Book Review: When the Corn is Waist High by Jeremy Scott

When the Corn is Waist High

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When the Corn is Waist High 〰️

When the Corn is Waist High by Jeremy Scott

Okay, so not going to lie; it took me a while to get into this book. It was an insta-buy for me because I love the author and his other works. But when I started the read, the pacing felt very slow. I kept reading because the MC was interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Then the plot twist happened.

When it was revealed that the MC (of which this story was told in first-person POV) was the killer behind everything, I was hooked. It was terrific how Scott managed to keep the information that the MC was a killer from us despite having it be in first-person. But if you look back, everything made sense, and if I were to re-read the book, I'm sure some clues pointed to it.

At first, I didn't like Solomon for his actions (cheating with a married woman), but he was such a well-written character that I overlooked that fact. And then when he shanked her after she discovered his murder stuff, well, my face dropped. But like I said, I was invested. Now I wanted to know how the bok would end with him trying to catch the killer, but the killer was himself!

And boy, did I not see the ending coming. Okay, so I predicted a bit that he would plant the evidence on someone else, and he did. I didn't think he'd get away with it, but he did, and it made sense. But what really blew my mind was the even bigger double twist of the story that happened right at the end. I did <i>not</i> see that coming. All I know is that I'll be thinking about that last chapter for days.

For the twists, I recommend it—you for sure need to see how the MC did everything and why. The pacing picked up once the first twist was revealed, so that was great. And the MC is really fun to read. Scott really knows how to write his characters.

Book Review: Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan

Some Girls Do

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Some Girls Do 〰️

I saw someone recommend this book on Twitter and decided to give it a go. Boy, am I glad I did. I need all the queer books by this author now, please.

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan

This book made me feel all the feels from start to finish, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the enemies-to-lovers trope. It was executed perfectly. I loved Morgan's and Ruby's personalities. Both were written so strongly, and each was a unique and exciting character. I wish there were more of these two, but alas, this book seems to be a standalone. Which, fine, but I still want more.

I will say, though, at the start, I wondered why they felt so strongly for each other besides "she's hot." Both girls were from such opposite worlds. But as I read on, I could feel the chemistry.

I love Ruby's coming arc, and I love Morgan learning to accept the world around her. And Ruby's big moment in her final pageant was *chef's kiss*. (And let's not forget Tyler, who speaks truth bombs about consent and is a really cool guy. I would have liked to see more of him, to be honest).

I loved every character and story beat—great pacing and writing. If you're looking for a great YA sapphic romance novel, this is an excellent pick for you. Thank you, random Twitter user, for posting about this book.

Book Review: Triptych by Karin Slaughter

Triptych

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Triptych 〰️

Triptych by Karin Slaughter

This was a wild ride from start to finish. I'm not usually one for crime novels (I think I bought it because I thought it was more of a thriller), but I'm glad I did. It was a great read. However, I admit that I didn't get into the book until part 2. The first part was so-so, and I didn't like part 1's MC (and after finishing the book, I had good reasons not to like him).

I loved John. I was confused when part 2 came, and it was a completely different story and MC, but it all made sense later. And then, when there were multiple POVs in part 3, it all came together into one coherent story.

I love the symbolism in the book's name, even if I had to look up what the hell a triptych was. But after a quick Google search, it made sense, not just because the book was divided into three parts. Just like a real triptych, not everything is as it seems. Symbolism! I love it.

The detail of everything, from medical to crime and more, was so well written that I feel like I have a better understanding of that part of the world that I am not a part of. It was easy to picture every gruesome detail happening.

If you are into crime and detective stories, this book is a great read. It's part of a series but reads as a stand-alone, just in case you don't feel like continuing the series. I may continue reading the series as I kind of feel invested in this author's work now. Also, it's a quick read, despite the page count. I would recommend this book. But be warned, it is not for the faint of heart.

Book Review: The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

The End Of Men

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The End Of Men 〰️

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

You'd think a book about a Plague (pandemic) would be white noise in today's reality. But it's not and different enough from our current pandemic of Covid-19 that it works. As bad as Covid-19 is, I am glad that it is the pandemic we are living through and not the one in this book. Yes, Covid-19 is terrible (I should know, I had it, and it wasn't fun), and it has killed so many people, but somehow this Plague in The End Of Men spreads faster and is more deadly. Most of the people I know are female, so at least if this were to happen, I wouldn't lose them, but I'd hate to lose my dad and male friends and relatives.

This book was so heavily researched on various topics, such as medical terms, vaccine making, politics and economy (to name a few), that I feel as though I am reading a history book instead of fiction. Everything that happens sounds like it actually <i>could</i> happen, and it's insane. Seeing as 2025 isn't far from now, I wonder if the author saw the future and wrote about it as a virus prevention method. Yes, she started writing in 2018, but most of the book was written and then published during the current pandemic.

I loved reading this book from multiple perspectives from characters of different backgrounds worldwide. (And there is some LGBT+ representation, and we love that in a book). I initially thought I wouldn't like it and that I might have a hard time remembering which character did what, but it wasn't like that. It was easy to follow, and each character had such a distinct role in the story, so I always knew who was who.

This book is certainly not white noise. I think it is a necessary read that may even help with the current Covid-19 pandemic. Not to mention it's just a fantastic story that hits all the heartstrings. I can't recommend this book enough.

Book Review: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Iron Widow

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Iron Widow 〰️

Holy mother of shirt balls. THAT ENDING. I did *not* see that coming, although I probably should have.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Not going to lie; it took a little while for me to get into this book fully. I'm not 100% sure why. I know I found it exciting, and I loved the "history" (actual and implied) of this world. But I only fully got into mid-way, and then I was invested in the story.

Side note, every time Zetian mentioned her feet, I cringe at the thought. I love that the author gave her some flare in the looks department (like her unibrow, even though it gets shaved off, and her bound feet). She feels like just your average girl. Even if her actions prove that she is far beyond anything but ordinary.

I love the world-building, and I LOVE some LGBT+ rep. This was also the first story I read with a polyamory relationship, even if it didn't get to be explored too much.

For a debut novel, I'm impressed. I can see how it became a bestseller instantaneously. It has a strong female lead, compelling characters, great world-building and excellent sequel bating. I can't wait for the second book to come out, especially after what we found out in the last few pages of the epilogue. I can't wait to learn more about how humans forgot they were on an alien planet. Makes sense, though. I was wondering the whole time why other countries weren't helping out in the war or mentioned, but this makes sense now.

Anyway, this was a great read. I do hope we get to Shimin again. I mean, it would be a copout if he came back, but I really liked the guy, despite his "flaws". (The author did a great job at making you like someone society has deemed "the bad guy". He did murder people, but he had the right intentions? Ahaa, what are morals lol)

Book Review: In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park

In Order to Live

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In Order to Live 〰️

What is there to say other than "wow." It is incredible the things people can do to other people and get away with it. It is unbelievable that this can and still happens in this day and age.

I currently live in South Korea, and like many of my Korean friends, and foreign friends, I didn't know much about North Korea or what happens when you try to escape. I learned a lot from this book. Sadly, most of it wasn't knowledge that was fun to learn. It was sad, raw, and authentic. It's hard to imagine that everything that happened in this book wasn't one of my fiction books. Instead, it was real life that happened to the author and her family.

I can say that this book gave me a much-needed appreciation for the life I have lived. It gave me a new perspective. I also appreciate how brave Park was in telling her story, for it was not an easy story to tell.

This book, though highly educated, is not for the faint of heart. If you are not in a good mental state, perhaps hold off reading until you are in the right mindset. But with that said, I highly recommend this read. I wish the author and her family all the best in life.

In Order to Live

by Yeonmi Park

An A.M. Molloy Short Story: And Then We Fall

And Then We Fall

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And Then We Fall 〰️

This is a personal story (written as though I was a character and not myself) about my experience as someone part of the LGBTQ+ living in Korea. (Some events were changed or altered to protect people and to make it an interesting read)

Trigger warnings: mental health decline, mention of shooting/murder (one sentence and nothing "on-screen"), and alcohol.

Quick synopsis:

When I found you, I found the closest thing to heaven. Or was it a living nightmare? Sure, things were like a movie and almost too good to be true. Life seriously doesn't work out like a movie, right? Sometimes. But with the wonderful meet-cutes and movie magic comes the inevitable conflict. And ho boy, does that conflict hit hard. So what is a girl to do with this experience? Share it for the world, naturally.

Click the button below to read this story in its unedited version.

This story is free to read and will forever remain free. I will try and seek a professional cover for this story, but for now, enjoy this quick cover I made. I’m not a professional cover artist so please excuse the poor quality.

Book Review: Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Extras

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Extras 〰️

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars.

I love this series, I really do. And I love the expansion of world-building and learning how people lived after the events of the first three books. But I gotta say, I wasn't a huge fan of Aya. I liked her, but maybe I would have liked her more if she was the MC throughout the whole series. I'm so used to Tally that having a new MC in the fourth installment was weird. Plus she only really had true character growth in like the last few chapters. (I was happy that Tally did make an appearance at least, along with Shay, David, and Fausto).

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

I know a lot about Japanese culture and some of it felt a little off in this book, making it seem like it wasn't written by a Japanese author. (And it isn't, and that's fine, it just feels like there could have been more research). But then again, this is the future and things could have changed culture-wise. I mean, things DID change, but semantics.

I do wish that the Sly Girls could have stayed around a lot longer. They seemed to be only around as a plot device. I liked them and it would have been nice to get to know them more. I mean, they're mentioned on the blurb on the back of the book and I feel like they are barely in the city. I kinda wish that Aya would have seen them as great friends and through them learned not to "kick" every story out there instead of the way things went down in the novel.

Still, I think this was an excellent addition to the Uglies series. I still enjoyed it, though I admit not as much as the original trilogy. But if you love the Uglies series and want a little "extra", this is a great book to read.