125Pages

Eleven Hours by Pamela Erens
Published by Tin House on May 3, 2016

Eleven Hours by Pamela Erens packs a lot of emotion into a short book. At just 176 pages and spanning the time frame of eleven hours (I know, that would be hard to guess!) it focuses on a woman in labor and the pregnant nurse assigned to her. Lore, the one in labor, has her birth plan nailed down and knows exactly how it should go. Franckline her nurse, is pregnant and feels an attachment to Lore right away. Delving into the time frame of the delivery and the path both women took to get there, this book seems much bigger than it really is.

The plot of Eleven Hours had a few issues. I loved the interaction between the two main characters but the flashbacks that should have helped flesh out the story detracted from it instead. The writing of Pamela Erens was suburb. She was able to weave very vivid and nuanced items into her sentences and I loved her phrasing. The pacing was good although the flashbacks did throw off the flow a bit. The world built was slight. Since the majority of the action centered around one location, not much was needed. I really liked the two main characters, Lore and Franckline. They had a fantastic interaction and I really enjoyed their dynamic. The other characters were seen so slightly that they never really made an impression on me either way. The emotions were very high in this tale. A story centered around childbirth will, of course, be emotional, and Erens was able to convey the pain and joy in equal measure.

Eleven Hours was a success. I enjoyed the character interplay and the emotions were great. The plot had a few issues with trying to pack a lot of back story in when it was not truly needed, but as a whole I enjoyed the read. I will say if anyone has had an issue with a pregnancy or childbirth that this book is probably not for you, as it delves into some issues that may bring up painful memories. I have heard great things about Pamela Erens and now I know why. Even with a plot I didn’t fully love, her writing still drew me in.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Keep You Close by Lucie Whitehouse
Published by Bloomsbury USA on May 3, 2016

Keep You Close by Lucie Whitehouse was an interesting read. I loved the plot line but not the characters which made reading it a little odd. I did really like that I did not guess one of the surprise endings and that nudged this from a three star to a three and a half star read for me. Rowan is trying to get to the bottom of her former best friend’s death as she does not believe it was an accident. They have not spoken in ten years and now Rowan is trying to insert herself back in Marianne’s world.

I really liked the plot of Keep You Close. It was really two different mysteries wrapping around each other; one ten years in the past. The writing of Lucie Whitehouse was good, however it lacked a hook to me. I was never really tense while I read this, which to me is a sign of a great thriller. The pacing had a few issues as the travel back and forth in time was not always explained well, but overall it worked. The world built was shallow. The focus was around one house and the rest of the surrounds faded into the background. There were some great moments tied to the  emotions in the story, but they were tempered by the characters. I found the majority of the characters to be unlikable and I had no central figure to root for. This always hampers my enjoyment of a book as I want to feel that connection.

Keep You Close did have some amazing moments. However they did not even out the kindof awful characters and the lack of tension in a thriller. I did enjoy the plot as it was different and I was surprised by the ending. If you like mysteries and family drama, then this may be right up your alley. For me, it was a slightly above average read but nothing I will seek out again in the future.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

B. S., Incorporated by Jennifer Rock, Michael Voss
Published by Wise Ink Creative Publishing on May 17, 2016

I was not expecting much from B. S., Incorporated. I hoped it would be a cute read in the same vein as The Devil Wears Prada, where a plucky heroine saves herself from an unfriendly work environment. I did not get that, and I could not be happier about it. What I got instead was a sharp and smart tale from Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss that was equal parts humorous and thoughtful. Anna is a woman on the rise. She is following a carefully crafted career progression plan that brings her to BSI a huge copier and office supply company. As soon as she starts, things begin to change. BSI is going down a path that they might not recover from and it is up to Anna and her co-worker, the most optimistic nice guy ever,  Will to create a plan to save it.

The plot of B. S., Incorporated was a rich combination of comedy, ingenuity and sass. It all worked very well together to create a dynamic storyline. The writing of Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss was nicely detailed and it read as one voice even though there were two writers. They were able to include a wide array of emotion and heart throughout. There were a few small pacing issues where I was unsure of how much time had jumped, but nothing substantial. The world built was superb. Set in only three locations, corporate headquarters, a warehouse and a bar, it was interesting to see how they all intersected. There was a nice emotional tug wrapped through the story. I enjoyed seeing Anna grow and her path change. The characters were what set this read apart. They were an engaging bunch, from the lecherous finance guy, to the PR Manager full of inventive curses, to the snarky barmaid, all played their roles to perfection.

B. S., Incorporated is not the book I thought I would read. Expecting more of a chick-lit feel, this was instead a smart comedy with a great cast. There were a few issues, as a business person IRL I was a bit frustrated with the C level employees as they were all portrayed as bumbling fools and that just drove me crazy. That small annoyance was not enough to hamper my reading. Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss crafted quite a debut and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Bricks that Built the Houses by Kate Tempest
Published by Bloomsbury USA on May 3, 2016

The Bricks that Built the Houses by Kate Tempest was like reading a classic Guy Ritchie movie. You know it is going to be a fun ride even if you are lost and or confused half of the time. Girl meets girl, girl then starts dating first girl’s brother, drug dealers and a suitcase full of stolen money all combine in this book. With a caper mentality at the heart of it, Houses is an interesting look at how your everyday interactions can lead you to a new reality.

The plot of The Bricks that Built the Houses was very interesting. almost everything that happened was setup as a coincidence and every character you met or location was sure to be factored into the story at a later point. You could tell from the writing of Kate Tempest that she tends towards poetry as a medium. Although lyrical at points it made the read a bit difficult as the non-standard sentence structure was at times too much. The pacing had some issues as certain sections went very fast and other dragged out. It did all come together in the end, but there were some shaky bits. The world built was nebulous; a few locations were mentioned but again the focus was the characters not the locales. Speaking of the characters, the main players were fantastic. I liked their complicated interplay, however there were a few too many side players that just detracted from the story. There was a great emotional arc in the storyline. I really liked the interplay of the different relationships and the feelings building behind them.

I was divided on my rating of this one. It had so many good things going for it, but it had almost an equal amount of detractions. I have mentioned before that there are good three star books and bad three star books and The Bricks that Built the Houses falls squarely in the good category. I enjoyed the tale but didn’t love the style of telling.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir by D. Watkins
Published by Grand Central Publishing on May 3, 2016

The Cook Up by D. Watkins provided a gripping insight to how a person on the right path ends up following a dark and dangerous pathway instead. D. is a young man striving to escape his neighborhood in East Baltimore with an acceptance to Georgetown University. He has seen the life his older brother has as a drug dealer and wants a different life for himself. Then, the death of his brother starts a series of events that leads to him cooking crack in an abandoned building and having a vast crew of dealers and thugs underneath him. After a few years of drug abuse, drug sales and seeing many unnecessary deaths, D. finds a light in his darkness and begins the long road to transformation.

I was fascinated by the life of D. Watkins. The Cook Up was an intriguing and engaging look into a world of violence, greed and addiction. The timeline did cause me some confusion as it jumped around a bit, but that did not detract from the story telling as a whole. There was a surprising amount of emotion in the book; Watkins was able to transfer his feelings into the words. The world of East Baltimore was wrapped in and through the narrative. It was almost a character they way the locations were so prominent.

The Cook Up is the type of memoir I feel is important as it helped open my eyes to the struggles and triumphs of others. D. Watkins did not have an easy life and he was able to rise up and accomplish a great deal. I particularly liked that he did not shy from his past, but rather embraced the lessons of loss and hardship to create his future.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Whisper to Me by Nick Lake
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on May 3, 2016

Whisper to Me by Nick Lake had such promise. A fantastic sounding plot featuring a teen girl struggling with balancing love and her mental illness. A letter written to the boy she has hurt and a promise of a brighter future. Instead of getting the big heart tugs and emotional tie I wanted from Whisper to Me, I got out that I need chapters in a book. Yup, 500+ pages with not a chapter break makes for a tedious read. Without that natural break, I was not sure where the story segmented itself and was actually stressed out reading it. Whisper to Me was written as a free flowing, stream of consciousness letter from our main character Cassie to the boy she has fallen for and then hurt.

Cassie is suffering from mental health issues including hearing a voice that tells her to punish herself among other things. Struggling through medication and therapy she finds solace in a boy who works on the boardwalk that the voice is silent around. Told in a letter to him, Whisper to Me could have been great but instead confused me and was frankly hard to read. As stated above there were no chapters, the story just went on and on and then contained such lines as “insults, like: ********* *********** you ********* ******** yourself ******* ****** ********* ******* die ******* ******* ******** such a ******* ******** ***** ******** ********* *********” as the main character did not like cursing and her voice cursed a lot.

Now I have seen some reviews that raved about this book and the writing of Nick Lake, so I think this is a YMMV as I just could not get past the style the story was presented in. I found it confusing and convoluted and the few amazing parts and characters (Paris was awesome) could not get me past the presentation.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Ruined by Amy Tintera
Published by HarperTeen on May 3, 2016

Ruined by Amy Tintera is the first of a new YA fantasy trilogy. It features a kickass female bent on avenging her family and rescuing her little sister from a neighboring country they are at war with. Since she does not have the magic that runs in her family, Em has been taught to fight. She decides her best change at success is to pretend to be the Prince’s fiancé and infiltrate the royal family. But long standing grudges cannot compete with the heart and Em may have a different path to follow.

I enjoyed the plot of Ruined. A girl who has been indoctrinated by her mother to hate and taught that she is not good enough as she is not magical, sets out to  slaughter her enemies and instead finds that what she had been taught may not be 100% correct. Amy Tintera’s writing was sharp and she was able to meld magic, hate and some genuinely funny moments together. The pacing had a few weak spots as some scenes went very fast and seemed to skip over what I wanted to delve deeper into. This did not detract from the enjoyable whole though. The world built had some issues as well. Tintera’s placed you right into the middle of the action and while I enjoyed it, there was no buildup or learning period. There was a nice emotional tug to the story. Emelina is doing what she has been taught since birth and her learning about others created an emotional bond that was very prevalent. The characters were unique and each one had a distinct personality. A few characters on the periphery seemed forced or not necessary, but that did not lessen the whole of the experience.

Ruined by Amy Tintera was an interesting take on a YA fantasy tale. It was an engaging read that I enjoyed from start to finish. I did have a few moments of confusion in the beginning as the world was built during the action, not before, but that did not lessen my enjoyment as a whole. I eagerly await books two and three in this trilogy.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on April 26th 2016

I kept hearing about The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi but was unsure if it was for me. It sounded like it would either be amazing or awful, and nothing in between as to craft a world as detailed as necessary for the plot is not easy. I finally decided that the hype had to be there for a reason so I set to reading. And I am glad I did, as it tipped the amazing scale. Maya is a not-perfect girl born under a cursed sign. Set apart from others and shunned, she is surprised when she is told she will marry. Then Amar, king of Akaran comes to her and she is transported to a land she believed to be myth. As she waits to find the true reason she was brought to Akaran, a force from the past rises up and threatens everything Maya holds dear.

I loved the plot of The Star-Touched Queen; it was unique and focused on such a strong female lead. The writing of Roshani Chokshi was lyrical. She placed such intricate details throughout it made for a super visual read. The world Chokshi created was extremely nuanced. I could picture the locations and feel the pulse of the residents. The pacing had a few very small issues. A few scenes seemed to drag a bit and a few others went too fast, but the overall experience worked for me. The characters in The Star-Touched Queen were so well crafted. I loved that Maya was not portrayed as a beautiful sheltered princess. She had unique looks, was extremely smart and stood up for what she believed in. Amar was strong as well, but he showed a distinct emotional range not typically found in YA young men. The emotions ran high throughout the The Star-Touched Queen. Extreme highs and lows balanced each other out and created a read that kept me constantly on edge in a great way.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi was such a different kind of YA read. It was so rich and had incredible depth. There were a few things I did not love but I am nit-picky and the things truly were small details. Most of it was in the pacing as some scenes just didn't seem to flow like the majority of the book, but that did not detract from my overall enjoyment. I would recommend The Star-Touched Queen just for the descriptions alone. 

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on May 3, 2016

The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett is a tale told in three parts. Each section begins with the same day; and the meeting or almost meeting of two students. Told in alternating chapters each timeline unfurls through the decades with each what if covered. It is an interesting concept for a book, one that I have seen in a few movies, all done with varying success. The Versions of Us was mostly successful.

The plot of The Versions of Us was very intriguing. Three possibilities in life, a giant “what if” followed through time. I was impressed with the writing of Laura Barnett. It is difficult to run three distinct plotlines containing the same characters and timelines and make them all distinct. The pacing had some issues as at times decades would pass and at times just days and it always took me a bit to catch up to the time change. The world was secondary to the characters and was not super fleshed out. There was a fair bit of emotion in The Versions of Us as love was at times lost then found then turned around within the three plots. The characters were where I felt a disconnect. I understand that all the timelines were meant to be distinct, but I just did not like their actions in the majority of the stories.

I enjoyed The Versions of Us for the most part. I must applaud Laura Barnett as all three parts were distinct and their own. It was difficult to read, as each chapter was a different timeline and I had to refocus and remember where the story left off a few chapters before. The main characters though, is what turned me off. I understand that they wanted to find true love and were constantly thrown into each others lives, but I did not like the actions taken for them to get there. I have a few plot points that instantly turn me off, and (no spoilers) but one of them was in The Versions of Us multiple times. If you enjoy a complex read with multiple storylines, then The Versions of Us is for you.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on April 26, 2016

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian was an interesting meld of teen love story, family drama and eminent domain. “What?” you say. “A YA book about the government claiming land?” Yup, and it was a very interesting way to look at where you live and what can happen when a decision is made by lawmakers and not citizens. The family drama was also great, a father fighting for a town and the repercussions from not following the party line. Then the teen love story came in, and sadly did not match the awesomeness of the other parts. The town of Aberdeen is going under water and the citizens are being paid off to leave. Keeley’s father is fighting for the town, but Keeley is fighting to make her crush notice her before the town goes under.

The plot of The Last Boy and Girl in the World was very interesting. A town slowly being flooded and the citizens for and against it and a teen trapped between her family and the boy she desires. The writing of Siobhan Vivian was strong. She was able to make me see the locations and feel the fear of the townspeople in some scenes. The pacing had some issues with some sections seemingly on fast forward and others on slo-mo. The world Vivian built was very real. I could feel the rain and wind whipping through the locations. The emotions were strong, but unfortunately they centered around whining and pouting. The characters were a downfall as they lacked dimension. Keeley was self-centered and even in the face of dire circumstances only thought about what she wanted.

I loved two-thirds of The Last Boy and Girl in the World. The family drama and the town’s fate were very intriguing; the selfishness of Keeley unfortunately dragged the rest of the tale down. If Siobhan Vivian had crafted this as more of a drama and not a teen romance with drama thrown in, I would have enjoyed the entire read. Vivian is a strong writer, and I would read another of her works, with the hope that she keeps with the strong world and less with the weak characters.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Not Working by Lisa Owens
Published by The Dial Press on May 3, 2016

Not Working is Lisa Owens’ debut, and it is mostly successful. Styled as a rom-com where the main character, Claire, quits her job abruptly as she just doesn’t like it and relies on her medical student boyfriend for support. Then she seeks her next big step amongst “charming” foibles and many starts and stops.

The plot of Not Working was nothing really new but was different enough that I continued reading. The wrap-up was expected in this type of read and did not disappoint. Lisa Owens’ writing was good, but lacked a certain finesse that I hope is just due to her inexperience. I enjoyed the pacing as the story was told in small bursts, with some portions just a few sentences. I found it a unique way to tell a story. The world built was a bit lacking due to the vignette style. The emotions and characters were there, ish. I did feel with Claire but was also frustrated with her as she put her needs first and expected everyone else to feel sorry for her that she quit her job. The boyfriend was also frustrating as he put up with a ton of crap.

Not Working did actually work on a lot of levels. The story was cute, fast read that resolved itself well. It was just a bit too scattered to fully be amazing and the main character was a bit to self-centered for me to truly love. I do think Lisa Owens has potential for something big and for a debut, Not Working was well done. I will watch out for Owens and hope her sophomore try is a bit more fine tuned.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

She by Michelle Latiolais
Published by W. W. Norton & Company on May 3, 2016

She sounded so great. A modern day Go Ask Alice where a 15 year-old runs from an abusive home to the mean streets of Los Angeles. A nameless everygirl, the titular she could have been a powerful literary figure that could have spoken to a generation. Unfortunately her story was interspersed with those of other nameless women inhabiting the city. Those other stories broke up the lovely narrative and confused the story.

The plot of the main story was fantastic; a young girl striking out on her own and depending on strangers for assistance. The other stories filling out the plot detracted from the main plot and muddied it rather than enhancing it. The writing of Michelle Latiolais was very good in the main sections where there was a coherent storyline. In the other shorts, it was looser and did not seem to match. The pacing was spot on in the main section and confusing in the others. The world built was very nebulous with few locations described. The emotions matched the rest of the sections, in the main story line they were great and I really felt with her and in the other stories had no connection. The characters in She were confusing. Due to no names being used, just the pronoun she, I was thrown off when the story turned from the main arc as I was not expecting it and thought it was still the main character.

I was so evenly mixed on She. I really enjoyed the main arc, but was confused by the side stories. I liked the writing of Michelle Latiolais but could not wrap my brain around the changing plot and characters. I am not generally a lover of short stories for just this reason, I don’t have the time to sink into the story and connect with the characters. I would recommend this for those that love shorts and know going in that the characters are not differentiated.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Meternity by Meghann Foye
Published by Mira on April 26, 2016

Meternity is about the lengths a person will go to, to make their dreams come true. Liz is tired of seeing all of the mommies at work get to leave early and have a relaxing time off after the baby is born. She decides to fake a pregnancy and use her maternity leave to fulfill her dreams of traveling and being a travel writer. Unfortunately, being on the mommy tack is not as easy as it originally seemed and when she meets a man that may be the one, Liz will have to make some serious choices.

I feel like I have read this plot before (The Thin Pink Line). A women perpetuating a lie to get ahead and then hijinks and misunderstandings ensue, is a “chick-lit” standard. I did enjoy the writing of Meghann Foye, it was quick and sharp. There were some very funny moments sprinkled about and it made the standard plot a step above the norm. The pacing had some very slow and some very fast sections, but it all averaged out in the end. The world built was secondary to the characters, and while it was laid out, it was not super detailed. There were plenty of emotions in Meternity, selfishness being the number one. I could not really connect with the characters but they were well fleshed out and worked well together within the scope of the story that Foye created.

Meternity was a quick read that while fun, was also frustrating. I understand wanting to live your life to the fullest and achieve your dreams, but the way the main character, Liz, went about it just rubbed me the wrong way. I know this was supposed to be a light romp, but she accepted gifts at a baby shower, preferential treatment at work and consistently lied to her dream man, and everyone around her. Meternity was a decent read and I know others who loved it, it was just not my favorite.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Approval Junkie: Adventures in Caring Too Much by Faith Salie
Published by Crown/Archetype on April 19, 2016

Approval Junkie is a memoir that focuses on why a person would seek validation from everyone but herself. It was an interesting read, as I think that needing the okay from others is something that is taught in a low-key way to all girls. Faith Salie, an actress, writer and radio host, has sent the majority of her life questing for approval. She altered her desires and career to please others, primarily her ex, whom she refers to as her wasband. I would have liked a deeper dive into this relationship as I feel it could have been a much more powerful read with more on this relationship.

Faith Salie forged an interesting path in life, moving from onscreen to a very successful radio career. Her writing reflected this versatility well. While the synopsis stated that Approval Junkie was “Equal parts laugh-out loud funny and poignant”, I never found the laughing parts. I was amused by some of the chapters, most noticeably the section  dealing with Bill O’Reilly, but I never did so much as chuckle. I did find the poignant, as there were a few chapters where Salie really started to open up and dive into her emotions.

I did enjoy Salie’s path. She was open and honest with her falters and wins and I appreciated her message at the heart. Unfortunately, I was never super pulled into her life and felt as if I was an impartial observer. Approval Junkie was not a memoir that I disliked, I just never clicked with the narrator and at times felt like she was trying to hard to prove that she was now all fine. I wish the few chapters where I felt the author opening up resonated throughout, but I just didn’t feel it. I did enjoy this read as a whole, but from Faith Salie’s resume expected just a bit more.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Published by Random House Publishing Group on April 19, 2016

I first came across Curtis Sittenfeld with her debut Prep back in 2005. I really enjoyed it but did not read anything else she had written. When Eligible came on my radar, I decided it was high time to read Sittenfeld again. Eligible is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Since it has been many years since I read P&P (I think high school or just after) this was a lovely way to revisit it. This version is set in Cincinnati, and when Mr. Bennett faces a health crisis, Liz and Jane return from their NYC lives to help care for him. The three youngest girls, Kitty, Lydia and Mary all still live at home and mooch off of the parents. Facing a lack of income, the family is set on hard times and Mrs. Bennett is trying to push her girls onto suitors with ample bank accounts.

The plot of Eligible, while playing off of a classic, was still unique and had a great way with small twists that really made the tale. The writing of Curtis Sittenfeld had a very lyrical quality. She was able to imbibe the words with the personalities of the storytellers. The pacing had some small moments of drag, but would always catch back up. The world built was solid but focused more on the players than on the locations. The emotions ran high in Eligible, much like the original. Love, hate, drama and family all blended very well to create a tie to the writing. The characters came across as old friends revisited. I was annoyed with the majority of the players, as I was with them in P&P, but they still made you care for them even when they were being ridiculous.

I am glad I decided to read Eligible and re-discover Curtis Sittenfeld. The modern twist to a classic really worked. When you can take a book originally set in the early 1800’s and update it to include reality shows, diversity and boomerang children, and have it all work you know you have a winner. Plus Mr. Darcy was still dreamy. Even if you are not a classic lover, this book should appeal as it has enough modern turns to make it a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
Published by Del Rey on April 26, 2016

A few months ago, Netgalley featured a scavenger hunt that led to Sleeping Giants. I was intrigued by the premise and the fact that all of the chapters are set as character interviews. A never identified government agent from an unknown agency is collaborating with scientists, military personnel, and an array of niche workers. The story opens with a young girl falling into a hole and landing on a large metal hand. That girl grows up to be a scientist who is recruited by the shadow to work on the origins of the hand. What they find could begin the next world war or open a new path for our planet.

Sleeping Giants had a very interesting plot. Between the shadowy government agency, the otherworldly influences and the uncertainty, it created a unique blend. I did like the writing of Sylvain Neuvel, however there was a connection with the reader that was a bit lacking with the interview style he chose. The pacing was spot on and the story flowed well. The world Sylvain Neuvel built in Sleeping Giants, while not super detailed, worked very well in the scope of the story. I had the same problem with the emotions that I did with the writing as the connection just wasn’t there as you saw everything through the words of the characters that they dictated. I loved the characters themselves, in Sleeping Giants; they were snarky and really went for what they wanted and while I didn’t connect deeply with them, I understood and enjoyed them.

Sleeping Giants is not what I would consider my normal type of read. I was not aware that there was a genre called Technothrillers, and would probably not have picked one up that advertised as that. I am glad that Netgalley featured it, as I did enjoy the read. The unique way the chapters were set as interviews and the still unknown at the end shadowy government agent at the center made this very entertaining. Sylvain Neuvel has this set as the beginning of a series and I will happily add the next ones to my reading list.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.