This is such a sad/tragic story. It's also disturbing that this was happening in just the last century. Neither of the female characters are very likeable but you can't help but feel sorry for Ann. The arguments made for her sterilization & the way the court validates them are stomach churning. I didn't realize that the eugenics program used by the Nazi's was influenced by research & practice in the US. A valuable read for anyone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I still have this many unread Goodreads first round nominees in my tbr pile. Someone help me pick one! I was thinking Near the Bone, The Sentence, or All Her Little Secrets.

This book is definitely in my top 10 favorite #books of 2021! I was absolutely engrossed! The characters were riveting & the story was so masterfully paced.
Loyalties are deep & fierce in this close knit community. As the effects of logging wreak havoc on the community, individuals must decide what sacrifices are too great. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Barnett does an incredible job of bringing the problem of mass incarceration to the attention of the public. She addresses well-known but as of yet, unresolved issues regarding sentence disparities, racism in the criminal justice system, lack of treatment & re-entry preparation for individuals released from custody, & life sentences for non violent crimes. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

My Final Three books for #nonfictionnovember.

I'm reading all three and alternating. Did anyone love one of these more than the others?

Holy moly! This was a fabulous book! Jane Britton is a graduate student found bludgeoned in her bed. Four decades later, undergrad Becky Cooper hears whispers of Jane's story. Was it the professor she was having an affair with? What is Jane's story? As Becky becomes more invested in the truth she sees how Jane's story is a cautionary tale used to oppress bold, young women and the misogyny in academia. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had really high hopes for this one. A personal memoir about a teenage girl kidnapped from her bed during the middle of the night & sent to a mental health institute. It sounds unreal, tragic, & exactly like something I would like to read. And then... The author feels like she's holding back. Like more happened but she hasn't had enough time to process it. This self monitoring left me skeptical. It was okay but not what I thought it would be. ⭐⭐⭐

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books ever! The author also wrote Radium Girls. This is the story of a woman committed to an Insane Asylum in Illinois by her husband. She was committed at her husband's request after he tired of her having her own ideas. It is a horrifying, curious, disturbing story that is like an eerie echo of the societal issues surrounding gender at present. I literally said Wow when I closed this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another truth is stranger than fiction book that also takes place in Illinois. 🤔 Dr. Thomas Neill Cream is a medical doctor with an impressive knowledge of poisons. He also seems to have an enthusiastic appetite for prostitutes. From Canada to the US to England, everywhere Dr. Cream goes, dead bodies follow. I really enjoyed the story and the author's attention to detail. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Meh. It's hard to review this book without giving everything away. This short novella is well-written but it's been done before. I was really looking forward to this one but it didn't live up to my expectations. Just meh. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This debut novel was REALLY good! A fast paced psychological thriller. Nat is a woman with the life that everyone wants. A successful influencer with a handsome husband, money, gorgeous home, great friends, a beautiful daughter-Nat has it all. But it wasn't always that way. Relentlessly victimized by Chrissy and her minions, Nat is never far from her high school self. One by one Nat's former tormentors now friends begin to meet untimely ends.⭐⭐⭐⭐

My favorite kind of books! Free! Looking forward to reading this ARC about race and class and social inequality! Pub date February 2022.

Rae is a woman in her thirties living with her father, Connor, on the family's farm. The loss of her mother during a devastating winter storm altered the course of Rae's life.
Sixteen years later, another tragedy rocks Rae & Connor's world. The loss leaves the family broken & rudderless. The heaviness of their loss is only intensified by the weight of the secrets each member keeps. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a beautiful exploration of how the lives of a small community intersect. It is a beautiful book full of heartbreak, struggle, triumph, & well... A little hope.
The chapters are told from perspectives of different characters & braided together to allow an intimate view into the relationships & bonds that hold the community together. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📬When all the book mail from your #nobuynovember haul shows up. 👀

This little novella is simply AMAZING! I loved it so much. There was more character development, story, & heart in less than 200 pages than in many full length novels. A masterpiece. This dystopian cli-fi presents a view of the world ravaged by fall out from climate change. Food shortages, disease, & scarce resources heavily influences civilization. Reid is a young woman living in this world who must choose between her dream & her community.⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I ended up liking this one at the end. BUT. The Part One was so freaking boring. I found myself daydreaming, sighing, counting pages. Once Part Two started, the book was fabulous. I understand why the author needed to construct the book the way she did, I just didn't like it. I can't think of a better way but the drag of the beginning really made me want to DNF. I'm glad I didn't but I wouldn't read it again. ⭐⭐⭐

October #bookspinbingo #bookspin #doublebookspin
21 books. One not on my #bingo board. Sorry.
Fat cat laid on my notebook.

Another dark academia. Engaging & twisty. Lots of false leads & red herrings. I enjoyed this one quite a bit for a popular thriller. Jessica Miller returns to her alma mater a decade after graduation & a decade after the East House 7 tragically became the East House 6. What really happened that night? Ten years after Heather's death, can a homecoming reunion expose the truth? Totally recommend. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

#nonfictionnovember #bookspin #doublebookspin #bookspinbingo

@TheAromaofBooks

I don't have too many positive things to say about this book. It wasn't the flaws that made the characters unlikeable. It was that they were flat, made ridiculous choices, & unbelievable. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. I thought the author's use of some very serious topics for shock value was yucky. Yeah, no. Honestly, this should have been a DNF. ⭐⭐

This was a different kind of domestic thriller. Complicated relationships & secrets tear a family apart. It touched on justice, the people & relationships that serve to form the foundation of who we are. It was different & I liked the small-town vibes; even though I had a hunch on who the killer was pretty early. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Not the scary book I was expecting but it was so cute!! And full of important messages about feminism, gender roles, female friendship, & finding your voice. Annie moves to a new town after an unexpected break-up. She befriends Sophie who is friendly, interesting, & wise. Some of the town residents seem a little afraid of her though... Can Annie fit into her new town while being friends with Sophie? ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #witchyvibes

What initially drew me to this book was the cover. I hate clowns & wanted something scary for a Halloween read. I think this book got the creepiest 100-pages from the end. The atmosphere of the Clown Museum was definitely scary. I swear I could hear the tunnels dripping. 🙈 Now that I read this one, I am on the hunt for Creep and Freak. Not the scariest book I've read. But disturbing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
⚠️TW: Sexual assault, molestation

There's a lot going on in this novel. I really liked Joan's POV & the #metoo tie in. The addition of Lillian's story & the history of Magdalen homes for "fallen" girls was an interesting historical tidbit that brings attention to the way that shaming women for sexual behavior is imbedded in our national identity. Would have been a 4⭐ read but the ending got a little hokey. Quick multiple perspective read & decent thriller. ⭐⭐⭐?

I wanted to take some time away before I did a review on this book. There were things about this book that bothered me, and I wanted to step back & evaluate if that was because I found them fundamentally bothersome or if they struck close to home & made me uncomfortable as a white woman. This book would have been a 4-star read for me, but I rounded down for the dry presentation that made me close the book more often than I usually do. ⭐⭐⭐

Book of the Month Club FB group confirmed main picks!! A Little Hope & The Family are my picks for sure.

My #blackcat wanted in with the #blackstack. Nerd. I was really digging this book up until the last two chapters & then I was kinda pissed. Before that though, I thought it was very twisty & I kept finding myself second-guessing my hunches. I was sucked in by the storyline of a kidnapped baby while her parents were next door. If the ending hadn't been so unnecessary? Maybe? this would have been a solid pick but as is it's a soft pick for me. ⭐⭐⭐💫

I'm just going to say it. This book was over hyped. I wanted it to be awesome but it was okay. Hendrix usually does a better job of writing strong female characters. I thought Lynette was pathetic & made really stupid decisions. I mean, she made me understand why she wasn't a "real" final girl. It was entertaining but the unlikeliness of Lynette having just the right tools to MacGyver herself out of every implausible situation was annoying. ⭐⭐⭐

Seasonally appropriate ✔️ Dark academia ✔️ Revenge Plot ✔️ Unexpected Twist revealed on the last page ✔️✔️
Dark Things I Adore opens up to reveal the relationship between Grad Assistant Audra & well-known art processor Max Durant. The story is revealed in an easy-to-follow dual timeline. There is some suspense & the build up to the reveal is appropriately paced. It was a really engaging book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Note: See TW at the beginning of the novel.

Victory!!! A mere 27 days late but it has arrived! Take that shipping delays!

Serious love for any author that has love for their readers & humanity by including this information at the BEGINNING of the book. #respect

A mysterious colleague from Elizabeth's past finds his way to Cooper's Chase. He also brings a secret- he's stolen $20 million in diamonds & is running from some very dangerous people. At the same time, one of our beloved friends, Ibrahim, is brutally attacked while on a day trip. The attack leaves him shaken & a but agoraphobic. The Club will stop at nothing to see Ibrahim's assailant brought to justice.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a great thriller. I think the author tried to make it seem new & "edgy" by making the characters gay, which was unnecessary, in my opinion. I also thought it was kind of a bummer that it cast bath houses in such a negative light. Nothing like a good ol' shaming. Otherwise, it was twisty & dark & all the uneasy feels that you could want from a thriller novel.

Monday. Can't sleep. But I have this fabulous book as my current read. I like it a lot so far. ❤️

This was a solid book. I don't know if I'd consider it a thriller but it was disturbing. The main character Chrissie/Julia is a child with a past full of neglect, heartbreak, & loneliness. The main character is the "bad guy" & yet the author writes in a way that you can't help but sympathize with her. An interesting look at the role of motherhood, development, & the forces that influence who we become. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A quick read with not a whole lot of substance. My second Megan Collins book & I'm not sure that her writing is for me. Dahlia, her twin brother, Andy, & two older siblings grew up in "Murder Mansion". Homeschooled & ostracized by the community, the siblings return after the death of their father. Everyone except Andy who has been missing for 10 years. How are Murder Mansion, Andy, & a serial killer linked? Is it too late to solve the mystery? ⭐⭐⭐

I was not familiar with Skye Warren as an author. When I read the book summary I was interested in the thriller aspect of the story. That was what I was expecting going into it.

Well, if you ARE familiar with her work, then it would come as no surprise to you that this was very "Fifty Shades". I really didn't care for those books at all. I suppose that leaves my opinion on this book biased. I liked the kitten in the story best
Not for me. ⭐⭐?

This book is an absolute masterpiece. Take My Hand is an example of historical fiction at its absolute finest. The author manages to connect the historical issues faced by the characters to events that are occurring in the present. Perkins-Valdez addresses many complicated issues-social status, race, feminism, white supremacy-without the novel feeling boggy or overdone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jennifer McMahon is always reliable for a great book! This is probably one of my least favorite books that she has authored but it was still ⭐⭐⭐💫 stars. It started slow & it took 60-ish pages for me to get into it. The paranormal element & witchy history made it a great read for October.

The premise of this book sounded so interesting & I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. By the time I had finished chapter one, I knew it wasn't for me.
I am torn between really disliking the book but being invested in the story. And I'm conflicted about rating it. I think I give it three stars, though I am not entirely sure why.

Joyce needs her own fan club. 😂 She is my favorite part of this series.

I seriously debated Dnf'ing this one. It finally picked up around the 200 page mark & ended strong. Was it worth it? I'm not sure. The author doesn't understand the psychology of cults or cult membership so that really killed this book since that was the focus. Also, the transitions between past & present were confusing & poorly defined. The short chapters made it easy to stick with. ⭐⭐💫 You could try it, but I warned you!

My #bannedbooks order just came in! Do you love any of these?

I read this book in one sitting! This psychological thriller is well done. The author seems to know her shit as far as profiling & mental health disorders go. I was glad to see that this wasn't mental illness used for the sake of explaining a character's bad behavior. Psychology, serial killers, profilers, attorneys, innocent man in jail... All the good stuff! I'd definitely recommend it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🪦My October TBR!🪦 Let's go!

Hallow and I swore to each other that we would finish homework tonight. My partner in crime is snoring loudly so I decided to start the newest ARC on my stack. This one sounds amazing! It's inspired by true events in post-segregation Alabama and a Black nurse that risks everything to do the right thing for her patients. ⚕️

My book wrap up. I read my #bookspin Dare to Know and #doublebookspin Sweet Little Lies. But out of 15 books I didn't hit a single bingo. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Try again in October.

I received this ARC months ago but haven't been able to squeeze it in. The ratings on Goodreads are abysmal but I'm going to try it. The writing style is kind of dry so far.

I'm surprised how many people skipped October!! I couldn't choose! So I got most of them.