The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Memory Police is a dystopian novel following the story of an unnamed author living on an unnamed island. One by one, things disappear on the island, though no one knows why. As objects such as perfume, birds, books, and hats disappear, the memory of these objects also recedes. Some civilians retain their memories, however, and are hunted by the Memory Police, a government organization determined to rid the island of these “dangerous” individuals. 

I loved this book from start to finish. Some of my favorite books don’t have specific plots and are more character studies, which is something I also really liked about The Memory Police. I love being introduced to a character in the middle of a story already in the process of taking place. For this book in particular, we begin the story at a time where the disappearances and the Memory Police are very familiar to our narrator. 

The relationships in this book are realistic and one of the strongest/most important aspects of the story. The Memory Police emphasizes the importance of human connection, our relationship to the past, memories, and the strength we gain from those we love. The thread to which our souls are tied to our memories is so fragile, yet so detrimental to our personhood. 

I read that Yoko Ogawa was inspired by Anne Frank’s diary and the story definitely reflects Nazi Germany and the S.S. Guards, but I was really impressed by the author’s ability to build a unique world for the Memory Police to operate in. 

Overall, I really loved this book. Metaphors live and breathe in The Memory Police and the story affected me on a deep, emotional level. The Memory Police is filled to the brim with loss, love, friendship, and pain, so I only recommend this if you are in the mood for a sadder story with a lot of heart. It’s definitely one of my favorite reads of the year!

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mallory Quinn is a recovering drug addict - she is eighteen months sober and trying her hardest to rebuild her life. Mallory's sponsor believes she will have a higher chance of success if she has a change of scenery, so he introduces her to Ted and Caroline, the parents of five year old Teddy. Mallory is hired as a live-in babysitter for the summer and moves to Spring Brook, New Jersey for a new life. Everything is going perfectly - Mallory and Teddy form a very close bond and his parents are grateful for all the hard work Mallory is doing to keep their household in order - at least until Teddy's imaginary friend Anya causes Mallory to worry. Teddy begins to draw violent pictures at Anya's request, and Mallory is determined to find the truth behind the drawings and Teddy's imaginary friend.

Hidden Pictures was so much fun, and I will come right out and say it - this is the only book that I have read this year that has an ending that completely shocked me. I mean... talk about a twist! And it's a good one! Not to mention the fact that once you finish the book, you look back and realize all of the hints/clues you missed while reading! I was so impressed with this book and the story!

This is also a great portrayal of addiction - Mallory's struggle is evident throughout the narrative, but it wasn't used as a character trait, which I found very refreshing. I also think the judgement that many recovered addicts experience when trying to rebuild their lives is really nicely touched on in this book! Mallory's relationships in this book are really special, and the evolution of her character was great to witness, too!

Hidden Pictures is a slow burn, which I personally love, though I can understand why other people may not enjoy that!  The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because I felt like the ending was abrupt! The pace of the book was perfect in my opinion, but the ending and the epilogue are rather quick in comparison! 

Overall, I loved Hidden Pictures! It was really well written, fun, and the twist at the end really surprised me! I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers and/or mysteries! It's totally worth it and this is by far my favorite thriller I've read this year!

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Ring Shout, P. Djeli Clark reimagines the history books and writes an alternative world where the Ku Klux Klan consists of more than just hateful white people. Ku Kluxes are Klan members possessed by demons who are feeding off of the hate that they spew. Maryse and her friends are resistance fighters, monster hunters, and badass women who make it their goal to eradicate every single Ku Klux in existence. With the help of a sword gifted by some unknown higher power, Maryse slashes through these evil creatures in the hopes of building a safer, brighter tomorrow. 

This book was awesome! It is an amalgamation of historical fiction, science fiction, horror, and fantasy. I loved how wild this story was, from start to end, and how effortlessly P. Djeli Clark kept the book historically accurate. This is a short book, more of a novella I guess, but somehow it was well-rounded, fully formed, and fast paced! There are no plot holes, no lags, and you get all of the backstory, character development, and details that you would expect from a much longer story. 

I was also impressed with how imaginative the creatures in the story are. They are unique and creepy, and it was so much fun to envision all of the action and gore! Each character has a distinct voice and history, and they all add something really unique to the narrative. Maryse was also an awesome main character! She's conflicted, flawed, and human, but she's also determined, focused, and her character development was one of my favorite parts of this book.

Overall, I highly recommend Ring Shout! It's fun and gory, but it's also about a really important time in our history and unfortunately, a lot of the issues raised in the story are still prevalent today. This little book packs a huge punch and I would love to see this turned into a movie. Also - strong, independent, badass female main characters - of course I loved this! If you enjoy horror, historical fiction, or fantasy, definitely give this one a try!!

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Death in Her Hands
by Ottessa Moshfegh
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Death in Her Hands isn't so much a story told as it is a story experienced. On one hand, we bear witness to the internal monologue of our main character, Vesta, a 72 year old widow whose sole companion is her dog - looking through her eyes only. On the other hand, however, it is as though Vesta is speaking directly to us, sharing her story in painstaking detail as if we are a friend with whom she is sharing her deepest thoughts. 

The story begins as Vesta, while going on her daily walk with her dog, finds a note on the path in the woods. This note reads, "Her name was Madga. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn’t me. Here is her dead body." Strangely, there is no body accompanying the note. Vesta is immediately intrigued by the mystery of the message and thus begins her investigation into (and obsession with?)  Magda and who could have possibly killed her. 

Death in Her Hands is small but mighty - it's thought provoking, unique, honest, and brutal in its portrayal of loneliness. Vesta is an unreliable narrator in my opinion. She's likeable, vapid, judgmental, compassionate, delusional, and straightforward all at the same time. I loved her for all of these reasons. She is a character that I found extremely hypocritical and extremely human. I feel like we all have a little bit of Vesta inside of us. 

The story itself is well written and there were moments where I had to stop because it felt like I was being personally called out by Ottessa Moshfegh. I resonated so much with the grief, loneliness, and the conflicting emotions that were truly at the heart of this novel. Moshfegh is an author that is understandably divisive - some readers adore her work and others, not so much. Death in Her Hands is similar in that not everyone has enjoyed this book. I honestly loved it and found it a really refreshing and profound story.

Overall, if you haven't picked this one up yet, take a chance on it! It's not very long and I feel like it is just weird enough without being TOO weird for the general reader to enjoy it. I chose purposefully not to go too deeply into the synopsis/my feelings in this review because it's impossible to do so without giving spoilers. Just read it!! I, personally, was enchanted by Death in Her Hands and I can't wait to read more by Ottessa Moshfegh! 

- trigger warnings - fatphobia, ab*rtion

Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut

Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut
⭐⭐⭐

In Player Piano, Kurt Vonnegut imagines a society that is completely controlled by machines, and the average man seems to have lost his place and sense of purpose in the world. After several devastating wars take place, the need for Army recruits and devoted soldiers becomes terrifyingly dire. To satiate this necessity, two Industrial Revolutions take place, where machines are developed to replace humans in almost every way. Society becomes broken into a hierarchy of two classes, the elite and the lower class. Due to the lack of jobs, the lower class (who are uneducated, unskilled, poor, and belonging to average families) are forced to choose one of two careers: become a Reeks and Wrecks worker (basically a repairman/garbageman/mechanic) or join the Army. Our main character Paul is the son of one of the founding engineers of this new society, but he doesn't feel satisfied following in his father's footsteps. Player Piano is Vonnegut's attempt to describe a civilian uprising and whether or not it would be successful. 

Player Piano is Vonnegut's first book, and being fully transparent, he is one of my favorite authors so I knew I would enjoy this story. What I didn't expect was how progressive some of the ideologies Vonnegut highlights throughout the book would be. This is a story about capitalism, humanism, class war, rebellion, privilege, and how the democracy our country is built on is not quite the democracy that we are being sold. There are a lot of examples of these themes, but I am specifically impressed with how Vonnegut dealt with the ideas of needing to dismantle a society/government in order to build a new one, and false saviorism. Actually - one of my favorite parts of this story is that Paul decides that he is the Messiah that the lower class is needing, and so essentially, he is moving from a position of power to ANOTHER position of power (which directly sheds light on the regularity of nefarious intentions, even if someone's heart is in the right place). 

I rated this three stars only because you can tell it's his first book! There were some moments that could have been edited out. You can tell that Vonnegut wanted to include every idea and criticism he had and at times, the story kind of jumped all over the place. I also wasn't a fan of the ending. I felt that it kind of defeated the purpose of the whole book, but you would have to judge for yourself! I also would have enjoyed a more thorough ending, something that we could have experienced just as we experienced the rest of the novel, but unfortunately, we only see the results of what takes place, not the actual events. 

All in all, this is classic Vonnegut! He's funny, witty, and his politics are mostly always on point. I enjoyed Player Piano a lot - it just wasn't my favorite book of his that I've read. I would definitely recommend reading it if you enjoy politics or satire or are looking for an introduction to more classic literature. Kurt Vonnegut writes Science Fiction like no other! 

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

This Thing Between Us 
by Gus Moreno
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thiago has just lost his wife Vera in a terrible accident. Everyone believes that it was just a random tragedy, but Thiago is of a different opinion. Before Vera's death, the couple purchased the Itza, a smart speaker, and very quickly afterward, started to experience some extremely strange and haunting things. Thiago knows deep down that the Itza is related to Vera's death - he just doesn't know how... yet.

This Thing Between Us is a meditation on grief, a horror story, a discussion on race and identity, and an interesting take on the relationship we form with the technology surrounding us. The story begins with Vera's funeral and the book actually reads like a letter that Thiago is writing to his deceased wife. 

This is honestly one of the more unique books I've read this year and I LOVED it. There are so many elements to this story, and it very easily could've felt aimless, but Gus Moreno did an exemplary job giving this story direction and purpose. I loved how honest Thiago's grief is and how strong his love for Vera is. 

This Thing Between Us is definitely a horror novel but determining what kind of horror this is - it's pretty difficult. More than anything, this story is about a haunting. The type of haunting is definitely up to interpretation, though (is it ghosts? demons? PTSD? lost love? who knows!). This is a slow build of a story, and it has proven to be pretty divisive amongst readers. I personally thought it was eerie, creepy as hell, and profoundly cathartic. It really left its mark on me!

If you are open to more experimental books, this one is really intriguing, thought-provoking, and haunting. It moved me in a million different ways. Gus Moreno is for sure an author that I will be following and I'm eager to see what else he comes up with in the future!

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
⭐⭐

Emma Davis seems to have her life together. She has a promising career as a painter, and she's considered an up-and-coming artist in the NYC art scene. No one but Emma knows that beneath each of her paintings are hidden three missing teenage girls. Having been the last person to see them alive, Emma is haunted by her past and these three girls, with whom she spent a summer vacation at Camp Nightingale. On the 15th anniversary of the incident, the camp is reopening, and Emma gets the opportunity to return as a camp counselor. Determined to solve the mystery of her missing friends, Emma must face the guilt and the ghosts that have followed her all these years. 

I really enjoy Riley Sager's books, but this one just didn't work for me! I felt like it was a hodgepodge of different thriller elements thrown together, and unfortunately, that approach didn't put a cohesive story together. Every bit of angst and tension was put onto the page, even when it didn't fit the narrative or mesh with the characterization/logic of the story.

I would've enjoyed more of an investigation on Emma's part, more history, and more realistic relationships and characters. The flashbacks were the most interesting parts of the book, so I wish they had been lengthier with more depth. I feel like 300-400 pages is just too short for a fully realized, immersive thriller with decent characterization and a well thought out ending (although those are thoughts for another time lol). 

The ending also left me wanting more as well! The first twist was very predictable for me, though the second twist definitely surprised me. Even so, I didn't really enjoy the ending. I felt like it was a little forced. 

Overall, this book was a bunch of pointless chaos and the ending felt like it was supposed to be a tidy lil' bow, but I just really wanted more. The Last Time I Lied just wasn't a book for me! And that's okay! Not all books can be winners. Lots of people loved this one, though, so if you're interested in the synopsis, check it out and give it a chance! It just didn't leave much of an impression on me!

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

We Sold Our Souls
by Grady Hendrix
⭐⭐

Kris Pulaski wasn't always a failed, washed-up, wannabe rockstar in her 40s working at a motel to make the ends of her miserable life meet. She was once a badass guitar player for a band named Durt Wurk... at least she was before her bandmate Terry Hunt sold out and went solo, leaving his ex-bandmates to fall in his shadow. One day, Kris is driving home when she sees a billboard sign promoting Terry's post-retirement concert, and she instantly knows that he must be stopped. As she contacts her ex-bandmates, Kris stumbles upon a conspiracy theory that may just be true - Terry isn't who he says he is. There's also killer UPS men and demon creatures and lots of metalhead trivia. 

As a metalhead myself, I wanted to love this book. I was really appreciative of the fact that our main character is a middle-aged woman and was excited to follow her on her journey of kicking men's asses. Unfortunately, that didn't really happen. Actually... nothing really happened. The concept of the plot was strong, but it was executed poorly in my opinion. It was so loosely tied together, and the most interesting parts of the story were completely brushed aside. There was close to no characterization, and there is also barely any exploration into the relationships between Durt Wurk's members. Kris was the only female in an all-male metal band - to go deeper into that dynamic would have been interesting, especially as she was the creative force behind the music. 

There were cool aspects of this story but it mostly all fell flat. There was a total of three months in the book that were completely cut out of Kris' journey to reach Terry Hunt. This was like a story where things just happen for the hell of it, with no real explanations or storytelling whatsoever. The ending is bizarre and rushed. Between each chapter are radio show snippets and they were completely unneeded. They were mostly pointless - not adding humor or knowledge that was needed for the story. It really seemed more like an attempt to make the book look longer than it really is. 

I was honestly so disappointed in this story and I wanted a lot more from the plot and characters. This is unfortunately another example of a great idea executed poorly. I really think that with a little more time and effort, this could have been something special. With that said, this is just my personal opinion! If the story interests you, definitely give it a try!

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Washington Black introduces us to Wash, an eleven-year-old slave on a sugar plantation in Barbados, right as a new master comes to take control of the farm. The master's scientist of a brother, Titch, arrives alongside him. Titch takes a liking to Wash and takes him under his wing as an assistant and apprentice. Through Titch, Wash learns how to read, write, and draw, the latter of which Wash seems to have a natural talent for. As their bond grows, there is a tragic event on the farm, causing Titch and Wash to go on the run. Washington Black chronicles these events as well as Wash's experiences of becoming a free man and finding the identity that was stolen from him the day he was born.

Washington Black is a subtle yet profound story that really left its mark on me. I can't express the pure genius of this story and the finesse with which it was written. Esi Edugyan not only gives us a heartbreaking and realistic tale of slavery, but she also gives us an intimate look into how difficult freedom was for the slaves who were able to escape captivity. Throughout the story, Wash questions his identity and existence, not knowing who he is or what his purpose is, having been taught his whole life that his is an unnatural existence and that he belongs in chains. 

The relationship between Wash and Titch was so impressively nuanced. Edugyan was able to portray Titch's clemency whilst shedding light on white saviorism and the very harm it does to the people you are wishing to help. To witness Wash go from putting Titch on a pedestal to coming to terms with Titch's egocentric ideology was emotional but also very thought provoking.  

Some people didn't like the science and mystical elements of the story, but I found them vital to the narrative as it was clear to me that Edugyan put an incredible amount of effort into the metaphors used throughout the book. Every moment has a purpose, and it was a great experience as a reader to discern the deeper meanings. The characterization was amazing and your opinions on the characters change as you watch Wash's opinions change at the same time. It was a wild and emotional rollercoaster of a ride, and this is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time.

Overall, Washington Black is one of my favorite books I've read this year! I highly recommend it! Wash's journey was incredible to experience, and I think he will stay with me for a long time.

No Heaven for Good Boys by Keisha Bush

No Heaven for Good Boys
by Keisha Bush
⭐⭐⭐

Set in Senegal, No Heaven for Good Boys sheds light on the disturbing cruelty and abuse that young boys, known as the Talibe, must suffer and endure. The Talibe are young boys taken in by respected Marabouts, or holy men, whose purpose is to teach the newer generations the beliefs of the Koran. Marabouts are not always kind, righteous people, however, and many Talibe end up starved, abused, m*lested, and sometimes even k*lled. The Talibe are forced to roam the streets, begging for money from civilians for their supposedly holy masters. 

In No Heaven for Good Boys, we follow six-year-old Ibrahimah who, after being accidentally left by his family on a beach, is rescued by a man named Marabout Ahmed and is forcefully taken from his parents in order to pay back the debt that his saving has cost. Ibrahimah and his cousin Etienne fight for their lives daily in the city of Dakar, begging for money, food, and gifts for their Marabout, in a desperate hope of avoiding his merciless beatings. 

Truthfully, this is one of the more disturbing books I've ever read. The perspective shifts from time to time, but we mostly experience life through the eyes of six-year-old Ibrahimah. To see such abuse and cruelty through a child's eyes is really heartbreaking. I understood the author's intentions behind using Ibrahimah's age, especially because this story is a nightmare come true for so many boys. Ibrahimah's is a real story, one that many young boys suffer through. I am very impressed with Keisha Bush's ability to write something this cruel and actually have the ability to finish it.

Despite how important it is to shed light on this issue, I only rated this three stars because of the ending. I know that, when portraying real life issues, in an effort to emphasize the severity of the problem, authors will write ambiguous endings to avoid a "happy ending." Typically, I enjoy vague endings, but there are some stories I believe NEED hope, this narrative being one of them, and unfortunately, for me, there was simply no hope in this book. After witnessing all of Ibrahimah's suffering, I really wanted to witness his liberation as well.

Overall, this book is addressing a very real and serious issue that more people should be made aware of. As a story, however, it was very disturbing and triggered a feeling of perpetual suffering. So, with that said, if this story interests you, please be aware of the content warnings because there are definitely many of them!

- trigger warnings - child cruelty, child ab*se, death, p*dophilia, m*lestation, r*pe, s*xual assault