The Shining Girls, Lauren Beukes - Audible Version

 

The Shining Girls

By: Lauren Beukes

Recommendation: 👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)

Book Blurb:

'In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls: bright young women, burning with potential. Curtis stalks them through their lives across different eras until, in 1989, one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and starts hunting him back.

Working with a former homicide reporter who is falling for her, Kirby races against time and reason to unravel an impossible mystery.'

The Shining Girls was never a book on my radar until Apple TV starting advertising the limited TV series on their app. I have had a long standing rule, based on my own personal experience, that I must watch a movie or TV show before I read the book. In my experience the movie or show will rarely live up to the depth of the book. I watched the Apple TV show, which stars Elizabeth Moss of The Handmaid's Tale fame, and designated my Audible credit for the month of July to the book. 

The Shining Girls follows main character Harper Curtis, a man who gains the ability to travel back and forth through time using as his portal a house located on Chicago's west side. Harper has always been a demented man. His evilness escalates when he comes to believe that it is his responsibility to murder the women whose names are listed on a bedroom wall in the house. Harper is a time traveling serial killer. Kirby Mazrachi was one of the names on Harper's list of shining girls. Unbeknownst to him, she survived his brutal attack and has made it her mission to find out who her attempted murder is.

The audible version of the book is narrated by Khristine Hvam, Jay Snyder, Joshua Boone, Dani Cervone, and Jenna Hellmuth. Overall the narration is easy to listen to but I will admit that at moments the parts read as Kirby become a bit pitchy. There are a number of differences between the television show and the book, so much so that if not for the main synopsis the two versions could stand alone and separately. 

I think for the first time in my life I enjoyed the show more than the book. One aspect that the book did better was to explore the back stories of the shining girls. We didn't learn about all of Harper's victims in the television show and this was an aspect that could have only enhanced the story. Other than that, I think the impact of Harper's time travel on his one surviving victim, Kirby, was unique and was a better means for driving the main characters to the ultimate clash that ended the book.
 

The Luminaries, Susan Dennard

The Luminaries

By: Susan Dennard

Recommendation: 👍👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)

Winnie Wednesday's family has suffered a fall from grace. At one time her mother was the Lead Hunter for the entirety of the Wednesday clan; that was until it was discovered that Winnie's father was a spy. Now Winnie's mom works two jobs to make ends meet and her brother is nothing more than a gofer for the President of the Luminaries. 

Winnie has a plan to restore her families reputation. In the month of her sixteenth birthday she has the right to enter the trials to become a Hunter. It won't be an easy feat, the woods around Hemlock Falls are filled with deadly creatures known as 'Nightmares'. Even the most experienced Hunters are risking their lives when entering the forest after dark. Winnie has not had the benefit of training but she is confident she will be successful. Her first night in the woods she encounters a creature never seen or heard of before but no one in Hemlock Falls will believe her. If that wasn't enough for Winnie to deal with she is attempting to rebuild old friendships with friends who seem to be keeping secrets of their own.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Winnie Wednesday, her caring brother, and her quirky mom! School in Hemlock Falls is so unique; half regular classes and half hunter training. Winnie is so relatable I couldn't help but feel deeply for her plight as well as anger for those that mistreated her and her family the past four years. 

In the afterword of the book, Dennard shares a most interesting story about the origins of the Luminaries. Apparently the base idea developed from a series of posts, reader driven via polls. Dennard weaves into her story a perfect mix of everyday fantasy creatures, such as werewolf and banshees, with her own unique and original beings. Her characters are wonderfully developed, the backstory has great depth, and there is an element of mystery that keeps you guessing what will happen next. I am excited to visit Hemlock Falls and spend more time with Winnie in the second installment.

The Luminaries is due to release November 8, 2022. You can preorder your copy now...

Amazon

The Wolf on Her Doorstep, Kate Pearce

 

The Wolf on Her Doorstep

By: Kate Pearce

My Recommendation: 👍👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)

Book Blurb:

In Morgan Valley, two wary loners discover they’re perfect together . . .

Beth Baker can tell that her summer tenant wants to be left to himself, and that suits her more than fine. Conner O’Neil is a brooding, retired Navy SEAL whose only friend seems to be his pet half-wolf, Loki. But Beth becomes concerned when Loki turns up on her doorstep, demanding she follow him back to Conner’s cabin . . .

Ailing, Conner would rather stay holed up like a wounded animal than allow anyone to nurse him back to health. But he quickly learns that resisting Beth is futile. Another discovery: they have more in common than he expected. She’s an irresistible blend of strength and gentleness, and soon enough, Conner wants to show her it’s okay to trust him, because he’ll never let trouble reach her side again

I was provided an copy by NetGalley and the Publisher for an honest review.....

'The Wolf on Her Doorstep' was originally published as part of an anthology. I have enjoyed both of Pearce's series that revolve around Morgan Valley and this is a novella set in the same world. The main male character, Conner O'Neill previously appeared in another book in the series so there was already a familiarity. Conner wasn't much of a likable character at that time but in this book he opens up and becomes more relatable. I wish we had gotten more back story on Conner but there is enough about his time with the Navy Seal's to understand he struggles from PSTD. Beth has had plenty of bumps in her life so on some level she can relate to Conner's state of mind. The drama aspect to the novella revolves more around Beth, her two sons, and her ex-husband who was abusive during their marriage. I enjoyed this book and finished it in one sitting, it was very engaging and easy to read.

The Wolf on  Her Doorstep can be purchased now at your retailer:

Amazon

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid

My Recommendation: 👍👍👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)

Evelyn Hugo, former Hollywood bombshell and movie star icon, has been out of the spotlight for many years and is no longer in the prime of her life. She is ready to tell all with one caveat, the book cannot be released until her death.

Hugo has elected to give her 'tell all' story to a young, unproven journalist named Monique Grant. Monique has not had the easiest of lives. Her father died a tragic death, she is newly separated from her husband, and her current job is stagnant with no indication of moving forward. It is a shocker to both Monique and her boss when Evelyn specifically asks for Monique to cover a piece for their magazine on the auction of her most prized gowns. The book reads as if it is Monique's final telling of Evelyn's life with sporadic commentary between the two throughout. The read is instantly drawn in to what was a roller coaster ride of a life. 

I am going to stop my summarization of the book at this point as any other details could give away valuable details. I listen to audible books during my thirty minute commute to and from work. 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' was my June selection and I must say I breezed through it in less than ten days. I was so drawn in to the story I listened to it at the gym during my workouts. In researching the history of this story I came across an article that claimed 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' was 'historical fiction' and loosely based on the life of Elizabeth Taylor. I am not sure that to be totally factual but after recently watching documentaries on Marilyn Monroe and I do believe the lengths that Evelyn went to to become recognized in Hollywood are very close to the truth. Hugo used her 'assets' to land roles but there is no denying that she was also very smart and savvy. She understood the politics of the business and how to move the pieces around to present the false persona she wanted the public to believe. It is a sad commentary that throughout history many celebrities have had to hide their true selves in order to remain relevant in a brutal industry. Many times these actors were not only acting on the screen but off as well; never truly able to live a real life.

When this story first came out there were a lot of wonderful positive reviews. I feel a bit late to the game but am immensely satisfied with this selection. I rarely give a five out of five rating but feel this story is truly worth it.

You can purchase 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' using the link below:

Amazon

 

Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty #1), Alyson Noel

 Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty, #1)

By: Alyson Noel

My Recommendation: 👍👍👍👍 - (Out of 5 👍)

Nat's life has dramatically changed since her father disappeared. She no longer cares about her friends, her appearance, or her grades. After a crazy night she cannot remember, she finds herself kicked out of school and arrested for something she knows she would never do. To save herself she agrees to enroll in the Gray Wolf Academy. As a part of Nat's enrollment agreement her mother's house will be renovated, her mom will receive a brand new car and a generous monthly stipend. Who wouldn't do all they could to save their remaining struggling parent?

Nat soon discover's that Gray Wolf Academy is not all the it appears to be and her education is one she never would have received at her old school. Not to mention a mysterious young man named Baxter. Nat isn't sure who she can trust or what she can believe. As she learns more and more about her new purpose she finds old memories of her father surfacing. 

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the Publisher Entangled Publishing, LLC and Netgalley for an honest review. 

I find that I cannot stop thinking about this story and where it will go in the next installment. I usually need a few days to process a book but I just need to know what will happen next at Gray Wolf Academy. Alyson Noel's Stealing Infinity is a unique twist on the time traveling genre. Her writing is clean, clear, and with purpose. The story has a slow build that kept me engaged and wondering where she would take me next. Noel created an 'edge of my seat' feeling as I wondered what the school's founder was up to and how Nat's father played a role in the storyline. Not to mention that History is one of my favorite subjects and I was excited to see the different era's and historical figures incorporated into the time travels. Nat is a well rounded, nicely developed character who has become the angsty teenager she is due to her father's disappearance and the life challenges that presented to her at such a young age. The other students at the school are questionable, Nat doesn't know who she can trust and neither did I, which to me makes for great mystery and is great writing by Noel. This story is not a stand alone and is the first in a series I am looking forward to continuing.

You can purchase 'Stealing Infinity' now!

Amazon