Book Review: "Emma on Fire" by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

“They don’t understand that time equals loss. It’s a freaking law of nature. If Emma lets the years keep on passing, she’s just going to keep on losing. So is everyone else, even if they can’t bear to admit it. They just walk ignorantly through the world, turning away from anything they don’t want to see. But Emma sees all of it. And she needs them to know how bad things really are.”

It seems like a typical day at Ridgemont Academy, a prestigious New England prep school. Emma Blake, once a star student and class leader, has virtually disengaged from her classes. But an assignment in English class—to write a very descriptive essay—inspires her.

But when Emma reads her essay aloud in class, it provokes very strong reactions from her classmates and her teacher. The essay alarms the school’s headmaster, who views it as a cry for help. Emma doesn’t want help, however; she wants her fellow students to realize the tragic state of our world.

There’s much more that is motivating Emma, however. No one knows whether she’ll carry through with what she’s promising to do, and no one knows exactly why she’s been driven to this.

I’m being vague in my summary because there’s power in going in blind. This is an emotional book and many of the characters’ reactions felt very real. The book is marketed as a thriller but I don’t think that’s accurate. It skewed more YA but I still found it really compelling.

Book Review: "The Writer" by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

I’ve been on a real James Patterson kick lately and I’ve not been disappointed by anything of his I’ve read! His newest book, a collaboration with JD Barker, wowed me completely.

Declan Shaw, an NYPD detective, is summoned to an exclusive apartment building one night. A woman says she found her husband dead, their apartment broken into. She is in shock, covered in blood, but apparently unharmed.

The woman is Denise Morrow, a bestselling true crime writer. She’s explored some notorious cases, uncovering details and secrets long kept hidden. And she’s nearly done with her latest book, in which she accuses Declan of planting evidence in another case.

It looks like Denise might be guilty of murdering her husband and making it look like a home invasion. But she and her lawyer poke holes in the evidence the police have collected.

Every time the police think they have an ironclad case, something else arises. What really happened that night? And is Declan a corrupt cop who planted evidence, or is he being framed?

The twists came fast and furious in this book, and I could not put it down. I loved the way this unfolded and I wasn’t sure which characters to root for. This was a great collaboration!

Book Review: "The Wedding People" by Alison Espach

It’s so hard at times to remember that you can’t tell what a person is struggling with just by looking at them. That’s certainly the case in Alison Espach’s newest book.

Phoebe arrives to check into the exclusive Cornwall Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island. She’s dressed to the nines but has no luggage with her. She’s surprised by the crowd at check-in but quickly discovers there’s a wedding at the hotel, so nearly every guest is attending the festivities. In fact, she’s even mistaken for a wedding guest given how she’s dressed.

The truth is, Phoebe is the furthest away from a celebratory mood. She’s actually hit rock bottom, as everything in her life has gone wrong. Her plan is to have a sumptuous meal, smoke a cigarette, and then end her life.

The last thing she expects is to run into the bride, Lila. Lila has painstakingly planned six days of pre-wedding and wedding festivities, and she’s taken everything into account. Everything, that is, except a hotel guest planning to commit suicide. Imagine what that will do to all of Lila’s plans! She does everything she can to keep Phoebe from taking her own life, even involving her in different events.

Despite the fact that these two women are strangers, both find it easy to confide in each other. Phoebe, much to her surprise, becomes enamored of Lila and the self-assurance she has, and before she realizes it, she’s being helped by people she doesn’t know, and helping them in return.

This is a beautifully told story, of those who come to the aid of people who need it most, and they might not even know it. While there are sad parts of the book, others are quite humorous, as some of the characters are just hysterically funny.

Book Review: "Anyone's Ghost" by August Thompson

I really love coming-of-age novels, particularly when the main character is profoundly changed by someone or something. August Thompson’s debut novel is utterly fantastic—it’s thought-provoking, poignant, funny, and it felt so incredibly real.

Following Theron’s parents’ divorce, he lived with his mother in Los Angeles during the school year and with his father in New Hampshire during the summer. When he was almost 16, he planned to spend the summer watching TV and getting high, but his angry father had other ideas, and got Theron a job at a hardware store.

The only other employee in the store was Jake. Jake was 17, and everything that Theron was not—tall, confident, handsome, and he did what he wanted. The two quickly bonded over their shared love of music, jokes, and being critical of their parents, not to mention smoking pot and drinking.

They spend nearly every day at work, and usually hang out together at night. Their friendship is one where they can say anything to each other, express their true feelings or fears. Theron has never had a friend like Jake—he feels admiration, envy, even some infatuation for him.

“I wanted Jake as much as much as I wanted to be Jake as much as I wanted to be his friend as much as I wanted to be his brother.”

I was really moved by this story, which tells of Theron and Jake’s relationship that summer, the fits and starts through subsequent years, and moves to the present, where Theron is 30 and grieving. I can’t wait to see what Thompson does next!

Book Review: "The World After Alice" by Lauren Aliza Green

“‘Funny, isn’t it,’ she said, nudging him. ‘How the past can sneak up to tap you on the shoulder when you least expect it.’”

Twelve years ago, Alice, a high school student, killed herself. Her family never really understood why she did it, and her loss has affected each of them in different ways. Now, her younger brother Benji and her best friend Morgan are getting married—a surprise to both families, since they never told anyone they were dating.

The wedding is at a cottage in Maine, and although 12 years have passed since Alice’s suicide, the gathering of family and friends feel her loss palpably. And as with any family gathering, old hurts and arguments are rehashed, secrets are revealed, and love will be celebrated.

Benji’s parents, Nick and Linnie, divorced not long after Alice’s death. Nick, now married to his former mistress, has been hiding the fact that he lost his finance job six months ago. Linnie brings Ezra, a man she has recently begun dating, to the wedding, and Ezra has secrets of his own. And Morgan’s father Peter is hoping to dissuade his daughter from getting married—but for different reasons than you’d imagine.

As Benji and Morgan try to focus on their love for one another and hope to keep the peace, it’s difficult for both of them not to get drawn into the drama. Can the wedding set everyone on the right path?

A slow-burn, character-driven story, the book shifts back and forth in time to various events before and after Alice’s death, and is narrated by several characters. This is beautifully written but the pacing felt very slow at times, and the plot went on tangents that seemed extraneous. But I can’t get enough of family dysfunction!!

Book Review: "The Rest of the Story" by Tal Bauer

I need my monthly hockey romance fix, what can I say?

But The Rest of the Story is truly different than the other hockey romances I’ve read. It’s an incredible love story and although it takes a long while to get to the steam it is HOTTTT! Beyond that, however, this book hit me square in the feels, and it’s a much heavier, emotional book than I expected—but so amazing!!

“He was as close to perfect as I’d ever seen, so close that it burned to be around him. He was like staring at the sun.”

Morgan has been playing hockey for a while. He’s a good player, and has won a Stanley Cup, but now that he’s almost 30, he’s fodder for a trade. Even though he knows this, the last thing he’s expecting is to be traded to the Rocky Mountain Outlaws, a team so awful it makes bad teams look like stars. Morgan vows to spend one year there and then get the hell out of town.

When he arrives, he quickly realizes just how toxic things are, and no one can do anything about it. But Morgan does, and his acts of rebellion help the broken players heal and ignite a turnaround. Morgan isn’t interested in being the leader, but his teammates give him no choice.

Shea catches Morgan’s eye the second he arrives. But Morgan doesn’t do relationships or commitment, so despite their mutual attraction, he can’t give Shea what he wants: true love. (Well, he can, and he wants to, but he doesn’t think he’s worthy of Shea.)

There’s lots of hockey in this hockey romance, as Morgan and Shea work together to rebuild the team. But there’s lots of trauma here too, trauma that manifests itself in many ways. (There are more than a few trigger warnings here.) Can Morgan and Shea find happy ever after…and maybe a championship?

Tal Bauer slays me again.

Book Review: "If Something Happens to Me" by Alex Finlay

One night, high school seniors Ryan and Ali drive to Lovers’ Lane. They’re both ready to take the big step in their relationship before they head to separate colleges. But before things get too far, the car door is ripped open, Ali screams, and Ryan gets hit in the head. When he wakes up, Ali and her car are gone.

The events of that night changed Ryan’s life completely. His whole town suspected he was responsible for Ali’s disappearance, perhaps even her murder. But even though he was never charged with any crime, suspicion still surrounds him. Five years later, he’s changed his last name, graduated from a different college, and he’s studying to be a lawyer. But he never feels comfortable opening up to anyone about the night that haunts him.

While Ryan is on a law school trip in Italy, Ali’s car is found submerged in a lake in their hometown. He gets an anonymous note that says “I know who you are,” and it requests to meet with him. Before he can decide what to do, he catches a glimpse of something from his nightmares since the night Ali disappeared: the man he remembers dragging Ali away.

Desperate to find answers to the questions that have plagued him for years, Ryan follows the man through Europe. At the same time, a young deputy sheriff back in Ryan and Ali’s hometown starts looking into the case now that the car has been found. She discovers a web of secrets and lies that goes far deeper than she could imagine.

There are a lot of disparate storylines in the book that at first make you wonder how they will all fit together, but then everything clicks. You definitely need to suspend a little disbelief here, but Alex Finlay teases out the twists and keeps you guessing the whole way through the book. (I was right about certain things but in the wrong ways.)

I’ve been waiting to read this for a while, since I’m a fan of Finlay’s books. This was worth the wait for sure!!

Book Review: "How to End a Love Story" by Yulin Kuang

Emotional, steamy, funny, and hopeful, Yulin Kuang’s debut novel is a second chance romance with so much heart.

Shortly before their senior year of high school ends, Helen and Grant’s lives become shockingly intertwined following a tragic accident. It’s something neither of them think they can ever move on from.

Thirteen years later, Helen is a bestselling YA author whose popular series is going to be adapted for television. She’s thrilled by this success, but even more by the fact that she’s going to be part of the writers’ room for the television series.

In those 13 years, Grant moved to the other side of the country and built a career as a talented screenwriter. He tries not to take the job on Helen’s show, but it’s too good to pass up. Yet the moment he and Helen encounter each other again, she makes him wish he hadn’t taken the job. But ultimately, they realize that neither of them can walk away from this opportunity, so they agree to be professional with one another.

Helen begins to realize how talented Grant is, and despite their history, the two strike up a friendship. And the more they let their walls come down, the more intense their feelings get. But theirs is not a love story and could never succeed, especially once it was revealed to Helen’s parents, who have never forgiven Grant.

I loved this book so much. The chemistry and banter between Helen and Grant was truly fantastic, and their story was just so beautiful. Even though I knew how this story would end, I still cried like a baby as it unfolded.

The book will publish 4/9.

Book Review: "Songs on Endless Repeat: Essays and Outtakes" by Anthony Veasna So

In 2021, Anthony Veasna So’s debut, Afterparties, was published to great acclaim. His stories about the children of Cambodian immigrants living in California dealt with issues of culture and sexuality, and were really fantastic. Sadly, however, So never got to see the response to his book; he died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2020. He was only 28.

In addition to his fiction, So wrote and published a number of essays. These were collected, along with a number of linked chapters of unpublished fiction, and recently released as Songs on Endless Repeat. The combination of essays and fiction really demonstrate the depth of his talent and the tragedy of his death.

So’s essays are funny, thought-provoking, fascinating, and emotional. He touches on what the film version of Crazy Rich Asians meant for the depiction of Asians in the movies, his love of and struggles with reading, and in the strongest essay in the book, he reflects on his grief following a close friend’s suicide. (The words are especially poignant in the light of So’s death.) The fiction is chapters from an unpublished novel called Straight Thru Cambotown,” in which three Cambodian-American cousins stand to inherit their late aunt’s loan shark business. It’s funny and insightful.

I had worried that this book would be a collection of writings that So never felt compelled to publish, but that’s not true. It's some really good stuff. With this book and Afterparties, at least his talent and his voice can live on.

Book Review: "City People" by Elizabeth Topp

To a casual observer, Susan seemed to have it all: a successful career, marriage to a handsome banker, and two beautiful children. Maybe she became a bit unhinged in her quest to get her children's private school to serve healthier food, and she was burnt when none of the mothers in her group supported her, but everyone has their pet peeves. But everyone is absolutely stunned when Susan jumps to her death from the roof of her NYC apartment. Should they have seen this coming?

Susan was one of several mothers whose children were recommended for interviews at Kent, the most prestigious private school in New York. The list of Kent alumni is truly impressive, and each of the mothers knows that their child's future might very well be set if they are accepted. But beyond the pressure and machinations needed to try and tip the scales toward their child, each woman is dealing with her own issues as well.

Vic, herself a Kent graduate, is a struggling single mother and author suffering from writer's block. She also was Susan's best friend (or was she?) and she can't believe she never really saw that Susan was struggling. While she hopes that her experience as an alum will help her daughter's case, she isn't quite sure how she's going to pay for school anyway. And she can't seem to get her high school love out of her mind...

Bhavna is a marketing executive for a cosmetics company, almost sure that her son will get accepted to Kent. And once she lands a major campaign at work and her husband closes a big business deal, they can move to a better part of the city and finally live the life they have dreamed of. How far is she willing to go to get what she wants?

Penelope and Kara are best friends, and seem like clones of one another, until you look closely. Penelope is the daughter of a wealthy family and is the president of the parents' association at the preschool. She's determined to prove her own worth as a businesswoman, and believes that another mother, Amy, may be the key to her success. Kara becomes obsessed with Susan's suicide and the suspicions around her death, in part because it reminds her of her own sister, who took her own life.

Chandice, who left her law career upon the birth of her son, faces an uphill battle as she fights breast cancer. The more she wants her son to get into Kent, the more she struggles with the other aspects of her life, like trying to go back to work.

There were a lot of people to keep track of in this book, and after a while many of them seemed to blur into one another. The book starts and ends with Susan's narration, and then shifts between all of the other mothers. Some of the threads were more interesting than others, but overall I feel like the author was trying for a Big Little Lies feel but I don't think it hit that target.

Thanks to Amazon First Reads and Little A for an advance copy of this book, which publishes 11/1.

Book Review: "The Soulmate" by. Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth's latest is a deliciously addictive and twisty domestic thriller. She delivers another fantastic read!

Gabe and Pippa have a beautiful home at the edge of a cliff. It’s a memorable view, popular with walkers and tourists—as well as those looking to end their lives, since it’s a sharp and dangerous drop to the water below.

A number of times, Gabe has been able to talk these people out of taking their lives. But one night, a woman appeared at the edge of the cliff and Gabe proceeded to talk to her as always. This time, however, the woman did jump, despite Gabe’s best efforts.

Both are devastated by this tragedy and try to shield their young daughters from it. So what if Gabe’s recounting of events doesn’t quite match what Pippa saw through the window? He was there and she may have been at the wrong angle.

But when Pippa discovers that Gabe knew the woman who jumped—and why she jumped—she starts to worry what else he’s been hiding from her. And she’s also worried about her own role in all of this.

As is often the case when I read Hepworth’s books, I was hooked from the very first page. I had lots of suspicions about how things might unfold, and for the most part, I was surprised. I really enjoyed this one!!⁣

The book will publish 4/4.

Book Review: "In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss" by Amy Bloom

This memoir is poignant, beautifully written, and quietly hopeful.

I’ve been a fan of Amy Bloom’s writing for years and have read everything she has written, short story collections and novels. Needless to say, Bloom's memoir was just as good as her fiction, and it will be something I think about for a long while.

Amy and her husband Brian enjoyed life together—travel, food, intellectual conversation. But suddenly Brian started changing, withdrawing from social gatherings with friends, retiring from his job (which he loved), and once his issues with memory loss and struggling to find the right words intensified, they received the bad news: Brian had Alzheimer’s disease.

Both Amy and Brian knew what that diagnosis meant, and how little by little he’d lose himself. After much conversation, they decided to go to Dignitas, a Swiss-based organization that helps people die when they want, with their dignity intact.

“I don’t want to end my life, he said, but I’d rather end it while I am still myself, rather than become less and less of a person.”

The book follows Amy and Brian’s emotional journey to Zurich and the steps they had to take. It also chronicles Amy’s life after his death, how she had to find the strength to live and work and hope again.

Although short in length, this book is so powerful, so thought-provoking. Is it sad? Of course. But at the same time, it’s hopeful and it could provide some inspiration for others facing similar challenges.

Book Review: "The Last Housewife" by Ashley Winstead

This book was utterly and completely insane…but so good!!

WTF did I just read? I had heard that the latest book by Ashley Winstead was wild and triggering, but I was utterly unprepared for this level of craziness. If you’re thinking of reading it, know that nearly every single trigger warning applies to this book. But I couldn't turn away!!

Shay has made a new life for herself. She’s married a rich man, achieved success as a writer, and plans to write a book. She plays the role to perfection—entertaining their friends and her husband’s business associates, lounges by the pool, etc.

She’s also obsessed with true crime podcasts, and one that she listens to regularly is hosted by an old childhood friend, Jamie. Shay is utterly shocked when one day Jamie discusses his suspicions about the suicide of Laurel, Shay’s best friend in college. Although they had lost touch, she is devastated by Laurel’s death, which brings up reminders of another suspicious death years before.

Shay decides to reach out to Jamie to help investigate what really happened to Laurel. But that will require reopening old wounds and facing the truth about the horrible secrets she’s tried to put behind her. And those secrets might pull her right back in…

It’s best to go in fairly blind here and just let it all unfold. I’d seriously read anything Winstead writes—her two previous books were among my favorites. Can’t wait to see what she does next!

Book Review: "The Cage" by Bonnie Kistler

Looking for a thriller sure to get your heart racing in places? Look no further than The Cage.

It’s late one Sunday night, but two women are still working at the office of Claudine de Martineau International, a fashion conglomerate. Both women depart at the same time, and both get on the elevator at the 30th floor simultaneously.

By the time the elevator car reaches the lobby, one woman is dead. What happened in the course of 30 floors? Was it murder or suicide?

The ensuing investigation will leave no stone unturned. There’s not much more to say without giving anything away, so I’ll just say that The Cage is a thriller full of ups and downs. There are places where it really worked and places it dragged, and there are portions where the legalese used was so intense I couldn’t follow a thing. (This is kind of like the detailed science in The Martian and Project Hail Mary, but I didn't feel you could quite skim over this.)

I thought this was a really unique and fascinating story, with a bit of a feel like The Firm. I think without the technical stuff—even though I understand it was included to make the story more realistic—it might’ve been even more intense. Still, others have loved this, and I'm not a huge thriller fan, so you make the call!

Book Review: "Together We Will Go" by J. Michael Straczynski

The upcoming novel from Babylon 5 creator and Sense8 co-creator J. Michael Straczynski, Together We Will Go, is a powerful, moving, and sometimes humorous look at suicide and assisted suicide.

Mark is a depressed writer who can’t seem to sell any of his work. He’s at the end of his rope, so he buys an old tour bus and plans to drive cross-country, ending in San Francisco. He also places an online ad searching for travel companions.

But this isn’t just any road trip. Mark is looking for people like him, who have no more strength or desire to keep on living. At the end of their journey, they’ll drive the bus off a cliff.

He gets a tremendous response so he has to figure out who seems legitimately interested in ending their lives and aren’t just suicide tourists, along for the ride, or looking to share the story to the media. After hiring someone to drive the bus (until its final stop), they begin picking up their passengers across the country.

The people who join the trip are all suffering in their own ways—from chronic pain, mental illness, fatal diseases, loneliness, guilt, addiction. And as the group grows and makes “bucket list” stops along the way, frictions occur among the group, some have second thoughts, motivations are questioned, and some are even kicked off the bus.

Together We Will Go is a quirky, sad, thought-provoking look at the ideation of suicidal feelings and what drives people to that end. It’s told in a combination of narrative, text messages, transcriptions of audio files, and emails, and a majority of the characters narrate. I definitely cared more about some characters than others, but overall this story evokes some real emotion.

When you have that many characters and a unique narrative style, it’s sometimes hard to follow, and I definitely found some stories more compelling and powerful than others. But this book definitely packs a punch and I won’t forget it anytime soon.

NetGalley and Gallery Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Together We Will Go publishes 7/6.

If you find yourself thinking of suicide and need to speak to someone, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Book Review: "Hairpin Bridge" by Taylor Adams

In Taylor Adams' latest thriller, Hairpin Bridge, a young woman’s dogged pursuit of the truth behind her twin sister’s alleged suicide opens up more questions and puts her in danger.

I can’t really call this review an unpopular opinion because I’ve been seeing a number of mixed reviews on this book. I went in with lowered expectations based on people’s reactions but this one really didn’t work for me. I’m so disappointed, because I loved Adams' last book, No Exit.

Even three months later, Lena cannot believe that her twin sister Cambry killed herself. But the police say she drove to a deserted bridge in Montana and jumped to her death.

It’s true that Cambry had been driving around the country and living out of her car. And it’s true that Lena hadn’t seen her sister in some time. But how can you explain the 16 calls she tried to make to 911? Or the cryptic text Cambry sent Lena just before her alleged suicide?

Lena drives to Montana to meet with the policeman who allegedly found Cambry’s body. While he’s all too willing to share his version of events, what isn’t he telling Lena? As she tries to uncover the truth, she doesn’t realize she’s stepping into the middle of a dangerous web of lies from which she might never escape.

Simply put, Hairpin Bridge was a thriller that wasn’t thrilling for me. I felt the characters were all pretty one-dimensional and not much really happened. And shortly after I started reading the book, I thought a few things might happen and I hate when I can predict everything in thrillers.

Some friends have liked this book, so don’t let me dissuade you if you've been looking forward to it or if you're a huge thriller fan. I will say that Adams has a knack for description and imagery—I could see the bridge in my mind’s eye.

William Morrow Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Book Review: "Yes, Daddy" by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

Wow. Jonathan Parks-Ramage's debut novel, Yes, Daddy, is thought-provoking, disturbing, and emotional commentary on the power dynamics in a relationship and how easy it is to find yourself powerless. It's a fascinating look at #MeToo from a gay man's perspective.

Jonah was raised by a religious family in a small town, where he was taught his homosexuality was something that needed to be cured. But when the therapy leads to a bigger crisis, he is able to convince his mother to let him go to graduate school, then move to NYC and pursue a career as a playwright.

Subletting a tiny room in Bushwick, working as a waiter, Jonah barely has any money or friends, and hasn't been doing much writing. When he spots a picture of famed playwright Richard Shriver, who has a fondness for handsome, muscular, younger men, Jonah formulates a plan to meet Richard and make him fall for him.

Jonah’s well-researched plan works and their relationship takes off, although Richard is a mercurial man to deal with. And when he’s invited to spend the summer in the Hamptons with Richard and his famous friends, who all live on a fancy compound, he feels like he’s finally being enveloped in a life he deserves.

But while the summer has its moments, often Jonah feels the subject of scorn and ridicule. He doesn't feel like any of Richard's friends see him as anything more than a boy-toy. Jonah notices that the compound seems to have a “staff” of young, handsome men in its “employ,” but he doesn’t get their role and they seem to tell him he doesn’t belong. But while Jonah thinks that’s motivated by jealousy, he realizes that there is something far more sinister happening at the compound, and when the dynamics of his relationship with Richard change, he sees the truth.

Yes, Daddy is a story about being victimized and how hard it can be to come to terms with that truth, it’s about revenge and the way we don’t always act in even our own best interests, it's about the role that faith plays in people's lives, and it’s a story about finding your own strength, your own self-belief and self-esteem. Parks-Ramage has written an unforgettable book, one that you’ll want—and need—to discuss.

(TW: sexual assault, violence, and thoughts of suicide)

NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Yes, Daddy publishes on May 18.

Book Review: "This Close to Okay" by Leesa Cross-Smith

Wow. Leesa Cross-Smith's upcoming novel, This Close to Okay, is so emotional and thought-provoking.

One rainy October night therapist Tallie Clark is driving home from work when she sees a man standing on a bridge, looking ready to jump. She gets out of her car and runs to the man, begging him not to jump. Miraculously, she is able to get him to come down and he agrees to go with her to get some coffee and perhaps talk about his feelings.

After coffee, the man agrees to come back to Tallie’s house with her. He’s not interested in talking about what pushed him to contemplate suicide, but he does tell her that his name is Emmett.

Over the course of the weekend, Tallie tries to help Emmett, to try and get him to open up so she can determine whether he’s still thinking about dying, and he does in small doses. But over this same weekend, the two form an intense bond, despite the fact that both are hiding things from one another.

This was an intense, beautiful, moving book. Alternating between Tallie and Emmett’s narration, it’s a story of grief, anger, hope, recovery, and secrets, and how sometimes the right person comes along at the moment we need them most.

There are a lot of things happening in this book but I was immersed completely from the first few pages. I didn’t love everything the characters did but I wonder how I might react in these situations. The funny thing is, I picked this as my Book of the Month club choice on the strength of its description (and its cover) but I knew nothing about it. Sometimes that gamble pays off!!

Cross-Smith is an amazing writer, and I have to read more of her work!!

This Close to Okay publishes 2/2/2021.

Book Review: "The Bridge" by Bill Konigsberg

Bill Konigsberg's new YA novel, The Bridge, is an emotional, eye-opening look at teenagers, depression, and suicide.

Aaron can’t take it any longer. He’s tired of not feeling like he’s good enough or talented enough. He’s tired of wondering if he’ll ever find a guy to love him, tired of putting himself out there and getting little in return.

One day, he goes to the George Washington Bridge and is ready to end it all. And there he sees Tillie.

Tillie is at the end of her rope. She’s been bullied, she’s been ghosted, she’s fighting to be seen and heard and loved. She just doesn’t feel like she can go on any longer. And then she sees Aaron.

What happens if Aaron jumps?
What happens if Tillie jumps?
What if they both jump?
What if neither one jumps?

Konigsberg explores all four scenarios, the impact on those left behind (including Aaron or Tillie if they saw the other jump), the possible ways they might have touched the world had they not jumped, and the beauty and strength which comes from having the support of people who get you. He recognizes, however, that’s not all we need to help us.

This was a beautiful, moving book which hit me in the feels, reminding me of my own struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. The unique 4-scenarios-in-1 concept mostly works, and it really looks at the big and small moments of depression. Konigsberg is a terrific writer; I've enjoyed his previous books, particularly The Music of What Happens.

He has written an important, gorgeous book that will make you feel and think, but it's not so heavy or maudlin that you'll feel utterly finished afterward.

If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, in the US you can call 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE.

Book Review: "The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes" by Elissa R. Sloan

The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, Elissa R. Sloan's debut novel, chronicles the highs and lows of an early-aughts pop group.

In the early 2000s, Gloss was the most popular music group around. The four female members—known as Sassy, Rosy, Tasty, and Cherry (or Cassy, Rose, Yumi, and Merry)—were always in the public eye.

But by 2002 it was all over. The group went their own ways, and despite how close they all were, Cassidy in particular lost touch with all of them. Years later, as Rose, Yumi, and Merry ride a slight wave of nostalgia around Gloss, they get shocking news—Cassidy has died. Suicide.

How could this have happened? Should they have kept better track of her, tried to maintain a relationship with her despite the circumstances? Each woman wracks their brain to see where they could have let her down.

Shifting in perspective from the late 1990s to the present, narrated by all four girls, the book chronicles the joy, sadness, and secrets of the group, and looks at how easily things can go awry. It’s also a hard look at triggers like eating disorders, addiction, depression, and abuse.

I really wanted to love this one, as it certainly had some similarities to one of my favorite books of 2019, Daisy Jones and the Six. I enjoyed the overall thrust of the story.

But while I found it all interesting, the story took a long time to unfold, and I never felt as if we had the complete picture of any of the characters, not even Cassidy. And while there’s always a villain in books, I found one character just so ridiculously odious for someone who was so young.

Still, if you love the whole “Behind the Music” kind of thing, you may enjoy this one.