Author: Nikki Erlick
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Date: June 28, 2022
Genre: Sci-fi, Dystopian
Rating: ★★★★★
Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee, Sci-Fi & Debut
SYNOPSIS
"Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.
It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?"
MY THOUGHTS
I absolutely loved this book if you couldn't tell. It was my first five star read of the year and, although the past few dystopian books have somewhat let me down, I think this hit it out of the park. When I think of modern sci-fi set in the present day, I want these books to make me think. I need to be able to put myself in the characters positions and think about what I would do. Not only did The Measure do that, but it was so well written. I loved the way it jumped between characters that seemingly had nothing to do with each other. I liked the diverse perspectives and how no two characters had the same perspective and same beliefs. I also really enjoyed the way these boxes didn't seem to have an explanation and, unlike a lot of books with open(ish) endings, this worked perfectly with the tone of the book. The ending destroyed me. Loved this book and I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone that is looking for a good read.
2. The It Girl
Publisher: Scout Press
Date: July 12, 2022
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: ★★★⍣☆
Awards: Goodreads Choice Nominee for Mystery & Thriller
Author: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
SYNOPSIS
"Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.
Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder."
MY THOUGHTS
This book left me very torn. I really like Ruth Ware's writing style and actually enjoyed most of her books that I've read. What I enjoyed about his book was the back and forth from the past to the present, and the actual mystery aspect. Murder mysteries are right up my alley, and a seemingly solved murder being questioned was compelling. What brought the rating down was the sheer length of this novel. Murder mysteries, and thrillers in general, do not need to be as long as a fantasy where there is worldbuilding and magic systems to explain. This was over 400 pages and its length was felt. There were a few times that it was being wrapped up but then another twist was thrown into the mix. I did really like the ending which bumped it up that half star. If Ware knows how to do one thing, it's end a thriller well.
3. The Witch and the Tsar
Publisher: Ace
Date: September 20, 2022
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
SYNOPSIS
"As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.
As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine."
MY THOUGHTS
Historical fantasy is very hit - or - miss for me. Sadly in this case it was a BIG miss. The synopsis basically covers the whole first half of this book. You don't really need to read the whole first half if you read the synopsis and I found that very strange. What I also found weird was the main character, Yaga. For a centuries old immortal witch, she sure acted like she was a teenager. She made mistake after mistake and didn't seem to really grow as a character. Each time she found herself in a sticky situation, she questioned how it happened. That was very frustrating because the mythological being that is Baba Yaga was sort of the opposite. She had agency. She was fierce. And Yaga, in this book, was none of that. We also didn't really get at Terrible version of Ivan the Terrible. This felt like a very toned down retelling that was a bit of a bore to read. I was so looking forward to this book and I was let down hard.
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