Book Reviews for Q2 of 2022

Below are the books I read for Q2 and their reviews. Overall, I enjoyed most of the books I read and while I read far fewer books compared to the previous quarter, there was more variety in the genre of books I read. Going forward, I would like to challenge myself by breaking out of my comfort horror/thriller books. I have learned more about what I would like to do as a writer and what I would not like to do.

52. Goosebumps: The Werewolf of Fever Swamp by: R. L. Stine

Category: Children’s Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: This is another Goosebumps book that was just average to me, which is unfortunately common. However, I cannot fault R. L. Stine because he has written 100+ books in the Goosebumps series and other spinoff series, so reading these books back to back and as an adult, can become a tedious task.

53. Goosebumps: The Girl who Cried Monster by: R. L. Stine

Category: Children’s Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I remember watching this episode in the TV series, but I never read the book as a child. Overall, the episode was more memorable, probably because it was more frightening when I was younger. I think R. L. Stine does a wonderful job with the descriptions of the man transforming into a monster, while still keeping the prose PG.

54. Goosebumps: Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes by: R. L. Stine

Category: Children’s Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: I thought this was a dull Goosebumps book, but that is expected with the prosaic title. I would skip this one unless you are reading it for nostalgia’s sake. I do not remember reading this one as a pre-teen, but I’m sure I would have looked past it at the Scholastic book fair because of the title.

55. Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy II by: R. L. Stine

Category: Children’s Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: I was surprisingly disappointed with this Goosebumps book, as the first Night of the Living Dummy book was very enjoyable. The scenes with Slappy were creepy enough, but everything else read like filler.

56. Jawbone by: Monica Ojeda

Category: Horror

Rating: ⭐️

Review: This was a book I picked up based on the description. It was right up my alley: a dark academic thriller with female protagonists, written by a Latina author. However, the story felt weird and edgy just for the point of being offensive. This book gave me the ‘ick’ with every new page I read, making it difficult to care for the characters or the plot. Some of these icky examples are reading descriptions about a child masturbating and a scene combining necrophilia and incest. Pretentious and icky are the two keywords I would use to describe this book.

57. The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by: Stuart Turton

Category: Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: While this was a unique and exciting concept for a book, it contained too many characters and was far too long. I don’t believe that a work of fiction should require the reader to take notes. The narrator is obviously untrustworthy since he wakes up in a different body every day, with very little recollection of who he was and currently is, which kept each chapter fresh and engaging. I just wish the reader would have received some more information, outside of what the narrator knew. The reader is discovering alongside the narrator who killed Evelyn Hardcastle. Some more information would have made this story less confusing and the ending more rewarding.

58. Anonymous Sex by: Anonymous

Category: Short Story Collection

Rating: ⭐️

Review: I am typically not squeamish when it comes to erotica, but these short stories were not more than 20 pages, forcing the author to fly by the character build-up and get into the sex scenes. I thought I would enjoy this book because I was interested in the concept of authors coming together to anonymously share erotic stories that they would not typically publish. But it was ultimately disappointing.

59. Soñar en Cubano by: Cristina Garcia

Category: Historical Fiction

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I am not surprised that this is my mother’s favorite novel. It is a sensual work of magical realism that spans many generations of the Del Pino family, pre- and post-Castro’s revolution in Cuba. I appreciated that, like Isabelle Allende, Cristina Garcia focused on female protagonists without denying their faults and how internalized machismo still motivates their actions. As a first-generation Cuban American, it was difficult not to relate to many of these characters, and I can’t deny that this influenced the high rating I gave this book. I am eager to read more from Garcia, as I have grown to love the magical realism writing style that many Latina authors adopt.

60. Nightbitch by: Rachel Yoder

Category: Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: As someone who is horrified by everything associated with motherhood, I needed this book to assure myself that I am right in my beliefs. Nightbitch follows a mother who believes she is turning into a dog. The writing is off-kilter and difficult to follow at times. I was not sure what was actually happening and what was just in the character’s head. Rachel Yoder’s writing style reminds me of Mona Awad’s style.

Even though morphing into a dog due to postpartum will never happen to a woman, the psychosis that Nightbitch experiences and the disregard from her husband and friends is what many women suffer through. I appreciate that this book did not sugarcoat any aspect of motherhood. Nightbitch gave up her complete sense of self, including her time, her career as an artist and her relationship with her husband, solely to become a mother. Thankfully, there is a redeeming ending for Nightbitch.

61. The Troop by: Nick Cutter

Category: Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The Troop is a classic, distributing and disgusting horror book. I think of this book as a modern-day twist on Lord of the Flies. My favorite chapters were the ones where the reader was in the character's head as the tapeworm is making them crazed and starved. It is incredibly satisfying when the bully of the boy group gets his comeuppance. I think horror fans will not be disappointed by this book but should be warned that a strong stomach is needed.

62. Eileen by: Ottessa Moshfegh

Category: Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Although I continue to give Ottessa Moshfegh’s books lukewarm ratings, there is something about her writing that pulls me back in. Many of her books do not have a distinct plot, instead, Moshfegh focuses heavily on character building. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Eileen grow and decide to take finally take a risk and leave her alcoholic father. I just wish there would have been something else between her and Rebecca. It felt like the entire book was building up to their blossoming relationship, but Eileen seems to quickly become disinterested in the woman she had developed an obsession with just weeks prior. After being in Eileen’s head and learning how neurotic she can be, this felt out of character. Overall, Moshfegh is a comprehensive writer when it comes to character building, but I am always left wanting more plot from her books.

63. Wallflower at the Orgy by: Nora Ephron

Category: Essay Collection

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I decided to pick up a Nora Ephron book after watching when ‘Harry Met Sally.’ She has a powerful and distinct voice as a writer. I appreciate how easily she can switch from a humorous tone to a serious topic. I am oftentimes surprised that some of these articles/ essays were published, because of how she can poke fun at her interviewees. For example, she lists off the periodicals Helen Gurley Brown, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, has on her office walls: Why I Wear My False Eyelashes to Bed. I Was a Nude Model. I Was Raped. I Had a Hysterectomy. The juxtaposition of such trivial headlines alongside heavy topics was not only meant to make the reader laugh, but also made me view Brown, and Cosmopolitan magazine, as a low-class publication.

64. Call Me by Your Name by: Andre Aciman

Category: Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I typically stay away from romances, but after hearing multiple people on TikTok recommend this book, I figured it was worth a shot. And while I enjoyed it, I was not incredibly enamored with it as others. The writing was beautiful and very impactful, especially at the beginning of the book when the reader is in Elio’s head, and he is describing his growing infatuation with Oliver. I think many readers can relate to these intense crushes that don’t allow you to think of anything else. I found that Oliver, Elio and the reader were expecting it when their relationship fizzled out, so there was no major heartbreak on anyone’s side.

65. Nothing but Blackened Teeth by: Cassandra Khaw

Category: Horror

Rating: ⭐️

Review: The best part of this book is how short it is. This is an attempt at a haunted house story, but there was far too much dialogue with the characters panicking and swearing and not resolving anything. Most importantly, the writing felt pretentious and forced, as if the author was writing this book next to a thesaurus.

66. Mr. Mercedes by: Stephen King

Category: Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: As a lifelong Stephen King fan, I had been saving the Bill Hodges trilogy for a special moment. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the first book, and I am not sure if I will be continuing with the rest of the trilogy. It started off strong but chapter after chapter, I found the characters to be shallow caricatures of themselves. Imagine a retired cop, that is exactly who Bill Hodges is. Imagine an immature serial killer with mommy issues, that’s all you need to know about Mr. Mercedes. I could guess how the characters were going to react to a certain situation, and that is never something you want. And as with all King books, that man is obsessed with breasts and obsessed with describing every female character’s breasts.

67. The Bad Seed by: William March

Category: Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I watched this movie a few years ago, and I thought it was just ok. I am so happy that I did not swear off the book because of that. This book provided more background on the characters than the movie, which was necessary for building the story. Most importantly, Rhoda actually scared me in the book. Aside from the horror of a murderous child, it brings up an important discussion of evil and whether it is innate in some people.

68. Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered by: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

Category: Memoir

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I used to listen to the ‘My Favorite Murder’ podcast about 5 years ago when I was bored out of my mind at my first internship in college. When I saw their book in the thrift store, I figured it was worth a shot. Although I definitely missed hearing from Karen and Georgia, I didn’t find the book to provide any new information outside of what they say in their podcast. Also, if you have not listened to the podcast, then you miss out on some inside jokes. I did find Georgia’s chapters to be more enjoyable than Karen’s, but I think that is expected when you read a co-authored book.

69: I Feel Bad About my Neck by: Nora Ephron

Category: Essay Collection

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I have been trying to slowly work my way through all of Nora Ephron’s work, both books and movies. This essay collection was something that I assumed I wouldn’t relate to because it is primarily about her plights with aging as a woman, and although I’m still in my 20s, I gained some useful knowledge that I will carry with me for years. Ephron is able to perfectly balance her informative, and journalistic voice with tongue-in-cheek humor.

70: The Whisper Man by: Alex North

Category: Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: I was surprisingly disappointed with this book. The premise sounded like something right up my alley: a killer whispers to kids to gain their trust and kidnaps them. And while the writing was creepy, it was incredibly slow-paced. I felt like I had to punish myself with pages and pages of boring writing before getting to the thrilling part of this thriller.

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