A short but surprisingly nuanced mystery, with an ending I really enjoyed. The author acknowledges his lifelong love of Agatha Christie and her influeA short but surprisingly nuanced mystery, with an ending I really enjoyed. The author acknowledges his lifelong love of Agatha Christie and her influence on his work, and it definitely shows in this book (structure, narration style, etc) in the best of ways.
Audio Notes: Sam Woolf’s narration is terrific, a good pick for this novel. As a teenager, I used to listen to Agatha Christie audiobooks borrowed from the library, so this was a very pleasant, nostalgic experience.
Eager to read more Jónasson and to seek out more Woolf....more
If you've ever wordlessly met a stranger's eyes and felt an instant connection, this one will intrigue you. Every night, during the most intense summeIf you've ever wordlessly met a stranger's eyes and felt an instant connection, this one will intrigue you. Every night, during the most intense summer heat, two strangers see each other across a courtyard. They start spinning sultry fantasies about each other until one day...they finally meet.
A favorite from back in the day, and a little dated, but it still holds up for the most part. For a category romance novel, this one really takes its time to build the slow burn of attraction and all the details of their separate lives.
3.5 stars
The artist did a really great job on this cover. The sheen of sweat on their bodies, her silk slip, his tanned muscles...all so in keeping with the story....more
Not anything specifically terrible about it, but I feel like we’ve read versions of this so many times before, and there’s not enough outstanding writNot anything specifically terrible about it, but I feel like we’ve read versions of this so many times before, and there’s not enough outstanding writing or characters to differentiate it from other books.
Also very much not a thriller (mostly drama and a lot more court case than expected), if you thought so as I did, but nevertheless, still predictable and lacking in tension. And since it’s not a thriller, I think this is even less satisfying in what it sets out to achieve.
It takes awhile for the MC to catch on to a number of things that seem a bit obvious, too. Meh. Considering the subject of the central issue, I should have felt a lot more than I did.
2.5 stars
Audio Notes: I liked the narrator’s Irish accents and her delivery, though. I nearly DNFd multiple times and it’s thanks to her that I kept going....more
Like many Apple paperbacks from the 80s, this is very movie-of-the-week but solidly written despite that. One of my favorites as a kid and still holdsLike many Apple paperbacks from the 80s, this is very movie-of-the-week but solidly written despite that. One of my favorites as a kid and still holds up, though probably too tame for modern kids.
Reading the blurb, this book felt like it was written with me in mind; abuse, cults, and survival are all topics I'm interested in and have read a faiReading the blurb, this book felt like it was written with me in mind; abuse, cults, and survival are all topics I'm interested in and have read a fair amount about, and as a bonus, I am also specifically very familiar with the Angeles National Forest where the author was raised, as well as pretty much every southern Californian city she mentions. I'm also interested in edible gardening and foraging, so I was pretty excited to start listening to the audiobook.
Unfortunately, this one fell short on just about every element. It's tricky to review a memoir with this kind of content, because naturally it's important to be respectful of the real-life experiences described, but I'll try my best to articulate why this didn't resonate with me the way I think it should have.
Firstly, the timeline is all over the place, which requires constant work on the reader's part to retrace steps, jump forward in time, and then backtrack again. It's not very well-organized (and neither is it thematically written), and could have used a lot more shaping of the author's story. The most interesting parts were the chapter openers, which described various items found in nature that could be used for food or medicinal purposes, but even those lack connection to the main narrative; it's only/mostly in the epilogue that you get a little bit more of the way those items were practically used. "Field notes for surviving a cult" is not really an accurate portrayal of the way these things are included.
The experiences with the cult and abuse are also disjointed and lacking in enough substantive detail. Not of the exploitative or salacious kind, but simply in clearly defining specific moments or anecdotes that put the reader into the author's shoes--not to mention observation, how she felt, what she thought during/after/with time, etc., nor even much on how other women and children were affected. (There are some hints with the author's mother, but not much and not enough. Missed opportunity to explore more complex issues and deeper emotion.)
I'm assuming writing about a personal experience is usually cathartic for the writer, but for readers who are familiar with other books on cults or abuse, this one doesn't really offer much in the way of new insights or emotion. I've no doubt the author endured a great deal, and I certainly respect her survival and resilience. But as a book, and as a contribution to the collective memory of this kind of trauma, this one could have used a lot more development.
Audio Notes: For me, authors reading their own books is rarely a great experience. I sampled the audio and thought it would be okay, but as the book progressed, it felt sort of jarring to listen to these sorts of books narrated with such upbeat, light delivery. I think a different voice and style would have suited it better. ...more
I picked this up in a used bookstore because I remember reading this ages ago, when I first discovered romances thanks to a naughty aunt. This was preI picked this up in a used bookstore because I remember reading this ages ago, when I first discovered romances thanks to a naughty aunt. This was pretty dated and terrible, but it was fun to revisit for nostalgia's sake. ...more
I found a copy of this as an impressionable middle schooler (as we were reading Shakespeare in English, no less) and young Wendy was swept away by theI found a copy of this as an impressionable middle schooler (as we were reading Shakespeare in English, no less) and young Wendy was swept away by the romantic idea of an unknown boy calling and quoting Romeo and Juliet. I was reading something else recently that talked about the color lilac and I suddenly had a vivid memory of a lilac dress that was super important to a story, and I remembered that it was this book and had to reread it.
As an adult, I can see how mannered some of this was, but also have an appreciation for the warm relationship Juli has with her grandma, the complicated one with her widowed mom, the exasperated affectionate one with her sister, and the straight-talking supportive one with her best friend. There are a lot of boys in this book, but not in an icky way--all are friends that she starts to look upon with potential interest and the author uses them to show the different parts of Juliet's personality. I liked that when all those boys ask why she finally chose the one she chose, she answers that he doesn't like her because she likes sports or reading or whatever, or expects anything from her--he just likes her for being her. It's a reminder of the importance of self-acceptance as well.
If this all sounds a bit after-school special, well, it is. It was published around that same era. While I'm guessing modern teens will find this pretty old-fashioned, time hasn't spoiled my affection for the story and the sheer romantic fantasy of it at all. This is one of those books that launched my love of romances and now I have an urge to find other ones from this series!...more
Wendy Darling
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Books:
80s
(19)
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