Reviews – Exclusory Style

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Let’s start off with a quick summary of this novel from Goodreads

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….
Goodreads

If psychological thrillers are up your alley, and you haven’t read this book yet, you’re truly missing out. I had heard nothing but good things about this book before I finally decided to purchase it from the bookstore, so I’ll preface this review by saying that my expectations were quite high.

Right when I got off work at 5pm on Thursday, signalling the start of my holiday break, I grabbed this book from my bookshelf, lit my favorite Illume candle and grabbed some iced coffee and got down to reading. I literally could not put this book down from the moment I started it. Honestly couldn’t have asked for a better reading experience. Alex Michaelides showed up and showed out with his authoring of this book. His writing style is what really drew me in, even though he could have researched mental health diagnoses and treatments more as his knowledge in this field was definitely lacking and somewhat annoyed me.

I’ve personally read so many thrillers that it’s honestly very difficult for me to be surprised but the end of this book truly left me speechless. The plot twist, if you will, was truly something I would have never expected. Although, I will say that you predict the ending correctly, you may not enjoy this book as much.

The alternating perspectives of the chapters really kept me on the edge of my seat and made me want to never put the book down until I finished it. I definitely felt the parallels and potential influence from Shutter Island in this novel, so if that film was one that you genuinely enjoyed, definitely give this book a try! This novel also reminded me of season 1 of The Sinner (on Netflix). It’s always a joy for me personally when I can draw parallels and connections to other forms of media I’ve consumed.

Let me know in the comments if this book is something that you’d be interested in reading.

Week in Review (7)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which bloggers are able to share news and happenings in their lives from the past week on their blog.

This week’s Sunday Post will mainly consist of me talking about what book I recently finished reading and what I’m looking forward to reading next.

As I talked about in my previous post, I have finally decided to come back to my blog, which I have missed dearly, as I have the time (somewhat) to write posts on a regular basis. Let’s see how long I can keep this up for.

I recently finished After Anna by Lisa Scottoline (which I bought for $1 at a used bookstore….what a bargain!) and I am in the process of writing a book review for this book so stay tuned for that!

I cannot wait to get into reading Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. I bought these two books from Indigo Chapters a couple of weeks back. And of course I’ll be writing a review for each once I finish reading it.

Let me know what books you’ve recently read / are looking forward to reading, I’d love to hear!

Cannot Wait Wednesday!!! (5)

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Wishful Endings! This is where bloggers discuss the books that they’re excited to read, as well as those that are not yet published. This meme is a great way to inform others of books that are yet to be released, and to hype the books up!

With the start of summer break, I have been looking for some new books to read and I thought that this one seemed quite intriguing. Hidden by Kelli Clare has just recently been published, and I have not seen it in my local bookstore as of yet, but look forward to hopefully finding it very soon. The following is a short excerpt of the novel from Goodreads:

“Small-town Connecticut art teacher Ellie James finds the intense connection she’s longing for when she meets Will Hastings, a seductive Englishman with an alluring darkness. But just days later, her sister and grandmother are murdered and she must confront the unthinkable: is Will a man she can trust, a killer—or both?

After surviving a near-fatal attempt on her life, Ellie makes a desperate move: she takes her young niece Lissie and runs to England with Will. There, fiery passion becomes possession, London paparazzi call her by another name, and assassins of a secret society close in after the stunning truth about Ellie’s family is exposed. When Will suddenly disappears after putting a ring on her finger, Ellie must find the strength to elude assassins, disentangle herself from the haunting lies she’s lived for twenty-seven years, and answer one pressing question: who is Ellie James?”

What do you all think of this one? I personally love mystery / crime novels, so this one definitely sparked my interest. Let me know what you think of Hidden and leave a link to your CWW post below.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (My Thoughts)

What a legendary start to an incredible book series! Rather than writing a review, I’ll be writing about what I thought about this amazing book because there is quite honestly no way I could adequately review such a renowned novel. First off, let me just say that I know that I’m most definitely late to the party regarding reading this novel, but better late than never, right?! I was hooked right off the bat as JK Rowling just has a way with words that is so eloquent and imaginative.

My favourite part of this book (and believe me, this was hard to decide on because I loved the whole book) was when Mr. Dursley was purposefully trying to ensure that Harry did not read the Hogwarts letter. The lengths he went to, so as to ensure that the letters did not reach Harry, are quite hilarious. But how can a muggle match up to a wizarding school? He actually thought he had a chance in making sure that Harry never received his letter. As if!!!

After reading the first book, I would say that my favourite character by far was Harry Potter (surprise, surprise)! I just love his personality and how he defeated ‘You Know Who’ when he was a baby. Let’s see if my favourite character changes once I read the next book.

I’m the kind of person who reads a book before watching the movie, but this wasn’t the case for this series unfortunately. I watched all the movies (not in chronological order) prior to deciding to read the novels. I truly regret this decision because I know tad bits of information about the future storyline while reading, but this does not hinder my curiosity to keep reading and immerse myself in these books. Now that I’ve started reading the books, albeit quite late, I have decided to read the book first and once I’m done, I watch the movie with my family to clear up any questions I had regarding the things I didn’t understand when reading. I feel as though this is the best way to truly understand and enter the wizarding world.

I guess you could say I’m a little obsessed at this point. I get so excited when I pick up the book. Reading is a fabulous stress reliever for me, now that university is back on. Reading these books helps me escape the real world, even if it’s just for a few hours, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.

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Cannot Wait Wednesday!!! (4)

As I have been looking for a variety of books to put on hold at the library for the new year, I thought it was fitting to write a quick post on a book that I’m looking forward to read in the near future. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn is one book that I’m super excited for! The following is a short excerpt of the novel from Goodreads:

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What did she see?

It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

This summary is giving me creepy, thriller type vibes, and definitely sparked my interest. I really like the cover of this book too, but I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. What do you think of this one? Link your CWW posts below too!

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My All-Time Favourite Movies

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Before I get started, let me make it clear that I’m no movie buff. But I have watched my fair share of movies.

I’m not going to give away the movies, in case you want to watch it. I’m really into action, suspense, and mystery movies. Also, you’ll notice a trend in these movies….because Christopher Nolan is just too good.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

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This movie became a classic the moment it was released. I don’t think anyone can deny that this movie is amazing. I’ve watched it countless times and yet I still find things that I didn’t notice before. You can watch this movie over and over again and not get bored of it. You’ve got to love Heath Ledger’s Joker in this. He’s pretty much what makes this movie good, other than Christopher Nolan’s directing. Ledger’s role is iconic.

2. Dunkirk (2017)

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In 2016, I found out Chris Nolan was making a new movie (finally) and I was very excited. He hadn’t made a new movie in a few years then and I felt deprived. I discovered that the movie would on the the Miracle of Dunkirk. I’ve always been really interested war movies and war in general.

The film has minimal dialogue, but it works. The actors tell the story so well through their expressions alone. It’s a chilling recount of how Dunkirk really happened. It’s very different than how I learned it to be. This movie shows how it really was.

3. Captain Phillips (2013)

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This movie was absolutely crazy. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It’s a true story, based on the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of a U.S. cargo ship. Barkhad Abdi’s acting as a Somali pirate, was amazing. The story in general is very interesting, and the film is created in such a suspenseful way. If you’re looking for a film that constantly has you biting your nails, this is for you!

4. Inception (2010)

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I still don’t understand this movie. And that’s why I’ll never get sick of it. I watch it over and over and get a different understanding of it each time. It boggles your mind and makes you think. It’s about stealing secrets through dreams and that’s about all I get from it.

It’s quite long, about two and a half hours in length. But trust me, it’s worth every minute of your time. If you are looking for a movie that really makes you think, watch Inception!

(All of the images in this post are from various sources found through Google Images)

The Amateurs by Sara Shepard

★★★★★

(spoiler-free)

Sara Shepard; the queen of teen fiction. I have a theory that she single-handedly encouraged the world’s population of teens to read again. It’s pretty understandable, I think. I mean, ever since the Internet was born, teenagers claim they’ve never opened a book or smelled the musty pages of a novel. It’s completely true actually. Students at my school never read for pleasure. Ever. I hear it all the time. If they do read, the only books they read are Sara Shepard’s. So yeah. She must have some pretty good books to make brain-dead teenagers actually want to trudge on over to the library rather than surf through Instagram mindlessly.

When I saw that Sara Shepard had a new book, I put it on hold in a heartbeat. For some reason, those stories about teenagers and their “struggles” never fail to entertain me. To get some insight into the book if you haven’t already read it, here’s a little summary taken directly from Goodreads:

Five years ago, high school senior Helena Kelly disappeared from her backyard in Dexby, Connecticut, never to be heard from again. Her family was left without any answers—without any idea who killed Helena, or why.

So when eighteen-year-old Seneca Frazier sees a desperate post on the Case Not Closed message board, she knows it’s time to change that. Helena’s high-profile disappearance is the one that originally got Seneca addicted to true crime. It’s the reason she’s a member of the site in the first place.

Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, she agrees to spend spring break in Connecticut working on the case with Maddy Wright, her best friend from Case Not Closed. However, the moment she steps off the train, things start to go wrong. Maddy’s nothing like she expected, and Helena’s sister, Aerin, doesn’t seem to want any help after all. Plus, Seneca has a secret of her own, one that could derail the investigation if she’s not careful.

Alongside Brett, another super-user from the site, they slowly begin to unravel the secrets Helena kept in the weeks before her disappearance. But the killer is watching…and determined to make sure the case stays cold.

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Mystery in a teen-y book was all I needed. I had been reading some pretty heavy books and needed a little break from that because I’m fragile. Maybe this is just me, but I thought that this would be a lousy mystery book. I mean, a group of teenagers solving a crime together just sounds boring. Well…I can’t even begin to explain how wrong I was. This book was GREAT.

The mystery keeps you intrigued throughout the book. It’s constantly being developed, even in the light-hearted situations. The characters were super dynamic. The personalities of everyone in their clique meshed together so well. The mystery was never quite solved until the very end. You think it’s over but then: IT’S NOT! Who doesn’t love that in a book? It’s no wonder there’s a second book coming out in November, titled “Follow Me”. Ominous. And I’m HYPED.

I’m NOT going to give this book away because I reaaally think you should read it. Even if you’re an old hag. I loved it! It’s not overly long or short. Thanks for reading!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

★★★★★

It’s about time I got my hands on this book. I’m really late, I know.

Though the library’s hardcover copy was gnarled and stained, I still had patience and flew through this book. My reaction: WOW!

I’m sure you’ve already read “Gone Girl” but here is a little summary: Nick and Amy Dunne seem to have the perfect life. They’re (seemingly) happily married, but when Amy goes missing, their small town turns to Nick for answers, who seems to be in the same boat as everyone else. Lies and deceit make this harrowing story by Gillian Flynn hair-raising.

The story seemed to be typical at first; spouse goes missing, blame other spouse, turns out he/she killed the other spouse they’re arrested. But as the story progresses, the lies told by both Amy and Nick complicate the plot.

Image result for gone girl book It is written from the alternating perspectives of Amy and Nick. Amy’s perspective is shown through her personal diary, which later becomes a part of the plot. Through these first-person perspectives, you can see the similarities and differences in their thoughts. Since this story is about a relationship gone haywire, you can see through their thoughts why they thought they were good for each other at first but not later. It’s a very personal telling of their inner feelings. Especially for Amy, as she writes down everything she is feeling. Nick’s perspective is told on the present. He is in the time when Amy first goes missing and it carries from there. Sometimes the things Amy and Nick think are downright psycho. And that’s what makes this book so intriguing.

Amy and Nick’s characters are extremely well-developed, due to this first-person perspective. It is truly unbelievable how the thoughts of psychopaths can seem so real, almost relatable (not saying I’m a psycho, OK). Flynn creates characters that actually contribute to the story and plot in their own way. It’s remarkable how each and every character is so important to the story.

This book was just the right length. I wasn’t left missing information nor was the book stretched out. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

★★★★☆

I actually had to read this novel for school. And surprisingly, for once, it was pretty good. This international bestseller by Markus Zusak won many awards for its complicated story and wonderful characters.

Liesel Meminger is the main character in the book, and her story is told through the perspective of “Death” in Germany during the 30’s and the Second World War. She is a young German girl who is fostered by two poor parents and as the story goes on, Liesel grows into a teenage girl. Along the way, she develops family relationships, makes friends, learns valuable lessons, and creates her own values, all while the horrors of Hitler’s rise and the war occur. It’s a coming-of-age novel that will strike a chord with readers.

Let me start by saying that this book is bursting with literary devices. The entire book is quite literally one giant metaphor, as “Death” tells the story. Every page has a metaphor somewhere, used in some way. You could be talking about socks and there would still be some deep metaphor made by the author. This is really great for analyzing and interpreting the multiple meanings. When I was discussing this book in a seminar, we all interpreted the book differently, and our answers were all reasonable. The descriptions are so detailed and the language used is not complicated and not too easy, which I like in a book.

The fact that Death tells the story, I found, was very interesting. It created a lot of literary devices and all, but it was also interesting to see how Zusak used Death to illustrate its role in the war. He talks about how “busy” Death becomes in the war and how demanding Hitler is of Death. I think it’s quite clever, and it was enjoyable to read these parts.

The thing I didn’t like about the book is that it is so unnecessarily long. There are countless parts in the book where I could not find a single explanation as to what it adds to the book. Trust me when I say I genuinely tried to find its relevance to the book; I was being graded on my analysis. Not only were these parts useless, but they were just plain boring! Some characters have no real purpose in the book. In fact, they just take away from the story. This book would be so much better if it was less than 584 pages.

Overall, this book was pretty enjoyable. I would recommend this to freshmen, not sophomores (as I was when I read this book). Thanks for reading!

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In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

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★★★☆☆

I love how the cover of this novel goes with my blog theme! Anyway, this was an okay-ish book. Lots of twists and turns, however it was a little unrealistic for me. I had really high expectations for this book, and although the beginning of the book was fabulous, it honestly fell flat for me shortly thereafter.

Leonora Shaw is incredibly surprised when she receives an invitation to her old friend’s bachelorette party at a cozy cottage, or so she thinks. Leonora lives an isolated life as a writer who doesn’t communicate much with others. She can usually be found holed up in her house writing her novels, or sending emails to her publishers. She contacts one of her other friends, who is also invited to the party, and checks in with her to see if she is attending the party. Her friend tells her that she too has been taken by surprise after having received this invitation out of the blue. Nonetheless, Nora impulsively accepts the invitation and this simple action sets off a number of events that nobody saw coming.

Once Leonora arrives at the cottage, she notices that it actually isn’t much of a cottage. More like a creepy, sinister glass house located in the woods. As the days progress, there are some interesting interactions between the party guests, and Leonora notices that they are all not alone and that there is in fact someone else in these woods who is possibly watching their every move. Who could it be? Is it someone they know, or a stranger?

I can’t go into too much detail otherwise I will most definitely give away what the book is about. I honestly felt as though so much more could be added to this book because it seemed to skim over the surface in a lot of its most thrilling parts, which is mainly the reason as to why I rate this book 3/5 stars.

Have you read this novel? If so, what did you think of it?

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