Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I heard lots of buzz about this book so I decided to give it a try. I have never been a big fan of gothic novels and after reading this I can absolutely confirm that gothic novels are not for me. While the main character of the story is very likable, none of the other characters seemed to have any depth. I found the story strange and pretty gross at times. The writing was well done, but the story dragged on and was repetitive at times and the ending of the story felt chaotic, rushed and pretty disgusting. I have now learned that I simply do not enjoy this genre of books.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a very cute story, a perfect summer beach read. The main character Jesse is a single Mom who reluctantly signs up for a DNA matching service and is of course an almost perfect match to the one person who she dislikes. As she begins to fall for the handsome Dr. Pena it is fun to imagine the possibilities. My favorite part of the book is the incredible friendship between Jess and her best friend Fizzy. This book was lighthearted and fun, and a great escape.
Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am struggling to rate this story because although I enjoyed the writing, this story of two sisters as they grew was boring and so morose at times. The main characters, sisters Jo and Bethie both struggle to find themselves. Jo struggles with having feelings for other girls, but she winds up settling for a life with marriage and children. Bethie is molested by an uncle in her teens and struggles to overcome the damage done to her self-worth. Both girls are resilient and eventually do find their own way to happiness. My main challenge with this book is the length, and the fact that it is so steeped in sadness and conflict. Simply put this book was depressing to read. Unlike most stories with a clear story arc, this story simply followed the girls from adolescence to adulthood and through their lives. I typically enjoy historical fiction but this book just didn't hit the mark for me.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this engaging book about a young woman named Yona who is raised in the forests of Eastern Poland. Yona is taken from her parents when she was only 2 years old and raised in the forest by a strange older woman who teaches Yona survival skills. When the old woman dies Yona is alone until she comes across a small frightened group of people hiding in the woods. This begins Yona's story of helping jews who have escaped from the Nazis. Yona teaches them about surviving in the forest and they teach Yona about living with other people. The author does a beautiful job of helping the reader experience what life is like in the woods.
If you enjoy WWII stories, this one is unique. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
