepnes is planning on a sequel, but I won't be reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley

Moore's story could not be more different than my own - he grew up impoverished in New Jersey as a black, gay youth. But his struggles to accept both himself and the circumstances he was born into are universal. I truly admire Moore's ability to fully examine his life, both his achievements and the mistakes he regrets. I did struggle a bit with the jumps in time and topic. Overall, an inspirational and informative read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley