 Thanks to partners NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the digital ARC of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s The Heirs. The book will be released on Tuesday!
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímíd’s new book The Heirs struck me differently from her previous novels (Ace of Spades and Where Sleeping Girls Lie), offering fewer of the surreal, disorienting moments that both disorient and challenge the reader. The Heirs reminded me of nothing so much as The Umbrella Academy . . . with the speculative elements removed. The novel alternates between one, current storyline that predominantly takes place over just a few days and flashbacks. The chapters also shift between the characters’ perspectives, with five siblings—Octavius the Maestro, Fola the Brain, Bilal the Olympian, Perdita the Artist, and Romeo the Failure—as the primary focus and occasional chapters dipping into other, secondary characters’ points of view. These genius siblings were adopted by their father, Leontes Button, as part of an experiment to prove that nurture outweighs nature. Each of their areas of genius was chosen when they were toddlers who gravitated towards a symbol—a violin bow, for example, for Octavius. Then, Button poured his generous resources into relentless training and support that has resulted in their status as prodigies but also in some serious mental health issues. Every year, Button holds an exclusive Prodigy Ball both to publicize his Button Method and to honor other prodigies. This year, during the tenth ball, which is held on a yacht, Leontes is murdered. His children—along with everyone else who attended—are the suspects. The book rolled along quickly for me, and I was compelled to discover both the secrets that inhabited their pasts and, of course, the solution to the mystery of Leontes’s murderer. I did, however, yearn for a deeper consideration of the characters’ psychology, though the plot-centered nature of the book certainly kept my attention. I did feel that the conclusion of the book was a bit rushed, with several important developments occurring through exposition dumps rather than evolving naturally. Overall, The Heirs was a solid read that will, I think, satisfy lovers of YA mystery.
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 Thanks to #partner @NetGalley for the digital ARC of Jennifer Weiner's Big Summer in exchange for an honest review. The book is available now.
Somehow, before Big Summer, I had read only one Jennifer Weiner book, but I’ll definitely be adding her backlist books to my wishlist. This novel contains multitudes: a toxic friendship, important messages about body image, a compelling murder mystery, and lavish descriptions of wealth and privilege. Daphne Berg’s long-time friendship (since sixth grade!) with Drue Cavanaugh ended on the night her career as an influencer began. Drue had set up Daphne with a guy who mocked her weight and then compounds the offense by repeating his criticism. At that point, Daphne knows she’s done with Drue . . . but not what’s happening next. When a bystander releases the video of Daphne going off on him, her social media presence explodes. Now, anchored by her blog Big Time, Daphne makes a career out of self-acceptance. Daphne has worked hard to purge what’s toxic from her life in favor of focusing on her burgeoning career, her real friendships, her wonderful parents, and the adorable kids she babysits. Then, years later, Drue forces herself back into Daphne’s life with a bizarre request for Daphne: the glamorous Drue wants her former friend to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Daphne resists at first but eventually gives in to the same magnetic pull that kept her under Daphne’s influence before. From there, we enter spoiler territory, so I’ll proceed carefully. Drue’s upcoming wedding to a reality tv star means more attention for all involved, and her wealth means that there are ample opportunities for Weiner to set extravagant scenes. Daphne’s skepticism and envy compete as she fights to maintain her autonomy from her former friend. And then, there’s a tragedy and a subsequent mystery that spans the remainder of the book. I just couldn’t put this book down. Daphne is a likable and empathetic protagonist, someone who is strong and confident but is tempted by self-criticism. I loved her story, I was drawn in by the mystery, and I swooned over the romance (yes, there’s a romance!). Because Weiner is such a great storyteller, these disparate parts are all woven into one, compelling narrative. Big Summer really is a perfect summer read. |
AuthorI'm Jen Moyers, co-host of the Unabridged Podcast and an English teacher. Archives
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