5/5 STARS Wow, wow, wow. Hands down my favorite book of October, and probably my favorite read in a while. Winter Counts was a book I chose for #thrilleroctoberv2 hosted by @readwithangie on Instagram, and this fulfilled the "read a book by a BIPOC author" on the bingo board. I think we can all do a better job in general of supporting BIPOC authors, with BIPOC characters. The reason I say this is because the viewpoint from these authors can really just make you stop and think about the world you live in. If I hadn't read Winter Counts, I probably would've never realized how bad life is for some on Native American reservations. David provided an educational experience to readers about Native American culture, specifically Lakota, while also writing a thrilling crime novel that has you at the edge of your seat by the end of it.
Actual justice doesn't come around often for those living on Rosebud Indian reservation. That's where Virgil Wounded Horse, our protagonist, comes in. Virgil makes a living by dealing out justice to those the American government couldn't be bothered with prosecuting. Unfortunately, in real life this happens way to often to those living on reservations. Federal prosecutors don't bother with prosecuting sexual assault, domestic violence, theft, etc. on the reservation. Virgil ends up being the one delivering justice in these instances, but when hard drugs find their way onto the reservation, he finds himself in the middle of a big investigation, and doesn't know if he will be able to handle the outcome. It's hard to go into much more detail without giving anything away, and I would hate to spoil such a great book! Winter Counts had me laughing out loud, crying, and sometimes just closing the book because I was so NERVOUS about what was going to happen. For a debut author, he did an excellent job of bringing out those emotions in me as a reader, which is what makes me love certain books so much. If you can make me feel strong emotions while reading your book, I will shout from the rooftops that everyone needs to read it. I really enjoyed the personal journey Virgil went on in this book as well. He obviously struggles with his heritage and the traditions that come with it. He knows it's a part of who he is, but he also turns from it and has a bitter attitude toward it. It was very interesting to see the way his attitude towards these things evolved as the story went on, it was probably the most emotional part of the book for me. If you enjoy a good crime novel, I highly recommend this one! I know I've pretty much heavily focused on the Native American culture and educational aspect of this book, but it is a great crime/thriller read. Not predictable at all, and almost kind of a slow burn when it comes to the action. It all just starts slowly building up until you get to the point where you are turning and burning through pages to get to the ending. Just please read this book. You won't regret it. (And if you do, please don't yell at me lol).
0 Comments
4/5 STARS Syopsis: "Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers…each with something to gain, something to lose, and something to hide. When the co-founder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech startup, organizes a week-long trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: PowerPoint presentations and strategy sessions broken up by mandatory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the agenda by pushing a lucrative but contentious buyout offer, tensions simmer and loyalties are tested. The storm brewing inside the chalet is no match for the one outside, however, and a devastating avalanche leaves the group cut off from all access to the outside world. Even worse, one Snooper hadn’t made it back from the slopes when the avalanche hit. As each hour passes without any sign of rescue, panic mounts, the chalet grows colder, and the group dwindles further…one by one." The month of October I am participating in a thriller/spooky book readathon hosted by Angie of @readwithangie. Go check her out on Instagram, she's awesome! She created a bingo board with different prompts on each square. The goal is to complete as many squares as possible in the month of October to be entered to win giveaways from Angie. One by One fulfilled the "read a book by a new to you author" square. Ruth Ware is a name that I see quite frequently on "bookstagram", and from what I can tell her work is pretty popular. I've never picked up a book by her just because I'm not the biggest fan of thrillers (I like being able to sleep at night). However, I am very happy I ended up reading a book by Ruth, because I really enjoyed One by One (even if my biggest fear is being buried alive in snow lol). One by One is set at a cozy, yet luxurious chalet in the French Alps, where the employees of Snoop are holidaying for a week. You can tell that these are very elite people, based on the fact on where they are staying, and the chalet even comes with live-in staff, Danny and Erin. I can imagine it feeling very peaceful up there tucked away in the mountain, secluded from everyone. To me, mountains are also very ominous, you don't know what to expect from them and what they hold. They contain wondrous beauty but can also be the cause of tremendous terror. Unfortunately for those in the chalet, the latter would be the case for them. Ruth Ware writes this story from a dual point of view, having the readers read from the perspective of Erin, one of the staff members that stays in the chalet, and Liz, a former employee of Snoop. Erin's job is to serve the guests during their stay at the chalet, and that means most of the time she is a fly on the wall. She is basically invisible to the guests, and she definitely overhears plenty of interesting, eyebrow raising, conversations. When it comes time to survival though, she is the one to take charge and direct the group. Which seems suspicious to some.... Then we have Liz, who wants to be anywhere in the world other than in that chalet with her former employers. Half the time the rest of the group forget she is even there. She is a nervous wreck and is obviously wrestling with some secrets that she just wants to let out. Why was she invited in the first place if she wasn't employed with Snoop anymore? Guess you'll have to read to find out. What is supposed to be a fun company holiday, turns into a fight for survival as an avalanche leaves them separated from the rest of the world, as well as members of their group ending up murdered in their rooms. They definitely need to work as a group to survive, but how can you work together when you know one of the others is the murderer? I enjoyed that I pretty much questioned everyone at some point, and that it wasn't predictable who the monster among them was. If you are looking for a lighter thriller, I highly recommend One by One. It never got to the point of "omg I can't hang", but definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and burning through the book to get to the ending. I look forward to reading more books by Ruth Ware, she just might be a new favorite author of mine (to be determined after reading more of her books). 4/5 STARS Synopsis for Majesty:
"Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we're looking at you Daphne Deighton. As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her "party princess" persona...and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace--and Prince Jefferson--at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne's carefully laid "marry Prince Jefferson" plans. A new reign has begun..." There were a lot of things I was expecting and wanting to happen in Majesty based off of where American Royals left off, and absolutely nothing I expected or wanted happened LOL. Surprisingly, I ended up loving where Katharine McGee took each character's story line. I think it's hard for authors to write sequels, especially when the first book in the story was extremely successful. Katharine McGee made it seem easy by developing each character and throwing twists and turns in that no one would expect. Beatrice, Samantha, Nina, and Daphne each take a personal journey in this second installment of American Royals realizing that the thing they thought they wanted most in the world, might not be the thing that will bring them the most happiness. Throughout this journey there is a fair share of drama, just like the first book (and almost always because of Daphne) which is what made Majesty a page-turner, just like American Royals. I've said before that I'm not a fan of multiple points-of-view because I feel like I don't get to know the characters as well, but I was happy with the amount of time spent with each main character and how each one developed. I'm not sure if there is going to be a third installment in this series. And as much as I want to keep reading about these characters and their stories, I'm also very happy with where Majesty left off, and I feel as if the story is complete. Maybe a possible spin-off focusing on just one of the characters? Who knows?! But I will definitely be keeping my eye out for other books by Katharine McGee, and highly recommend the American Royals duo to all readers. |
AuthorHi, I'm Genny! You can always find me with a book in my hand. Dystopian, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction are among my favorite genres. I hope you enjoy the reviews I provide and can help you pick out your next book! Archives
October 2020
Categories |