adultfiction Archives - The Book Nerd Mom

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer

I received a free ARC of The Perfect Daughter thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I saw this book all over and the description was so enticing. A thriller about a girl who may or may not have multiple personalities and may also be a murderer? Sold. I was lucky enough to be approved to review an advanced copy and let me just say, this was a treat.

We follow Grace as she tries to prove her daughter Penny is innocent regarding the murder of Penny’s biological mom. There was plenty of evidence but no motive and Penny can’t seem to remember what happened. Grace also needs to find a doctor who agrees that Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder, or they will say Penny is lying about her multiple personas. As Penny spends her time in a psychiatric hospital under the guidance of Dr. Mitch McHugh, new information comes to light. And this new information could change everything Grace thought she knew about Penny.

The Perfect Daughter: Why I Loved It

Y’all, this book was good. It had me staying up until 3AM just to find out what happened.

I’m a sucker for an unreliable narrator and we got that with Penny. Which persona was telling the truth? Were they real or was she deceiving everyone? Just from the synopsis I knew this was going to be a great element of the novel if executed well, and Palmer pulled it off.

Although I enjoyed the whole book, the parts of the book where we see Dr. Mitch counsel Penny were my favorite. I liked that he used different techniques to appeal to the different personas. I think he was my favorite character.

And that ending! It shouldn’t have been such a surprise in hindsight, but then again, hindsight is 20/20. It was a shock and I loved it. Basically, y’all need to just read this book.

This was my first D.J. Palmer book but it definitely won’t be my last. Pick up your copy of The Perfect Daughter today!

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I read Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo as one of my buddy reads for this month. I enjoy Bardugo’s writing; I’ve only read the Grishaverse trilogy so far, but I loved it. When I heard she had an adult book coming out, I had to read it. Then the content warnings and trigger warnings came out (list is courtesy of Roe from Goodreads) and it was all over Twitter. And I became wary…but also a little intrigued. Because as I mentioned in my Banned Books post, when people talk about a book, I need to read it. So, I read it.

Ninth House: Thoughts

Honestly, I’m not really sure how I feel about this book. It was predictable, so for that I didn’t find enjoyment. I also found things too convenient at times. The book was written in multiple aspects, implementing flashbacks as a way to get to know the different characters. I didn’t mind this style and actually at different parts of the story I found myself wishing to read more from different characters point of view because that character’s story was intriguing.

I didn’t really care for Alex, which is a shame since she was the main character. Strong female protagonists are favorites of mine to read about, but I could not get behind her. She was just bland. It may be a bit of an unpopular opinion but I wanted to know more about Darlington, or even Dawes. They seemed interesting. I also wanted some clarity surrounding the societies. They seemed to jumble together for me. Perhaps that’s just for me personally, but I didn’t get a clear sense of them and their differences. They just felt too similar.

Bottomline

Overall, I am not sure Ninth House really was as great as I thought it would be. Will I pick up book two? Yes. After that ending, I have to know what happens. And again, I do love Bardugo’s work. The potentially triggering content that everyone mentioned is there. It’s a lot of gore and sexual violence, and it is throughout the entire book, so you can’t really just skip a certain chapter. Just stay true to yourself and your own limits.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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I read The Kite Runner as one of my selections for Banned Books Week. I’ve always heard such good things about it. Alas, like many of my other books, it’s just been sitting on my shelf, eyeing me sadly while I read all the fancy new releases. I finally picked it up and wow did it pack a punch. First, let’s get into what it’s about.

In this story, we’re following Amir, an Afghani man who recounts his life from childhood to adulthood. We learn about his life growing up in Afghanistan, his escape from a war-wracked Kabul, his journey to America, and his journey back to Afghanistan. We witness his relationship with his father, and with his playmate, Hassan, and a myriad of other important characters. In this story, we are privy to Amir’s failures, his regrets, his redemption, his fears, his love, and everything in between, as well as what it means to forgive. It’s an emotional story that will put you on a roller coaster and have you wondering if you can take it anymore.

My Reading Experience of The Kite Runner

I wasn’t sure if I could handle reading it. After 7 chapters in, I had to stop. I didn’t pick the book up for 3 days. As I was reading chapter 7, I was bawling. I couldn’t stop, so I put the book down before I could finish the chapter. I consulted one of my reading groups about the rest. Does this get better? Will I stop crying? I had to know. I wasn’t sure I could continue reading an almost 400-page book with this much turmoil and emotion. “You probably will keep crying, but it’s worth it.” That was the resounding response from the group. So, after a 3-day hiatus, I forged on.

I don’t regret reading it. Yes, it was absolutely emotional. The whole book ripped at my emotions and my heart and I did cry through the rest of it. I’m actually a little upset with Hosseini about some of this book. But it’s a book that will stay with me, and that’s what makes a book great, so I guess that means he did his job.

While I definitely struggled with this one because of the sheer emotional impact it caused, I do recommend it. However, I will say that there are some triggers with this, and some content warnings. Please be advised that some of these triggers include depictions of rape, attempted suicide, bullying, murder, and war.

Anticipated Reads Coming Out in August 2020

Another new month, more new releases. Of course, there are plenty of new books being released this month that I’m super excited about. Here I’ll talk about some of the ones I’ve been anxiously awaiting. This list has in no way been influenced by anyone and is not sponsored by anyone. This list is also not exhaustive and I’m only mentioning a few of the new releases that I’ve been super anxious about.

First up we have More Than Just A Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood. This will be published on August 4th. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this to review, so I’ve already gotten to read this gem for myself. I was and am still so excited about this one. You can read my review for this book here.

After that comes The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed. It will be published on August 4th. I have been anticipating this book so much, and I’m so anxious to read it. I’ve heard such good things about this book and I’m sure it’ll live up to the extreme hype that’s been built.

Another book I’m looking forward to reading is They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman. This is expected to be published on August 4th. I’ve been super excited to read it because I’m always up for a murder mystery. Unfortunately I’ve heard some mixed reviews on it. Guess I’ll just have to read it and see for myself how it is!

I’m so excited to read Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia which comes out August 4th. At this point, pretty much anything that Rick Riordan or his imprint puts out I’m like

Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim, which comes out August 4th, sounds like such a fun and magical read. I can’t wait to read it and go on adventures with Vanessa, and follow her matchmaking and fortune-telling. Definitely looking forward to this one.

A Place At The Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan is to be published on August 11th and is another book that I am excited to read. I read Saadia Faruqi’s upcoming middle grade book, A Thousand Questions, and loved it, so I’m sure this book will be just as enjoyable.

The history lover in me is especially anticipating Displacement by Kiki Hughes, which drops on August 18th. I am looking forward to this look at the Japanese internment camps and the tale of weaving together past and present through memory. Very anxious to read this!

Another book I’m looking forward to is Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon, which comes out August 18th. I haven’t heard much about this book but from what I’ve read, it sounds like it’ll be such a good read and so timely too. Can’t wait to get this book in my hands!

Next we have Darius The Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram. This is scheduled for publication August 25th. I loved Darius The Great Is Not Okay so when I heard there was going to be a second book, I was so excited and immediately added it to my never-ending TBR pile.

And finally, one of my very highly anticipated books is The Companion by Katie Alender. This book comes out on August 25th. I read an excerpt from this book and I’ve been dying to read the rest! It sounds so good, so I’m hoping it lives up to the hype I’ve built up for it.

So there you have it! These are my most anticipated releases of the month. I know many more are releasing this month…with a highly anticipated release being one from a pretty popular series that I never got into. 👀 I know, I know.

What books that are releasing this month can you not wait to dive into? Any that I haven’t mentioned? Are there any on my list that you’re excited for as well?

Happy Reading!

July Wrap-Up

So, another month has finished. This month wasn’t as good for me, reading-wise, as other months, but it wasn’t my worst. I was able to read 6 books this month. There were some highs, and definitely some lows. I didn’t really have any mediocre books, it was either a hit or a miss.

My books this month were: Hannah and Soraya’s Fully Magic Generation-Y *Snowflake* Road Trip Across America by James Ward, Christmas Candee by Judi Thompson and Charlene Tess, This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf, Letters From The Light by Shel Calopa, More Than A Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood, and The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood.

My favorite books this month were definitely the two Syed M. Masood books I read: More Than a Pretty Face, and The Bad Muslim Discount. Both will be coming out soon (August and November, respectively), and they feature muslim protagonists. I really enjoyed Masood’s writing style and the characters that he developed were recognizable and stayed with me long after I finished the book(s). Both books received 5/5 stars.

My least favorite book was probably Hannah and Soraya’s Fully Magic Generation-Y *Snowflake* Road Trip Across America by James Ward. I was given the book for free in exchange for my honest review. There was nothing inherently bad about the book, I just didn’t enjoy it. There were so many things that happened in just the first few days of their road trip that I found it hard to believe. I originally didn’t rate this book but if I had, it’d have been a 1.5-2/5 star rating.

How was your reading month? Any favorites? Has anyone read any of these? Any recommendations for me?