Review: Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent

Title: Unraveling Oliver

Author: Liz Nugent

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Pages: 272 (Paperback)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: August 22nd, 2017

Synopsis from Unraveling Oliver's Goodreads page

“I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.”

So begins Liz Nugent’s astonishing debut novel—a chilling, elegantly crafted, and psychologically astute exploration of the nature of evil.

Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children’s books; their life together one of enviable privilege and ease—until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious, and subsequently beats her into a coma.

In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple’s friends, neighbors, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation.

THOUGHTS

I'm going to start off by saying that going into this, I thought it was more of a psychological thriller. After the first few chapters, however, I realized it was more of a psychological analysis of sorts, instead of a thriller, but it did have a lot of the aspects of a thriller. Saying that, I really did enjoy this book.
Unraveling Oliver is a story about a man who has harmed his wife to the point where she is in a coma, with little to no hope of her waking up. The entire novel is a character summary of Oliver, with each chapter being told from a different characters' point of view of him. Each character is recounting how they either met Oliver, or the different things that have happened to him in his life that could possibly have made him the person he is, and explain why he harmed his wife.
The story overall I really enjoyed. Each character added a few pieces of the puzzle of Oliver together, while creating more mysteries. Each recounting of each part of his life fit together perfectly, and I had no problems with how anything fit together or how it was told.
In regards to the characters in the story, each and every single one of them was needed in some way, for something, either as someone who is currently in his life, or as someone from his past who is required to tell his story. In a lot of thrillers I find that there are unnecessary characters that are used in order to distract the reader for some reason, but that was definitely not the case for this book. Every single character was well thought out, and well executed. I also loved how each and every single character had their own distinct voice. With telling a story from different characters' points of view every chapter, a lot of the time the characters start to become mashed together and start to sound very similar. That was not the case at all here, with each character having a very distinct voice, and I loved how that was not only shown through what was spoken about, but also in how they spoke to the reader.
The story itself was also something that I really enjoyed. It left just enough of a mystery throughout the entire novel, while also giving just enough to the reader that they can almost figure out what will happen next, before continuing to read and realizing you are completely wrong.
I feel like this book could have been an easy 4/5 stars for me, if I had gone into it knowing that it was less of a psychological thriller and more of a psychological character study. It definitely had all the aspects of thriller and I did read it in less than twenty-four hours, but it was more of a character study than anything else.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book that I'm glad that I took the time to read it and I know that I will definitely read it again in the future when I'm more in the mood for a character study, and then I have a feeling that it will be a higher rating for me.
Overall - ★★★★☆

Review: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Title: The Lover's Dictionary

Author: David Levithan

Genre: Contemporary/Realistic Fiction

Pages: 211 (Paperback)

Publisher: Picador
Publication date: January 17th, 2012

Synopsis from The Lover's Dictionary's Goodreads page

How does one talk about love? Is it even possible to describe something at once utterly mundane and wholly transcendent, that has the power to consume our lives completely, while making us feel part of something infinitely larger than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this age-old problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary constructs the story of a relationship as a dictionary. Through these sharp entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of coupledom, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.

THOUGHTS

This book was definitely not what I was expecting. I was expecting more of a lighthearted, easy, love-story read. This was not that.

This book is told in a very unique way - every page has a word on it, in alphabetical order, and the story is told as the definitions of the words that are on the same page. It was this that drew me into the book in the first place - an easier read, and something that I have never even seen anything similar to before.

The plot of this book was also really different, in that there wasn't really even quite a plot. The entries jumped from sad ones to cute and happy ones back to devastatingly sad ones, and I really liked that. It resembles a real relationship, where there are good days and bad days, and the good days are really good and the bad days are really bad. It resembles life, and I really liked that it didn't sugar coat it; it was abrupt and to the point.

The entries themselves were absolutely amazing. They were very short, with some being a sentence or two, and the longest being just over a single sided page. They were beautiful and sad and heart-wrenching and wonderful.

One of my favourites was this quote, from the page titled "Only":

"That's the dilemma, isn't it? When you're single, there's the sadness and joy of only me. And when you're paired, there's the sadness and joy of only you."

The story itself is raw and real, and is completely relatable to any relationship. It was sad and happy and gave me a lot of emotions, but was also a bit too short for me. I was hoping for a bit more, an I felt that even though it did end on the letter Z, I feel like a bit more could have been done.

Overall - ★★★☆☆.5

February 2018 TBR

Hey everyone! This past week has been crazy with midterms for me so I wasn't able to post my TBR for the month, but it's never too late!

I plan on reading:

1. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
       This one came out last month, and everyone at my work has been buzzing about it, so I'm definitely going to be reading it this month!

2. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan
       I bought this one in December, and I absolutely love the idea of it. It's written in the form of a dictionary, with different words on each page and the story is told part by part according to the word on the page. It's a strange, different concept but I'm sure it's going to be amazing, and it seems like a really quick read! I'm hoping to write a review on this by the end of the week next week.

3. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
       This one came out last year and everyone has been buzzing about it and everyone on booktube seems to have loved it. So I'm going to give it a go!

4. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
       With the third book in this series coming out, Still Me, I feel a need to finally get this one off my TBR shelf. Not to mention that it's February and I need some romantic reads (but I'm sure this one will break my heart more than anything else).

And a few tentative reads (if I have time over my reading week!)

5. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (reread)
       I read this one about 4 years ago, and with the movie coming out, I really want to reread it and to finally finish this series!

6. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (reread)
       This one I read YEARS ago and also never finished the series. I'm working on my New Year's Goal of finishing every series that I want to finish this year so I can go into 2019 with no opened series (other than ones that still have books coming out).

Well that's it! A pretty good TBR in my opinion, but I'm excited for it and excited to start reading again now that I get the time over my reading week.
Happy reading everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday (10): Top Books to Read in 2018

Hello everyone!
So this year is going to be good, I'm hoping. Good for me for university, for work, and most importantly, for reading! I figured I'd get back into the Top Ten Tuesdays that I haven't really posted since, well, 2015...but here's to second chances, right?
Anyways, the top ten books that I want to read in 2018! This list includes adult books, teen books, and a bunch of other books as well, but none of them are new releases for 2018. Here's hoping I can get to all of them by the end of the year. I seem to have a hard time reading everything on my top ten lists..

1. Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon
       I started the Outlander series about 2 years ago, and between working and getting my degree, I've never been able to sit down and read the third book. I'm really hoping to get back into them this year.

2. Lord of Shadows (Lady Midnight #2) by Cassandra Clare
       This one I've owned for awhile now, but I don't want to read it until the third book in the series comes out, because I've heard mixed things about the ending. Hopefully the third one does come out in December, and I can get around to reading this one!

3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
       With Iron Gold coming out, I've finally decided this year is the year to read this series. I've owned them all for a long time, and now that there's a fourth book, I need to hunker down and finally read them!

4. All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
       I've been, let's say, saving this book since it came out. I'm not sure when we're going to get a new Maggie Stiefvater book, so in lieu of that, I've been saving this one. However, one of my coworkers read it a couple weeks ago, and she said it was really good, so I may just sit and read this one this year. I feel like it will be a great, quick read.

5. The Young Elites by Marie Lu
       It's been a couple years now since I've read the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu, and I'm really missing her writing style. I don't want to reread Legend just yet, so I feel like this trilogy will be another great one to read.

6. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
       I've been meaning to read this series for, well.....years. And years. Hopefully 2018 will be the time.

7. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson
       It's now been almost 2 years since I've read the first two books in the Mistborn trilogy. I really, really want to read this one, but it's been crazy busy for me lately. This year, I'm going to finish it, no questions asked. I'm excited to see how it ends!

8. Artemis by Andy Weir
       This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017, so I'm frustrated that I haven't read it yet. This one is definetely on the top of my pile, because I absolutely love The Martian, and Andy Weir's writing style.

9. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
       This one has really been circulating around booktube and my work lately, and I know a lot of people who have absolutely loved it. It seems to be a quick, enjoyable read, so I'm hoping I can get to it soon!

10. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
       This one was on my TBR for 2017, but it wasn't anywhere near the top, so I never got around to it. Now that it's been out for awhile, I've heard nothing but amazing reviews of it, so I'm definetely going to be reading it!

Review: Graphic Novels Part Two

Hey everyone! I figured that since I had a fair amount of things to say about quite a few different graphic novel standalones and series, I'd split it up into two reviews. This is part two!

Here is the link for part one!

Saga Vol 1-8 by Brian K. Vaughan
       I've seen everyone on booktube reading Saga on and off for the past few years, so I figured I'd give it a go and see how it was, and just, WOW.
The artwork in the series is absolutely amazing. It's consistent, and all the characters are drawn beautifully. (This series is definitely a mature series, however).
The storyline is completely perfect. It's a story about aliens in space, travelling the galaxy, as well as a war happening between a planet and its moon, and how everyone in the galaxy can be affected in a negative way because of it. It's a story about war, sadness, and guilt, but also about love and how anything can be overcome by it.
The characters are amazingly well thought of. Every single character is weird and different (as they should be - they ARE aliens), but they are also so well developed, and they still develop a lot throughout the story. Everyone is connected in some way, and even though some characters only see each other once in awhile throughout the volumes, they still are all connected and are affecting each other in some way or another.
Overall, every single volume is amazing, and I know I'm going to be reading and rereading them time and time again.
Overall - ★★★★★

Archie Vol 1-4 by Mark Waid
       I used to read the Archie comic books when I was a kid, and I have such fond memories of going to flea markets at the cottage and buying boxes of old Archie comics, and I'd sit on the porch or in the woods by a stream and spend the rest of my time at the cottage reading them. With the new Riverdale TV show that came out (and yes, I do watch it - a guilty pleasure of mine) I missed the Archie comics, so I figured I'd pick up the new graphic novels.
The artwork is the same idea as the original comics, but there is a modern spin on it. I liked how they stayed true to the characters (Betty and her cars, Jughead and his crown, etc.) and how they didn't change anything massive or drastic.
The plots of the graphic novels, the storylines themselves, are different from the original comics, but in a good way. They all focus around one massive problem, and it is usually solved by the end of the novel, and another problem occurs. I enjoyed the plots themselves because they reminded me of the originals and they still had a bit of a modern spin on them.
The artwork itself was also enjoyable, and just like the plots, is similar to the original comics but with a bit of a twist on it.
Overall - ★★★★☆

Paper Girls Vol 1-3 by Brian K. Vaughan
       The first novel of this series I had a lot of mixed feelings about. I knew going into them that they were supposed to be strange and that the reader was supposed to struggle a little bit in the first volume, but honestly, I had zero idea of what was happening. The only reason the first volume for me got two stars instead of one was because the art work was really pretty and I loved the style.
That being said, going into the second volume was a lot easier, because I had some idea of what was happening, and I knew it was going to be super weird. The second volume was better than the first because I was able to follow it a lot better, and the third was better than the second for the same reason.
The only problems I have with this series is that they are so fast paced, that something will happen and you don't have a chance to understand what is happening before something else crazy happens. I personally love fast paced novels, but these are on a whole different level.
The art work in this series is the only reason that I kept reading them after the first novel. The art work is futuristic while being older, and I love the style. Also, as I said above, I LOVE Saga, and knowing that Brian K. Vaughan had his hand in this series really helped to keep me reading.
I'm going to keep reading this series as it comes out, and see where it goes and how my views change as I get further into the series.
Volume 1: ★★☆☆☆
Volume 2: ★★★☆☆
Volume 3: ★★★☆☆.5

2018 Resolutions

Hey everyone! Where did 2017 even go?? I can't believe how fast it went, but here's to new year and even more books! I figured I'd share with you all some of my 2018 bookish resolutions, so here we go!

2018 RESOLUTIONS

1. Buy less books
I've been saying for a long time now that I need to take a break buying books, and just read the ones that I own and haven't read. Well, 2018 is the year for that. I've gone through my shelves and I'm *slightly* overwhelmed by the sheer number of books that I own and haven't read, so I'm really hoping to help deal with (or start deal with) that overwhelming number this year.

2. Read at least 60 books
This past year in 2017, I read a total of 57 books out of my goal of 52. I wanted to read a lot more than that, but considering I'm a full time university student 8 months of the year, as well as having a part time job year round, I'm happy with that number. However, I'm hoping to read a bit more this year, in 2018.

3. Finish all of the series that I've started and put down
I normally am really good about finishing a series as soon as I start it. I'll read every book in the series one after another, but when I either don't get my hands on the book for awhile, or the book doesn't come out for awhile, I end up putting the series down and not finishing it for a long time, which makes it hard for me to read because I can either re-read the entire series, or I can just read the newer book, and struggle with some of the things that I've forgotten. This year, I want to finish every series that I've started that is completely out, and get caught up with all of the ones that have new books out. This includes:

1. The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
2. The Kiss of Deception Trilogy by Mary E. Pearson
3. A Darker Shade of Magic Trilogy by Victoria Schwab
4. Cinder Series by Marissa Meyer

As well as quite a few others.

4. Read more diversely

In 2017 I started reading some new things that I've never read, as well as never been a fan of before. I've started reading a lot of graphic novels (per one of my friends' requests), as well as poetry and some non-fiction. I'm hoping to continue this into 2018, and find some new things as well.

Here's to a great reading year for everyone!

2018 Reads

2015 Reads | 2016 Reads | 2017 Reads

Last updated: December 31st, 2018

January

1. ★★★★☆       Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately by Alicia Cook
2. ★★★★☆       The Beauty of Darkness (Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary Pearson
3. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
4. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
5. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
6. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 4 by Brian K. Vaughan
7. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 5 by Brian K. Vaughan
8. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 6 by Brian K. Vaughan
9. ★★☆☆☆       Paper Girls Vol 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
10. ★★★☆☆       Paper Girls Vol 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
11. ★★★☆☆.5    Paper Girls Vol 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
12. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 7 by Brian K. Vaughan
13. ★★★★☆.75  The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
14. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 8 by Brain K. Vaughan

February

1. ★★★☆☆.5    The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan
2. ★★★★☆       How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
3. ★★★★☆       Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent
4. ★★★★☆       The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
5. ★★☆☆☆       The Wicked + The Divine Vol 6 by Kieron Gillen
6. ★★★☆☆.5    Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey
7. ★★★★☆       A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

March

1. ★★★☆☆       The Bachelor Girl by Kin Van Alkemade
2. ★★★☆☆.75  I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
3. ★★★☆☆       The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

April

1. ★★★☆☆.5    Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman
2. ★★★★☆       The Amateurs by Liz Harmer

May

1. ★★★★☆.5    A Breath After Drowning by Alice Blanchard
2. ★★★★★       Circe by Madeline Miller
3. ★★★★☆.75  The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
4. ★★★★☆       Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
5. ★★☆☆☆.5    My Ex-Life by Stephen McCauley
6. ★★★☆☆       Paper Girls Vol 4 by Brian K. Vaughan
7. ★★★★☆       Dead Girl Running by Christina Dodd
8. ★★★★★       Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi

June

1. ★★★☆☆       The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani
2. ★★★★☆       Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian
3. ★★★★☆       Our Animal Hearts by Dania Tomlinson
4. ★★★☆☆.5    The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet
5. ★★☆☆☆       Tin Man by Sarah Winman

July

1. ★★★★☆       I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell

August

1. ★★☆☆☆.75  Lear's Shadow by Claire Holden Rothman
2. ★★★☆☆       West by Carys Davies
3. ★★★★☆       Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians #1) by Kevin Kwan

September

1. ★★★★★       Herokiller by Paul Tassi
2. ★★★★☆       Game of Secrets by Kim Foster

October

1. ★★★★☆.5    An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
2. ★★★☆☆.5    The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
3. ★★★☆☆       Sam & Ilsa's Last Hurrah by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
4. ★★★★★       An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
5. ★★★★★       Vicious (Villians #1) by V. E. Schwab

November

1. ★★★★★       Vengeful (Villians #2) by V. E. Schwab
2. ★★★☆☆.5    You Are the Everything by Karen Rivers
3. ★★★★☆       Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent
4. ★★★★★       Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia
5. ★★★★★       Saga Vol 9 by Brian K. Vaughan

December

1. ★★★☆☆       The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel
2. ★★★☆☆.5    After Nightfall by A. J. Banner
3. ★★★★☆       Truth and Lies by Caroline Mitchell

Books read this year: 58/55