My Monday Musings

Oh heyyyyyy!! Look at me – blogging about books! Don’t get used to it lol I’m reading about 1 book a month right now. 

I’m just going to do a mini review round-up of the books I’ve read since October because there were several good ones!

His & Hers by Alice Feeney ~Goodreads (The bookpusher – Jen): I’m not a fan of thrillers/mysteries but Jen rec’d this one and I thought I would give it a go on audio. A divorced couple – BBC presenter, Anna (Her) & DCI investigator, Jack (His) & the killer having alternate pov’s after the body of a young woman is discovered.

This was actually quite interesting as the case unravels and you find out everyone’s connection to the victim. The audio was excellent and I found the interpersonal issues with Anna and Jack really interesting. The ending, while not entirely satisfying, was a bit twisty and not tied in a neat bow – yet conclusive.

What I liked less, is how much this book relies on cliches – SPOILER –> Everyone wants to sleep with, or has slept with, Jack. A woman’s traumatic pain is exploited and ignored in favor of the mystery, there’s a very rushed ending when all of a sudden everyone is being murdered.

CW -> Sexual assault, bullying, animal abuse - these are the ones I could recall - you might want to check online for more. 

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert ~Goodreads (The bookpushers Jen & Amber)I love Talia Hibbert’s writing but for some reason Get a Life, Chloe Brown didn’t wow me. Book #2, Take a Hint, Dani Brown utterly charmed me though. Competent but relationship averse Dani and grumpy on the outside but soft on the inside, Zaf were just the right amount of quirky, stubborn and sweet. 

Grown by Tiffany Jackson, Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt ~ Goodreads (The bookpushers Jen & Amber) WOW. Just WOW. Inspired by the R. Kelly case – Grown follows Enchanted Jones, an aspiring singer, who gets noticed & groomed by mega R&B star Korey Fields.

She’s charmed by Korey and all you can see and internally scream is RED FLAG, RED FLAG!!!!

Grown is a terrifying, relevant, important and just plain wonderful. It definitely makes my Best of 2020 list.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, Narrator Christopher Myers ~ Goodreads 

Pet is about beings that look like monsters who might be angels and beings that look like angels who might be monsters – and being brave enough to confront evil and speak up – even when it’s hard.

While the book is not specifically about sex or gender, Jam is a black transgender girl and has a lovely relationship with her parents, best friend and his family. There is a polyamorous relationship as well as disability rep – a character in a wheelchair - and Jam is selectively mute and uses sign language.

This is YA but often feels more like MG with the sense of (dark) whimsy and prose – especially with names like Jam, Hibiscus, Bitter. Pet speaks in a way that makes the story have a fairytale vibe. But the subject matter is very dark (child abuse) and if a younger child is reading it - it should be read together with an adult.

The audio of this was fantastic with Christopher Myers giving Pet a creepy cool voice that left you wondering if he was the monster or the savior.

CW –> Child sexual and physical abuse – not on page but it is the central plotline & the monster aspect can be quite scary at times. 

Have you read any of these? Any recommendations for more books I should buy but not read?? lol