Review: The Perfect Nanny

Title The Perfect Nanny
By Leila Slimani
Genre Adult fiction
Format ebook
Rating ⭐️

Synopsis
Louise seems like the perfect nanny. She's loving, organized and goes above and beyond. Cleaning the apartment and cooking for the family. She stays late and comes early and is becoming quite invaluable. But Louise begins to unravel. Strange little habits she has hint of what is to come and goes to show you can never really know a person.

First Sentence 
The baby is dead.



This one sounded like a train wreck of a story. Something morbid and depressing that you just can't quite get enough of. I was exited to get my hands on it. Sadly, it wasn't for me.

I don't know if it was the translation (it was originally written in French) or the way the author didn't seem to want you to care about a single character but it just didn't work for me.

The whole story kept you cold and removed and I had a hard time caring about the horrors I was reading about.

It was also just overly depressing and I kind of wished I'd just skipped it. There's nothing worse than not liking a book and it not even have riled you up enough to hate it. I was just....meh.

Review: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

Title Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
By Gail Honeyman
Genre Adult Fiction
Format ebook
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
Eleanor is completely fine. She has a nice, normal job in accounting, a modest apartment, and a perfectly ordinary routine. OK, she's a little weird and her coworkers make fun of her and she doesn't have any friends but so what? She's just met the love of her life. He just doesn't know it yet. As we learn more about Eleanor we begin to understand that maybe she isn't fine after all and that you should never judge a person you don't know.

First Sentence
When people ask me what I do-taxi drivers, dental hygienists-I tell them I work in an office.

I don't know why I decided to read this book. I don't think I ever even read what it was about. I just heard both good and bad things and was just inexplicably drawn to it.

I adored it. It was engaging and hard to put down. I had no real idea what to expect and I as I learned more and more about Eleanor my heart broke a little. She was so quirky and weird and if she existed in real life I bet I would have judged her too; imperfect human that I am and that makes me sad.

I think that's why I adored Raymond so much. He just accepted her as she was and offered no judgment at all. He was a great character.

In a world so full of the "I'm right, you're wrong" mentality and all the hate bursting from social media and the news it was delightful to read about how a little kindness can go a long way and be reminded not to judge.

I really loved this book and would highly recommend it. 

Review: The Little Stranger

Title The Little Stranger
By Sarah Waters
Genre Horror, Suspense
Format Audio book
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
Dr. Faraday is called to the Georgian house Hundreds Hall, home to the Ayres for over two generations. Always an admirer of the old manor he soon finds himself enmeshed with the family and their troubles. The house is struggling financially and as a result is falling down around them but soon strange occurrences begin to take place and Dr. Faraday struggles to determine if the house is truly haunted or if the family is slowly going insane.

First Sentence
I first saw Hundreds Hall when I was ten years old.


I saw a preview of the movie they're making based on this book and became intrigued. I'd heard of Sarah Waters but haven't read any of her books before. I guess this one isn't her usual style but it sounded good to me so I gave it a listen.

It was pretty creepy, guys. My anxiety was flaring up while listening and I had to put it down sometimes and give my poor nerves a break.

I really loved the style and slow mystery as it unfurled. I loved the creepy house and the recounts of the haunting that was taking place. I was emotionally invested and dying to know what was going on. It was hard to stop listening.

But that ending made me want to scream! I wanted answers and was offered none! I guess if I was expected to come up with my own answers I have a theory but that's MY theory and I didn't write the book. Waters did and I'd like to know what HER theory was! Sheesh!

Still, despite the lack of any answers I liked the book and am interested in reading Water's other books. 

Review: The Hate U Give

Title The Hate U Give
By Angie Thomas
Genre YA Contemporary
Format Print
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
When Starr see's her friend get shot by a cop during a routine traffic stop her world begins to unravel. She'll have to learn to be brave and stand up for what she believes and speak out or risk never seeing a change.

First Sentence
I shouldn't have come to this party.





Another book for book club but since I found this one at a thrift store I probably would have read it eventually.

I was really terrified to read this book. I was afraid it was going to be very manipulative and make me feel like crap for being born white and "privileged" (FYI: I just had to look up how to spell privileged. Does that mean I'm not privileged?)

I was relived that Angie Thomas managed to just write a story that was a story. Yes, it was written with an agenda, and yes it was pro-black, anti-white, (a little)  but it was handled smoothly.

It showed good and bad black people and good and bad white people and also managed to tell an interesting, albeit longer than necessary, story. I liked it.

Review: The Outsiders

Title The Outsiders
By S.E Hinton
Genre YA Classic
Format Print
Rating ⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
Ponyboy has only ever known the life of a "Greaser". Keep your head down and stay away from Socs but when a fight between the Greasers and the Socs goes wrong, Ponyboy's life gets turned upside down.

First Sentence
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I only had two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.



There's plenty of classics out there that I haven't read and that, quite frankly,  I probably never will. The Outsiders was one I wasn't particularly interested in but I recently found out how young the author was when she wrote and and I became intrigued.

While I can see why it's considered a classic and had some surprisingly sound writing, I wasn't blown away by it. I only found it somewhat interesting and didn't really connect to any of the characters.

I found some of it a bit unbelievable and the lack of character growth depressing but at least it was a quick read and I can say I've read it now...right?