Hungered

 
“Hungered” by Amanda Rizkalla
Published by Henry Holt & Co
 
Maybe my expectations for this book were too high because I feel like it could have been so much more.  I know it is a coming-of-age story, but it truly fell flat.  I also felt that various adult decisions made throughout the book gave a poor impression of people out there truly struggling.  And don’t get me started about the ending.  I get what the author was trying to say by ending it that way but honestly, it just lowered my rating a half point instead.  There were just too many unresolved points throughout the book to then also end with one.  Overall, the story felt unfinished.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.  Unfortunately, this time it’s not the type of review you were hoping for.
 
Finished 5/15/26 – 2/5 stars
 
#hungered #amandarizkalla #henryholtandco #netgalley

The Underground Railroad

“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead
Published by Anchor Books
 
It’s a conflicting feeling to say how much you enjoyed a book when the story itself is about the inhumane treatment of slaves in America.  And it’s sad to think that some of it is still happening today.  In the book, a black man in a non-slave state is fully judged by their appearance and how they carry themselves.  Is that any different from today, 200 years later?  Unfortunately, people are still judged by the color of their skin and the accent of their speech.  Not to the extreme of the past, but prejudices are still rampant.  With regards to the book itself, I truly enjoyed reading their stories of grit and determination and of those people putting their lives on the line to help others.  The more people come together to help one another, more doors will open to allow change to come though.
 
I highly recommend this book for all.  Is it fully historically accurate with regards to the underground railroad?  No, but that is why it is called historical fiction.
 
Finished 5/13/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#theundergroundrailroad #colsonwhitehead #anchorbooks
 

The Forgotten Midwife

 
“The Forgotten Midwife” by Laura Anthony
Published by Gallery Books
 
This is a story you don’t want to put down and luckily, I’m on vacation so I didn’t have to often.  It is a story of resilience and hope that will break your heart multiple times.  It is a time in history that no one wants to speak of, when pregnancies out of wedlock were thought to ruin a girl and her family so the girls and young women were hidden away and treated worse than dogs.  This story mainly takes place in Ireland, but they are not the only country that treated people this way.  Society has come a long way since then but still has a way to go.  I highly recommend this book and afterwards, please take a minute to read the author’s note at the end.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 5/10/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#theforgottenmidwife #lauraanthony #netgalley #gallerybooks

The Calamity Club

 
“The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockett
Published by Spiegel & Grau
 
The Help was a 5-star read for me and this one is another great book at 4.5 stars.  The only reason I can’t give it the full 5 is because it dragged a little in the middle.  However, the last 25-30% will have you on the edge of your seat for a good amount of it even though it’s not a thriller or mystery.  You just don’t want anything negative to happen to the characters that you adore.  I loved Meg and I loved Birdie, and their time together was fantastic.  The majority of the side characters that entered the story were also well developed, whether you loved them or loved to hate them.  Together, they bring about 2 wonderful, intertwined stories showing strength and courage to overcome a variety of obstacles.  Some aspects of this story are probably seen as political but it’s historical fiction, that’s going to happen.  It’s not jamming any opinions down your throat, but it will make you grateful not to be living in 1933.  I highly recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 5/7/26 – 4.5/5 stars
 
#thecalamityclub #kathrynstockett #netgalley #spiegelandgrau

Liar's Dice

 
“Liar’s Dice” by Juliet Faithful
Published by Random House
 
This is not your typical coming of age story.  In this book, the main character has a twin with cerebral palsy and epilepsy in a small village in Brazil in the late 60s, early 70s.  At the age of about 12, the sister is sent away to a hospital in England while the rest of the family moves to Rio. So, not only is she struggling with all the things that come with being a pre-teen, she’s also starting a new school (hiding that she’s illiterate) and missing her twin terribly, with no way of knowing if she’s dead or alive because her parents won’t discuss it.   The story itself is told in dual timelines – the year leading up to the sister being sent away and the years immediately following.  In all honesty, I think having it split out that way, took away from the flow of the storyline.  In this instance, because there wasn’t a lot of time between the two timelines and because there wasn’t some big give-away being kept secret, I think it could have been told in a single timeline and been smoother.  That’s obviously just my personal opinion.  Overall, I still think it was a great read and definitely recommend it.
 
Side note – I wish I knew there was a glossary at the back of the book for some of the Brazilian words, terms, and references.  If you read this, please refer to it as needed for clarifications to make it an easier read.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the complimentary copy of this e-book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 4/24/26 – 4/5 stars

#liarsdice #julietfaithfull #randomhouse #netgalley

Mad Mabel

“Mad Mabel” by Sally Hepworth
Published by St. Martin’s Press
 
I think I might have a new favorite character.  I tend to love a spunky, sassy, older character and that is Elsie (aka Mabel) to a tee.  And with it being told in a dual timeline, I get to love her as a child as well.  She is such a strong character but has had such a hard life.  She truly just needs to be loved.  Many times, young and old, you want to just reach in, grab her, and give her a good solid hug, but it’s a book.  I definitely recommend it – it’s quick paced and witty, and at times, suspenseful.  And if you like a good curmudgeon character like I do, I think you’ll love it too.  
 
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary copy of this e-book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 4/19/26 – 4.5/5 stars
#madmabel #sallyhepworth #stmartinspress #netgalley
 

All the Dangerous Things

“All the Dangerous Things” by Stacy Willingham
Published by Minotaur Books
 
Although I own the physical book, I listened to it during a long drive and it definitely kept me entertained.  It is told in dual timelines with a few mysteries built in.  The one thing I didn't enjoy was that some of the information became repetitive.  It's not a long enough book for the reader to need reminders of what was said or done earlier.  Overall, I recommend it though.
 
Finished 4/17/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#allthedangerousthings #stacywillingham #minotaurbooks #botm