For What It's Worth


Monday, December 14, 2020

My Monday Musings

Oh heyyyyyy!! Look at me – blogging about books! Don’t get used to it lol I’m reading about 1 book a month right now. 

I’m just going to do a mini review round-up of the books I’ve read since October because there were several good ones!


His & Hers by Alice Feeney ~Goodreads (The bookpusher – Jen): I’m not a fan of thrillers/mysteries but Jen rec’d this one and I thought I would give it a go on audio. A divorced couple – BBC presenter, Anna (Her) & DCI investigator, Jack (His) & the killer having alternate pov’s after the body of a young woman is discovered.

This was actually quite interesting as the case unravels and you find out everyone’s connection to the victim. The audio was excellent and I found the interpersonal issues with Anna and Jack really interesting. The ending, while not entirely satisfying, was a bit twisty and not tied in a neat bow – yet conclusive.

What I liked less, is how much this book relies on cliches – SPOILER –> Everyone wants to sleep with, or has slept with, Jack. A woman’s traumatic pain is exploited and ignored in favor of the mystery, there’s a very rushed ending when all of a sudden everyone is being murdered.

CW -> Sexual assault, bullying, animal abuse - these are the ones I could recall - you might want to check online for more. 


Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert ~Goodreads (The bookpushers Jen & Amber)I love Talia Hibbert’s writing but for some reason Get a Life, Chloe Brown didn’t wow me. Book #2, Take a Hint, Dani Brown utterly charmed me though. Competent but relationship averse Dani and grumpy on the outside but soft on the inside, Zaf were just the right amount of quirky, stubborn and sweet. 

Grown by Tiffany Jackson, Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt ~ Goodreads (The bookpushers Jen & Amber) WOW. Just WOW. Inspired by the R. Kelly case – Grown follows Enchanted Jones, an aspiring singer, who gets noticed & groomed by mega R&B star Korey Fields.

She’s charmed by Korey and all you can see and internally scream is RED FLAG, RED FLAG!!!!

Grown is a terrifying, relevant, important and just plain wonderful. It definitely makes my Best of 2020 list.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, Narrator Christopher Myers ~ Goodreads 

Pet is about beings that look like monsters who might be angels and beings that look like angels who might be monsters – and being brave enough to confront evil and speak up – even when it’s hard.

While the book is not specifically about sex or gender, Jam is a black transgender girl and has a lovely relationship with her parents, best friend and his family. There is a polyamorous relationship as well as disability rep – a character in a wheelchair - and Jam is selectively mute and uses sign language.

This is YA but often feels more like MG with the sense of (dark) whimsy and prose – especially with names like Jam, Hibiscus, Bitter. Pet speaks in a way that makes the story have a fairytale vibe. But the subject matter is very dark (child abuse) and if a younger child is reading it - it should be read together with an adult.

The audio of this was fantastic with Christopher Myers giving Pet a creepy cool voice that left you wondering if he was the monster or the savior.

CW –> Child sexual and physical abuse – not on page but it is the central plotline & the monster aspect can be quite scary at times. 


Have you read any of these? Any recommendations for more books I should buy but not read?? lol

31 comments:

  1. I'm glad that Take a Hint worked better for you than Get a Life. TBH I didn't have a lot f interest in Get a Life but it was sooo hyped and I caved. I downloaded the audio version and... that was a bad move. I loathed the narration and couldn't make it past the second chapter. I feel like it left a bad taste for the series for me. Maybe at some point I'll try again with the ebook version(s).

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    1. I love her books but Chloe Brown just did not work for me at all. I almost didn't bother with this one but I'm glad I took the chance.

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  2. "Any recommendations for more books I should buy but not read?? lol"
    😂
    Well, you made it anyhow! Pet sounds awesome.

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    1. Pet was a really unique and interesting. Especially on audio.

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  3. That's a good way to put it with respect to Grown - terrifyingly relevant. Because what was depicted is almost commonplace in our society, it hit me even harder.

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    1. Aside from the fame part, I've had several friends go through something similar and the book covered every aspect of it so brilliantly.

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  4. I have heard that Take A Hint Dani Brown is fantastic, I still need to read it, I liked Chloe Brown, I do admire Talia Hibbert's work.

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    1. Chloe was a little too quirky for me but I really liked Dani and Zaf

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  5. Yay for blogging about books! :-P Glad you've found some great books lately, and some great audios.

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    1. These spanned over several months but at least what I am reading has been good!

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  6. His and Hers sounds interesting, I like the perspectives.

    At the moment, Grown is my only five-star read for this year.

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    1. It's not my usual genre but it kept me hooked.

      Yeah - Grown was REALLY good.

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  7. I haven't read any of these. Glad that you are back to blogging about books a little bit.

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    1. This is probably it for the year unless something drastically changes lol

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  8. Look at you! Go you gurl! I loved Chloe Brown and liked Dani Brown a lot. I just finished Karen (white) Grey's newest in audiobook - Forget About Me. LOVED it! Plus the 80's references made me chuckle!

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    1. For some reason, I didn't click with Chloe Brown but this one was a hit for me.

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  9. I'm the same. Reading very little and trying to care. lolol

    His and Hers sounds kinda good.

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    1. I can't say I care mush either lol

      I feel like you would like His and Hers. It's not really a genre I love but this one kept me intrigued enough to continue with it.

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  10. Look! I'm here! I missed you! <3 I haven't read any of these, but I really want to read Take a Hint, Dani Brown. Everyone has said good things!

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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  11. Oh the Hibbert one, I was not vowed either, but good to know book 2 was bettee

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    1. I liked it a lot more! Let me know what you think if you read it.

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  12. Heh I feel your pain! I don't recall the last book I actually read! I think I got halfway through a reread of Harry Potter 3 and life got in the way!

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    1. I don't really care, in the sense that I don't feel like reading and I'm enjoying doing other things - but I also miss blogging and wish I had something to say lol

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  13. I went to add Pet to Goodreads on Wednesday and forgot to come back and comment! 😜 Grown is on my TBR, too..📚✨

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    1. Grown was fabulous. I'm curious what you'll think of Pet.

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  14. I have not read any of these but Grown does sound really good! I have heard great things about Pet, too! Glad you mostly enjoyed this bunch!!

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    1. Grown was a very intense book. Very well done though.

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  15. Pet is one I am definitely going to be reading next year! And I got get a life chloe brown for christmas so I am looking forward to starting into that series. I do want to read Grown as well - all the blogger reviews I have read have been glowing. And if it made your best reads of the year list... DD:

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  16. Grown has been on my TBR since I purchased it a while back, seeing glowing reviews and the similarities between Grown and the R Kelly case. I honestly had no idea about R Kelly, I don't think it was common knowledge in Australia how he would manipulate young women of colour and find it horrifying how long it took for these young women to be believed and to convict him. It's a book I really want to read but being very confronting, need to wait until I'm in that fighting frame of mind. So glad you enjoyed these Karen!

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