ASSESS WITH JESS
Here are my reviews of some books that I read post-college (that aren't directly religious*).
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The books are ranked in order (with the best at the top).
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*My thoughts on religious books are listed at: https://jessicahudak16.wixsite.com/smidgen-of-religion
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**CAUTION: My full analyses contain SPOILERS!!!**
5 STARS
I would definitely read these books again!
(Not listed but also in this category would be the Percy Jackson series, the Hunger Games series, and the Divergent series).
4 STARS
I enjoyed these books, but I don't know if I would read them again.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Series)
By: Holly Jackson
I was kept guessing on what would happen next, the plot was easy to follow, and everything wrapped up nicely. I liked the humor and the romance sub-plot with Ravi Singh (who did seem quite ravishing). I also liked the short chapters and the changing formats (e.g., narration, capstone reports, interviews, etc.). I was initially very upset that the innocent golden retriever dies, but I liked how everything wrapped up nicely in the last book.
Check and Mate
By: Ali Hazelwood
As a former Chess Club member, I recognized a lot of the chess lingo, and I appreciated the break in stereotypes. I was kept in suspense about why the main character left chess to begin with, whether or not she was going to become the next World Champion, and whether or not she was going to date the current World Champion. That said, I do not agree with the publisher’s “Young Adult” rating (since the main characters are 18 and 20 years old, and there’s “closed-door” intimacy).
My Mechanical Romance
By: Alexene Farol Follmuth
As a girl in STEM, I related to the joys of embracing your own style, designing contraptions in AP Physics (whether it's for catapulting or for egg dropping), and listening to Taylor Swift. I also related to the pressure of not knowing what you want to do with the rest of your life when you’re only 18 and not wanting to tell others about your passions in case you fail at them. This main girl’s journey was a realistic way that high school girls may decide to pursue Mechanical Engineering. Even though I didn’t get into robotics until post-college (and the robots that I currently work with are different from combat robots), it made me wish that I got into robotics sooner. This book (a pun of “My Chemical Romance”?) serves as a good reminder that girls can be just as smart as boys (and nerds can be hot)!
Eva Underground
By: Dandi Daley Mackall
Taking place in Communist-occupied Poland right before JP2 became Pope, this book is incredibly well-researched and well-written. I recognized many of the Polish words that were scattered throughout the story, and there’s also a Polish-English glossary in the back for reference. This book opened my eyes to the harsh realities behind the Iron Curtain.
The Mother-Daughter Book Club (Series)
By: Heather Vogel Frederick
Even though I felt the age gap while re-reading this series (since I’m 25 and the main characters begin as 11), I loved the diversity of the cast and the wholesome plot. Even though I’m not completely motivated to read the classics that the book club is reading, it was fun to hear them discuss those books anyways (even though they gave away some spoilers) in addition to discussing fun facts about their authors!
3 STARS
I feel neutral about these books. I didn't love them or hate them.
The Deep End of the Sea
By: Heather Lyons
Medusa is often portrayed as a heartless monster. In reality, she was a sweet, caring 23-year-old mortal girl who got assaulted by Poseidon and unfairly cursed by Athena (who she loyally served). Because the Percy Jackson series remains my favorite series of all time, I enjoyed reading this Greek Mythology-based story about redemption, family, and true love.
The Wedding Dress
By: Rachel Hauck
This alternating-timeline novel was the perfect balance between romance, Christianity, and historical fiction. I was kept on my toes about whether Emily from 1912 would marry her best friend (Daniel) or give in to societal pressure for marrying the wealthy but unfaithful Philip (and if she would wear the dress that she loves, sown by a coloured lady, or wear the dress that she hates but everyone pressures her to wear, sown by a rude white lady). I was also kept on my toes about whether things would work out for present-day Charlotte and her engagement to Tim. Everything tied nicely together (although I’m still wondering about the man in purple who mysteriously offered guidance to both Emily and Charlotte…).
I'll Be Seeing You
By: Robin Lee Hatcher
This alternating-timeline historical Christian fiction novel illustrates how history can repeat itself if we do not learn from it. When we do make mistakes, God can forgive us and redeem us if we genuinely repent. The characters were realistic and believable, and I kept guessing if Brianna would go down the same road as her great-grandmother or not.
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen
By: Susan Gregg Gilmore
Because the author is Christian, I appreciated all the Bible references that were thrown in throughout this coming-of-age novel (as the main character struggles with doubt in her faith while repeatedly realizing how unfair life can be). About ¾ of the way through, I was surprised by the plot twist that showed how there can be more to people’s stories than meets the eye.
This Is Not The Jess Show
By: Anna Carey
This book is the YA-version of The Truman Show. Full of drama and action, it follows the life of 17-year-old Jess while raising important questions on social media, greed, desperation, family, society, and morality. It's interesting to read this story through a Christian lens (since similar to how there's more to the world than the TV set that Jess is stuck in, there's more to life than our time on Earth).
You Deserve Each Other
By: Sarah Hogle
This second-chance love novel reminds us of the importance of being genuine to your significant other (especially before committing to marriage). Would your partner (who you’re supposed to be more deeply intimate with than anyone else) still want to be with you if you openly showed them your bad side and all your faults?
A Step from Heaven
By: An Na
Because my best friend’s family immigrated from South Korea, it was cool to read about a fictional family going through the immigration experience as well. I recognized the Korean words for mom (Uhmma), dad (Apa), grandma (Halmoni), grandpa (Harabuji), older sister (Uh-nee), sweetheart (Yuh-boh), old lady (ahjumma), and oh-my (aigoo).
Bloomability
By: Sharon Creech
Even though I was born and raised in the same place, Dinnie has a different story. Her family has moved countless times, and eventually she gets sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle in Switzerland. This book explores how even though things may not go according to our plans, we must open our eyes to the opportunities around us.
2 STARS
There were only a couple aspects I liked about these books. At some point, I may have been tempted to "DNF" them.
The House Across the Lake
By: Riley Sager
​This alternating-timeline novel kept me guessing if a crime was even committed, and if so, who was responsible. It explores the themes of willpower, grief, guilt, and closure during the struggles of alcoholism, fame, privacy invasion, loss, and loneliness. I was captivated by the eerie mid-October Vermont lakehouse setting (admist a hurricane), but about ⅔ of the way through, there was a shocking plot twist that was weird and unbelievable.
A Sassy Cat Mystery (Series)
By: Jennifer J. Chow
I’m glad that the protagonist was my age (25), but it was weird hearing an animal’s perspective of life via her talking cat (Marshmallow), who wasn't as interesting as Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The plot was easy to follow yet kept me guessing, and there was lots of humor thrown in, but I don't like chihuahuas as much.
Things Not Seen
By: Andrew Clements
This YA-version of H.G. Wells’s The Invisible Man explores what it feels like to be blind, an outcast, or misunderstood. Even though it’s a bit weird that the main character has to run around naked to be completely invisible in public, this story also illuminates the importance of family and friendship when getting through difficult times. After all, some situations (like turning invisible) can be less desirable than initially meets the eye.
The Measure
By: Nikki Erlick
This book posed the interesting question of whether you would open a box if it held a string whose length correlated with the length of your life. This ties in 2 Greek myths: the Fates cutting string when someone’s time is almost up, as well as Pandora opening a box out of curiosity which caused a lot of chaos but left behind hope. It’s interesting that the boxes come when someone is at least 22 years of age, so they have already been educated and made major life decisions without the discrimination of being a short- or long-stringer. It was also cool how the book was told from different perspectives, each with different situations and choices, but ultimately all of their stories are woven together.
Double Identity
By: Margaret Haddix
This book kept me wondering (e.g., Why was Bethany’s mother constantly crying? Who is this secret Elizabeth? Why did Bethany’s parents leave her to be under the care of a lady she’s never met? Why is the scary man who’s demanding to speak with Bethany’s dad?). It also raised some interesting ethical issues (i.e., Is it ever ok to defy nature by cloning a person?).
Ella in Europe
By: Michael Konik
As both a dog-lover and someone who enjoys learning about other cultures, I enjoyed reading the fun stories of Ella the dog visiting Europe with her human companion. Even though this book was a bit slow-paced at times, I appreciated the included pictures of Ella at the various European landmarks. Snuggling with Toto while reading this book also added to the experience.
People We Meet on Vacation
By: Emily Henry
The alternating timeline between past and present builds suspense about what happened on the ill-fated summer Croatia trip that caused a rift in a 10-year-long friendship (that was started during freshman year at the University of Chicago). It reminded me how vacations are best spent with those you love (even if you're stuck in a cramped Airbnb with a thermostat that can only go down one degree at a time without overheating).
Better than the Movies
By: Lynn Painter
I wish the guy that Liz ended up with wasn’t the “bad boy” type who didn’t take things seriously. The ending was predictable, but I enjoyed the rom-com movie quotes at the start of every chapter. The book also opened my eyes to how hard it is to go through important milestones (e.g., dress shopping and college tours) with the loss of a parent (e.g., Liz’s mom).
The Do-Over
By: Lynn Painter
This book is basically the YA-version of Groundhog Day. It was hard to root for the “bad boy” (even though he turned out to be a softie under his hard exterior), but I liked the writing style -- including confessions in each chapter intro, and at the end there’s a playlist of songs that represent the different milestones of the book (such as Taylor Swift’s/ Ed Sheeran’s “Everything Has Changed”): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4gex4YF0tYiPSuhID55dEY
The Seven Year Slip
By: Ashley Poston
This book had its cute moments (e.g., having “Lemon” be a nickname for “Clementine”, seeing how Clementine progressed from thinking of Iwan as “Mr. Murder Man” to Prince Charming, and thinking about what constitutes the perfect meal). However, it was a bit confusing about why the apartment can time travel (what if you just never closed the door?), and why only sometimes. It was also a bit confusing if Clementine ever got closure with her aunt. I also don’t like how Clementine just randomly quits her job at the end of the book after having poured herself out in it for years, with no backup plan.
The Inheritance Games (Series)
By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I liked some of the riddles in the scavenger hunt. I also liked how there was no cussing (there’s instead only substitute cuss words, like “fox”). The short chapters helped me fly through the book. It reminded me of the movie "Knives Out". However, the plot got more and more far-fetched as the story went on.
Every Soul a Star
By: Wendy Mass
This book was boring, predictable, and not memorable. I read it in middle school and had not thought about it since until re-reading it. It was at least a bit educational about space-related topics, though.
(Edit: A few months after I re-read this book was the total solar eclipse of 4/8/2024, so I remembered this book at that time.)
The Ice Cream Parlor Series
By: Abby Collette
Even though this book was either overly-convenient or slow-moving at times, it was fun to read a story where the protagonist was in her late-twenties (around my age) and has two best friends (one with a colorful personality and one who’s sassy) and lives in Chagrin Falls! I could picture the infamous waterfall and the typical architecture of the surrounding stores. I knew what the author was talking about when she mentioned the demographics of this safe Cleveland suburb and its unpredictable weather. I even learned that there’s an annual “pumpkin roll” tradition (where teenagers who are too old for treat-or-treating roll pumpkins down the street) and the fact that it has a “town triangle” rather than a “town square”!
The Testing
By: Joelle Charbonneau
The extreme penalties for not passing or following protocol during the testing process are disturbing and unnecessary (since why would you want to kill some of the brightest young adults?). I also didn’t like how the Testing Committee can view betrayal and sabotage as signs for a smart, strong leader (when I think that compassion should be prioritized).
Dining with Joy
By: Rachel Hauck
As someone tends to stick to basic recipes (e.g., boxed mac-and-cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, and canned soup), I related to Joy’s struggle with cooking. It was also relatable to have main characters around my age (as Joy is 29 and Luke is in his early 30s). I appreciated the Christian undertones, the insight into the power of food, and the reminder that you may be more capable than you realize.
A Promise Kept
By: Robin Lee Hatcher
It was a bit unrelatable to read about a lady protagonist who is twice my age (since she's 45 years old) going through divorce and co-parenting her only child (when I don’t have marriage on the radar). But it was a good alternating-timeline story on how God can fulfill His promises in ways we don’t expect (although I wish the protagonist was Catholic instead of non-denominational). The author’s note in the back was powerful, since that meant that the book was more-or-less based on a true story.
From Scratch
By: Tembi Locke
This book had some interesting points that were good for a book club discussion, and it’s cool that there’s a Netflix series that’s based off of it, but this book was very predictable. Just from reading the cover, you already know that Tembi ends up with Saro, he gets disowned from his family, and only after Saro dies from cancer does Tembi get accepted in the family. But since this book is based on a real story, I guess I can’t expect the author to throw in surprising twists.
Lost And Found
By: Orson Scott Card
This book had a very sarcastic humor, and some of the jokes were too obscene for my taste. The micropowers discussed also seemed too unrealistic. And the aspect of child kidnapping is scary and disguisting. But it brought up a couple interesting points, such as what is the definition of “lost”? How does this apply to old scrunchies that accidentally fell out but you don’t want back, gum that you intentionally threw out, someone with dementia, someone who “lost” a parent to death who is never coming back, etc.?
Sisterchicks Say Ooh-La-La
By: Robin Jones Gunn
Paris is overhyped, and it was a bit weird to read about two ladies who are twice my age (44, while I’m 24), but this book reminded me of things I learned from French class. Their adventure also reminded me about the importance of faith, friendship, and conquering fears (whether it’s fear of returning to a place where a previous partner broke your heart or fear of going to the top of the Eiffel Tower).
Lock and Key
By: Sarah Dessen
Even though I had read this book back in 10th grade, I did not remember anything that happened in it. Maybe it was unrememberable because it was slow-paced and unrelatable? At the same time, I appreciate how it tackles the issues of what “family” is and shows how necessary it is to let others in (instead of constantly being guarded, even though opening yourself up to others requires vulnerability and risk).
Lessons in Chemistry
By: Bonnie Garmus
I appreciate the story about a determined female who is passionate about pursuing STEM despite it being a male-dominated field, and I liked how a lot of things circled back to an earlier plot point. However, I do not like how there are a lot of dark topics or how the Catholic Church is portrayed in a negative light. Despite the fact that the cover makes the book look like it’s a cheesy rom-com, this book is instead historical fiction (from the 1960s).
Murder on the Orient Express
By: Agatha Christie
It was hard to keep track of all the characters and make sense of the old-fashioned writing, so I relied on a YouTube audiobook while reading along with the physical book to stay focused and make fast progress. I was disappointed that the plot twist was already spoiled for me from the “Ice Cream Parlor” series, but it was still interesting to see what this classic was all about. Since I took French in high school, it was also cool to recognize a few French words!
And Then There Were None
By: Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is known as the queen of mystery, and this stand-alone novel is commonly regarded as her best masterpiece (that many other works, such as Sara Shepard’s The Perfectionists, were based on). The writing style was a bit old-fashioned, and in the beginning it was difficult to keep the characters straight, but overall the story was thrilling with unexpected turns.
The Maidens
By: Alex Michaelides
I like this author’s writing style, and the short chapters make this book a fast read. It was interesting to read a book where the main character is revisiting her college campus (since I’m an OSU alum who still visits OSU’s campus), and Alex does a good job capturing the grieving process. Even though I did not ever fully guess the plot twist at the end, it left me feeling disappointed and disturbed. But it was interesting how Theo (the main therapist of “The Silent Patient”) made an appearance and Mariana suggested to him a job opportunity to make a painter’s wife talk again (which he ends up applying for, and the rest is history).
We Were Liars
By: E. Lockhart
This book is super confusing when you don't know what's actually going on. When you finally figure it out, it's super depressing. It was unique that it was interlaced with some fairy tales of a king and his three princesses, but it was unclear how it related to the real characters exactly. In retrospective, it was interesting to listen to a YouTuber cover all the "clues" along the way.
Choose Wonder Over Worry
By: Amber Rae
This book has a lot of generic advice that I’ve heard before, but it also has a few unique insights about how to choose curiosity/ courage over fear. The author honestly talks about how she overcame her Adderall addiction, her failed relationships, and her career shifts.
Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
By: Margaret Haddix
This book brings light to questions regarding the right to privacy and when to ask for help. It reminded me that people who are scraping by with C’s actually could have a lot of untapped potential if they actually applied themselves, but they may be burdened with more than meets the eye.
1 STAR
I would not recommend these books. They felt like a waste of time.
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Note: Books that I REALLY didn't like, I didn't even bother including, such as:
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- In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
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-Colleen Hoover books
Where the Crawdads Sing
By: Delia Owens
This coming-of-age novel also functions as a romance and a murder mystery. It bounces between two timelines: 1952 (when Ma left Kya’s family) and 1969 (when Chase Andrew’s body is discovered) until the timelines converge. Along the way, the novel explores the concepts of family, true love, prejudice, justice, loneliness, courage, and self-preservation.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Reading about a glamorous lifestyle (based on a combination of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, etc.) allowed me to have true escapism. I wish the main characters would have been more likable, and I doubt that the lengths that Evelyn went through to be famous was truly worth it. Some of the decisions that Evelyn made directly goes against Catholic teaching (e.g., not respecting the sanctity of marriage). However, I liked the alternating timeline between the past/present, so that I was guessing not only how Evelyn’s life would play out, but also why Evelyn chose Monique to write about her story. I also liked the newspaper clippings that were attached so that we could see how outsiders were viewing the situation.
Gone Girl
By: Gillian Flynn
I liked the alternating perspectives (between Nick and Amy). I also like how Amy’s perspective in the first half was told via her manipulative diary entries from the past, and then in the second half, it was told with her true self in the present. However, both characters were unlikable, so there were times when I wasn’t sure who to root for (and I was also frustrated at how long Nick stalled between clues in the scavenger hunt). The story also doesn’t honor the sacredness of marriage. And what is the point of Amy going through all the trouble for such extreme revenge? At first, I was considering watching the movie to compare, but according to the YouTube audiobook stream I listened to (Jesse Nowack, which made me feel like I was part of a book club), the movie very graphically depicts Desi’s murder and shows two instances of male genitalia.
Coraline
By: Neil Gaiman
This creepy story has some good moral lessons, but I found many of its elements overly weird (e.g., people with buttons for eyes, a detached hand that crawls like a spider, and rats playing musical instruments). I might consider watching the movie someday to compare it to the book just out of curiosity.
A Lite Too Bright
By: Samuel Miller
It was interesting how the end destination was Kent, Ohio of all places! I was surprised by some revelations and how some things circled back. I also learned some things about mental conditions (e.g., dementia and intentional forgetting). However, I didn’t appreciate the main character’s atheistic views, and some things seemed far-fetched or overly coincidental.
Matched
By: Ally Condie
I was initially hopeful that this dystopian series would be like the Hunger Games or the Divergent Series, but most of its dystopian elements didn’t even make much sense. It felt super dragged out (considering how it repeatedly spent a lot of time talking about how dangerous it is to carry around a poem). I couldn’t really root for Cassia to end up either Xander or Ky because I felt like I didn’t know much about either of them, and her feelings for Ky seemed suspiciously fast and unfounded on anything concrete. I don’t think I’ll be continuing with Books 2 or 3…
Dear Emma
By: Katie Heaney
There were a few things that I could relate to with the junior-year college-student protagonist: It can be tempting to overanalyze texts, compare ourselves with others, share every detail of our days with our two best friends, constantly check for Facebook updates from someone we don’t talk to anymore, and dread accidentally “liking” a post that shows that we were stalking someone’s account. However, the main character shows how annoying it can be when you obsess too much over a guy, sulk in misery, and rely too much on others for reassurance.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
By: Stuart Turton
The title was intriguing (since how can you die “half” a time?), plus it’s similar to “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”. However, the timelines and characters were confusing to keep straight, and I was confused by some of the language (e.g., apparently a “footman” is a “butler”).
The Midnight Library
By: Matt Haig
This book was unrealistic with some of the available options Nora had to choose from (since I’m not sure if I ever would have chosen to become an acrobat, etc.), and the ending was predictable. However, I guess I feel like I have less regrets now and that I’m focusing more on being thankful for what I have.
The Throwback List
By: Lily Anderson
It was relatable to read about 3 different post-grads, but this book was unnecessarily long and un-special. Some items on their bucket list were thought-provoking (e.g., learn an entire dance routine, play hide-and-seek in public, and try everything on the menu at the local restaurant), but other items were disagreeable (e.g., TP someone’s house, get stoned, and pose like a pinup girl).
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
By: James McBride
I could not get into this book. The writing style was confusing, so I would read pages without comprehending what was going on. There were too many characters to keep track of, and I didn’t understand the names of some of the characters (such as “Monkey Pants”). I don’t understand how this book was nominated for so many awards.
The Old Man and the Sea
By: Ernest Hemmingway
This book won a Pulitzer Prize and was a big reason why Hemmingway won a Nobel Prize for Literature. His short, simple style of writing made this novella quick to read. Even though it was slow-paced in the beginning and included some gross imagery of killing fish, its pace parallels the lifestyle of a fisherman (where oftentimes you’re sitting around, waiting for something to pick up).