August 2.0

Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey
This book by a debut author addresses a conundrum: what does one do when seeing a child neglected and abused? Do you report it to the authorities and hope the foster-care system doesn't mess it all up? Or do you do what main character, Sarah Walker, does and just take five year old Emma? Yep, it's a problem. Emma is smart, beautiful, and sad; abused by her mother, ignored by her father, she wears the same clothes to school each day. When Sarah's life weirdly interconnects with Emma more than once, perhaps it is karma, perhaps it is her job to abandon her successful business, perhaps her wretched breakup with long-time boyfriend was meant to be? Admittedly, some plot holes glared at times for me, but I could not stop reading this book. The question of what Sarah would ultimately do with Emma, how Emma's mother handled the situation, and how Emma adapted kept me turning pages quickly. It is a good 'brain candy' book for sure.

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
His earlier book, The Kind Worth Killing, was a dark and creepy thriller that gave me the heebie-jeebies, and yes, I loved it. This second book was solid, but not quite as good. The premise revolves around an apartment swap. A young British woman, suffering from PTSD as well as a long-term anxiety disorder, finally finds the courage to leave London, arriving in Boston to live in her cousin's Beacon Hill home. Of course, a murder occurs in the apartment next door, which plays to all of Kate's fears (hence the title). The cousin, now staying in her London flat, has a bit more of a secret life than anyone (Kate, neighbors, or even us, the reader) had ever suspected. As the rabbit hole we go down to see Corbin's past gets darker and creepier, the threads of the murder start to come together. This was definitely a page-turner and a solid thriller, but a bit too predictable of an ending for me.

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
I seem to have an opposing view on this book from many other reviewers; I give it 2.5 stars at best. First, the premise is creative as this time the 'other woman' is the mother of the boyfriend/fiance. That's a nice twist. The problem I had was the complete shallowness of the main characters; the girlfriend who continuously stays in an abusive relationship with both the man and the mother; the boyfriend who is a nasty drunk but loves his mother obsessively for unexplained reasons; the brother who, even in the end, is not fully flushed out and makes a muck of things; and the besties who stand by and don't yank poor lil Emily miles away from this man. Not even the dark and twisted ending could salvage this book for me. I hate hate hate weak, gullible, static women - protagonists like this merely perpetuate the myth of spineless women trapped in toxic relationships. Try giving us a trapped woman who gets herself out through her strength and smarts, someone to aspire to, someone to give us hope. Aargh. Thanks to Net Galley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1)) by Tomi Adeyemi
Debut author Tomi Adeyemi is a gorgeous writer with a depth of knowledge on African mythology, and she uses both skills brilliantly in this first of a new YA fantasy series. Set in the world of Orisha, the magic has been vanquished years ago through murder and destruction, killing the maji off and leaving their children, the diviners behind. The diviners have no magic, but have stark white hair against their brown skin to set them off. Enslaved and abused, the diviner society is set for rebellion. Thus enters our cast of characters: Zelie, a young diviner, whose mother was a Reaper who could call upon the souls of the dead; Tzain, her brother, a strong athlete devoted to keeping Zelie and her father safe; Inan, the son of the murderous king, torn between his knowledge of moral rightness and his need for his father's approval; and Amari, daughter of the king, scared and weak on the outside, a lion in her heart, who begins the whole rebellion with a stolen scroll. This is an incredible gift of storytelling to the world. If you like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and every other magical tale of friendship, loyalty, family bonds, destruction, power, fear, you name it, pick up this book. You will not regret it.

What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation about Race in America by Michael Eric Dyson
Recommended by none other than #44, Barack Obama, this book is a must-read for American citizens, as it gives a thoughtful look at how history has shaped race relations in our country. Focusing on essays and events involving black writer and activist James Baldwin, as well as Robert F. Kennedy as his understanding of race relations evolve, Dyson explores every aspect of American life today and its intersection with race: the world of entertainment, politics, professional sports, music, you name it, that world is dissected looking through the lens of race. This book opened my eyes in so many ways and made me realize how little I truly know and understand, as I live in a predominantly white PNW college town. I highly recommend reading it not listening to it, as the language is beautiful, and the narrator was truly terrible.