Author: Alisha Helms

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez / Claire Jiménez

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The cover of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez. A drawn photo of the back of a young woman, above her shoulders. She has tan skin, medium hoop earrings, and bright red hair in a bun. She also has a birth mark under her left eye that you can see on her cheek.
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez
By: Claire Jiménez
Genre: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 240
Published: March 7, 2023
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Dates Read: February 19, 2023 - February 20, 2023
Format: ARC / Paperback

Trigger Warnings: Discussion of rape and molestation, missing child(ren)

13-year-old Ruthie Ramirez disappeared without a trace from a bus stop after track practice in 1996. Her disappearance rocked the Ramirez family and they were never able to fully recover. Then, one night, twelve years later, older sister Jessica spots a splitting image of their sister on a reality TV show called Catfight, she even has the beauty mark under the left eye that is instantly recognizable.

In 2008, Ruthy’s mother, Dolores, still struggles with the loss, older sister Jessica now has a newborn baby and works at the hospital, and younger sister Nina, after four years away at college, is now back and living with their mom and is forced to work a job at the lingerie store at the mall.

After the sisters see the could-be-Ruthy, they hatch a plan to go down to where the show is filming to see if they can confirm who they think she is. When Dolores also sees the could-be-Ruthy herself, she insists on joining, and dragging along her best friend, Irene. The Ramirez women then set on a road trip that forces them to face their past and look towards the future, with or without the could-be-Ruthy.

This is both a heartwarming and a heartbreaking novel. The chapters jump around between the Ramirez women, including Ruthy back in 1996 on the day of her disappearance. By doing this, Jiménez is able to show you each of their thoughts and feelings, which really humanizes the whole thing and makes it feel authentic.

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez was also a pretty quick read for me as well, the only reason it took me two days was because I started it later in the evening on the 19th. The writing style and language of this novel are smooth and easy flowing, regardless of whose POV the chapter was written in. This style also keeps the mystery of what really happened to Ruthy up until the very end – did she get taken or did she simply run away and refuse to talk to her family again?

I can easily see this book becoming a Book Club favorite in libraries as well as highly talked about once it’s released in a few weeks. Anyone who likes to read about a complicated family dynamic, especially based around women, will greatly enjoy this book.

*Thank you Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Family Fortuna / Lindsay Eager

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The cover of “The Family Fortuna” by Lindsay Eagar. There is a woman on the cover whose family is obscured by black raven like feathers. Below her shoulders, the art fades to show 4 people standing the spotlight of a circus ring.
The Family Fortuna
By: Lindsay Eagar
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Published: March 7, 2023
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Dates Read: February 11, 2023 - February 18, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

Trigger Warnings: Verbal abuse

The Family Fortuna is a story set in 1889 that follows a carnival circus run by the Fortuna family. It mostly follows Avita, a monstrous looking bird woman who is the daughter of the ringmaster of The Family Fortuna. It also goes into the POV of her family members: her brother, Lorenzo, her sister, Luna, and her mother and father. They’ve all lived and worked at the circus together, but their world changes when Avita meets an artist who isn’t afraid of her and gets commissioned to make new portraits of all the acts.

I enjoyed this historical fiction young adult debut novel set in a carnival/circus. It really gave a good dive into the behind the scenes of a circus in the 1880’s.

Some of the word choices threw me off, though I did chalk it up to the time period as well as the word choices of the characters, who do live in a circus. Though the word “fart(s)” always throws me off way more than it probably should, and the characters use it quite frequently to describe the worth of others. Sometimes the way that Avita would talk about her sister, Luna, was a little weird too – like talking about her breasts and her figure.

What I will say is the word choices that Avita uses to describe herself, thanks to being who she was and especially the way her dad would talk about her, was what really described to me how she looked. Because it slightly changed the further into the book you would go, because the confidence level of Avita changed. She was still a bird woman, but it felt less like the horror movie monster towards the end of the book.

The pacing of this was a little slow and towards the end I did end up skimming a lot of it. I feel like it could have been cut down a bit and the story still would have been fantastic.

Overall, this was a good historical read that shows the inner runnings of the circus back in the day. I can see those who like a little horror mixed with family drama enjoying this book.

*Thanks Publishers Weekly and Candlewick Press for a digital advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Days of Reading…

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I feel like I should be giving anyone who is actually following this a heads up on just about how many posts you’re going to see from me in the next day or two (I’m going to space them out a bit). I read 5 books over the weekend; I finished a novel, read a collection of short stories, read another novel, and then two graphic novels.

There were a few things that allowed for this to happen though.

Wednesday the library was closed in celebration of the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl and the fact that most of downtown was going to be closed for the parade. This allowed for me to read my currently novel at the timee after I watched said parade on my TV.

Thursday I slipped on black ice and fell down the set of cement stairs at my house, horribly bruising my entire left side and my car wouldn’t start – so I stayed home from work. I actually didn’t end up reading too much this day as I was laying on a heating pad 90% of the time, but I did read a few chapters in the evening.

Friday I worked but then had no plans over the weekend besides watching ID Network and reading.

Saturday and Sunday were split between house chores and reading.

Oh, and watching The Last of Us latest episode on Sunday night obviously…

I also had a day off on Monday for Presidents’ Day. I ended up getting a lot of random chores done, including calling the Personal Property Tax Office and sitting on hold for 20 minutes, in which time, I read my book.

I guess what I’m getting at with this post is that I don’t really go out much. I’m 30 years old and in all honesty the actual thought of going out and being around people gives me anxiety most of the time anyway. Reading has always been my escape and my next few reviews’ dates read will show that – and of course anyone who signed up for my email notifications will be receiving all of them.

Be kind. Be gentle. Escape with a book if you need to.

Promise Boys / Nick Brooks

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Nick Brooks' YA novel, Promise Boys sits on top a black bookbag
Promise Boys
By: Nick Brooks
Genre: YA, Mystery
Published: January 31, 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: February 11, 2023
Format: Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Murder, blood

After their school principal is shot and killed at Promise Prep School for Boys, J.B, Ramón, and Trey are labeled as the prime suspects. All three of them had had some kind of disagreement with their principal before he was killed and they all may have had the opportunity to have access to the murder weapon. With all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down who really did it before one of them is falsely accused.

This book is told through multiple POVs, with each chapter giving you who the main focus is. A few of them are people you only hear from once, but they do give you important pieces of information. Because of the changing of the POVs, it does make the story go by quickly.

I usually have a hard time with teen male voices and them coming across as whiny to me. But this one, had not one, not two, but three separate teen male voices and I was intrigued by everyone. They were all authentic to me and each one captured my attention and got me turning pages. Which tells you something, because I did end up reading this book in one day.

There were a lot of twists and turns and I was still questioning whether or not each boy was truly innocent until we got towards the end and all was revealed. Nick Brooks did an amazing job at showing just how differently black and brown boys are treated when it comes down to being guilty or not. One of the boys gets in trouble a lot because his cousin is the leader of a gang around the neighborhood and a lot of people just assume he’s a part of them. Another boy jokes around a lot, and in a school where they’re not allowed to even smile in the hallways, he’s constantly getting in trouble.

Overall, this book is perfect for those who like thriller mysteries and who are fans of Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson. I can see this book getting more and more popular with the more people who read it. I can also see this making it to the big screen as well. Brooks wrote a wonderful, enhancing novel.

*Thank you Bookish First and Henry Holt and Co. for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Bring Me Your Midnight / Rachel Griffin

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Cover of Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin. A young woman with auburn hair's face sticks out of water that is surrounded by white flowers with a yellow and black center.
Bring Me Your Midnight
By: Rachel Griffin
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 320
Published: August 1, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Dates Read: February 3, 2023 - February 10, 2023
Format: eBook / ARC

Tana has been betrothed to the Governor’s son, Landon, from the Mainland since she was born. The marriage would help to seal an alliance between her coven on the island and the humans on the Mainland who see them as a threat. Tana’s coven limits the use of their powers so as to not cause worry to the mainlanders – in order to do this, the coven releases their unused powers into the ocean on the night of the full moon each month.

But when Tana misses the ritual, there is no one who can help her – until she meets Wolfe, a witch who claims to be from a hidden coven on the island that practices dark (high) magic. Instead of rushing her powers out into the sea, Wolfe teaches her how to use the magic he knows, and that magic makes Tana feel alive and powerful.

As Tana learns more and more about the differences between the magic she grew up with and the magic that Wolfe does, she begins to understand the danger her coven is putting on not only the island, but the Mainland as well. With understanding, Tana will have to choose between love and duty; her coven or her heart.

Another wonderful, soft witchy novel from Rachel Griffin. I have really enjoyed all three of her novels and she will continue to be someone whom I will always grab a copy of their book!

This book focuses a lot on belonging and questioning your lifelong beliefs. Which is a theme I’ve always liked about Griffin’s novels – they’re witchy, but a lot of witchy books are usually so set in their rules or methods but in Griffin’s novels, the characters are always open to challenging that and changing those (though those around them may be a bit more stubborn).

With this being in first person POV with Tana, I really enjoyed getting to know her and her coven through her eyes. The covens in Griffin’s books always make me wish I was a part of them and this one is no different!

If you like witches, arranged marriages, secrets, and stories of finding one’s self then this is the book for your reading pleasure.

*Thank you Edelweiss+ and Sourcebooks Fire for a digital advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Man Without Shelter / Indrajit Garai

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Photo of a physical book with a cover of cement stairs and metal railing. The title of the book is, "The Man Without Shelter" and the author is Indrajit Garai.
A 4 Gold Star Rating
The Man Without Shelter
By: Indrajit Garai
Genre: Fiction
Number of Pages: 122
Published: September 6, 2022
Publisher: Independently Published
Dates Read: January 31, 2023 - February 1, 2023
Format: Paperback

Trigger Warnings: Homelessness, suicide, murder, mentions of abuse, sex trafficking, rape

Arnault has just been released from prison after two decades when new evidence finally proved he didn’t commit the crime. Lucy is a young lawyer who is determined to help Arnault in his journey to full freedom.

The writing in this novel was a bit different for me. I’ve read a lot of Japanese translated books and some Dutch and Swedish, but I haven’t read many from France. That being said, the writing does dive into a lot of French politics and policies, especially about the homeless/unhoused population.

As a librarian, it was interesting to me to see how Paris’ homeless population was portrayed in this novel. The unhoused are many of my frequent patrons, so I hear and try to help with their struggles as much as I can. The circles one must overcome can’t be done without help: to get an ID, you have to have an address for 3 months, to have an address, you have to have a job in order to pay for address, to have a job, you must have an ID – and so the circle continues. 

Indrajit Garai does an amazing job at giving you characters who you root for page after page. Life wasn’t easy on Arnault, but he kept going and kept pushing and I wanted to know how the universe was finally going to give back to him what he deserved. The man had a tent where he lived with a geese couple and their chick and was content with it! And then with Lucy, even though she was on the complete opposite lifestyle as Arnault, we saw a lot of the world where people don’t care and were only out for themselves. I kept rooting for her that her eyes would be open to this other world (homeless/unhoused/migraint) and that it would change her for the better.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to a lot of my library coworkers for sure. It’s not the greatest, happy-go-lucky book on the shelf, but it shows honesty and a life of someone who has been down and just trying to get back up on their feet honestly.

Live Your Best Lie / Jessie Weaver

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Photo of the book cover "Life Your Best Lie: by Jessie Weaver. The cover itself is of a round bathroom mirror with the words "Live Your Best Lie" written in lipstick on the glass. The photo is on an iPad and is in front of a computer screen with Instagram on the screen.
A 4 Star Gold Rating
Live Your Best Lie
By: Jessie Weaver
Genre: YA, Mystery
Number of Pages: 368
Published: January 24, 2023
Publisher: Disney Books / Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Dates Read: January 25, 2023 - January 30, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

Trigger Warning: bullying, murder, child abuse, toxic relationship

Summer Cartwright seemed like she had it all: millions of online followers, admirers all around, trendy clothes for her closet, and  a crazy huge book deal coming out soon. Every second of Summer’s life is planned and cultivated to show her #LivingHerBestLife.

When Summer shows up dead at her own Halloween party following an unscheduled post, most eyes turn towards four people: her best friend, her ex-boyfriend, her frenemy, and her – what some would say – the wannabe stalker. The four band together to figure out who the real killer is before someone else gets the blame.

Live Your Best Lie is told through multiple POVs, flashbacks, and Summer’s social media posts and is a fast-paced mystery that is constantly switching lenses between the top suspects. You get clues starting from page one, and of course, some of them you don’t realize until the last few pages. Jessie Weaver did an amazing job at keeping the answers just out of reach until she was ready to give you the answers. There were a handful of times I backtracked pages to relook at something I had a hunch about – and that to me, is a good mystery / thriller.

For those who love true crime and books like One of Us is Lying, they will devour this book as well. Weaver keeps you tangled up and interested until the very end when there’s a twist you don’t see coming!

*Thank you Disney Book, Melissa de la Cruz Studio, NetGalley, and Publishers Weekly for an advanced ebook of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella / Alice Oseman

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A photo of the novella, "Nick and Charlie" by Alice Oseman being held by a woman in a pink sweater with red lipstick prints all over
A 5 Star Gold Rating
Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella
By: Alice Oseman
Genre: YA, Romance
Number of Pages: 176
Published: January 3, 2023 (July 16, 2015)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Dates Read: January 24, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: mention of eating disorder recovery

Nick is leaving for university soon, and Charlie, a year younger, will be left behind to finish his last year of school. Everyone keeps asking them if they’re going to stay together, and Nick and Charlie both think that’s a silly question… at first. As the time for departure gets closer and closer, the boys start to question whether or not their love is strong enough for the distance – because of this, communication is mixed up and things begin to spiral. Can the boys’ love survive?

What a cute and adorable novella in the Nick and Charlie universe! I absolutely loved the graphic novels, so I knew I would enjoy this novella too. I haven’t read any of Alice Oseman’s novels yet, so this was kind of a sneak peak for me to see her writing style outside of graphic novels – and I really enjoyed it. Oseman was able to convey descriptions of what was happening, in the various first person POVs of Nick and Charlie, well and I know that can be a bit of a challenge when writing it versus drawing it.

I’m glad Oseman still brought up Charlie’s eating troubles and what that looks like years down the line. As it was kind of mentioned, it’s not something that just “gets fixed”, and it’s something Charlie is constantly working on and something that Nick is aware of (like the eating of snacks). 

This was a nice and cute, quick and short read. Totally started the book at 9 in the evening and had it finished before bed. I highly recommend this to lovers of the Heartstopper series as you’ll get the same lovey-dovey feels you got from the graphic novels! 

The Dryer Island Boys / Jeffrey Veatch

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Image of the cover of "The Dyer Island Boys" by Jeffrey Veatch .
A 3 Star Gold Rating
The Dyer Island Boys
By: Jeffrey Veatch
Genre: Fiction
Number of Pages: 192
Published: November 28, 2022
Publisher: Colossal Publishing
Dates Read: January 19, 2023 - January 23, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a feel good, coming-of-age story set spanning from the late 1940’s to recent day.

*Thank you to the author and Reedsy Discovery for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Read my full review here