Adult Book Reviews

"Guardian Demon" is a romance book set in a world where angels and demons exist. The story follows our two main characters, an angel and a demon. Sunshine, the female angel main character, is assigned a mission to retrieve a book from a demon. The other main character is a male demon named Raum. Sunshine decides to form a contract, forcing Raum to help her on her mission. The two start the mission disliking each other, but as the mission progresses, they begin to grow closer.

I started reading this book without knowing that it was part of a series. Despite this, the book introduced new things, while also explaining stuff from the previous books. The author develops the characters, and they maintain consistent personalities throughout the book. The romance between the two main characters is well fleshed out and gave me butterflies on occasion. Overall, this book is very good and I would definitely recommend it to fans of fantasy and romance books!

"The Tenant" is a chilling thriller that will you leave you questioning if you should ever open your home to strangers...
Things are not going well for Blake. Having just lost his job (and dignity) Blake faces intense stress over how he's going to pay off his house and make a living for him and his fiancé. Felling incredibly grateful to his fiancé, Krista, for still sticking around, he continues to search for ways to make money. When Krista suggest they rent out a room in the house, Blake is hesitant, but not for long when he realizes this might give him the break he needs. Whitney is a perfect candidate to be a tenant and everything goes perfectly at first. That is, until Blake becomes convinced Whitney is becoming vindictive and malicious towards him. With no one believing him, Blake is determined to figure out who Whitney really is and to stop her from tormenting his life. Except what he finds is far from what he expected...
"The Tenant" was a really interesting read and definitely kept me on my toes and needing to know what happens next.

Quinn has done something no one else can know about. Except her actions are sure to be found out, and quickly, so she makes the only decision that could possibly keep her out of trouble: run. Packing her things and leaving her small town as quickly as possible, Quinn hits the road, trying to come to terms with the events leading up to the incident. Driving into a storm, Quinn pulls into a small motel that's empty except for one other guest, who's more of a tenant. During her short stay Quinn begins to question the other guest and the owner of the motel and is soon to learn a dark secret...
"Do Not Disturb" was incredibly intriguing and took a deep dive into the dangers of abusive relationships, with Quinn being a relatable character. Told from three different perspectives, "Do Not Disturb" is definitely worth reading!

"Baby City" was a great slice of life book that offers a unique perspective into the lives of OB/GYN doctors. If you're a fan of Frieda McFadden like I am, this is definitely different than her usual work, but worth the read.
"Baby City" follow Dr. Emily McCoy, who can never seem to catch a break at work. Trying to come to terms with her feelings for her ex-husband, having to teach the new medical student (who can never seem to give Emily a break), work friends, and the new handsome intern, Emily is in a constant state of activity. We watch Emily battle feelings and wonder if doing the right thing is worth risking her status and job…

"The Silence" by Tim Lebbon follows the Andrews family as they are thrust into an apocolyptic world. Vesps, creatures that hunt using their unnaturally-sensitive hearing, have emerged from an isolated underground cave. As their deadly swarm spreads from country to country, the Andrews family must do whatever they can to survive. Told from Ally, a deaf teenager, and her father, Huw's perspectives, the world soon becomes unrecognizable and silence becomes safety.

I watched the movie "A Quiet Place" before reading the British book it was based off of - and I was pleasantly surprised at the differences between the two! "The Silence" is a jaw-dropping science-fiction book that will pull you in and lead you through its intriguing plot, each stunning and gruesome twist keeping you guessing from beginning to end! Lebbon did a great job of making a unique and believable horror story, and the characters in this book were relatable and easy to connect with. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone - it's very easy to read even if you aren't a huge fan of sci-fi or horror!

This book was absolutely amaze! It's a thought-provoking science fiction novel in which the protagonist has to find a solution to the world-ending microorganisms, Astrophage. It just so happens that this book was a required reading in one of my classes. The protagonist has a fantastic sense of humor and chemistry with the other character, Rocky. I loved how there were two timelines that progressively revealed more information about how our protagonist ended up in their current position, as the protagonist figures that out himself. All of the science in this book was well thought out and was explained in a mostly easy-to-understand way. It felt like every chapter was a cliffhanger, and every plot twist was surprising in a way that, when looking back, seems obvious. My one and only critique of the story is that the ending felt a bit rushed, and it seemed like the roadblocks during the end were solved without going into depth about the solutions. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy science fiction; it was my all-time favorite.

I picked Cold Sassy Tree out of a total of 4 books for my summer reading assignment last year. I was looking for something that interested me, so, fiction. But I also challenged myself with a realistic type of fiction - historical fiction. Set in a fictional Georgian town, the setting is when the first automobiles were becoming mass-produced (an exciting element to the story).

The beginning and first half of the book was painfully slow for my sci-fi reader brain. There was very little action. I managed to plow through it savoring every little bit of drama and emotion in the conversation. Had it not been an assignment I probably wouldn't have made it past the midpoint of the book, but in hindsight, I'm very glad I persevered.

The first half is kind of a blur - same-old same-old establishing routines and personalities. She character- and world- built quite well, just slowly. In the second half the action happens - the main character has a close encounter with a train, nearly flies out of a car, almost witnesses his Grandpa's 30-year-old girlfriend leave him, and so much more.

The book begins when Grandpa's first and only wife dies. The scandal builds when he hires a 30-year-old maid to clean his house for him. Within a month (if I recall correctly) of his wife of 30+ years dying, he declares his love for this maid and wants to marry her. But she carries her dignity highly and wants to wait. Quite some comedic effect is brought into the story as the younger has to restrain the older. The book was on the fence in between predictable and surprising. Some parts had me rolling my eyes at cliche comments, but others had me staying up late, thirsting for more action and twist.

"Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover is a breathtaking story. Westover writes about her childhood growing up in an extreme survivalist family surrounded by impossibilities and abusive relationships. She heartbreakingly explains every unbelievable detail of her life, and each twist makes it impossible for the reader to put this book down as betrayals, miracles, and tragedies occur. As you watch Westover go from not attending elementary, middle, or high school, to graduating from Harvard and Cambridge, this book will bring tears to your eyes with each page.

This book is one of the most impactful books I have ever read. Learning about Westover's life and the struggles she went through educating herself and forging her own path was both eye-opening and inspiring. The determination and courage that Westover develops as she describes the challenges and self-discovery she experiences is incredibly inspiring. This book is a heavy and heartbreaking read, but I highly recommend it and it truly deserves its title as a bestseller.

April is famous for her amazing baking, which she has turned into a YouTube channel. Everyone knows April and from her perspective life is going well and she has no enemies. So why is she getting ominous text messages about things someone could only know if they were watching her? As April attempts to pinpoint who's sending her these disturbing messages, her suspicion of her new neighbor sky rockets. Yet there's more to the story than meets the eye... and the person tormenting April knows her darkest secrets...
"Want To Know A Secret" was a finish it in one day type of intriguing. This book really shows how one person's perspective can be quite convincing but not always reliable. I was a bit perplexed with the plot twist and found it hard to adjust to the rest of the book, but the plot twist definitely changes the story a great deal in an almost creepy way.

Sylvia needs a job; her life isn't going as planned and she desperately wants to get away from her ex who can't seem to let the past be. So when she meets incredibly handsome and charming Adam Barnett who offers her a job taking care of his wife, Victoria, who was in a tragic accident, she says yes. Of course that means overlooking the fact the Barnetts live hours outside of NYC and ignoring her ever growing attraction to Adam. Sylvia begins to feel a bond with Victoria, who cannot walk or speak full sentences any more since her tragic accident. However, Sylvia also begins to notice how desperately Victoria is trying to tell her things, which is when she finds Victoria's diary containing her life since she met Adam. As Sylvia continues to read the diary, take care of Victoria, and grow even closer to Adam, she can no longer distinguish between lies and truth.
"The Wife Upstairs" began as an intriguing story with a lot of potential and was overall a decent read. However I wasn't a fan of how the book ended and the predictability of the ending. It was hard to connect with Sylvia who goes back and forth between what she thinks is the truth and is indecisive the entire book.

Life has been rocky for Tegan ever since the night she got pregnant. Alone, close to her due date, and desperately wanting a better life for her baby, Tegan has a plan to make sure this happens. When that plan goes south, Tegan decides to take a road trip to stay with her brother for the extra support. On her way there a snow storm hits and Tegan's car runs off the road, ending in a broken ankle and totaled car. Panic lessens when Tegan notices a man coming her way and helps her out of the car, taking her back to his house. There is something about this man that unsettles Tegan, but she's glad he has a wife who happens to be a nurse. The first night seemed to go so well, with Tegan being cared for by the wife. Yet, when she's told the next day it's impossible to leave Tegan begins noticing things that make her suspicious of this couple's true motive...
"The Crash" was a great book about a young women simply trying to navigate motherhood. The plot twists of this book were intriguing and kept you rooting for Tegan the whole time. The book also does a great job at showing the complexities of grief, and the things it will drive people to do.

Imagine growing up in a haunted house your family fled after barely living there for three weeks... or, at least, that's what Maggie Holt's father claimed in his book that made his family famous. Except Maggie doesn't believe one word of the book even more so due to the fact her parents never spoke about the events that happened there. Hoping Baneberry Hall is something of her past, Maggie is more than shocked to hear she has inherited it since her father's passing. With big plans to renovate and sell for a big sum, Maggie makes her way back to her short-lived childhood home. Yet the longer she stays the more odd occurrences that happen, making her question the reality of events described by her father. As the truth begins to unravel, Maggie realizes that what happened in Baneberry Hall is much more complicated than her father's famous book lets on...
"Home Before Dark" was a good read that definitely had a surprising ending. I do wish the ending had been more climactic but overall the plot is engaging.

When Nora was a young girl she learned the most sinister secret of her family; her father was murdering young women in their basement. Nora successfully kept this information about her past concealed for nearly three decades and she plans on keeping it that way. Now a surgeon, Nora keeps to herself and work, which she’s extremely talented at. Then something horrible happens; one of her patients is murdered with her father’s MO. Shocked by the news and even more shocked by the fact she’s the prime suspect due, Nora begins to feel her world falling apart. As pieces begin putting themselves together, Nora learns yet another family secret...
"The Locked Door" was enthralling and definitely had a twist at the end. The book instantly makes you think you know who is committing the crimes then takes a whole different path. I appreciated this set up and the narrative of Nora, who’s a likeable character trying to move on from her past. I do wish the book dwelled more on why her father committed the crimes, but overall it’s a book I would recommend.

"The Perfect Child" follows Hannah and Christopher, a loving couple with one problem: they have had no success in having children. When one day a little girl appears at the hospital they both work at, Christopher is immediately drawn to her and when the opportunity arises convinces Hannah they should bring her home. The little girl, Janie, has been through a lot, and Hannah and Christopher both recognize the behavioral issues bound to present themselves due to her situation. But Janie’s behavior is beyond what they expected, with her outbursts falling onto Hannah. Christopher is not as convinced as Hannah that something is seriously wrong with Janie and tension starts to build between all three of them. As incidents begin happening that can no longer be overlooked and excused by Janie’s past, Christopher and Hannah are pushed over the edge, and there is one little girl at the center of it all.
"The Perfect Child" was a decent read and was definitely intriguing. I do wish the ending was more climactic and centered more around Janie’s thoughts. In fact I think if part of the book or at least the end was told from Janie’s perspective, it would have been even more intriguing.

"When She Returned" follows a family who just received shocking news: Kate, wife and mother who disappeared over a decade ago, is back. Kate’s husband (who has since remarried) and daughter are ecstatic about her return, horrified to hear a cult was responsible for her disappearance. Trying to reconnect as a family is more difficult than not, as Kate is no longer the same woman she once was. Yet there is something more to Kate’s behavior than just fear, something suspicious that only one person in the household is catching onto, the new wife of Kate’s husband, who he and his daughter don’t want to believe. As tension rises secrets are exposed and the meaning of family is questioned.
Overall "When She Returned" was a decent book that kept you wondering what happened for the first half. Unfortunately the book becomes predictable and what was meant to be the plot twist wasn’t much of a twist.

"Sharp Objects" is a riveting story about uncovering the dark secrets of a dysfunctional family.
Camille is a struggling journalist trying to forget her dark childhood with one thing she hopes to never do again; return to her hometown. Yet when murders of young girls begin happening in her hometown, she must go back to create a story that will help her career. Upon her arrival she comes face to face with her mother and their rocky relationship. She also meets her much younger sister, who's behavior is far out of the ordinary for a young girl. As Camille tries to begin her story, she struggles with herself and the memories she must face. Soon Camille begins piecing together parts of her past and the current events, leading her to a shocking discovery.
"Sharp Objects" was a deeply engaging book that kept me on the edge of my seat! Each chapter brings you closer to what Camille thinks has happened, but the end reveals something much more shocking. This is a book I would put on my read again list!

"A Simple Favor" is a twisty novel that has some disturbing aspects... and not in the greatest of ways. It follows Stephanie and the disappearance of her best friend Emily. Stephanie attempts to solve the mystery of Emily's disappearance all while taking Emily's place which she believes her best friend would have wanted. Little does Stephanie know there's so much more to Emily's disappearance than meets the eye. As Stephanie begins to put broken pieces together, paranoia rises from both her and Emily's husband.

"A Simple Favor" had a lot of potential as a thriller novel but there were some aspects that were just too out there. Stephanie wasn't a very likeable character and her perspective of everything was twisted in a way that was just frustrating rather than suspenseful. The story also put a lot of emphasis on things that didn't seem all that relevant to the plot, and were just there to further enhance each character's odd personalities. Emily was by far my favorite character, but I wouldn't read this book again.

"The Perfect Son" is a book that is bound to keep readers on their toes, and ultimately leave them questioning everything that happened.
Told from two perspectives, "The Perfect Son" follows a mother (Erika) and her family of two children and husband. She undeniably adores her son (Liam) in particular who has few flaws. Yet, there is something about Liam that worries and even frightens Erica. This worry only increases when Liam's classmate goes missing, especially after Erica learns Liam was the last to see her and his avoidant behavior about the topic. Desperate to learn what really happened and protect her family from the growing criticism of the town, Erica keeps her son under close watch and becomes increasingly suspicious. Could her son really have done this?
This book was impossible to put down! With relatable characters and a storyline that makes you believe you know what happened (except you really don't!), Freida McFadden offers an eerie story about deciding if protecting your child is worth the risk.

"The ABC Murders" follows Hercule Poirot as he is contacted by a new killer, forcing him to crack yet another seemingly-unsolvable case. When Alice Asher is found dead in Andover with an ABC Railway Guide next to her body, Poirot knows this is the start of a gruesome series of serial murders. Working desperately against the clock with Arthur Hastings and Inspector Japp to solve the clues presented to him, Poirot must stop the killer, "A.B.C.", before they can complete their gruesome series of killings. With twist after twist, this murder mystery will be impossible for you to put down!

I absolutely love Agatha Christie and all her books. In "The ABC Murders" in particular, she manages to craft another perfectly thrilling tale that leaves you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. This book has the perfect balance of terrifying suspense and familiar banter between Poirot and Hastings. Christie always finds a way to elegantly set up the reader's expectations in order to utterly shock them with another amazing ending, and "The ABC Murders" is no exception! I highly recommend this book for anyone who is starting to get into Christie's work, especially if they enjoy reading Poirot's books, as this is definitely one of her best.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a FANTASTIC read. It traces the life story of movie star, Evelyn Hugo, as told by underground reporter Monique Grant. The plot development throughout this novel is spectacular, and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. It is not quite a romance, not quite a mystery, but somewhere in between. The reader is led to ponder the value of love, marriage, and storytelling as they discover the hidden connection between Evelyn and Monique.

"Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera follows Lucy Chase as she returns to Texas five years after she was found in the woods, covered in her best friend, Savvy's, blood. Claiming to have no memory of the murder, Lucy is suspect number one - and now a podcast is being made by Ben Owens, following the case. With Lucy back at the scene of the crime, she has no choice but to face her past, even if it means suspecting everyone around her. As secret after secret is revealed, Lucy realizes that she can trust no one, as her memory of that night is the only thing that can clear her name and reveal the killer.

"Listen for the Lie" is an absolutely captivating book. Each chapter reveals another secret, and each plot twist makes the book impossible to put down. With alternating perspectives between Lucy's perspective and the episodes of the podcast, this tale weaves an intriguing story that leaves you guessing from beginning to end. Tintera does a great job with making Lucy's amnesia believable (even though her delusions about killing those around her and hallucinations can feel awkward at times), while also shifting the reader's perception of her as more clues are revealed. "Listen for the Lie" is a great mystery full of hilarious moments, captivating romance, and a gut-wrenching ending.

"On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" gives twenty tips for being aware of and defying authoritarian regimes in the modern world. Snyder flawlessly connects past dictatorships with modern examples in a riveting analysis of tyranny. This book will keep your attention from beginning to end, as each fact and analysis is interesting, relatable, and eye-opening.

I really enjoy reading books about dictators, because I am really interested in political science and how tyrants (and their ascension to power) are connected to different aspect of government and psychology. This book was honestly the perfect choice for those interests, as I was riveted to Snyder's writing from the moment I picked it up. This book is really small and concise - only about 100 pages - and each of the twenty tips are chock-full of real life examples of each point that Snyder makes. The details about authoritarian regimes and how they consolidate power are especially interesting, and the author is very concise with which instances he adds in, so it is not too dense or repetitive. If you are anxious about the current state of our world and interested in figuring out how you can take action, this is the perfect book for you even if you don't like non-fiction or political reads!

"Reputation" follows the students and faculty members of Aldrich University, who will do anything to protect their reputations - even if it means committing murder. After the most prestigious universities in the United States suffer a serious hack, exposing juicy secrets and scandalous cover-ups, everyone is panicking with the sudden influx of exposed lies and deception. Soon after, Kit Manning-Strauser's husband is mysteriously murdered, suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Willa, her sister, begins to investigate, and as lie after lie is uncovered, no one in Aldrich is safe. How far will the murderer go to protect their reputation?

I read a lot of Sara Shepard's books, and I really love the plot lines she comes up with and her writing style. However, I was honestly a little disappointed with this book. Compared to her other books, which largely center around high school girls, it was evident that Shepard was trying for a more "mature" theme and that really fell flat and didn't add to the story. The plot twists just weren't as exciting as in her other works, and it was hard to follow each character, because there were so many different, unrelated, viewpoints. Although some aspects of the conclusion were interesting, "Reputation" was altogether not that exciting. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this Sara Shepard book to anyone looking for her style of murder mystery, and I would stick to series like "Pretty Little Liars" and "The Perfectionists."

"Holly" by Stephen King follows Holly Gibney, a middle-aged woman employed at a detective agency. In the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, a young woman goes missing, and in the wake of her mother's death, Holly is desperate to help. However, when one disappearance leads to another, Holly finds herself in over her head. With alternating perspectives between Holly, others in the detective agency, and even the killer themselves, suspense runs high as the culprit turns their attention to Holly herself to silence her once and for all.

I really love reading mystery books (especially ones about serial killers) and this book really was perfect to me. I haven't read any other of King's books, but this one was a great place to start, as his writing style, organization, and plot points were spot-on. Additionally, the fact that this book is set during the coronavirus pandemic makes it relatable for readers, drawing them in and adding a lot to the story. Overall, the intriguing concepts, haunting ending, and intricate clues linger with the reader long after the book has been finished. Although it may seem like a difficult read (the book is over 400 pages), "Holly" is absolutely worth it, and each page-turning chapter makes it nearly impossible to put the book down.

The Harpy is about a woman named Lucy. She lives somewhere in England with her husband, Jake, and her two kids. They live a decent life, until Lucy finds out about Jake's affair with a much older woman. Lucy falls to pieces, but feels somewhat relieved when her husband gives her permission to injure him 3 times, no more, no less. As Lucy juggles with her grief and the lives of her and her family, we learn about her lifelong connection to the harpies, bird-like creatures who terrorize disloyal men. With all the stress and anger bubbling up within her, in a story told in Lucy's point of view, I think it's safe to say that The Harpy is an amazing piece of literature.

The Martian follows the captivating story of Mark Watney, an astronaut left stranded on Mars. In the story, Watney has to figure out how to survive in the hostile environment of Mars with only a limited amount of supplies. All the while, NASA is working diligently to bring him back home.

I chose to read this book because I love science fiction and was intrigued by the position that Watney is placed in. I loved it because it shows the extent of human ingenuity and the things that one is able to do in extreme circumstances. The book also switches between the things that Watney is doing on Mars to try and stay alive and the things that NASA is doing to try and bring him back home safely, making the book hard to put down.

The only thing that I didn't like about the book is that there is a little bit of a lack of emotional depth in the book. Watney rarely shows signs of fear or despair despite being stranded on Mars for a long period of time, which is a bit unrealistic.

The Martian explores a possible future regarding space travel and exploration, and delves into some of the problems humanity may face while exploring. The book is very scientifically accurate and describes some processes in great detail, so if you're into STEM and are looking for a new book, you should definitely check out The Martian.

Hari Shin is desperate for money - so when her friend, Youngseo Jin, offers to pay her to attend a blind date, Hari accepts without thinking. She is confident that she can send the potential suitor packing (and have a little fun in the process!)...until her CEO, Taemu Kang shows up at the date. And for some reason, despite her best efforts, Taemu is determined to marry Hari! "A Business Proposal, Vol. 1" is a hilarious manhwa (Korean manga) that follows the adventures that Hari goes on as she tries her best to conceal her true identity - and navigates her feelings for Taemu.

Before reading "A Business Proposal, Vol. 1," I had actually watched the K-drama adaptation of the story first, and both versions are fun and addictive! There are ten volumes of this manhwa, allowing the reader to enjoy the amusing plot and lovable character across multiple books. "A Business Proposal" is a good choice for both people who are familiar with Korean culture, and for those who are not. The incorporation of cultural context is explained in the back of the book and adds a lot of character to the story. This is a relaxing and entertaining read and I definitely recommend both the manhwa and the K-drama to anyone who likes office rom-coms!

India’s vast political and culturally advanced populations were constructed by its series of emperors, sultans, and inhabitants that used the conquered land for their own purposes. Many of its great emperors such as Babur, Jahangir, and many others studied the religious practices throughout the sixteenth century and onwards. Michael H. Fisher uses original sources to recover the astounding complexity of the Mughal Empire.
I was interested in this book because of its relation to the Mongol Empire built upon by Chingis Khan. Though some rulers fascinated in the early Mongol Empire the Mughal Empire has an entirely different feel and succession process. This book is a great book to read!

This book was intoxicating and almost impossible to put down. There was excitement throughout the book with plot points that make you want to read for hours. The development of the characters during the story was interesting and really immerses you in their heads and the world. In this novel, Elayne works to secure the throne of Caemlyn while Perrin tries to rescue his wife and Mat runs from the Seanchan. Meanwhile Egwene attempts to pull down Elaida from her Seat but most importantly, Rand finds himself battling some of the Forsaken and clinging on to any reason to keep living and fighting for the Light. Oftentimes it gives days worth of food for thought. It constantly builds up to and leaves you craving to get to the ending to see what happens, and the ending does not disappoint. This book is a very satisfying read.

"Jurassic Park" by Michael Crichton follows Alan Grant (a paleontologist), Ellie Sattler (a paleobotanist), and Ian Malcom, (a mathematician) who have been invited to John Hammond's private island. But they are not prepared for what awaits them there; somehow, Hammond has found a way to bring back creatures that have been extinct for millions of years. Soon, Jurassic Park will be opened to the public, placing these newly-made dinosaurs on display for all to see. But the unpredictability of nature and the corruption within the park itself soon makes this adventure deadly. Now, the survivors on the island must find a way to escape - before it is too late.

I watched the movie adaptation of "Jurassic Park" before actually reading the book - and I was surprised to see that the original novel was even more chilling and captivating than the film had been. Normally, I don't read a lot of science fiction, but "Jurassic Park" has a completely different take on this genre. Not only is the possibility of scientific advancement - like genetically engineering dinosaurs - explored (which is especially relevant today!), but human nature and many deeper themes are also incorporated within this story. The disturbing and realistic notions and the page-turning plot makes this book an absolute must-read.