Two for Tuesday: Bite Me

Two ducks in Los Angeles (my photo)

Some peeps think I'm highly fussy and critical re writing, but I begin every book with the expectation of awarding it five full stars, and then I deduct points when I encounter things that bug me. For example, unless there is a clear reason for using present tense, and it's done well, I take off a half-star for it. I subtract for using first person POV and then describing one's own death, unless the story is about a ghost (one of my reviews today is about a book full of ghosts!). I subtract for using spilled food/ drinks as a "meet-cute” because it’s not cute, just clichéd and irritating. I deduct points for unnecessary filler/ backstory and going on about weather. I subtract for physical description via mirrors, clunky dialog, authorial intrusion especially if it's political (hello, Dean Koontz), etc. I subtract for main characters that do stupid things, such as exploring the basement of a dark, creepy house in the middle of the night. Thrillers and mysteries should have clues built-in with no deus ex machina moments. Endings must be justified. Fine, I'm fussy! But most of these are known no-no's and clichés, not obscure things I arbitrarily conjured up. 

I also don't do "grade inflation" when reviewing, unless the book is written by a friend. There are people who think that simply writing a book and publishing it entitles the author to at least three stars, and I totally disagree with that. I know people who believe that three stars is bad, when the definition itself tells us that three stars means "an okay or satisfactory experience that met basic expectations without standing out." Four stars is for a stand-out book, and five stars is a top-tier book. Clearly, most books are not five-star worthy! It drives me bananas that most of my online book club peeps award four and five stars to completely average books by popular authors. 

Here are two reviews of books I recently finished.

1. Just One Bite by Miranda Rijks. I enjoyed most of this thriller, despite the fact that it’s written in first person present tense (see? I can adapt!). Brittany represents the typical stressed mom, trying to balance career, her daughter’s needs, her marriage, self-care, etc. As many of us know, this can be overwhelming and even impossible at times. On top of all that, suddenly Brittany is targeted by a blackmailer who’s threatening to post fake videos of Brittany abusing her daughter. It’s compelling to ride along as Brittany navigates this insanity while hoping that she figures out who the bad guy is before more things go wrong. I just wish the ending hadn’t so totally gone off the rails. Three stars.

2. Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle. What can I even say about this incredible book? This is why I rarely give five stars ~ I want to save a five-star rating for the absolute best books, and this is definitely one. The story has everything a reader could want: layered, interesting characters who experience actual growth and change, fresh metaphors and ideas, an intriguing premise about the connection between taste and memory, the unreserved exploration of love, loss, and grief, and unbelievably lush descriptions of food, food, and more food. The supernatural elements were a bit crazy, but they fit smoothly into the world that the author created. This book made me hungry ~ both for food (especially peanut butter cups) and for more great writing!