Monday, January 30, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: January 2023

Disclaimer: I received ARCs of Central Places and On the Savage Side from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

What a great start to another year of reading! Instead of being overwhelmed with library holds all coming in at once, I was able to pick and choose what I wanted to read without rushing through them all. I was lucky to read a hot newish release by Barbara Kingsolver, an author whose epic novels never disappoint. NetGalley has been very generous this month, offering limited time reads that I didn't have to apply for. One of them was by Tiffany Daniel, another author who I am familiar with and who also never disappoints. Interestingly, both the Kingsolver and Daniel books were very different variations on the same theme, poverty and opiate abuse in rural Appalachia. Do yourself a favor and read both. Not only will they make you count your blessings, but they both will give you a lot to think about. 

The other three books were also excellent. I hope this is the pattern for the rest of 2023!



Wow. What a truly remarkable read!! Kingsolver's interpretation of the damage of institutional poverty and its effects on children is a familiar story based on the classic Dickens novel David Copperfield. The setting is Appalachia and the devil is opioid addiction. The main character, Demon, is a survivor with admirable resilience. He also had a few good people in his life and they left a positive impact on him, even when he was struggling. This is a long book, but the length didn't affect me--I couldn't put the book down. The writing is truly amazing and authentic for the setting, which transported me to Demon's world. I found it so interesting that while the story was so dark, it wasn't at all depressing. There were moments of humor and hope as well. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Demon Copperhead might be my first book of 2023, but it's certainly going to be one of my favorites.


This is the second fiction book I've read in the past year about climate change and Florida. I reviewed The Displacements in August. Both books centered the story around a destructive hurricane. The Light Pirate takes place over years as the state is continually battered by these storms. Eventually, the ocean reclaims that state, and the remaining residents are forced to adapt and learn to survive. The main character, Wanda, was named after that first hurricane, even against her father's wishes. She is born with a gift that helps her to endure the changing conditions. This was a fascinating, frightening read; the writing is so good that I had trouble putting the book down. You will too.



A young Asian woman returns from New York to her small Illinois hometown so her parents can meet her fiancé. She's settled into a very comfortable, privileged life with the help of her financé's very wealthy parents. When she returns home, she has to confront many ghosts from the past, including the cultural divide between her life and that of her parents. She also revisits her old friends from high school, including her 'crush' and finds that while she's moved on, she still has feelings for him. It gets complicated and very interesting. She starts to question her life choices and does some ill-advised actions during her visit home. I really loved Central Places--it felt like a late bloomer-coming of age story. The author does a great job of demonstrating that you can try to reinvent yourself but if you don't confront the past, can you ever move on? To be released on January 31.


Killers of A Certain Age was such a pleasant surprise! Four women, who've worked as assassins for an international undercover organization, are thought to be out of touch with modern methods. They are sent on an all-expenses-paid cruise to mark their retirement. On the cruise, they realize they have been targeted for assassination. Not so rusty after all, they unravel the plot for their demise and spring back into action. The story is sprinkled with past escapades and adventures. Don't be surprised if you see this book being made into a movie. It's kind of like the Golden Girls meets Mission Impossible. It was really refreshing to read a book about strong, older women! This was a fun read and I had trouble putting it down! 


On the Savage Side
 is another devastating coming-of-age story, based on the true story of 6 missing women in Chillicothe, Ohio. Set in rural Appalachia similarly to Demon Copperhead, life is bleak and poverty is rampant. So is heroin use. The two sisters at the center of this story are twins, trying to survive in a home with their mother and aunt, addicts and prostitutes. As much as they try, the girls succumb to the life that they were raised with. As young women start to disappear, only to be found floating in the river, Arc, one of the twins, tries to make sense of it but only gets herself in trouble. This is the second book I've read by this author and her writing is exquisite. It is not an easy book to read--there is rampant drug use and violence against women-- but I found myself drawn into the story and had difficulty putting it down. I think it is a book that will stay with me for a long time.  To be released on February 14.

What have you read this month? Have you read any of these books? Clearly, I'm a fan of coming of age books as I have 3 of them in this collection! Do you have any favorite genres?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.


26 comments :

  1. It's impressive how many books you get through in a month! Central Places sounds like a book I'd enjoy - I just might have to check it out.

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  2. You write such great reviews, Wendy! I really look forward to this monthly edition.
    What a feat to take on a Dickens novel! I am tempted to re-read David Copperfield just to refresh my memory and to see how Kingsolver has used the source material. I'm sure she did a great job! Thanks for the tip!

    I'm still stuck in "12 Rules for Life" by Jordan Peterson. It's a great read but it requires a lot of focus.

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    1. I don't think I've read David Copperfield since I was in high school. But there was no need to read it to enjoy this one!

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  3. Wow- these all sound GREAT. I love Barbara Kingsolver, and Central Places also intrigues me. The Light Pirate scares me a little! Right now I'm reading the new David Goggins book and I have a stack of books TBR, but I'll go ahead and put library holds on some of your books. You definitely make them sound compelling. Thanks for the reviews!

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    1. I also love Barbara Kingsolver, but her books are so long. Demon Copperfield is worth it! What a great read!

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  4. Thanks again... love hearing about what you've read and your reviews. Have you read The Measure?

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  5. You're the second person that I have heard mention Killers of a Certain Age so I think I need to check it out!

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    1. That was such a fun surprise! I had heard nothing about it, but I really enjoyed it.

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  6. I love your reviews and use them for my reads. So,thank you! Barabara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. Sometimes she puts together a sentence so well that I read it out loud to hear the beauty of her words. I will look for this new one from her. I just finished "Lessons in Chemistry" that you had recommended earlier. So good.

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    1. i'm so glad you loved Lessons in Chemistry! It's still one of my favorites from last year.

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  7. These are great views and a very eclectic mix of reads. Killers of a certain age sounds like it is my type of book.

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    1. It was such a fun read! I'd love more books like it.

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    2. I've got Demon Copperhead downloaded - up next after I finish The Hive -- have you read that one? Killers of a Certain Age sounds fun -- will check that one out too.

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    3. I haven't read that one! So many books, am I right?

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  8. Sounds like you read alot of good books this month! I just finished It Ends With Us. I have a few others I am waiting on library holds to be released, so currently I'm not reading anything.

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    1. I haven't read any of Colleen Hoover's books but they all sound good! Did you know this one was being made into a movie?

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  9. These all sound great! Not sure which book I would want to read first.

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  10. Argh, when I read this I would have been the first person to comment, which it won't let me do, and now I'm too late and have missed you! I am looking forward to reading Demon Copperhead, though not sure when (March, I think, or maybe late Feb when I have some home-alone time and time for reading in big chunks) and Central Places is the other one from your list that appeals. I read some good stuff in January myself, Osman Yousefzada's "The Go-Between" being a stand-out I think.

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    1. Yep, Blogger is finicky! I'm glad you were able to comment and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on Demon Copperhead! You might want to consider On the Savage Side as a contrast--similar setting but different perspective.

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  11. "The Golden Girls meets Mission Impossible" is the best tagline for a book I've heard in a long time! I'm going to suggest this one for book club.

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    1. Oh please let me know what your book club thinks! i just loved it!

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  12. I love the range of books you've covered and they all sounds like great reads! Killers of a Certain Age sounds like fun. I'm also drawn to Central Places...and you can never go wrong with Barbara Kingsolver. Thanks for the great reviews!

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