Silent Pretty Things by O.J. Lovaz

Title: Silent Pretty Things

Author: O.J. Lovaz

Format: epub.

Expected publication date: August 17, 2021

Pages: 222

Goodreads

Introduction (Goodreads Synopsis)

A small town…a prominent family…a secret. Only two people know the truth, and their silence will have murderous consequences.

Anna Goddard has spent a lifetime being the Good Daughter. Polished and primped into sleek, blond perfection, Anna learned from an early age that being a Goddard meant presenting a flawless façade to the world. But all that changes when Anna stumbles upon a private correspondence that leaves her reeling. With the help of Michael Donovan, a shy but charming local historian, Anna embarks on a journey to find the one thing her family has always denied: The Truth.

Propelled by her mission to protect those she loves, the young woman experiences a tantalizing taste of freedom. But in the process of unearthing the past, Anna and her family will expose a new threat so dangerous it could ruin them all.

Plot

Plot-wise, this book did not hold my attention. The secrets and drama that were seemingly promised in the synopsis fell short to me. I don't want to include spoilers but the twists were predictable to me, so the suspense aspect of the novel didn't hold up for me.

Writing Style

The writing felt very formal, especially during dialogue. An example of this is during this exchange between Anna and Michael:

"But, Mr. Donovan, I haven't even told you my age."

"And I'm not going to ask, but you look young."

"That's kind of you, and so very gracious, but I'm not too young"

"That's kind of you, and so very gracious." Is just...not how real people talk. The book is full of passages like this and it made so many scenes feel very stiff.

Romance

The romance between Anna and Michael was a bigger part of the story than I thought it would be, and that wouldn't bother me if it wasn't insta-love. Right after their first meeting, they already seemed weirdly attached to each other. At only 7% through the book, Anna has this thought about Michael:

"He was clean-shaven with his hair brushed back, but a few strands were already beginning to defy orders, falling over his temples. She imagined him under a full moon with the wind blowing his hair and felt tempted to get her hands in there and mess it up."

This was right after their second meeting, and only 17 pages into the book. I really wanted to like them together, since their relationship turned out to take up a lot more of the story than I expected, but I just couldn't. Their relationship progressed too quickly and because they never built any foundation for romantic feelings, I didn't feel any connection to their romance.

Conclusion

Overall this book was not for me. I was so drawn to the book from the synopsis, but I don't feel like what was alluded to was actually delivered.

Stacking the Shelves (7)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It's all about sharing books you've added to your shelves be it physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in a  physical store, or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks.

I'm back with my seventh Stacking The Shelves. I tend to only do this if I add more than two books to my shelves in a week, which doesn't happen that often since I mostly read ARCs and I don't like to let myself get too ahead of myself with them.

That being said, this week I added five books to my shelves.

All of these books are ARCs that I've received from Netgalley (thank you Netgalley!) and at the time of writing this I have read and typed reviews for the first four books, but I've only posted the review for True Loaf. The review for Hematite will be out on Monday, I Kissed A Girl will be out on Thursday, and Bleed More, Bodymore won't be posted until the end of September.

I have just cracked open Silent Pretty Things but that review should be out shortly after I finish reading.

First Line Friday (11): Bleed More, Bodymore by Ian Kirkpatrick

First Line Friday is a bookish tag hosted over at Abstract Books that is used to showcase your favourite first lines of books.

There really is something to be said about a good first line, and I'm going to be using this tag from now on to showcase my current read's first lines.

For this week's First Line Friday I have the first line from Bleed More, Bodymore by Ian Kirkpatrick.

""You sure pick the best places to break down, don't you, Way?" I'm saying to myself in the cab of a Bodymore tow truck as I pull to the west entrance of the park."

I've only just started this book but so far I'm enjoying it! It's release date is set for Halloween this year so I'm really hoping it delivers on some spooky vibes!

Mini Review: True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson

Title: True Loaf

Author: L. Austen Johnson

Format: Audiobook

Narrator: Penny-Scott Andrews

Duration: 16 minutes 3 seconds

Publisher: Lore and Lyre

Release date: July 27, 2021

Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

A fun and enchanting modern fairytale.

When a strange man puts in a strange request at the bakery where she works, Riley must go on a mini-adventure to find one unusual ingredient. Along the way, she realizes that things are not always what they seem and that fae might just be real.

Quick Thoughts

This was short and sweet--well, maybe short and spooky--It was perfect for my morning rainy walk and perfect for starting to warm up the Halloween vibes I always want to feel as we draw deeper into August. I would definitely recommend this for someone who just wants a quick story and likes darker, slightly spooky fairytales.

*If you're interested, Netagalley has it in the Listen Now section!

Waiting on Wednesday (9): Bleed More, Bodymore by Ian Kirkpatrick

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. *It appears that Breaking the Spine hasn't been active since 2016, but I still want to credit them as the creators.

For my 9th Waiting on Wednesday, I want to spotlight Bleed More, Bodymore by Ian Kirkpatrick.

Publisher: Steak House Books

Expected publication:  October 31, 2021

Goodreads Synopsis

HORROR IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EVIL OVERTAKES THE HEART.

Joey’s a mechanic. One night, she receives a call from her best friend, asking for his car to be picked up from the infamous body dumping grounds of Baltimore: Leakin Park. When she arrives, there’s little more around than a stalled-out car and a couple of ravens, so she leaves only with the car. Back at the body shop, it doesn’t take long for the smell of rot to permeate the trunk. Inside? A corpse. The cops said her friend did it. His absence is his guilt, but Joey knows better. She will find her missing friend and she will prove his innocence.

But something isn’t right in Baltimore. It’s not just the feeling that someone is always watching from the city’s abandoned buildings... Her search for her friend reveals something much worse hiding under Baltimore. A ghost town, a reaper, regret. Suddenly, the city’s rage and the stink rising out of the dirt make much more sense.

Why I Can't Wait

I get excited about Halloween starting around this time, and this is a Halloween release! Need I say more? It seems that this book will serve some spooky vibes and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Top Ten Tuesday (11): Top Ten Covers/Titles That Made Me Want to Read The Book

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday is top ten covers/titles that made me want to read the book. This is a mix of titles and covers that caught my attention because I couldn't stick solidly to one theme.

Titles

1. Dorthy Must Die by Danielle Paige

2.  Revenge of the Sluts by Natalie Walton

3. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

4. Castle School for Troubled Girls by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

5. Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Covers

6. Rouge by Isabella Modra

7. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title & Cover

8. The Dead and The Dark by Courtney Gould

9. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

10. This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

 

Music Monday (2): The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Welcome to my not-so-weekly weekly feature Music Monday, where I make a short list of music I think fits the book I'm currently reading. This feature is far from weekly because I can't always picture music that would compliment the book that I'm currently reading. However, this week I want to spotlight The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale for a couple of reasons, the first being that I am totally obsessed with this book and I wouldn't dream of missing a chance to post about it, and the second being that the author mentions quite a few songs throughout this book, usually when Delphine, the protagonist is in the process of choreographing. I thought that it would be nice to make a list of a few of the songs that she mentions in the book so that the reader can immerse themselves farther in the story, by way of knowing the songs that are mentioned.

So, without further ado, here is a (very brief) list of some of the songs mentioned in The Ballerinas, for your convenience.

Tristan und Isolde - Richard Wagner. In the book, the part being used isn't mentioned, only that it its an excerpt of Tristan und Isolde, so I chose the prelude to link here.

   

La Boheme - Puccini. This, like the above is mentioned as Delphine is choreographing Tsarina.

These next few are from later in the novel, when Delphine is mapping out her Janis Joplin inspired piece, so the next few are all by - you guessed it - Janis Joplin.

Mercedes Benz

Cry Baby

Piece of my Heart

Little Girl Blue

Maybe

And that's it for this week's Music Monday! Look out for the Ballerinas release on December 7, 2021 and when you do come back and visit this post so you can listen to the music while you read!