Book Reviews
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Reviewed by M. Koopmans
Poppy and Alex have gone on vacations together ever since they were in college, however after an ill fated vacation the two haven’t talked in a while. Since then, Poppy has everything she wants but she feels like something is missing. When people ask her the last time she was happy, she is sure it was on that vacation two years...
Read moreThe Runaway Jury by John Grisham
Reviewed by B. Ullsvik, March 2022
Down in Biloxi, Mississippi, one of the largest tobacco trials is about to begin. The trial starts as usual but derails soon after. The jury is acting strange, with many feeling like they are being watched and followed. To try and stop this behavior, the jury is put away, not allowed to leave certain areas without...
Read moreThe Guest List by Lucy Foley
Reviewed by B. Ullsvik, March 2022
It’s her wedding day, and all Jules can think about is having the absolute perfect day. She has everything set up the way she wants it. No exceptions. Guests from all different pasts come together for this one day, yet it doesn’t go as picture-perfect as planned. As usual with gatherings, the guests don’t know each...
Read moreThe Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Reviewed by M. Koopmans, January 2022
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a magical fantasy novel about a circus that is only open at night and arrives without warning. However, the breathtaking black and white tents and the awe-inspiring acts are nothing compared to the fierce competition hiding within the walls. A duel between...
Read moreSix of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Reviewed by M. Koopmans, January 2022
Six of Crows is a young adult fantasy novel that takes place in the same literary universe as the Shadow and Bone series. This novel depicts the lives of 6 teenagers, Kaz, Inej, Nina, Jasper, Wylan, and Matthias, who are hired to break into the Ice Court, which is said to be impenetrable. They...
Read moreA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Reviewed by R. Yelk, December 2021
This story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny seen from the perspectives of two women. Mariam - the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age fifteen into marrying Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal when she fails to produce a child. Eighteen years...
Read moreScarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Reviewed by R. Yelk, December 2021
The novel is set in a village in Puritan New England, following the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who has borne a child out of wedlock. Hester believes herself a widow, but her husband, Roger Chillingworth, arrives in New England very much alive and conceals his identity. He finds his wife forced to wear the...
Read moreThe Street Lawyer by John Grisham
Reviewed by B. Ullsvik, November 2021
Michael Brock is a lawyer for the firm Drake and Sweeney, a huge law firm in D.C. Michael is on his way to becoming a top-notch lawyer, there is even talk of him becoming a partner. But one day, a homeless man walked into the building and held eight men hostage. He gave a speech about the homeless, and how these...
Read moreWhen the Wind Blows by James Patterson
Reviewed by B. Ullsvik, November 2021
Frannie O’Neill is a veterinarian working in Colorado. Many years ago, her husband mysteriously died, haunting her to this day. Out of the blue, another murder happens, under the radar of the local people. This leads to FBI agent Kit Harrington on her doorstep. They stay out of each other’s way, even though...
Read moreAll the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
Reviewed by B. Ullsvik, November 2021
To start the book off, we learn that one missing girl case rocked the town of Cooley Ridge. 10 years later, it happened again. Nic hasn’t been home since the first missing girl case, and there’s a reason she hasn’t returned to her hometown. She doesn’t want the old wounds and scars to open up...
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