Out of My Mind

I read Sharon M. Draper’s Out of My Mind with my third grader. He was excited to read the story of Melody, who has cerebral palsy, because she reminded him of his cousin who has autism and is non-verbal.

The story is told from Melody’s perspective. Although she has little control over her physical body and cannot speak, she has a strong, healthy, and curious mind. Melody struggles to express herself to others but makes amazing progress throughout the book.

Out of My Mind is an emotional read. There were many tearful points for me as Melody is misjudged and mistreated because of both real and perceived disabilities. It made me wonder what I would see and learn if I could be inside my nephew’s mind.

Both my son and I enjoyed this book. There is a scene at the end that I considered gratuitous and unnecessary in an already emotionally heavy book. I just could not bring myself to read that scene out loud with my son because of my own emotions and a concern for his mental health (we talked about what happened in the scene instead). Overall, though, it is an important book for both youth and adults.

The Family Upstairs

The Family Upstairs is told from three perspectives: a young woman who receives a surprising inheritance on her 25th birthday, a mother of two in France, and a boy from the past. How these three stories connect is clear early on, but the story they unfold is intriguing. At first, I found the plot very odd, but the more I read, the more absorbed I became until I could not put the book down. Although some of the twists were not too surprising, the book ends on a disturbing note—a satisfying way to end the tale of the family downstairs and the family upstairs.

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder

I haven’t read a cozy mystery for years, and it’s been even longer since I read a regency romance. Dianne Freeman’s A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder was exactly the light, romantic, murder-y fluff I needed to counteract so many months of reading psychological thrillers.

Lady Frances Harleigh, a widowed American aristocrat, moves to London for a fresh start after “mourning” her late husband. Little does she anticipate all the adventures and misadventures that will befall her there.

Frances is a smart and sympathetic heroine and a welcome star in this series. I look forward to reading the next installment.

Then She was Gone

Laurel Mack comes to terms with her missing teen daughter in Lisa Jewell’s Then She was Gone. Although most of the novel focuses on Laurel’s journey and her relationships, it does provide the perspectives of the missing daughter and the perpetrator of the crime. The organization of the book is interesting, and focusing on the people left behind is a different approach, but the content can be quite disturbing. I was surprised by the ending, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing or a good thing. The book is a quick, engaging read if you don’t mind some upsetting content.

Good Girl, Bad Girl

Michael Robotham’s novel Good Girl, Bad Girl centers around Cyrus Haven, a psychiatrist with a history, and Evie, a young woman with a history and a talent for identifying lies. The book rotates perspectives, although Cyrus has more page time than Evie. Throw in the murder of a local girl and Cyrus’s help in the investigation, and you have many threads going at once. The story is interesting, enjoyable, and fast, but it relies a lot on coincidence, and I’m not a fan of that plot device. It also ends with a lot of those threads unresolved. At first, I thought that was a bold way to end a book of popular fiction—until I discovered this is just the first book in an anticipated series. So, read if you are into series fiction. If you’re not, pass on this book.

The Turn of the Key

Ruth Ware’s latest novel, The Turn of the Key, is written in epistolary form. The main character, a nanny, writes to an attorney from prison. It is clear from the beginning that a child is dead and the nanny is to blame. The nanny’s letters are incredibly detailed, making the letter-writing form feel forced and awkward. No one writes letters as if they are writing a novel. Ignoring the awkwardness of the form, though, I found the story to be intriguing and the novel a quick read. I guessed some of the twists but was surprised by the ending and even forgave the letter writing by the last chapter.

I Know Who You Are

Aimee Sinclair, an up-and-coming actress, is surprised when her husband suddenly disappears in Alice Feeney’s I Know Who You Are. The premise of this novel is intriguing, but the delivery was absolutely frustrating and ultimately disturbing. Aimee is one of those female characters that drinks too much, doubts her memory, and withholds information from the police for no good reason. I wanted to scream at her throughout the novel and often wondered why I was putting myself through the torture of reading about her stupidity. In the end, I did want to know what happened in the story. I got sucked in, but I’m not sure I recommend the book to others that want to keep their sanity.

My Sister, the Serial Killer

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s novel My Sister, the Serial Killer starts, not too shockingly, with a murder. It is told from the point of view of Korede, a nurse always overshadowed by her beautiful younger sister, Ayoola. I was disappointed at first by story elements I thought were cliché—men falling for the beautiful sister, a patient in a coma. Ultimately, though, the novel makes important statements about the privilege of men and rights of women. It was not as easy as I thought to judge Ayoola or Korede. My Sister is a fast, interesting, and worthwhile read.

Internment

Samira Ahmed’s young adult novel Internment left me with conflicting feelings. The story of the internment of American Muslims under a new president is very timely. In fact, the novel, released earlier this year, feels even more prescient with recent events relating to immigration and racist presidential tweets.

Anyone who is a Trump supporter will not enjoy this book (or my review). Although he is never named in the novel, the actions taken by the president reflect those of the current administration. At first, it may seem like a leap to imagine American Muslims in California rounded up and put into an internment camp. Would Americans really let that happen? Yet many of the seemingly outrageous events preceding the interment in the book have actually happened—a call for banning Muslims, the separation of minors from their parents, unlawful detainment. The premise of this book takes those actions to the next step, and if that doesn’t frighten you, it should.

The novel centers on Layla Amin, a high school student that is unwilling to stay silent in the internment camp. Although Layla is the main character, the biggest concern I have is that she could not have accomplished the resistance she did without the help of a white man. I am torn about this character. I appreciate the model of a white male using his privilege to be an ally, but I worry about the White Savior trope that seems so persistent in Western narratives. I resisted the idea that a white man had to be the one to facilitate change happening.

Internment, although laced with sometimes frustrating teenage angst and decision making, is an important conversation starter. What are we as Americans willing to put up with in the name of national security?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart Turton’s novel The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was recommended to me by a colleague. She told me the main character has a Groundhog Day experience—living the same day over and over, but in a different body. I was intrigued.

The premise is intriguing, although it took me a bit to orient myself—much like the main character. The writing is also a bit of old-fashioned, as if picking up a Victorian novel. It focuses too much on description, but I was able to adjust and get into the author’s rhythm after a bit.

Ultimately, the book—which is rather long at over 400 pages—hooked me, and I could not put it down. I was disappointed by the ending and overarching philosophy of the story but still recommend it for anyone who wants an interesting mystery to invest in.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes

Alexander McCall Smith’s latest series is The Department of Sensitive Crimes: A Detective Varg Novel. The department in Mälmo, Sweden investigates crimes including a stabbing and missing persons, but as in McCall Smith’s other novels, the crimes are neither explicit nor sensationalized. Instead, this book has a similar feel to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The story and characters meander at a leisurely pace. At first, I struggled to get into the book’s rhythm and felt it was too much like Ladies' Detective. By the end, though, I felt fondness for Varg and his colleagues and may be willing to revisit them in the future.

Before She Knew Him

Peter Swanson’s Before She Knew Him is a twist on the mystery-suspense genre. From practically the beginning of the novel, the reader, and the main character, Hen, know who the murderer is. The suspense comes from the tension between a feeling of complacency knowing who the murderer is—and maybe even trusting him a little bit—and not really knowing what the murderer will do next. The ending has two surprises (one I guessed; the other I didn’t). It was a satisfying read, although there are some times the writing drags and doesn’t seem to be moving the story forward, and good for summertime entertainment.

Silent Patient

Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, becomes obsessed with helping an artist after the murder of her husband. Alicia Berenson is the titular Silent Patient in Alex Michaelides’ novel. She has been institutionalized after her murder conviction and refuses to speak. Theo is convinced he can help her. The novel is told from Theo’s perspective and interspersed by Alicia’s diary entries. The book, though a bit slow in the beginning chapters, is a quick read overall. I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I was wrong. I appreciated the ending, and other mystery readers will as well.

Watching You

An attractive headmaster, schoolgirl crushes, voyeurism, and mental illness are all plot elements in Lisa Jewell’s Watching You. The novel moves between the perspectives of several characters, including a high school student, a newlywed living near the new head teacher, and the head teacher’s son. The novel is a fast, entertaining read. Even though I guessed the mystery, the book’s final image left me feeling disturbed and those feelings linger. I'll definitely read another Jewell mystery.

An Anonymous Girl

Jess, a struggling make-up artist in New York, finds herself in a psychological study on ethical behavior in An Anonymous Girl. Nothing is as it seems from the beginning to the end of the book as Jess becomes more deeply involved with Dr. Shields, the study’s author.

The novel is engrossing and a quick read, but I wouldn’t describe it as an enjoyable read. The alternating first-person narrative is unreliable and sometimes awkward, and I was left with a definite sense of unease at the end of the novel. Do I recommend it? With reservations.

The Suspect

The Suspect is Fiona Barton’s third novel featuring journalist Kate Waters and detective Bob Sparks. This time, they are both investigating the apparent disappearance of two British teens on gap year in Thailand. The book is not a flattering portrayal of Thailand, a country I have not visited, particularly in terms of its police and tourism industry. The story, though, is intriguing, with twists and turns. It is engaging and quick and raises the question: what would you do to protect your family?