Book Review: "Smile and Look Pretty" by Amanda Pellegrino

Honestly, I’m almost embarrassed how long I’ve had this book hanging around my stack. I’m so easily distracted by shiny new things (and books), lol. But I was in the mood for a little workplace drama (since I don’t have any in my new job), so I finally picked this up.

Cate, Olivia, Lauren, and Max are best friends with big dreams. But in order to achieve them, they’re all working as assistants to some movers and shakers in the entertainment world. Their bosses are all awful—a cross between Miranda Priestley and the bosses from the Horrible Bosses movies. All four women are constantly stressed, working way too much and not getting paid well for all the work they do.

They get together every Friday to commiserate. And the more they talk about their respective situations and share their frustrations about being overlooked and mistreated, the angrier they get. So they decide to air their grievances on an anonymous blog.

It doesn’t take long for the blog to catch fire. More and more women anonymously step forward to share that they’ve had the same—or worse—experiences. And as the blog continues going viral, they learn that someone is trying to figure out who is behind it. Is the validation of their treatment worth the risk to their futures? Can they actually take down their sleazy bosses?

I enjoyed this book a lot. The camaraderie between the women was great, and even if they seemed a little naïve at times, the characters were generally appealing. The tone of the book shifted to more female empowerment and courage, and that was great.

Thanks to Park Row Books and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. If you’re looking for a great backlist read, pick this up!

Book Review: "What Have You Done?" by Shari Lapena

“Nothing ever happens in Fairhill, Vermont. It’s a small town, surrounded by farmland, with the Green Mountains in the distance. Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill, Vermont. Until it does.”

Early one morning, a man sees a group of turkey vultures swarming around his field. He figures they’ve found a dead animal, but he goes to investigate, and what he finds horrifies him: the naked body of a young woman, mangled by the carrion birds.

Diana Brewer, a popular, pretty, high school senior, was the one murdered. Strangled to death. But for a young woman that everyone says was an angel, well-liked by her peers and teachers alike, who would murder her?

The major crimes investigators quickly dig into the circumstances surrounding Diana’s murder, and find a number of suspects. At the same time, Diana’s mother is dealing with grief and guilt over the fact that she worked at night and left her daughter alone, and her two best friends, Riley and Evan, want to do all they can to help Diana’s mother while dealing with their own shock and sadness.

The net tightens around each of the potential suspects, and the ramifications ripple throughout Fairhill. Secrets are uncovered that might have saved a life, and people are finding it difficult to trust their family and friends.

I thought this was a very compelling mystery, full of twists and red herrings. Shari Lapena knows how to ratchet up the suspense. There’s a bit of a supernatural component that I didn’t necessarily care for (and it seemed kind of incomplete), but this was still a good read.

Book Review: "Humor Me" by Cat Shook

This was a fun and charming read I devoured fairly quickly.

Presley is an assistant at a late-night talk show. She enjoys her job although she doesn’t make much money; getting the opportunity to work with her friend (and crush) Adam is more than worth it. Plus, she’s recently been given the responsibility of scouting out comics for a slot on the show. She’s always loved stand-up, and now she gets to go to comedy shows as part of her job.

Presley is still dealing with unresolved grief over her mother’s death. While her mother was a serious alcoholic, Presley still remembers some of the fun they had. But anytime someone talks about her mother, it’s like a punch to the gut.

One day she runs into Susan, a childhood friend of her mother’s. Susan’s husband helped get Presley an internship at the network, which led to her job. But now, he’s been accused of sexual harassment, which leaves Susan vulnerable, and she latches on to Presley. The last thing Presley would have imagined was striking up a friendship with someone like Susan, but surprisingly they seem to click.

This is a story about friendship, love, dating, and life in New York City, as well as how difficult it is to recover from loss. It also so accurately captures how first jobs can be fun even though you get paid next to nothing, and how they give you the chance to build your community.

Cat Shook has a real talent for character development and creating compelling personal dynamics. This book is funny, steamy, and a little emotional.

Many thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the advance copy! The book publishes 7/9.

Book Review: "I Have Some Questions for You" by Rebecca Makkai

She’s not the girl she was back in high school. But can you truly shed your younger self?

When Bodie attended the Granby School in New Hampshire, she already had experienced more tragedy and trauma than most people her age. Being a scholarship student among the rich, privileged, and beautiful was difficult enough, but trying to find your identity and confidence when you’re at your most vulnerable definitely took its toll. Her former roommate was found murdered in the spring of her senior year, and although the killer was quickly convicted, the case remains one that intrigues and fascinates the public.

Years later, Bodie is now a successful film producer and podcaster. She is invited back to Granby to teach two short courses, and she’s pleased to be returning feeling and looking so much better than she did back in high school. But it’s not long before she starts to get drawn into the details of her former roommate’s case. Was it as easily solved as it appeared back in 1995, or did the police quickly rush to convict an outsider without considering other suspects?

As Bodie’s life starts to unravel, she finds herself growing more and more obsessed with the case, ostensibly in helping her students research it for a podcast. But she starts to realize that maybe she played more of a role in the rush to judgment than she ever thought. Can she help make a difference the second time around?

This was a really fascinating story, part mystery and part coming to terms with your past. The narration alternates between past and present and follows Bodie’s obsession with the murder and her confronting her own tragedies and hurts. It’s not a fast-moving book, and there’s a lot going on here, but I really loved it.