Book Reviews for Q3 of 2021

Here are the books I read for the third quarter of 2021. September was a busy month, So I, unfortunately, did not finish a single book. Between July and August, I read 12 books.

Some apps I use for free ebooks and audiobooks are Libby and Hoopla. Additionally, I love shopping for used books on Thrift Books.

65. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Category: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: It is hard for a book to make me cry, but this one did so multiple times. Evelyn Hugo is insufferable, manipulative and egotistical and I could not get enough of her. I see many aspects of myself in her character which is probably what made this book so painful. There are so many beautiful quotes about love and sexuality. I also enjoyed that Evelyn is a Cuban woman and it was emotional to read how she felt she had to hide her heritage to make it in old Hollywood. I recommend this to anyone looking for a moving book.

66. The Silent Patient by: Alex Michaelides

Category: Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I picked this book up because I enjoyed the author’s second book, The Maidens. While I enjoyed this one a bit less, it was still an exciting thriller. I can’t imagine anyone guessing the twist, which is how I measure thrillers. If I am too quick to guess where the author is going with the story, then I know I’ll be bored and disappointed with the rest of the book. I can’t wait to see what else Michaelides has to offer.

67. Elsewhere by: Dean Koontz

Category: Science Fiction

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: This is surprisingly the first Dean Koontz book I have read and I’m interested in picking up more of them. This novel is about time travel, which I typically do not enjoy since it can be difficult to follow. However, Koontz does a good job of keeping it simple while maintaining a level of intrigue. The main character’s daughter, Amity, was slightly annoying with her hatred of what she deemed “weak girls” who cry in stressful situations or run from what they fear. I’m not sure if this is a reflection of what the author believes, but these are normal reactions from a 12-year-old girl being chased by a man trying to murder her. Overall, not the best time-travel book I have read, but still enjoyable.

68. Ninth House by: Leigh Bardugo

Category: Fantasy

Rating:⭐️

Review: This book was so incredibly dull. I hate when authors use rape as a plot device to show how strong their woman characters are. I hated this one especially because it was a 12-year-old being raped by a ghost. I picked this book up because an online article recommended it for people who enjoyed the Harry Potter series. While I enjoyed that it took place at Yale and included evil ghosts (“greys” as they’re called in the book), it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

69. Jaws by: Peter Benchley

Category: Horror

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The descriptive language was amazing in this book. I did give it four stars instead of five because it is classified as a horror book but I didn’t feel scared. The book is very different from the movie, and I enjoyed both equally. The book was oddly more sexual than I expected. There is a large section in the middle of the book about the chief’s wife having an affair with Matt. I understand why it wasn’t included in the movie, but it took me by surprise. Something I did dislike was how horrible Quint was. The special bait he’s using to catch the shark is a dolphin fetus he aborted himself, but he also proceeds to say that sharks are stupid garbage eaters. If they don’t care about what they eat, then why was the dolphin fetus necessary? It definitely pushes him from being slightly obnoxious to an insufferable character.

70. If it Bleeds by: Stephen King

Category: Horror Short Stories

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I really enjoyed the first story, Mr. Harrigan's Phone and the last one, Rat, because they were the creepiest and what you can expect from Stephen King. The second story, The Life of Chuck was unique and the third story, If it Bleeds I found to be incredibly dull. This story was also linked to the Bill Hodges trilogy which I haven’t read yet. Overall, a good short story collection even though nothing can top Different Seasons for a King short story collection for me. If you’re a King fan, then you’ll enjoy this.

71. Twilight by: Stephenie Meyer

Category: Young Adult Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: When Twilight was at its peak in popularity, I was around 12-14 years old. This made me the target demographic but my superiority complex would not let me read it. For some reason, I refused to like or participate in anything that was popular at the time. Now that I read it as an adult, I realized that I would have loved this book as a teenager and I only robbed myself of that enjoyment. I still enjoyed reading it as an adult and I can see why it has the notoriety that it does. I’m excited to continue the saga. The writing is basic and bland, but at the time this story came out, it was groundbreaking and set the standard for future young adult romances.

72. New Moon by: Stephenie Meyer

Category: Young Adult Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: This was such a letdown after being surprised by how much I enjoyed Twilight. This book was mostly about Jacob and I can’t stand his character. However, learning about the Voltaire and their history was interesting. Overall, this book could have been significantly edited down without losing the central plot.

73. Eclipse by: Stephenie Mayer

Category: Young Adult Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: This book was just fine. It was better than New Moon but not as good as the first one. Jacob is really established as an overbearing friend who can only see Bella romantically. I find it interesting that the main character of a series, Bella, would be so dull. Meyer should have given Bella some redeeming qualities, like bravery or intelligence, or at least an ounce of personality besides reading Wuthering Heights. I did enjoy the fighting scenes. I wish there was more history on the Voltaire and Carlisle as the Bella/ Edward/ Jacob love triangle has been exhausted.

74. Breaking Dawn by: Stephenie Meyer

Category: Young Adult Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: This was the worst book in the series. I wish Twilight would have been written by primarily a better writer but also someone who can keep their mormon beliefs out of the story. Renesme should have been aborted as she was going to kill her mother during childbirth. It is sad to see a woman being able to write so cruelly about other women’s choice on what they do with their bodies, especially as Meyer’s example with Bella is the most understandable reason for abortion. For the overall series, this should have ended with the first book and I almost wish I hadn’t wasted time reading these books past Twilight.

75. Wuthering Heights by: Emily Brontë

Category: Classic Fiction

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Review: I enjoyed the story but the writing was so colloquial and confusing. I had to look up the SparkNotes frequently to understand what was happening in the book. The characters are all insufferable, but I know that’s the point of the book. Overall, I’m happy I read it because all classics hold some value but this won’t be a reread, nor is it my favorite classic.

76. Midnight Sun by: Stephenie Meyer

Category: Young Adult Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: This was a bit boring since we already know what is going to happen. I do enjoy Edward’s character. I also enjoyed the pomegranate references made, comparing Edward and Bella to Hades and Persephone. I preferred Twilight more but I liked this book more than I thought I would. It is disappointing to see that Meyer has not progressed as a writer in the 12 years since Breaking Dawn was published. Her writing is still bland and rudimentary.

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