If you’re new around here, Things I’ve Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn’t have enough to say for a full review, or just didn’t want to do a full post about for whatever reason.
One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner
Published: November 29th, 2022 by Dutton
Genre: Adult Thriller
Binding: Mass market paperback
Page Count: 453 plus an author’s note and such
Part of a series? This is the second book in the Frankie Elkin series and a third one is coming out next year. (Editing Laina: The third came out in March, 2024.)
Got via: The library
Summary (from goodreads): Timothy O’Day knew the woods. Yet he disappeared on the first night of a bachelor party camping trip without a trace, breaking his parents’ hearts, driving the other groomsmen mad with guilt, and leaving behind a pile of clues that won’t add up.
Frankie Elkin doesn’t know the woods, but she does know how to find people. When Timothy’s father organizes one last search, she heads to the mountains of Wyoming to join the rescue team, only to find that someone out there is willing to do anything to stop them. Soon, they’re running out of time and up against the worst man and nature have to offer, discovering the evil that awaits those who go one step too far…
Thoughts: This is basically my new favourite mystery/thriller series. I really like this series. And this one combined one of my other favourite things to read about in books – camping/wilderness survival! For someone who hates going outside, I sure like the outside to be in my books. There’s also a fair amount about search and rescue dogs in this, which is a fascinating topic to explore. It’s a really intriguing premise just to start with, and where the author goes with it made me so excited.
It is just really, really good.
I also continue to enjoy Frankie’s character a lot. She’s a recovering alcoholic and that affects how she reads people and why she does everything she does and it’s really well done. This book especially, because of how much time Frankie spends fairly isolated and with nothing to do but think, she spends a lot of time reflecting on herself and that narrative was wonderful.
Also. There’s a paragraph in this book about caves that gave me the heebie jeebies so bad. Just. So bad.
Big recommendation on this one, and I’m super excited to check out the third book when it comes out. If you like thrillers, I think you’d like this series.
Representation: Frankie points out early in the book that this town is a lot whiter than most places she tends to stay, but one of the characters is a Latina woman, Columbian specifically, and another is a gay man. It feels realistic without being tokenizing.
Content notes: The book has a fair amount of violence, gun violence especially, and some death.
Every Single Lie by Rachel Vincent
Published: January 12th, 2021 by Bloomsbury YA
Genre: YA Mystery
Binding: Hardcover
Page Count: 318 plus extras including some resources like hotlines which I appreciated
Part of a series? Nope
Got via: The library
Summary (from goodreads): Nobody in Beckett’s life seems to be telling the whole story. Her boyfriend Jake keeps hiding texts and might be cheating on her. Her father lied about losing his job before his shocking death. And everyone in school seems to be whispering about her and her family behind her back.
But none of that compares to the day Beckett finds the body of a newborn baby in a gym bag-Jake’s gym bag -on the floor of her high school locker room. As word leaks out, rumors that Beckett’s the mother take off like wildfire in a town all too ready to believe the worst of her. And as the police investigation unfolds, she discovers that everyone has a secret to hide and the truth could alter everything she thought she knew.
Thoughts: This was probably my favourite YA book I’ve read this year. This is tagged on goodreads as a thriller but I think it truly is a mystery. There’s not really a danger element, just a mystery to solve, and that made this impossible for me to put down. I was like constantly bothering my best friend while reading this telling them my guesses about what was going to happen. It was so exciting. Honestly this would be fun to read with like a book club and have discussions about who you think the baby’s mother is and all that.
The romance was a little underwhelming for me. Jake is kind of bland and the conflict between him and Beckett is honestly kind of boring, but otherwise I really enjoyed this. I’d absolutely recommend it if you like YA mysteries.
Representation: I don’t think there was much of anything and I returned the book so I cannot check.
Content notes: Dead babies. The whole book is about a dead newborn being found in the school locker room. There’s also a lot of talk about pregnancy, obviously, harassment, both in real life and on the internet, up to and including death threats, and a lot of talk about grief.
Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes
Published: February 8th, 2022 by Tor
Genre: Science Fiction Horror
Binding: Hardcover
Page Count: 339 plus author’s note
Part of a series? Nope
Got via: The library
Summary (from goodreads): Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.
What they find at the other end of the signal is a shock: the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick trip through the Aurora reveals something isn’t right.
Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Words scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold onto her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora, before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.
Thoughts: Turns out I really like horror science fiction. I’ve said before I’m not a huge science fiction fan but if you make it scary, apparently I’m into it! It was ever so slightly odd to read this while the whole Oceangate thing was going down, but, I mean, timely. Editing Laina: This review sure ain’t, though.
This was pretty spooky, too. Like I’m not super creeped out by it. I’m not gonna have nightmares or anything. But it’s very eerie and I enjoyed the setting a lot. The space cruise ship does give very Titanic vibes and the horror elements really work with that. The worldbuilding also really adds to that horror, in my opinion. The world is really messed up!
And honestly I kind of loved Claire as a main character. She reminds me of a lot of other characters I’m really drawn to. She’s traumatized and all the stuff I like!
Trauma, ghosts, capitalism sucks, all the good things. Big recommend here.
Representation: Claire is deaf in one ear from childhood illness.
Content notes: Some gore, violence, death.
The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula
Published: April 5th, 2022 by Inkyard Press
Genre: Contemporary MG
Binding: Hardcover
Page Count: 288 including a glossary and some recipes
Part of a series? Yes, a second book came out in April 2023, and I believe a third is coming as well.
Got via: The library.
Summary (from goodreads): Holly-Mei Jones couldn’t be more excited about moving to Hong Kong for her mother’s job. Her new school is right on the beach and her family’s apartment is beyond beautiful. Everything is going to be perfect… right?
Maybe not. It feels like everywhere she turns, there are new rules to follow and expectations to meet. On top of that, the most popular girl in her grade is quickly becoming a frenemy. And without the guidance of her loving Ah-ma, who stayed behind in Toronto, Holly-Mei just can’t seem to get it right.
It will take all of Holly-Mei’s determination and sparkle (and maybe even a tiny bit of stubbornness) to get through seventh grade and turn her life in Hong Kong into the ultimate adventure!
Thoughts: This was so good. And it felt very different from other books I’ve read with similiar stories. I feel like stories of kids moving to Canada or America are pretty common, but stories about kids moving abroad are… sometimes not great, honestly, about how they depict those countries. After the initial freak out of being abruptly told they’re moving countries, Holly-Mei and her sister don’t treat moving to Hong Kong as a punishment. Hong Kong is not treated as worse than Canada – it’s just different.
In fact, some parts of their lives are actually better in Hong Kong. It’s sort of implied (if you’re an adult) that the move and promotion means their mom is making a fair amount more money, so they move into a much fancier apartment building, and the girls go to a fancier school. The things that they have to adjust to are how the cultural expectation for children is so different and there’s much different pressures on them in Hong Kong than what they were used to.
Also this book talks so much about food, and it all sounded so good. I want to try pineapple buns so bad now. And as mentioned, there are also some recipes included!
This was funny and sweet and very unique. If you’re looking for a middle grade series to get into, this one should be on your list. I’d also say that this could be really good for younger middle grade readers, as the writing is very approachable and engaging.
Representation: Holly-Mei is mixed race, white and Chinese. Her mom’s family is not from Hong Kong, though, they are from Taiwan, and her dad’s white family actually lives in Hong Kong, which I thought was cool.
Content notes: A child is at risk of drowning.
What have you all been reading lately?
– Laina
Laina Has Too Much Spare Time 