Flasks and Fiction

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott Rating: 5/5 stars Devon is a superstar gymnast on the brink of competing in the Senior Elite qualifiers. Everything is on track until someone is killed in a hit and run accident only a few weeks before the meet. Told from the perspective of Devon's mother, Katie, You Will Know Me follows the aftermath as the entire gym deals with the news. Was the death an accident? Who was involved? Who can keep a secret? I have only read one other Megan Abbott book, The Fever, and really disliked it. I am a sucker for a good sports-related story, though, so decided to give Abbott one more chance when requesting this title. Maybe not surprisingly, I couldn't put You Will Know Me down. This was a very nuanced book with the drama unfolding at a slow, but steady pace. At no one point did Abbott throw a huge curve ball like most murder mystery novels, instead adding little details here and there that keep you wanting more. All of the characters were believ...

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova Rating: 3/5 stars Alex, a Brooklyn native, was raised in a family of Bruja's and Brujo's. Growing up and watching people she loved die and disappear, she has always seen magic as more of a curse than a gift. When Alex discovers that she is an Encantrix and the most powerful Bruja of her time, she decides that instead of accepting her magic on her Deathday she will get rid of it. With the help of a mysterious new friend, Nova, this plan goes horribly wrong, sending her entire family into a magical world. Together, along with Alex's best friend, Rishi, they embark on a journey to bring them back. I liked certain aspects of Labyrinth Lost, but felt the story suffered from being too short. Generally over explaining bothers me, but this plot would have benefited from some more extensive world building, especially once the group reaches Los Lagos. I would have liked some more description of what Alex was seeing through the entire journey...

The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan Rating: 4/5 stars Following the untimely passing of both his mother and grandmother, Dylan decides to leave the failing family movie theater behind. He packs up his meager belongings and moves to a caravan in Scotland he has recently discovered his mother purchased without him knowing. In his new home, he befriends his neighbor, Constance, and her 12 year-old daughter, Stella. Together, the group get ready for what will become the worst winter the world has ever seen. Most the-world-is-coming-to-an-end novels take place after the world has fallen apart. Instead, in The Sunlight Pilgrims the characters are dealing with how to adapt their new normal, a refreshing new take on the genre. The reactions from the town and its citizens feel very organic; Nobody is pretending to be brave or overly heroic and the world has not just suddenly fallen apart in the span of a few months. Everyone is moving forward one step at a time not thinking long term, b...

The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger Rating: 3/5 stars Following a torn achilles and fractured wrist that left her sidelined from the professional tennis circuit for months, Charlie hires the infamous Todd Feltner to coach her to a Grand Slam title. Suddenly, Charlie has gone from good girl with ribbons in her hair to a "warrior princess" adorned with a crystal crown during matches and adored by the tabloids. I do really love Weisberger's past novels, and this one didn't quite stack up. It was a perfectly entertaining chick lit novel, but there was just something missing I couldn't quite place my finger on. Charlie was supposed to be a strong independent woman, but instead she seemed to do everything others told her to do, from her celebrity tennis love interest to her coach, even when she wasn't comfortable with the decision. Why? Because she wanted to win. There were multiple times when I wanted her to just say no to set some boundaries with these ...

Falling By Jane Green Rating: 2/5 stars Emma Montague, British by birth, moves to the coast of Connecticut after quitting her job as a banker, for a change of the fast pace of Manhattan. Within weeks she's fallen for her landlord, Dominic, and his 6 year-old son, Jesse. I don't like Nicholas Sparks novels for a reason, and this novel was way too Nicholas Sparks for my taste. Yes, it is a silly chick lit book, but that doesn't mean characters can have some depth. Emma was the stereotypical upperclass, well educated woman who falls in love for the working class bartender, Dominic. Everyone in this book was very one note to the point where I could've predicted almost the entire book from sentence two. That is not necessarily a bad thing, fluffy and light was what I was looking for, but Green threw in a totally unnecessary plot twist at the end just to mix things up. Although I didn't quite enjoy Falling it was a nice, quick, summer read.

The Things We Knew By Catherine West Rating: 5/5 starts Recommend: Yes As the years have gone on, all of Lynnie Carlisle's siblings have moved away from the family home on Nantucket, leaving the youngest daughter to care for their aging father alone. As the family bank account starts to run dry Lynnie turns to the families recently returned neighbor, Nick, who has taken over responsibility of the family bank in town. Together they decide it may be best to sell the Carlisle house, so all of the siblings are called home for the first time in many years. Over the course of their weeks home, they all realize they must confront the mysterious death of their mother 12 years ago. The 5 Carlisle children could not be more different, which is what makes this book so enjoyable. They have all gone out to lead successful lives, but their return home could not have come at a more opportune time for each. From ailing rockstar Gray to abused corporate lawyer Liz, each one has their own ...