thoughts on books

Author: Angie Miale

  • jane and dan at the end of the world by colleen oakley

    I liked this book, I didn’t love it. I can’t stop thinking about how good it COULD have been.

    Jane and Dan are going to Fin de lu Monte for their 19th anniversary. She isn’t sure about their marriage and if she wants to stay married. Jane is always at odds with her 18 year old daughter and thinks often of the road not traveled. But when they are dining, the restaurant becomes an active shooter/bomb threat/terrorist hostage situation. A lot of convenient plot devices allow the narrative to move along. The thing is, the situation is playing out exactly as happened in a novel that Jane wrote 6 years earlier.

    The themes in this book are so good, but in execution, they just fizzle out and don’t deliver. I have been married for 20 years and I appreciate the way marriage changes after your kids don’t need you as much anymore. I liked the banter between Dan and Jane and I wanted more of the love and second chance love story. I wanted so much more from the theme of capitalism and oligarchy and

    That said, they are good characters and the book was genuinely funny. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be released March 11, 2025.

    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7176513377

  • more or less maddy by lisa genova

    19 year old Maddy Banks is like any other pampered college student… except that she has a diagnosis of Bipolar Personality Disorder- Type I. She dreams of having a comedy special on Netflix and writing Taylor Swift’s biography, but in periods of mania she is careless with both her mind and body. And she has delusions of grandeur. Maddy comes from a well off country club Connecticut family where she is the youngest of 3. Her oldest sister Emily is engaged to be married and will marry her college sweetheart from Vanderbilt. Maddy has a somewhat strained relationship with her mother, who she thinks infantilizes her, and who doesn’t quite know how to control her disorder.

    Lisa Genova is famous for having well researched character studies of neurodiverse people; she has really zeroed in on this micro-genre, having written about dementia, Huntington’s, autism, and more. This is perhaps her most ambitious and best work yet…. getting inside the mind of Maddy in a way that helps the reader truly empathize. To a loved one of someone with this mental illness, the helplessness and anger is understandable. This book follows Maddy through a blue period in her freshman year to several periods of mania. It touches upon the way Maddy suffers and tries to understand, the people in her life and how they cope with how to be the best support.

    No spoilers here, but the ending is realistic while being hopeful. It is heartwarming, although not Polly-Anna-ish. Bipolar Disorder is not something that can be cured, but something Maddy must take responsibility for managing. The journey is not an easy one, and it is not a cookie cutter solution.

    I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a contemporary character study; but for those that love someone with a diagnosis of Bipolar disorder, I must insist you read this. No one is saying every journey is the same, but it helps us to accept and celebrate our differences.

    I was gifted a free copy of this book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

  • the satisfaction cafe by kathy wang

    A character study that spans an entire lifetime, it hooks you from the start with vivid, surprising and lyrical prose. From the first page, the narrative is incredibly intriguing. From page one; “Joan had not thought she would stab her husband. It had been an accident (sort of).” I mean, wow. What a sentence! How could you not be hooked?

    At 25% of the way through I thought this might be one of my favorite books of the year. The set up is downright enchanting, with anecdotes that teach us who the characters are and how they are motivated. It is hard to think of Joan as a character in a novel, it is almost as if this entire book is a very very long obituary. It centers around Joan and why she is who she is, with all of the detail in her family. If you like the family drama like Long Island Compromise, Claire Lombardo or The Celebrants; this is a version of those that you will certainly savor.

    The book is a long character study, but you will be disappointed if you are expecting a story with a beginning, middle and end. This has several plot points that don’t go anywhere or return, highly symbolic but it can be frustrating at times. The title, The Satisfaction Cafe, comes from an enterprise that is not introduced until 60% of the way through the novel. It is about connecting with others, how we create family, how others see us and who we are at the core.

    Thanks to @Netgalley and @scribnerbooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own. Book to be published July 1, 2025.

  • I think they love you by julian winters

    Denz Carter is a part of a successful family enterprise, 24 Carter Magic, and his dad is getting ready to retire. But who will he choose as his successor? Denz is a moderately successful influencer on his own, @notthatdenzel, and the setting is high end Atlanta. Denz’s ex-boyfriend Braylon is the one that got away, in college they fell in love but Bray chose to move to London and did not invite Denz to move with him. Now, years later, he has a chance meeting with Bray that led to a mutually beneficial situation of fake dating- Bray is using Denz to get a better relationship and connection to the mayor, and Denz will use Bray to look more settled in life and more likely to be named as his father’s successor. 

    This is a good and typical romance, high spice level from an adult debut, with many typical tropes that are loved; second chance romance, fake dating, one bed. I was gifted the audiobook version in exchange for an honest review. For me this didn’t work as well on audio, the pacing didn’t lend itself well to it. When the book is published I will re-read the paperback. I didn’t find the spark between the characters like I usually do and the plot itself sort of fell flat. I did love the set up and the premise, and the side characters really stole the show, some of the side characters had some really funny lines. And what beautiful cover art! 

    Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published January 28, 2025.

  • between the devil and the deep blue sea by jessica guerreri

    Leah is ten years into a marriage with 3 children. Her husband, who comes from a comfortably wealthy family, sees her as the center of the universe, but she is fueled by resentments and a self-pity that will not be quieted. Her life was upended and her art took a backseat when she became pregnant with her first child, and somehow she ended up drinking more and more each night. Leah is close with her sister in law, Amy, who has had a difficult upbringing. A well written book that feels like falling into quicksand, which is a apt analogy for how sometimes alcoholism sneaks up on us as our lives get smaller and smaller.

    I likely would not have picked up this book had I not read the blurb, which says it is critical of “mommy wine culture,” which is something I am passionate about. There are plenty of “sober curious” quit lit memoirs out there, and many women find a lot to relate to about them. However, I find that it works here better in a fiction rather than memoir format. I like the challenge of writing a story of acceptance and coming to realization that something has to change in your life.

    This is a perfect read for those who liked [b:Same As It Ever Was|199344873|Same As It Ever Was|Claire Lombardo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1701715475l/199344873.SX50.jpg|203772114] and [b:Sandwich|200028726|Sandwich|Catherine Newman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699631079l/200028726.SY75.jpg|201706043], the inner dialogue and unraveling of a mother in her midst of her life, the story picking up when life seems boring, it doesn’t seem that things are changing often, but you are reaching for substances to get you through your days. If I have a criticism of the book it is just that the main character will be seen as unlikable for most of the book, it is hard to root for her. It is hard to feel connected to someone that is self-pitying and resentful, these are things we often miss in ourselves in our self-awareness.

    This debut novelist is one to watch.

    Thanks to @netgalley and @harpermuse for the ARC. Thank you not only for the ARC itself but for reaching out to me and recommending it for me specifically. Book to be published May 13, 2025.

  • the favorites by layne fargo

    Contemporary fiction; documentary narrative style. The world partner ice skating stage, competitive and fanatic. A lengthy drama filled raucous romp through the early 2000’s skating federation. If this is on your list and you’re wondering if a 16+ hour audiobook is for you? Let me sway you. This is GREAT on audio, easy to follow, ten narrators (including Johnny Weir in the IDEAL side character role) and is just SO much fun. I’ve been seeing this book all over #bookstagram and #booktok and I’m not one to be let out of the conversation. You’ll see a lot of comps to Daisy Jones and the Six, which is obvious, except ice dance instead of the music industry. A documentary narrative that follows a climb from obscurity to super stardom.

    That said, one of the main criticisms we see about Daisy Jones is that nothing really happens. It’s a book big on the format and short on plot. Well let me tell you this— a LOT happens in The Favorites. Soap operatic, if you will. Some of the actions the characters take are out of the blue, super melodramatic, but you have to love the campiness and just go with it. This book is a lot of fun. 🤩 also, it’s inspired by Wuthering Heights. (!?)

    Five star audio

  • sea of unspoken things by adrienne young

    James has lost her brother Johnny, and as twins they have always had a personal connection. She knew he was gone before she picked up the ringing phone, despite his young age of 37. She returns to their hometown and is flooded with memories of the previous accidental “golden boy” death when James, Johnny, and their friend Micah were young. We are following both accidental (?) deaths and learning about Johnny’s late life and those he was close and closer to. Micah is James’ second chance romance.

    This is the definition of a slow burn. Pacing and reveals are extremely important in mystery/thrillers, you need to care enough about the main and side characters for the reveals to be impactful, so with missing persons and deaths, it is ALL about the pacing. In this book you get to know the characters at different intervals, the payoff is strong although it takes awhile to get to the drama and twists and turns.

  • the love haters by katherine center

    Katie is good at making documentaries and business video that invokes emotion…that is, she can make people cry. Her production company is doing lay-offs, and her only hope of saving her job is doing a profile of a “hero” coast guard rescuer named Hutch. He is the only brother of her boss, Cole. Cole can’t do the assignment himself, so he sends Katie to Key West to do an in-ocean shoot via helicopter. The only problem is, she can’t swim! Cole lets her stay with his aunt Rue, a feisty fun lady in her 80’s with many friends in villas that is part retirement home, part resort. “The Gals” are a fun comic relief from Katie and Hutch’s tragic back stories. Hutch is the subject of the documentary, and also Katie’s swim instructor.

    With witty banter and interesting facts thrown in, we get to know Katie and how she interacts with the world. She has significant body image issues, but isn’t afraid to work on them and take responsibility. Katie is mature and agreeable yet likable. Hutch as a main male character is a bit too perfect. For me, what makes Katherine Center books great is that they have such a strong story beyond the romance. The dialogue is funny and engaging. The backdrop usually has some sort of life saving/accident EMT type and a tie to the entertainment industry. The balance of dialogue to description to narrative is pretty perfect.

    If you like a sweet romance with life saving themes, read any Katherine Center book, but this is one of her best. 

    Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published May 20, 2025.

  • penitence by kristin koval

    Literary fiction with a tremendous amount of suspense. This is a book you won’t be able to put down. 13 year old Nora shoots her 14 year old brother Nico in Lodgepole, Colorado. Her parents, David and Angie, are devastated.

    I can’t imagine a worse scenario.

    Will she be tried as an adult or a juvenile? Is it second or first degree murder? Nora’s defense attorney will be Julian, who was Angie’s first love.

    Alternating chapters go back to the late 90’s, when Angie and Julian were together and starting their careers in New York City. Julian turns to alcohol to deal with the terrible stress of being a young g lawyer. I thought this was going to be a mystery of why Nora shot her beloved brother,but it is such an expansive and engaging story. The characters are imperfect and interesting. They have a hard time forgiving themselves but an easy time forgiving others.

    This is good on audio, the narrator is excellent.

    Thanks to NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the ARC. Book will be published January 28, 2025.

  • the girls who grew big by leila mottley

    “The difference between a mother who’s forgiveable and a mother who’s not is whether she gives enough of a sh*t to try to redeem hereslf in the first place. Apologize and do different.”

    This book, which follows Simone, Emory and Adela, will have you checking your privilege. Think for a moment about those things you judge others for.
    When do you start a family?
    Have you ever gotten pregnant without trying?
    Do you attend church?
    Do you have good grammar?
    Did you regularly attend school as a kid?
    How many children do you have?
    Do you vote democrat or republican?
    Do you have a high school diploma?
    Do you have car insurance?

    The answer to those questions is very strongly correlated to these two things.

    1. The parents you were born to.
    2. The time and place where you were born.

    Neither of which you had any say in.

    This book follows young girls who are pregnant and have children; how the world sees them, how determined they are, and how they make the best decisions they possibly can based on their circumstances. It takes place in Padua Beach, Florida, complete with periodic alligator attacks. This is not Miami, Naples, Orlando, or Fort Lauderdale. This is sad Hulk Florida. Panhandle low income. The girls are wonderful mothers and create a community to teach each other how to mother, how to get through life. This book is pretty inspiring. It will make you grateful for all you have.

    Thanks to NetGalley and AA Knopf for the ARC. Book to be published June 24, 2025.