Monthly Archives: June 2021

The Rooftop Party by Ellen Meister

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I don’t generally relate to the main character, so I don’t care if they’re unlikable, and Dana is not endearing. She’s a mess, but not a charismatic mess, just a mess. When she appeared to be a murderer, I didn’t hold my breath, because she was too obvious (and I found out this is a series, which NetGalley doesn’t mention). The real murderer was unlikely and brought in at the moment of reveal, when the murderer lingered while they discussed the whys and hows. Up until that point, the book was moving along swiftly, albeit with a mess of a main character (how does she have friends?), and even the last minute climax doesn’t make it a dealbreaker. It’s a fun read if you don’t need clues / hints in a whodunit. I received a digital copy from the publisher Mira through NetGalley.

Stork Bite by L.K. Simonds

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This book started off with a great story of a young boy caught in an impossible situation, a black teenager killing a Klansman in self-defense in 1913. The second section, a young woman unknowingly marrying a mobster, began another storyline that intersected tangentially with the first. This was really two distinct stories, both good, but not related enough to be in one novel. It tries to be historical fiction by mentioning historical events, but the characters are not really affected, just referencing them. Even with these niggles, the characters are solid, interesting, and endearing, even the ones who struggle the most to be good, and I recommend it for that alone. It’s really like getting two stories in one, actually. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the author through NetGalley.

Liberty Farm: A Family Portrait by Izai Amorim

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Intertwined throughout Brazil’s history is this multi-generational story of strong familial obligation despite heartbreak over parental preferences. Amorim is a storytelling force, with his characters responding to historical events. I highly recommend this book for its nitty gritty perspective of Brazil and the dynamics of a family beset by tragedy. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the author through NetGalley.

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

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There are a lot of twists and turns in this story of two missing women and a girl. My niggle is that the plot twist came out of nowhere, with no hints to back it up and provide the reader with that aha moment, so it didn’t come across as credible as it might have. Kubica is great at representing the messy, ambivalent, guilt-ridden emotions of human nature. I definitely like her work. I just wish she had led up to her climax more ambiguously, so that her red herring didn’t come across so clunky. I do recommend her for her storytelling talent. I was fortunate to receive a digital copy from the publisher Park Row through NetGalley.