Books
Book Review: ‘The Chicken Sisters’ Keeps Me Reading
This marks my third book review this year and I have high hopes it won’t be my last. As my inner (very inner) bookworm emerges from its cocoon, I can’t help but wonder if this is just some “you’re kinda adulting but you’re also kinda not” phase that will soon pass. You see, I am a lot of things, but a bookworm is most certainly not one of them. Or should I say wasn’t? On rare occasions, I have found myself lost in a really good book, usually a thriller or mystery of some sort, but again, pretty rare. I’m also quite notorious for starting a book and then never finishing it. (I’m working on it, ok?) So, I’m switching it up, trying new things and embracing this new, very adultish, profound interest of mine.
Which brings me to: “The Chicken Sisters,” my latest read. My sweet, sweet mom gave this to me and my sister this past Christmas, which was a very on-brand thing for her to do. I mean, just another thing we can bond over, right? After all, “sisters” is in the title. The book, obviously about sisters, was given to us not because of that, but instead, because it is a “Reese’s Book Club Pick.”
“The Chicken Sisters” by KJ Dell’Antonia — $9.54 Paperback
Naturally, I had to let it sit and age a bit before cracking it open, like any esteemed bookworm would do. After about five months, I decided it had aged long enough and started it, fully determined to finish it, which I did.
Given that this isn’t my typical go-to book genre, I was surprised by how much I liked it. Not that I didn’t trust Reese Witherspoon of course! I will say, I got a little bored reading it, especially in the middle of the book. The titular sisters’ “rivalry” became a bit petty and annoying at times, as opposed to realistic. The characters irked me some, but I feel like that’s almost inevitable. The character development seemed a bit rushed, but you definitely see their growth by the end of the book, which is the least I could ask for. Last thing I’ll say is that the ending was a little predictable, but at the same time, I wasn’t able to predict how they got to the end (if that makes sense). I definitely recommend this to sisters because it made it all the more relatable, which I think is what kept me drawn in the most. Don’t get me wrong, my sister and I are best friends and have never even come close to the annoyingly estranged relationship shared between the two main characters (seriously). But, it takes having a sister to understand that this type of conflict between sisters is certainly feasible.
Overall, this book is light-hearted, funny, relatable, and wholesome. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a tear or two toward the end. All good tears though! What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good ending. And for those of you who would like a numerical rating, I’d give it 3 stars, which is still pretty darn good in my book (pun fully intended).
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix, $12.18 Paperback
Release Date: July 2021
Cozy up on your next snow day and read Gary Hendrix’s The Final Girl Support Group.
Author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (2020), Grady Hendrix succeeds again in tapping into our favorite horror films to deliver this mystery. Six young women make up the “Final Girl Support Group.” Each survived horrific massacres that have been turned into successful film franchises. Movies such as Friday The 13th and Halloween actually happened in this version of America. Twenty years later the spotlight has moved on and society has found new monsters and victims. Still, these women sit in a circle of chairs in a church basement trying to figure out how to live their lives. Paranoid Lynnette Tarkington reluctantly participates in group therapy sessions with Dr. Carol Elliot along with fellow survivors Marilyn Torres, who has buried her emotions in wealth; Dani Shipman, who might have killed the wrong person; Julia Campbell, whose encounter left her in a wheelchair; and Heather DeLuca, who is succumbing to addiction. Some of them are in denial about what happened. Some still live in terror, always looking over their shoulders, imprisoned by their own fears.
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
After one member of this vigilant sisterhood is murdered and a series of persistent attacks threaten the rest, Lynnette becomes increasingly suspicious that the attacks are originating way too close to their inner circle. “Does this ever end?” Lynnette asks. “Will there always be someone out there turning little boys into monsters? Will we always be final girls? Will there always be monsters killing us? How do we stop the snake from eating its own tail?” The book is creepy enough on its face, but Hendrix’s use of narrative tools heightens the unease.
The Final Girl Support Group isn’t necessarily scary, but the plot is action-packed and delivers its share of gore. The novel is an ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination. Available on Amazon!
I first read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo this past month after my friend and I swapped our favorite summer books. I opened the book one Saturday morning and couldn’t put it down. Despite the fact that it was published nearly five years ago, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo continues to captivate readers’ interest on BookTok, Bookstagram, and Goodreads.
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Evelyn Hugo — $9.42 Paperback/$22.36 Hardcover
This story is about renowned Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo who, after decades of blockbuster hits, is now 79 and ready to give an exclusive interview after years of dodging the press. But the only one granted access is a little-known journalist named Monique Grant. Though she can’t understand why she’s been chosen, Monique goes to Evelyn’s home and finds out Evelyn doesn’t just want to do an interview — she wants to lay out every piece of her truth for Monique to write and sell her biography.
Though Evelyn won’t answer why she picked Monique to do the job, Monique agrees and Evelyn’s story begins to unfold from her calculated beginnings in Hollywood to the millions she enjoys in the present, each section of her life titled by each of her seven husbands and her reasons for marrying (and divorcing) them. As you journey through Evelyn’s life, it feels as if you’re being granted exclusive access to something you shouldn’t be seeing. It’s hard to believe the characters and events in this book aren’t real celebrities.
To me, a great book is one that makes you forget you’re reading in the first place, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo does exactly that. It’s an instantly captivating book, thanks in part to the story, but mostly to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing. Her stories flow smoothly, her characters are complex and realistically flawed, and I happily got lost in the pages until the very end. This is the perfect cozy fall read!
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