Caroline

This book has lingered in my thoughts long after I finished reading it, leaving me with a profound yearning for other works that evoke a similar sense of longing and melancholy. Initially, I approached it as just another classic—one of those that was tedious with prose that droned. However, something compelled me to keep turning the pages, captivated by the narrative of a man who was raised on a farm and turned away from his agricultural upbringing to pursue academia.

The book explores themes of sacrifice, duty, and isolation, while examining the intricacies of ordinary existence. It chronicles the life of William Stoner, detailing his personal and professional journey, including his marriage, attainment of a doctoral degree, and parenthood. Despite these significant achievements, his life gradually unravels into a loveless marriage, a career fraught with political strife, and a daughter who grows distant. Although he encounters trials, he continues to teach English Literature and his pursuits. Stoner's character is both deeply flawed and deeply sympathetic. In some moments, you wanted to shout at him through the pages as he made decisions that brought his downfall. Stoner had a quiet resilience that resonated powerfully and reminded me of people in my own life, who make decisions or are impacted by life events, but must go on living for the sake of their family, their career, or themselves.

It also thoughtful examined the academic life and analyzed its complexities, flaws, and inherent contradictions. The isolation of the academic, the disillusionment of knowledge and its pursuit, and conflict between practical and idealism.

Stoner draws powerful parallels to everyday life, prompting readers to reflect on their own existence and ask, “How am I living my life?” Personally, while my experiences differ significantly from William Stoner's, I found a deep resonance in his feelings of personal struggle, unfulfilled dreams, isolation, and resilience. The novel raises important questions about whether these themes represent the essence of human existence.

I highly recommend this book and understand why it has become a favorite for many. As of 2024, it stands as my favorite read of the year.

As an avid fan of Stephen King, diving into “Salem's Lot” felt like a natural progression in my exploration of the horror genre. Having enjoyed King's intricate character development and ability to create palpable atmospheres in his other works, I approached this novel with high expectations. However, “Salem's Lot” proved to be a rather challenging read for me, particularly due to its parallels with Bram Stoker's “Dracula,” a classic that I struggled with in the past year.

Similarities between “Salem's Lot” and “Dracula” range from the small-town setting to the gradual realization that supernatural forces are at play. The feeling of déjà vu, while undoubtedly intentional on King's part, created a sense of predictability that hindered my ability to become fully immersed in the narrative. It felt like a déjà vu not only in theme but also in the structure of the story, with characters discovering the truth about the supernatural threat through journals and investigations.

Maybe it is just a book at the wrong time, as I have been binging a lot of Stephen King and this was the last book that broke my streak. I might revisit at another time and give it a second chance.

When I saw the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to immediately read it. It follows “Thursday”, who is in a polygamist relationship with her husband, Seth. Seth has two other wives nicknamed “Monday” and “Tuesday,” and the number one rule is that they cannot meet each other. Monday is Seth's first wife, Tuesday is pregnant, and that is all of the information that “Thursday” knows about them until she finds a doctor's note in Seth's pocket with the name Hannah written on it. Through the rabbit hole of Google and Facebook, she finds the glossy, modelesque Hannah, who lives in a Victorian House with perfectly trimmed hedges.

Thursday prides herself on being the “perfect wife,” who cooks elaborate meals and whose life revolves around her husband; however, upon finding Hannah, she becomes obsessed with learning more about her husband's life outside of their Thursday nights. Due to her curiosity, she strikes up a friendship with Hannah without her knowing that they are married to the same man. As their friendship develops, Hannah starts developing bruises, and instantly Thursday wonders, are those bruises from her seemingly loving husband?

Soon she becomes transfixed on learning more about the other wives and learning more about her husband, which becomes an extreme challenge when Seth finds out about her meeting Hannah and says she is having another mental episode. Thursday is put in a mental health facility, where she tries to dig for more information through her sister on Seth's other wives. However, upon reporting back, her sister lets her know that the Victorian house that Hannah lived in is under “Thursday's” name (as it was inherited after a family member passed away), Hannah has disappeared and may not be a real person, and Seth and Regina (Monday) got divorced years ago. This leads to questions like “Who is Hannah and is she in danger?” “What secrets are Seth hiding?” and more importantly, “Are the wives real or just something that Thursday has made up in her head?”

I wanted to love this book, and I finished it in one sitting, but the ending gut-punched me. It is definitely a book with twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat, but for me, the complex themes in the book seemed to be only used to propel the story forward. While you can easily see the realistic narratives of insecurity and jealousy with the main character, the other more serious topics like gaslighting, miscarriages, child molestation, mental health, and domestic abuse seemed to be downplayed and twisted to meet the narrative. As someone who loves a woman who defeats all odds, this book is not that story, it pits women against women, overplays the narrative that only women are valuable when they have children, and uses mental health as a scapegoat. With this being said, after listening to an interview by her she discusses how she wrote each character in different ages and walks of life, which helped create a multi-faceted plot. She also explains how the book is utilized to showcase misogyny and a different viewpoint of polygamy. Overall, I would say that this is worth the read just to experience it.

When I am in the mood for a fast-pasted thriller, I find myself coming back to Riley Sager again and again. I have read so far, I have read Final Girls, Lock Every Door, The Last Time I Lied, and am currently reading Survive the Night. So, when people recommended his book Home Before Dark and noted that it was most likely his best book yet, I instantly had to get it.

It follows Maggie Holt, who learned upon her father's death, she has inherited the infamous Baneberry Hall, a Victorian Estate that has a dark past. During her childhood, her family moves into this estate just to flee in the cover of darkness under the guise that it is haunted, a story that later her father utilizes to write a best-selling book, the House of Horrors. This book is the only linkage that brings up the memories of this house for Maggie and it outlines the murder-suicide and deaths that haunt the halls. From snakes coming from the walls to a chandelier that magically turns on by itself, everyone knows that Baneberry is a house that remembers...

Flipping back and forth between Maggie's current experience of fixing up the old house and her father's book, it uncovers layer after layer, what happened the night that her family fled, is the house truly haunted and cursed by the sinister past residence of the home, and who exactly where Maggie's “imaginary friends”, Mr. Shadow, Mrs. Pennyeyes, and the girl with no name, when she was little.

Overall, this book was enjoyable for what it was: a pop thriller book that you can easily read in a day. One thing that stuck out to me is that it follows a similar plotline of Shirley Jackson's Haunting on Hill House and is eerily similar to Netflix's rendition of the book and the series Haunting of Bly Manor; however, the ending was crafted in the typical style of Sager with a delicious twist at the end that you do not see coming that makes it worth the read. Overall, for readers interested in this book just be forewarned that this book follows common “haunted house” troupes, has little character development, and if you have seen the Netflix shows noted above follows a very similar plotline that will leave you sitting there in a déjà vu moment.

Although there might be negatives for this book, it is a quick read to get you in the mood for the spooky season, but personally, for me, I would recommend reading Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House instead. She does an eloquent job of keeping the reader at the edge of their seat through her gothic haunted house-inspired prose. Also, just to note her book is nothing like the Netflix series (and in true bookworm opinion) the book is waaayyy better than the series.

As an avid reader, I opened this book and within the first page fell in love. It was atmospheric. The type of book that made you want to make a cup of tea on a rainy day and read to escape the world. You were then introduced to three different character narratives that make you wonder what would be the linchpin plot point that would bring them all together.

However, do not let the ode to books and book lovers fool you into thinking this is a completely fantastical and romance heavy book. It had three characters battling their own demons, families, and societies. It included one of the characters running from her controlling brother, another character hiding from her abusive husband, and another dealing with his alcoholic father. It beautifully twined these narratives together on the love of books, a lost bookshop, and finding themselves amidst their trials. There were parts of this book that I cried, parts that made me gasp, and other parts that reminded me this is why I love reading so much. I don't want to spoil any of the plot, but just know that when you open this book be prepared to go through a mirage of different emotions, feel deeply for these characters, and be shocked at some twist and turns.

For me this book was a 10/10! It even got me out of the reading slump that I have been in. I will definitely be checking out Evie Wood's other books yearning for the same fantastical experience.