Mother Tongue by Sara Novic (NetGalley ARC, pub 5/5)

Mother Tongue by Sara Novic (NetGalley ARC, pub 5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book is beautifully written and reads as part memoir, part non-fiction. I was familiar with most of the themes since I subscribe to Novic's newsletter and follow her on Instagram. I appreciated the exploration of deaf culture, history, disability rights, eugenics, adoption, identity, and the meaning of language and language deprivation. I think in some ways the book being labeled a memoir did it a disservice, since it was put together in chronological order as many readers might expect. and because it created a sense that the author was holding back. When read as a book of non-fiction inclusive of the meaningful lived experience of the author, it is a much more enjoyable experience. Although there was no surprise ending to anticipate, I read this book quickly and eagerly. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

A Perpetual Journal Practice by Lara Call Gastinger (NetGalley ARC, pub 6/23)

A Perpetual Journal Practice by Lara Call Gastinger (NetGalley ARC, pub 6/23) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ There is so much to learn and observe in nature. The book is filled with many beautiful drawings over the course of a year. I particularly liked the butterflies and mushrooms. I appreciated who she walks you through how to select and observe a plant for your journal and to start with focusing on a small section of whatever you are trying to render. I also really liked the options described in “other approaches” for different journaling styles like color studies and dissections. The book concludes with examples from other artists who I’ve now started following. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I, Spy by L.M. Kemp (NetGalley ARC, pub 5/5)

I, Spy by L.M. Kemp (NetGalley ARC, pub 5/5) ⭐⭐⭐ This was a fun romp but the pacing felt uneven. The beginning was exciting, then it slowed down significantly and leaned heavy on exposition, then had some exciting sections followed by slowness again and then wrapped things up by the end. Perhaps this was embedded in the storyline (former spy now a mother) but it made the reading experience a little bumpy. I think the story might feel more interesting or relatable to parents, I was in it for the espionage component. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Minotaur Sampler, Vol 21 (NetGalley ARC, pub 2/3)

The Minotaur Sampler, Vol 21 (NetGalley ARC, pub 2/3) ⭐⭐⭐ Another collection of new mystery/thrillers. I sampled the following excerpts: The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten - definitely spooky and suspenseful, but the main character felt unrelatable which was a turnoff. Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan - creepy vibes but also kind of sad. Possibly animal cruelty. Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox - this didn’t grab me much. But I liked how the end of the last chapter from the excerpt was a bit of a teaser that would have kept me reading if I had the full book. Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead - the writing style for this one didn’t work for me. Killer Vibes by Jack Friday - I already have the ARC for this from a word of mouth recommendation and so it was fun to read through the initial teaser, which went in some unexpected directions already. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Liar’s Creek by Matt Goldman

Liar’s Creek by Matt Goldman (NetGalley ARC, pub 5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫The story felt slow paced for me for about the first third, but it was intriguing enough with excellent writing to keep this impatient reader going. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the setting and the second half was fast-paced enough to keep me turning pages quickly to uncover the story's resolution. It looks like this may be the first in a new series which I would definitely read more of. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Double Shadow by Andrew Ludington (Splinter Effect #2)

Double Shadow by Andrew Ludington (Splinter Effect #2) (NetGalley ARC, pub 4/21) ⭐⭐⭐⭐This was a bit slow for the first 25% and then started to pick up and engaged me a lot more. A lot of the ancient history goes over my head but I like the descriptions and the character development, plus this book had some pretty exciting action in the final third. The two primary characters in the first book got a lot more development in this one and both become more likeable. I also enjoyed that some of the story included more modern times. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

My Dear You by Rachel Khong

My Dear You by Rachel Khong (NetGalley ARC, pub 4/7) Both of Khong's novels were 5 stars for me, but this short story collection veers off into speculative/dystopian fiction which is not my thing. The writing is great but the themes are strange and disturbing - not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. 

A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman

A Far-flung Life by M.L. Stedman (NetGalley ARC, pub 3/3) ⭐⭐⭐💫 Beautiful writing, interesting setting (Western Australia), and a good family drama, but just too dark for me and just too sweeping to hold my attention properly. It is definitely an uncomfortable read. Multiple content warnings. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.