Since We Fell

 Dennis Lehane

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller

Initial Impression
Starting Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane was a bit challenging for me, especially since the only other book I’d read by him was Mystic River—one of my all-time favorite mystery thrillers and a solid 5-star read. So, naturally, I had very high expectations going into this one.

Summary
Rachel Childs is a woman plagued by frequent panic attacks and mental health struggles. A very public breakdown ends her career as a journalist, prompting her to withdraw from the world, which strains her relationships with family and friends.

Her difficult childhood, marked by the mystery surrounding her father’s identity, leads Rachel to hire a private investigator named Brian to find him. The two form a close bond that eventually turns into marriage. Brian helps Rachel re-engage with life, but soon she begins to suspect that Brian is hiding something. The story leaves readers questioning whether Rachel’s suspicions are justified or if they’re a product of her fragile mental state.

Characters
Dennis Lehane is skilled at crafting strong characters. While I didn’t have a clear favorite in this book, I think he did a solid job with the main characters. The relationship between Rachel and Brian is the heart of the story.

Portraying a protagonist struggling with mental illness adds emotional depth not just to Rachel but also to the plot. Brian plays a key role in a subplot I won’t spoil here, but readers will gradually uncover his true motives.

Writing Style
Lehane’s writing is undeniably excellent. Known for his detailed descriptions and realistic dialogue, both qualities shine through in this novel. Although Since We Fell is categorized as a mystery thriller, Lehane blends in elements of drama and espionage, creating a genre mix that keeps the story layered.

Setting and Atmosphere
The story moves between two main settings: the hectic streets of New York City, where Rachel once worked, and a quiet small town where she isolates herself. The dominant atmosphere is one of psychological tension—whether it’s the turmoil inside Rachel’s mind or the external suspense of the plot.

Emotional distress permeates the story. Rachel’s fear, distrust, and sense of betrayal keep the tension alive, and you can feel that unease vividly throughout the book.

Overall Impression
Overall, Since We Fell was an okay read for me. It didn’t live up to the high bar set by Mystic River. The pacing felt slow, and Rachel’s ongoing mental health struggles, while important, sometimes weighed the story down. I understand the significance of portraying these issues, but when reading a mystery thriller, I expect a bit more engagement and entertainment alongside the emotional weight.

Key Themes

• Mental Health
• Trauma
• Identity and Self-Discovery
• Reality vs. Imagination
• Trust and Betrayal

Passion of Dolssa

Julie Berry

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction + Young Adult

Initial Impression
This book has been sitting on my shelf since 2017. I picked it up after watching a YouTuber rave about the story, characters, plot, and the author’s writing style. It immediately appealed to me, so I got a copy, but for some reason, it took me years to finally read it.

Summary
Set in 13th-century France, the novel follows Dolssa, a young noblewoman who is condemned by the Catholic Church for heresy after claiming a divine relationship with Jesus Christ. Branded dangerous and sentenced to execution, she narrowly escapes and flees into the countryside—wounded, weak, and alone.

She’s found by Botille Flasucra, a village matchmaker who, along with her two sisters, takes Dolssa in and nurses her back to health. As Dolssa recovers, she begins performing miraculous healings through prayer, drawing attention far beyond their small coastal town.

Word of her abilities eventually reaches the inquisitors, who descend upon the village in search of her. They interrogate and torture villagers to force out her location. Will she be found? That’s for you to discover.

Characters
The story is told through multiple points of view, but even though it revolves around Dolssa, she narrates far less than Botille. I think that was a deliberate choice by the author—to have us see Dolssa through other characters’ eyes. Honestly, it makes sense. If Dolssa were constantly claiming she’s gifted and performs miracles, she could easily come across as a delusional narcissist instead of someone truly spiritual.

The characters are well-written, no doubt about that. But I didn’t connect with them as much as I hoped. Maybe it’s because they didn’t feel especially engaging to me, or perhaps the historical setting created a bit of distance. Whatever the reason, I just wasn’t fully invested in them.

Writing Style
This is supposed to be a YA novel, but honestly, it didn’t feel like one while I was reading. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Either way, the book didn’t click with me the way I wanted it to.

That said, it’s clear the author did a ton of research, and it shows in the details and in the writing itself. I appreciate the effort, even if the result wasn’t entirely my thing.

Setting and Atmosphere
The setting—13th-century France—is richly drawn. You can absolutely feel the atmosphere of the period in every chapter. The author does a great job of blending historical fact with fiction, making the world feel both grounded and mystical. There’s a spiritual and almost ethereal tone to parts of the story, thanks to Dolssa’s character, but it never goes over the top.

Overall Impression
I expected to enjoy this book more than I did, and I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t. With a story like this, it’s important to feel close to the characters—especially when the world-building is already so strong. I understand that the writing style was meant to reflect the time period, but sometimes that came at the cost of engagement. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: big parts of this book were boring, and boredom is the graveyard of a reading experience.

Key Themes

• Resistance and courage
• Persecution and intolerance
• Mystical and religious devotion
• Female solidarity and sisterhood

The Kite Runner

 Khaled Hosseini

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Literary Fiction

Initial Impression I’d heard a lot of good things about Khaled Hosseini’s writing and stories, but since this was my first time picking up one of his books, I didn’t know what to expect.

Summary The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is set in 1970s Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir is a privileged young boy from the dominant Pashtun group, living with his father, Baba. Amir often feels a distance between them and suspects that his birth—during which his mother died—has something to do with it.

Amir has a loyal companion who loves him like a brother: Hassan, the son of their Hazara servant, Ali. Despite the class and ethnic divide, the two boys share a close bond, flying kites and telling stories together.

Eventually, something very disturbing happens, and everything changes. Ali and Hassan end up leaving. Later, with the Soviet invasion, Amir and his father flee to the United States. Years later, Amir finds himself drawn back to Afghanistan, needing to rescue someone. I’ve deliberately kept the details vague—this is a story best read without knowing too much.

Characters The characters are incredibly multilayered, each written with depth and emotional complexity. The story is narrated by Amir, beginning in his childhood and continuing through his adult life in America.

Amir: I hated Amir as a child—for what he did and for not standing up for his friend. Worse still, he pushed Hassan away because he reminded him of his own cowardice. I believe this is exactly the reaction the author wanted to evoke. As Amir grows up, we slowly begin to root for him—to step up, to face his past, and to finally do the right thing. Even though Amir later has to go to Afghanistan to rescue the important character, I feel this was more about Amir rescuing himself. 

Hassan: Hassan is the heart of the novel. A loyal, pure-hearted friend you can’t help but love—and feel deep sorrow for.

Baba (Amir’s father): At first, Baba seems wise and balanced, but as the story unfolds, we see that he is a flawed human being who makes big mistakes too.

Soraya: She’s an interesting character, as are her parents. I really admired Soraya for her honesty—how she told Amir her secret before marriage. That moment added a lot to her character.

Writing Style Hosseini’s prose is beautiful and full of depth. With just words and situations, he stirs a whole range of emotions. His poetic writing style makes The Kite Runner an unforgettable experience.

Setting and Atmosphere The author portrays Afghanistan vividly—both before and after Taliban rule. He brings the setting to life so well that you feel like you’re living there, experiencing the joy, the sorrow, and the tension firsthand. Later, the immigrant experience in America is also portrayed thoughtfully, especially the struggles of those who fled a war-torn homeland.

Overall Impression This was a 5-star read for me because it delivered everything I expect from literary fiction: a compelling story, well-developed characters, strong narration, and beautiful writing. It’s a powerful tale of redemption, regret, and personal growth. I couldn’t help but draw a comparison to Ian McEwan’s Atonement—different stories, but both explore characters trying to make amends for the past.

Movie Adaptation I had to watch the movie adaptation after finishing the book. It’s a decent film, but it doesn’t quite capture the emotional depth of the novel. I think it was a missed opportunity not to use narration for Amir’s perspective—it could have made a big difference. There were also a few cultural inaccuracies, such as the burial scene, that should have been handled better. While the actors were well-cast, some of the book’s most emotional moments—like Baba’s grief when Ali and Hassan leave—were not translated effectively on screen. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Key Themes

• Guilt and redemption
  

• Loyalty and betrayal
  

• Father–son relationships
  

• Ethnic tensions and conflict

Descent

 Tim Johnston

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Descent is a mystery thriller that follows the Courtland family during their summer vacation in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. When 18-year-old Caitlin and her younger brother Sean go for a morning run in the mountains, Caitlin disappears, and Sean is left injured and traumatized. This is where the family’s nightmare begins — not knowing how to find their daughter or what exactly happened to her.

When there’s a loss like this, many families either break or grow distant. In this case, the mother decides to return home while the father stays in Colorado to continue searching the wilderness for his missing daughter. Meanwhile, Sean struggles to grow up with the weight of trauma he can’t shake off. Each member of the family copes with the emotional aftermath in their own way, and the narration shifts between them to capture their inner lives and the slow, aching toll of grief.

The strongest aspect of the book, for me, is Johnston’s beautiful literary prose. His writing is often poetic and deeply reflective. If you enjoy literary fiction, there's a lot to appreciate in the way he describes both the natural world and the emotional terrain of his characters. Unlike many thrillers written today, Descent feels grounded and realistic — at least for the first 80% of the story. The ending leans more into conventional thriller territory, and that shift, in my opinion, undercuts some of the realism built up earlier.

Descent has a lot going for it: rich, thoughtful writing, well-drawn characters, and a convincing portrayal of grief and survival. Where it falters is in its pacing. This book is marketed as a thriller, and while it starts off that way, the entire middle section felt much more like literary fiction. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — I enjoy both genres — but when I pick up a thriller, I’m usually in the mood for a fast-paced, tension-driven story. Likewise, if I pick up a literary novel, I expect a slower, more introspective read. This book sits somewhere in between, and that can be frustrating depending on what you're expecting going in.

The issue, really, is that it tries to be both, and for me, that didn’t fully work. Had it been structured entirely as literary fiction, I think the story would have felt more cohesive — especially with a different kind of ending. The one we get is more suited to a thriller, but it doesn’t quite match the tone or pace of the bulk of the book.

Caitlin’s sections, which should’ve been the most gripping emotionally, are also too limited for much of the novel. We do get to see her strength, especially toward the end, but I wanted more of her voice earlier. And when the ending finally comes, it feels rushed — almost too quick and clean after such a slow, heavy build-up.

Overall, I think Descent is a decent read, but it’s best approached with the right expectations. If you're looking for a literary exploration of trauma with occasional bursts of suspense, this will likely resonate with you. But if you’re after a page-turning thriller, you may find yourself disappointed by how slowly it moves.

The Alice Network

 Kate Quinn

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Alice Network is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of two women living in different timelines. There’s Eve Gardiner, a former World War I spy, and Charlie St. Clair, a pregnant American college student searching for her missing cousin in the aftermath of World War II. The story alternates between Eve’s chapters, set in 1915, and Charlie’s, set in 1947.

This was my first time reading anything by Kate Quinn. I’ve heard a lot of praise for her writing and the amount of research she puts into her books, and I could definitely sense that in this one. I do enjoy historical fiction, but I’m not really into spy or espionage plots, so this book was a bit outside my comfort zone.

From what I understand, the Alice Network was a real and successful spy ring during World War I, operating in German-occupied France and Belgium. Louise de Bettignies, who appears in Eve’s chapters as her mentor, was a real person, and I think the author did a good job incorporating her into the story in a way that felt natural and respectful.

I know this novel is loved by many historical fiction fans, especially for highlighting women’s roles during wartime. It does feature strong female characters who show courage even in their most vulnerable moments. I particularly appreciated how the author portrayed Eve’s trauma and how she eventually confronted her past.

Where the book didn’t work for me was the pacing. It’s a long novel, and some parts felt unnecessarily stretched. At times, it seemed like the author digressed too much, which diluted what could’ve been a tighter, more focused plot. That kind of storytelling doesn’t appeal to me—it pulls me out of the narrative.

Another common issue with dual-timeline books is that one storyline tends to be more compelling than the other. I definitely preferred Eve’s timeline over Charlie’s. That said, Eve appears in both timelines, so that helped hold my interest. Still, I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more if it had stuck to a past-present format with a single narrative voice.

Overall, this was an okay read. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected because I went in with high hopes. I’ll be finding this book a new home—hopefully, someone else will enjoy it more than I did. I’m also in the middle of some spring cleaning, so my physical books are getting priority right now.

Circe

 Madeline Miller

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Fantasy

Circe is a story that reimagines the life of the Greek goddess Circe. The book is narrated in the first-person narration style and shows how Circe feels about being different from the gods around her. She is not as powerful, beautiful, or even as charismatic as the rest of them. She feels lonely and does not belong with them. This makes Circe lead an isolated lifestyle and indulge in witchcraft. Feeling so different from the other gods makes Circe have more sympathy for the mortals. 

Following the character, readers will find themselves going on lots of adventures and subplots that involve so many themes, like isolation, motherhood, loss, and gender injustice, to name a few. What Circe delivered for me is the author’s writing. Having read The Song of Achilles by the author, I was expecting a beautifully written novel. And here, Miller has undoubtedly delivered. 

Although I didn’t love it as much as I loved The Song of Achilles, I still think Circe is a fascinating read and, most importantly, a relevant one for our times. The author has successfully turned this goddess and given her a mortal voice, making her very close to the readers and with relatable problems that every human can connect with. 

The story is not long, but intentionally slow a bit. I think the author wanted readers to see the growth and the changes the main character goes through. This novel is more of a literary fantasy than those epic, action-packed fantasy stories. So have your expectations in check before grabbing the book, and you won’t be disappointed.

Half Bad

 Sally Green

Rating: ⭐⭐ Genre: Fantasy + Young Adult

This is the first book of the series in this dark young adult fantasy. The world in this fantasy is mainly about witches and how they are either good witches or bad witches. Nathan is a young half-blood witch who thinks he is cursed because he was born to a powerful witch father who is considered bad. His mother is a human, though. 

Nathan’s dilemma is that he is not accepted by anybody, as he does not fully belong to any group of witches. Each group will consider him from the other. What makes things worse for this young boy is that the reputation of his father as the evil witch is just too strong to be ignored. 

When Nathan is captured by the Council and held as a prisoner, his life takes a significant and uncontrollable turn. He tries to escape from his jail, and during his mission, he uncovers many secrets about the witch world. The novel focuses heavily on the main character's growth and his efforts to defend himself. His journey is marked by numerous losses, betrayals, and painful situations.

Although all that I have written might sound interesting, it did for me when reading about this book. I remember watching a YouTuber who has praised this series a lot. To be honest, it is interesting, especially if you like reading about witches and magic. However, the book suffers from many shortcomings. The pacing is too slow for my taste and for such a subgenre. I feel the author might’ve stretched one story over three books. I wouldn’t know that for sure, because I have no intention of continuing the series. I have all three books, but since I didn’t enjoy this one, there is no point in continuing. 

The main character is difficult to connect with. I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t warm up to him or feel compassion for him in the various situations he faced. I think this book might appeal more to younger audiences. It seems like it has sat too long on my shelf to be appreciated now. This is one of those cases where it’s me and not the book.

Note: I had no idea that this was turned into a TV show! I just found out while looking for the cover picture for my blog! It seems the show was cancelled after only one season, despite the positive reviews.