‘Leviathan Wakes’ Book Review

“Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey is the first book in The Expanse series, blending space opera with noir detective fiction. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System, the story follows two main characters: James Holden, the idealistic executive officer of the ice hauler Canterbury, and Detective Joe Miller, a grizzled investigator on Ceres Station.”

This is not a character-driven story for half the book; that’s such an odd statement that I’ve never really had to write for a review. The chapters with Holden as the main character are plot-driven, while our chapters with Miller are character-driven. Let me explain: with James Holden, when we are introduced to his plotline, we are introduced to his whole crew all at once. For me, that is extremely overwhelming to be introduced to a handful of characters within a few pages of each other. It’s especially bad when the majority, if not all, of those characters do not develop throughout the course of a nearly 500-page book. Miller is like a lone wolf, so you’re really in his head a lot, and I think the depiction of mental health and PTSD was done fantastically in this book, as it’s something that you see a lack of in science fiction and fantasy genres, even though these characters are going through really messed-up and war-like situations. I do want to say you can definitely tell that this book was written by men, as all the female characters are there for the sake of the males having some sort of romance. You could still have that Phoebe plot without the romance and there was no chemistry between Holden on his love interest. That guy was falling for every woman. I hate to have to write that, but I couldn’t help but pick up on that throughout the book, and I just know some men are going to be offended by that comment. Sorry, not sorry.

The universe said this was sudden, which was super cool. This isn’t some make-believe galaxy; this is the galaxy that we are living in right now as humans. The author does take into account science and how gravity, or the lack thereof, impacts people’s bodies. Of course, that’s going to lead to all sorts of things like xenophobia and racism, even though we are in outer space and not on Earth.

I have no real complaints about the writing. It didn’t impact my reading experience one way or another. There were some cringey lines every now and then, but I do have to remember that this book was published 14 years ago, and some of those lines might have passed back then.

I do like the idea of the plot, how this is genre-bending, as this is a mystery noir story set in a sci-fi environment; it is definitely something unique. There’s one problem, though: I was confused throughout, especially in the second half of the book. We would get a lot of science and physics talk at once, and a lot of that went right over my head. I also spoke about the characters, and for half the book, we didn’t have a whole lot of character development, if any at all. If I do not connect with the characters as a reader, I’m not going to care about what is happening in the plot, and by the last chapters of the book, all of it felt kind of pointless to me. I can admit there was a lot of logic for the science, but with other aspects, I think there was a lack. I didn’t really care where the story went, and as you can tell, I will not be continuing the series. This year for my TBR, I am making a list of the highest-rated books on my TBR, and this is the highest-rated science fiction book according to Goodreads that I own. Now I’m kind of scared of this challenge that I’ve set up for myself. This book didn’t do a whole lot for me. I wouldn’t really recommend it, but as always, if this sounds intriguing to you, pick it up, but maybe try from the library first.

2.25 out of 5 stars.

‘The Covenant of Water’ Book Review

“The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese is an epic multi-generational saga set in Kerala, India, spanning from the early 20th century to the 1970s. The novel explores themes of family, love, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of India’s social and political transformations.”

This was a book where I didn’t hate the characters, but I didn’t love them either. For the majority of the story, I did not feel an emotional connection to the characters. However, there were times when Philipose and Elsie kind of ground my gears. I think they were supposed to be unlikable, people of their time, but it just wasn’t written correctly. However, I did love the characters of Big Ammachi and Baby Mol; some of their scenes were just so wholesome, and you could tell that Big Ammachi was so filled with love. Later in the book, it talks about how she was practically love itself. However, if we have a book that is 700 pages and I don’t feel a connection to the characters, that is definitely going to impact my reading experience.

With the atmosphere, I did learn a lot about India during the 20th century. There were instances where we had paragraphs just about the history, taking us away from the stories of the characters. This is important for world-building, but it was done in a somewhat clunky way. I can appreciate that; I did learn about this country and even about the St. Thomas Christians, which are a group of Christians in India. I was ignorant and never really thought about there being large groups of that religion in an Asian country. I loved getting to learn about the culture of that group. I would highly recommend this book to Christians because it is a great story of God and what it is like to be a Christian in a non-first world country.

The writing itself was beautiful and thought-provoking. I was underlining and tabbing so many quotes that made me think, or quotes that were just so beautifully written that I wanted to remember and make note of them. I do have to mention the clunkiness of the world-building. We have a few characters in the medical field, and there were a lot of academic and scientific discussions that went right over my head. Those kinds of scenes could have been condensed. We also have to take into account that the author is a doctor himself, and it shows on the page.

The plot was fantastic and exactly the kind of book that I’m drawn to; my favorite author even did a blurb on the cover of the book. This is a big epic historical novel spanning the majority of the 20th century in India, focusing on a part of India that we don’t really see a lot in media. This might even be one of the first Indian books I’ve ever read. I love that during this time, a lot of the unknown is becoming known as the world advances due to breakthroughs in industry and technology, with the world overall being opened up by wars and worldwide travel.

I do want to talk about what I think the main theme of the book is, and that is: we are all human. You might think that is quite obvious and wonder where I’m going with this, but we are all equal and trying to survive in this world. It doesn’t matter your caste, your race, your religion, or your health; no one is better than anyone else. As humans, we need to realize that and take care of one another. We need to be compassionate and empathetic. That’s not just the role of a doctor but the role of every single human being on this planet. To me, that is what the main theme of the story is: compassion and getting through life.

My jaw did drop at times, and I felt emotional, especially in chapter 62. But overall, I just had a little bit of intrigue. This book went places that I didn’t think it would go, but I was never on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen. I will admit the logic in this book is fantastic. Every word on the page had meaning to the story, and the author did a great job of orchestrating this narrative. I did enjoy this book, and I think it’s going to be one that I reflect on for the rest of the year, as it was the first book that I completed in 2025. It was a five-star prediction for me, but I am ultimately giving it a four-star rating. I would still highly recommend picking up this book.

‘The Alienist’ Book Review

The Alienist by Caleb Carr is a historical crime thriller set in 1896 New York City. It follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist (referred to as an “alienist” in that era), and his team, which includes reporter John Schuyler Moore and Sara Howard, one of the city’s first female detectives. They are enlisted by then-Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt to track down a brutal serial killer preying on young male prostitutes. Using emerging techniques like psychological profiling and forensic science, the group delves into the mind of the killer, uncovering dark secrets while facing resistance from corrupt officials and society. The novel explores themes of mental illness, morality, and the complexities of justice.

This is a book that I think would benefit more from being told in the third-person perspective than in the first-person perspective. Usually, when you are telling the story from the first-person perspective, you can really feel a connection to the character, but here it was the complete opposite. I felt absolutely nothing towards the main character. I saw another review refer to John Moore as an observer, and I think that’s the perfect way to put it rather than him being a player in this plot. All of the characters were developed. This is one of the most developed casts of characters I’ve seen, but again, I did not feel a connection towards these people.

Atmosphere is definitely one of the highlights. I loved that we are in New York City, a city that is still in a way similar because the street names are the same. The neighborhoods are in relatively the same locations, so you have an idea of what the modern place looks like, but then put all the smog and dirt on top of that and you’re going to have your 1896 setting. There was so much research put into the setting and getting those exact street names and those exact locations. It was so easy to picture. This book was full of descriptions.

The writing was very descriptive, as I said. I never felt bogged down, though, or that it was too much or over the top. The chapters were relatively short for the most part; only a handful went on a bit too long. In those chapters that did go on so long, I have no idea how the author expects us to remember every bit of dialogue that went on. However, this book did go by relatively fast, even though it was 600 pages, but the short chapters were a lifesaver.

I’m not really a thriller person, but I did find this book to be extremely interesting. It was incredibly logical; there were no loose ends, and everything was happening for a reason, rather than for shock value. This is the deepest thriller I’ve ever read. It may be the smartest thriller I’ve ever read. There’s so much depth to the story. One of the main themes here is that people are complex. There is context to why a person is the way they are—a person isn’t just born being a killer or being evil. Things lead up to them being the way that they are, things that usually happened in their childhood. This book really shows what makes a killer. Those are great themes, and there is so much logic throughout the 600 pages, but it was lacking intrigue. I found myself getting bored and just not caring. Overall, this is still a good book. There’s a lot of depth, and it was smart. I would recommend picking it up if you’re interested.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

‘Horse’ Book Review

“Horse” by Geraldine Brooks is a historical novel that intertwines multiple narratives across different time periods, centering around the life of a remarkable thoroughbred racehorse named Lexington. The story explores themes of art, history, and the bond between humans and animals, particularly through the perspectives of various characters, including a 19th-century painter, a contemporary art curator, and a young Black man in the present day. Through the lens of Lexington’s legacy, Brooks delves into issues of race, class, and the complexities of love and ambition, ultimately showcasing how the past continues to shape the present. The novel highlights the intersection of personal and collective histories, revealing deeper truths about society and the human experience.

These characters could have been so much more. We are first introduced to our characters in the modern plotline in 2019. They really didn’t bring anything new to me. Yes, they are interesting roles, as one is a scientist at the Smithsonian and the other is a PhD student. However, there is a lack of emotional connection to these characters, and I found them to be quite irritating by the time the novel is over. As for the historical characters, I really wish the bond between man and animal, specifically between Jarrett and Lexington, had been deeper; there would’ve been more depth there. Again, it lacked emotional connection.

I did really enjoy the atmosphere of going through all these different time periods, with our main focus being the ones in the 1800s and then in 2019. You can really tell that the author did her research on the locations and historical figures involved. I don’t have anything strong to say about the writing; it was fine, but this was incredibly slow to get through, making it a very slow-paced book.

I love the idea of this plot, how all the storylines across centuries are connected to one another. They’re all linked by this one horse, one of the greatest racehorses of all time. How could an author screw that up? Well, they managed to create a slow-paced and boring book with characters lacking emotional depth. My favorite plotline was personally the one about how the painting was connected to the story. However, this is the one that we saw the least of on the page. As I stated before, the slowness really made me bored, and the book was lacking intrigue. I have to mention that the last 50 pages of this book are so bizarre; the author really wants to hone in on our current times of police brutality and COVID. Those are important topics and do need to be addressed in fiction, but I don’t think this book was the place to do it. This was a fine book, but it was overall lacking in many categories and did not live up to my five-star expectations of it.

3 out of 5 stars.

‘The Yonahlosse Riding Camp for Girls’ Review

“Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, “The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls” is a captivating and atmospheric debut novel that delves into the complex world of family secrets, guilt, and the cusp of womanhood. Thea Atwell, a fifteen-year-old girl from Florida, is abruptly sent away to a prestigious equestrian boarding school for Southern debutantes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.”

This book is a great example of the awkwardness of coming of age as a woman. It takes place in the early 1930s when there were not a ton of resources for girls going through the teenage experience. I can’t imagine what it must have been like. There are two plot lines in this book: one in the past and one in the present, and it felt like there were two totally different characters, even though these plot lines took place mere months apart. The Thea we meet in the past plot line in Florida is a young and naïve girl, while the Thea we meet a few months later in the mountains in North Carolina is manipulative and knows how to get what she wants. I don’t understand how there is such a big switch of character within only a few months. It would make sense if this took place years apart, but no, it’s only a few months. The side characters outside of the romantic love interests and the family were very flat and one-dimensional, especially her schoolmates. I couldn’t tell them apart.

As for atmosphere, again, this book was the best with its Florida setting. The writing was lush in describing the scenery of Florida, especially old Florida before all the tourism arrived. It even delved into the history of the families involved and the history of Florida, which I found extremely fascinating. The North Carolina plotline was cold, but in a good way, elegant with all the greenery of the evergreen trees in the Appalachians; however, again, the book shined in Florida. I do have two complaints with the atmosphere, though. This book does take place in the first two years of the 1930s, but it doesn’t feel like it does at all. This could take place at any summer camp in any decade before there were cell phones. Yes, there are mentions of the impact that the Depression is having on America and a president might get mentioned, but those are so slim that they don’t really matter. My next issue can really go into the writing section.

The story is being told by Thea as an adult looking back at her life. The flashbacks immersed throughout the story were very disorienting, as they really took you out of the present plot line in North Carolina, and there were even some mentions of events that take place decades later, which had me confused. Now, for what I liked about the writing: the writing was pretty flat, but there were some beautiful paragraphs. For the most part, this is very flat, easy, and accessible. I think it would be great to bring on a mountain vacation this summer.

Once again, the Florida plotline is where this book flourished. There’s so much intrigue around why Thea was sent to the camp. I was so curious where that plotline was going to go, and I was gripped by it. As for the North Carolina plotline, I didn’t really care what was happening because I was so invested in the mystery of the previous one. This is a good book, and as I said, it’s very accessible. I think it would be great if you want to pick up something easy and light as a palate cleanser. I will admit there are some taboo relationships in here that are going to make some readers uncomfortable, so definitely do look up the content warnings before picking up the book because I did not expect those plots at all.

3 out of 5 stars

‘A Dangerous Woman’ Book Review

“”Dangerous Woman” by Mary McGarry Morris is a powerful and poignant novel that tells the story of Martha Horgan, a mentally challenged woman whose life is a constant struggle for acceptance and normalcy. Martha’s honesty and inability to understand social nuances make her vulnerable in the small Vermont town where she lives.

Martha’s world is turned upside down when she becomes infatuated with a charming but unscrupulous handyman, Colin Mackey. Colin’s manipulative nature and Martha’s desperate need for love lead to a series of events that spiral out of control, exposing the dark undercurrents of the seemingly quiet community.

As tensions rise, the novel explores themes of isolation, vulnerability, and the thin line between kindness and exploitation. Morris’s empathetic portrayal of Martha provides a deep and moving insight into the challenges faced by those who are different. “Dangerous Woman” is a gripping and emotional tale of resilience, human frailty, and the quest for connection in a world that often misunderstands and marginalizes the vulnerable.”

This is by far the worst representation I’ve seen of mental health. When I read the first chapter of the book and the trauma that the main character, Martha, went through, I was like, “Man, this can be a great book of character development.” I was 100% wrong. Martha was, in fact, a dangerous woman. The title of the book does not lie. She was a stalker and someone who committed multiple acts of domestic violence. I don’t know how we are supposed to root for this character. Yes, you can have unhinged mentally ill characters who are not made to be likable, but in this instance, there was nothing I was gripped by in the character. I do not like this character; it was awful. All of the male characters in this book were creeps. Some of the women did have sense to them, and I did find the character Francis interesting, but nothing can outweigh how bad of a character Martha was.

The atmosphere was reminiscent of Stephen King. I don’t know if it’s because of the New England setting or maybe because Martha had slight vibes of Carrie. Overall, the small-town New England setting was pretty good.

The writing was fine. I had no major complaints about it.

I understand that the overall plot of the story is very important in showing how a rape or an assault can divide a town. In this instance, it just wasn’t done well, and you really had to suspend your disbelief. If you would like a book that follows a similar plot, I would recommend Beartown by Frederick Backman. So much of how the town reacted to Martha was really out there, and the overall development of her character was so bad that I didn’t care for the plot.

This is by far the worst representation I’ve seen of mental health. I don’t know how we are supposed to root for this character. Yes, you can have unhinged, mentally ill characters who are not made to be likable, but in this instance, there was nothing about the character that gripped me. The atmosphere was reminiscent of Stephen King. The New England setting was pretty good. The writing was fine. I had no major complaints about that. I understand that the overall plot of the story is very important in showing how a rape or an assault can divide a town. In this instance, it just wasn’t done well, and you really had to suspend your disbelief. So much of how the town reacted to Martha was really out there, and the overall development of her character was so bad that I didn’t care for the plot.

1 out of 5 stars.

‘Symptomatic’ Book Review

“”Symptomatic” by Danzy Senna is a psychological thriller that delves into themes of identity, race, and belonging. The novel follows an unnamed biracial woman who, after securing a prestigious fellowship in New York City, moves into a new apartment and starts a promising relationship. However, her life begins to unravel when she meets an older, enigmatic woman named Greta Hicks, who is also biracial and works at the same magazine.

Greta becomes increasingly obsessed with the protagonist, seeing her as a mirror of herself and projecting her own insecurities and experiences onto her. As their relationship intensifies, the protagonist finds herself drawn into Greta’s unsettling world, leading to a series of chilling events that challenge her sense of self and safety.

Senna’s narrative is a gripping exploration of the complexities of racial identity and the psychological impact of feeling perpetually out of place. “Symptomatic” is a suspenseful and thought-provoking novel that examines the intersection of personal and societal issues with masterful tension and insight.”

These character dynamics were extremely intriguing. We have a nameless narrator, which is always fun. I love to unravel why the person remains nameless and how we can get into the head of said person without even having their name. It’s always interesting when an author can do that. However, the story really picked up when the character of Greta was introduced. Both women are in similar circumstances as they are both mixed race, but they experience those circumstances completely differently. We will talk more about that when we get to the plot of the story. This book is for those who love the unhinged woman trope, but this is from the perspective of the friend of the unhinged woman, and I’ve never read anything like that. If you like unhinged women and weird girl books, I would definitely recommend picking up this book.

The atmosphere was 1990s New York City. I always like the 90s and early 00s for New York. It always feels nostalgic for me, even though I wasn’t necessarily there. I think it has to do with a lot of movies and TV shows I watched as a child taking place in New York City, so there’s a bit of a magical feeling. The story does not feel magical, even though I had ideas of how to make this magical realism, but that’s irrelevant.

The writing was good. It was fast-paced and easy to read. However, at times, there were really weird and vulgar descriptions that made me double-take what I was reading.

Now we are back to the plot. The main theme of the story is racial identity. This book was published in 2004 and takes place in the early 1990s, but I still think the story remains relevant 20 years later here in 2024. Both of the main characters come from mixed-race families. Greta is somebody who I think is very lost, mainly about her race, not fitting in with the Black community and not fitting in with the white community. She’s somebody that would very much latch onto labels, wanting to label herself. I think it stems from Greta wanting to feel a part of something.

In contrast, our main character, the nameless narrator, seems more go-with-the-flow. She didn’t really care about her race as much. There is also a big age gap between these two women, with Greta having grown up and been in her 20s during the 1960s civil rights movement. I think that may be why she cared more about race than our main character.

Regarding the main twist towards the end of the book, I would have liked a little more explanation on that. It was lacking some logic. The story was intriguing throughout, but it’s not one that I loved, though it was thought-provoking.

These character dynamics were extremely intriguing. If you like unhinged women and weird girl books, I would definitely recommend picking up this book.The atmosphere was 1990s New York City. The writing was good.However, at times, there were really weird and vulgar descriptions that made me double-take what I was reading. The main theme of the story is racial identity. The story was intriguing throughout, but it’s not one that I loved, though it was thought-provoking. This was a good book and I would recommend picking it up if you are inclined to do so.

3.25 out of 5 stars.

‘In the Beginning was the Sea’ Book Review

“”In the Beginning Was the Sea” by Tomás González is a haunting and evocative novel set in the turbulent 1970s of Colombia. It tells the story of J. and Elena, a young urban couple who abandon their comfortable city life in Medellín to pursue an idealistic dream of living off the land on a remote Caribbean island. They purchase a rundown farm with plans to create a self-sustaining paradise, but soon find themselves confronted by the harsh realities of rural life, isolation, and the unforgiving natural environment.

As their utopian vision unravels, tensions rise, and their relationship deteriorates under the strain. The novel explores themes of disillusionment, the clash between idealism and reality, and the destructive consequences of human ambition. González’s lyrical prose vividly captures the lush yet perilous landscape, drawing readers into a deeply atmospheric and morally complex tale. “In the Beginning Was the Sea” is a profound meditation on human nature, the fragility of dreams, and the inexorable force of nature.”

The characters are an interesting piece of this novel. We can understand why things don’t go as planned for them as they leave the city to live off the land. A lot of their feelings are left up to interpretation for the reader to understand. We can make assumptions about why they feel this way: Elena leaving behind everything she ever knew makes her miserable, and then J., having to be around a miserable person, finds his life becoming a mess. Again, we can only assume all of this.

If you were a fan of the atmosphere in ‘Mustique Island,’ then you will be a fan of this Colombian island. The atmosphere was lush, and the imagery along with its metaphors hit the spot! There was also an ominous and mysterious feeling in the first quarter of the novel that made the story gripping.

The writing was atmospheric, which I loved. It was filled with imagery and metaphors, making it fast-paced and easy to devour.

The plot is a hidden gem in my eyes. We have our straightforward plot: two city people leave the city to live off the land on a tropical island, and things don’t go as planned. However, the hidden theme is about leaving capitalism and modern society behind and whether you can truly do it. It’s about leaving this society behind and living the way humans were intended to. It’s a lot to think about. Again, these were just my observations, and it could simply be about picking apart the impact such a move can have on a relationship. I was gripped throughout the story, and the plot moved in a logical manner.

The characters are an interesting piece of this novel.We can make assumptions about why they feel this way: Elena leaving behind everything she ever knew makes her miserable, and then J., having to be around a miserable person, finds his life becoming a mess. If you were a fan of the atmosphere in ‘Mustique Island,’ then you will be a fan of this Colombian island.There was also an ominous and mysterious feeling in the first quarter of the novel that made the story gripping.The writing was atmospheric, which I loved. It was filled with imagery and metaphors, making it fast-paced and easy to devour. The plot is a hidden gem in my eyes. I was gripped throughout the story, and the plot moved in a logical manner. This was a good book and I would recommend picking it up if you are interested to do so.

3.25 out of 5 stars.

‘Our Missing Hearts’ Book Review

“”Our Missing Hearts” by Celeste Ng is a compelling dystopian novel set in a near-future America where cultural and political repression is the norm. The story revolves around twelve-year-old Bird Gardner, who lives with his father after his mother, a Chinese American poet named Margaret, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. In a society where children of dissidents are relocated, and anti-Asian sentiment is rampant, Bird embarks on a quest to find his mother, guided by a cryptic letter and fragments of her poetry.”

I did not have strong feelings towards the characters of ‘Our Missing Hearts.’ The author did not hit the nail on the head with the development of these characters. A lot of their development did not add up or was plainly hypocritical in a way that was not meant to be. Many of the plot points surrounding characters such as twelve-year-old Bird were unbelievable. Yes, this is a dystopian piece of fiction, but that just adds to the question of why some of these things were allowed to happen in a world so bad and dangerous. Poorly written character arcs.

The atmosphere of the novel felt like a true classic dystopian book in the vein of Bradbury and Orwell. The world was probably my favorite part of the story. At first, I thought this was set after some big cataclysmic event, but I would describe it more as 2020 on steroids. (If you were there, you will understand.) The author did a great job with the world-building, explaining why things were the way they were in this world that was almost like ours.

The most average part of the book was the writing. You can definitely see that Ng was trying to make this poetic, but it was overall just fine for me. I highlighted about three quotes or paragraphs that I thought were good enough to hang onto.

Now, this plot is extremely fascinating but overall fell flat for me. “Flat” is the word that I would use to describe my reading experience for Our Missing Hearts. It was predictable and, as I stated before, the journey of Bird was pretty much unbelievable. I do think this plot is a good comparison to our world today and how many people view conflicts or protests happening around the world. This book could have had a much greater emotional impact and been more gripping, but sadly, it fell flat.

I did not have strong feelings towards the characters of ‘Our Missing Hearts.’ Poorly written character arcs. The atmosphere of the novel felt like a true classic dystopian book in the vein of Bradbury and Orwell. The author did a great job with the world-building, explaining why things were the way they were in this world that was almost like ours. The most average part of the book was the writing. I highlighted about three quotes or paragraphs that I thought were good enough to hang onto. Now, this plot is extremely fascinating but overall fell flat for me.This book could have had a much greater emotional impact and been more gripping, but sadly, it fell flat. I wish that this story would have had the character work that was involved in ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ by this same author and maybe, just maybe, it would have made the story for me. This was an average read.

3 out of 5 stars.

‘People Person’ Book Review

“She’s thirty, and her life isn’t really going anywhere. An aspiring lifestyle influencer with a wayward boyfriend, Dimple’s life has shrunk to the size of a phone screen. And despite a small but loyal following, she’s never felt more alone in her life. That is, until a dramatic event brings her half-siblings—Nikisha, Danny, Lizzie, and Prynce—crashing back into her life. And when they’re all forced to reconnect with Cyril Pennington, the absent father they never really knew, things get even more complicated.”

You can find something relatable in each of the Pennington siblings. That is about the extent it went for me. They were pretty two-dimensional. They had these traits — too nice, rude, or sensitive. Yes, it does make sense for them to have a bad trait, but there was just not enough building into these characters. A lot of times with Dimple, her actions did not add up with who she was as a person. The characters are aware of who they are as people, but it was not an enjoyable reading experience with them.

The atmosphere of South London was a new experience for me, with a few public locations that I have become aware of from other books. I did enjoy exploring this new area and seeing how the atmosphere impacted the upbringing of our characters, the Penningtons.

I really struggled with the writing when I first sat down to read the ebook. I added in the audiobook to read along with at 13%. The writing just did not grip me, and it was taking me a long time to get through without the help of a narrator. My one positive about the writing, though, is that the dialogue was quite comedic in a dark sense of humor way.

The plot did not go how I expected at all. Yes, I knew the characters would somehow have to get together to build their relationships, but the author took it in a whole different route than one usually would. It was funny. Again, I don’t know why I was not fully gripped or intrigued. The plot could have been better if the characters were better.

You can find something relatable in each of the Pennington siblings. The characters are aware of who they are as people, but it was not an enjoyable reading experience with them. I did enjoy exploring this new area and seeing how the atmosphere impacted the upbringing of our characters, the Penningtons. I really struggled with the writing when I first sat down to read the ebook. My one positive about the writing, though, is that the dialogue was quite comedic in a dark sense of humor way. The plot did not go how I expected at all. The plot could have been better if the characters were better. This book did nothing for me; I didn’t like it, but I did not hate it either.

2 out of 5 stars.