Reading Roundup #57: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Reader Scorned

This week went by with disturbing swiftness. I’m afraid that, between stressing over world events, work, and some personal issues that are ongoing (only least of which is eye strain), I didn’t get much reading done. So, it’s only a light Roundup this week. Which I suppose just means that my rage at Atlas Six can receive the full focus it deserves. BEHOLD THE SPOTLIGHT OF MY WRATH.

The Atlas Six (Atlas Series #1) by Olivie Blake: The Atlas Six is delightfully sinister, populated with tricky characters whose loyalties and intentions are ever-shifting, which makes for an addictive puzzle. Sadly, it’s all foreplay and no follow-through. The first book in a series will always spend significant time setting up the events of the next book, if not the next several. However, it should still have its own arc, its own climax before ratcheting up the tension again to get readers excited for what is to come. And this book lacks that, leaving this reader, at least, asking, “that’s it?” And without even a small measure of satisfaction to reward me for getting through this book and to give me faith that the sequels will deliver, I find myself uninterested in reading more — particularly when I think this story is better suited to be a standalone anyway. It’s a shame, as I was completely ready to give this a high rating before I reached the final act and realized it was going nowhere — or rather that it was going somewhere but was hoarding every payoff, trying to use them as bait so I’d keep reading. But this carrot is not good enough for me to play donkey. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher: The life-after-walking-in-on-a-cheating-husband premise is not a favorite of mine, but I made an exception for If You Ask Me because I liked the idea of a woman taking that outrage and channeling it into her usually prim-and-proper advice column — and because I was promised a hot fireman. What can I say? I’m easy like that. The characters and humor drew me in right away, and I appreciate that Hubscher takes time to explore what the loss of her marriage actually means for the heroine in her day-to-day life and to discuss the pain and cultural shame so many face around issues of infertility. The plot stumbles around a bit (beautifully grounding “Then” chapters disappear midway through), and the romance blossoms a little too fast for believability, but if you can wave those issues aside, there are some truly hilarious and heartwarming moments to reward you. I certainly empathized with Violet’s journey to admitting she’s only human, learning to ask for help, and yes, realizing that she does deserved to be loved, hot mess and all. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

—b