november roundup: part two
I’m back with the rest of my November roundup! All three of these books were from authors I had never read, and I enjoyed all three of them, with First Lie Wins being a big surprise hit with me. Read my thoughts below!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with these ARCs to review.
The Still Point
Author: Tammy Greenwood
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: 2/20/2024
Genre: General Fiction
Rating: 4/5 Stars
It is time to enter the competitive world of the Costa de la Luna Conservatory of Ballet, where many of the parents will do anything to ensure their ballerinas are at the very top. With fame and a scholarship on the line, what could possibly go wrong?
The infamous Etienne Bernay is coming to their Southern California town from France to both film a documentary and award a scholarship for one student to the Ballet de Paris Academie. Every single dancer (and parent) wants to be the recipient, specifically parents Ever, Lindsay, and Josie and their daughters Bea, Olive, and Savvy.
For Ever and Bea, this could be Bea’s only hope to achieve her dream of becoming a professional ballerina. Since the death of Bea’s father, their family has been struggling both financially and emotionally. Can Bea overcome all the backstabbing and jealousy to come out on top while also avoiding becoming the worst version of herself?
The Still Point is full of drama and secrets, making for a fun read. As expected, Etienne proves himself to be a complicated character and a catalyst for many issues within the conservatory coming to a head. While several of the characters reveal ugly sides to themselves, a nice bonus to this story is there are characters worth rooting for throughout instead of everyone being terrible.
Described as ideal for fans of Dance Moms and Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, I would say it is also reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies when considering the dynamics amongst the group. Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of drama and dance. It is also a good pick when it comes to the exploration of ever-complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. This is a great read for those wanting the book they are reading to have a soap opera element.
What Waits in the Woods
Author: Terri Parlato
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: 12/26/2023
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Her ballet career is sadly over due to a devastating hip injury, Esmé Foster is returning home to the suburbs of Boston after several years away. This also means returning to the life she thought she’d left behind forever. Considering her abrupt departure, she is apprehensive about how she’ll be received by both family and former friends.
To make matters worse, the first thing Esmé encounters upon her return is a crime scene on the front lawn of her father’s house. Even more bizarre is the murder victim is Esmé’s best friend from childhood, and she has a horrible suspicion she was the intended victim. Could this be related to her mother’s death several years earlier?
Told from the viewpoints of both Esmé and Detective Rita Myers, the reader gains insight into a wide cast of characters, including an eccentric designer hiding dark secrets and a neighbor seemingly prone to violent outbursts. It is not surprising everyone in town seems capable of being a suspect.
This is a slower-paced thriller with enough of an intriguing plot to keep the reader engaged, but not necessarily enough excitement to keep them up at night. One of the main reasons why the characters are a bit one-dimensional. Rita is probably the most well-rounded, but she’s mainly depicted as a workaholic. Esmé comes across as defeated by life and isn’t a strong match for Rita as a counterpart. Other characters are either undeveloped (like Esmé’s brother) or a confusing addition to the plot.
While this isn’t going to keep you on edge while reading, it makes for an entertaining story. Overall, it is an easy read for fans of gentler thrillers, this will make for a nice way to pass the time during the upcoming cold winter days.
First Lie Wins
Author: Ashley Elston
Publisher: Penguin Group Viking, Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: 1/2/2024
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers
Rating: 4/5 Stars
On paper, Evie Porter appears to have a nearly perfect stereotypical Southern life. She has a handsome and successful boyfriend named Ryan, who spoils her beyond her dreams. Through him, she is slowly making friends and together they are building an ideal future. The only hitch? Evie Porter isn’t real.
Ryan is Evie’s latest mark from her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith. Evie’s role is to gain trust and then exploit whatever misdeeds Ryan is responsible for as Mr. Smith sees fit. Unfortunately for Evie, she finds herself questioning this latest job. There is something different about Ryan to her and she does not want to follow the rules anymore. Things take an even more unexpected turn when a woman shows up claiming Evie’s true identity. Obviously, Mr. Smith is up to something, and this leads Evie to realize this assignment is much more dangerous than anticipated.
Told in both the present day and in flashbacks of Evie’s earlier assignments, the reader gains insight into the world of Mr. Smith and the long game he’s been running on those in his employ. With multiple untrustworthy characters and a plethora of secrets to uncover, the plot is fast-paced and will keep readers guessing until the very end.
While Evie is not what one would call a morally straight character, she does appear to still live by a code of sorts and therefore is easy to root for against Mr. Smith and his mind games. Her quest to find Mr. Smith’s identity is proving to be imperative, as Evie’s own life is clearly in danger. With all this intrigue, who can she actually trust, and does she have any chance of returning to a normal life one day?
This is a fun and fast-paced thriller, solidly written and perfect for fans of the genre, as well as those looking to give mystery/thrillers a try.
Stay tuned for my December reads. Until then - cheers and happy reading!
