
System Leadership in Practice
Rob Higham, David Hopkins and Peter Matthews
Book
'With all the current interest in system reform and the spread of leadership, "System Leadership in...

The Elements of Counseling Children and Adolescents
Catherine P. Cook-Cottone, Linda S. Kane and Laura M. Anderson
Book
Tailored to the specific needs of the child and adolescent client, this concise, easy-to-read primer...

The What, Why & How of Medical School Applications
Christopher Graham, Dayo Kashimawo, Michael Thurm and Rajiv Sethi
Book
BPP University School of Health combines the academic excellence of a university with the real-life...

A Visit from the Goon Squad
Book
Jennifer Egan's spellbinding novel circles the lives of Bennie Salazar, an ageing former punk rocker...
This was a slightly insane and improbable thriller that I sped through in an entire day. It was fast-paced and nearly impossible to put down, as you just knew the characters were hurtling toward disaster. It's filled with a variety of fairly unsympathetic characters, though I felt for Low, unwanted in her own busy family and toyed with by Freya, who cares only for herself.
"I'd had to share all my life. I was done with it."
The story is told from Low's perspective, along with Brian, Jamie, and Max. We never hear directly from Freya, whom all of these characters seem to hold on a pedestal. Why exactly, we can never be sure, as she seems self-centered and cruel, playing with and torturing each of them to get exactly what she wants.
I found this to be a spellbinding read--it pulls you in as only Harding can do. Low's obsession, Freya's narcissism, Jamie's naivete. We can sense it all combining into something propulsive and horrible.
Overall, while I didn't love this one quite as much as The Arrangement, Harding's previous novel, I still enjoyed it. It's a fast-paced and creepy read, plus it's different and fun. 4 stars.

George Yeo on Bonsai, Banyan and the Tao: Pruning the Banyan Tree
Asad-ul Iqbal Latif, Huay Leng Lee and George Yong-Boon Yeo
Book
Since his undergraduate days in Cambridge, George Yeo has spoken and written much in and out of...

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Little Wife in Books
Jan 7, 2021
Lila Ridgefield's husband is missing. A beloved high school teacher, his boss, colleagues, and brother cannot believe that Aaron Payne would just disappear. He's certainly not the type to simply not show up for work one day. As for his wife, Lila is known more for her cold and quiet demeanor (and, let's be honest, her beauty). She's also pretty confused, because the last time she saw Aaron, she was rather convinced she was looking at his dead body. So where's his car she left behind--and the body? Investigator Ginny Davis is called to look into Aaron's disappearance. At first it seems unrelated to that of a missing local student. But the more Ginny digs, the more she starts to wonder. And the more Lila digs, the more she fears her husband is still alive.
"Despite all her careful planning, he was gone. She had to find Aaron before he found her."
Well, this was quite a book. The beginning was a bit slow for me--it took too long to get to the exciting part, and it was repetitive. It felt like bits and pieces were rehashed over and over. I wanted to shake Lila and tell her to get on with it!
But, once everything gets moving, this is quite an exciting thriller. The last fourth of the story especially is incredibly electrifying and, for the most part, keeps you guessing. (I had a decent idea about whodunnit, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all.) I loved the concept of a mystery where the woman kills her husband, yet the main story is, surprise: he disappears anyway. The dynamic between cunning Lila, whom you're never sure you can trust, and Ginny, who is a straightforward and honest investigator, is excellent. I enjoy a book with strong female protagonists and these two are excellent.
Overall, even though this dragged for a bit, it's certainly worth a read. For one thing, it's different, which is so refreshing in the thriller genre. It's also dark, intriguing, and surprising. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

Jacqueline Stewart recommended Fieldwork Footage (1928) in Movies (curated)

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Bad Habits in Books
Feb 18, 2021
This was a well-done and suspenseful book, but it took me a while to get into it for some reason. Mostly by design, the characters are incredibly unlikable and nearly impossible to feel any attachment for. Even Mac, our supposed protagonist, has her irritating and questionable moments. I think of this book as dark and twisted people doing dark and twisted things. But, there's some delight in that, sometimes, right? Because Gentry gives us really twisted people and what happens can be really dark.
If you're someone who came up in academia, this book will really hit home, as most of our characters' motivations center around getting ahead in that world. Mac envies Gwen and her "easy" life more than anything. And the two professors? Well, I'm not sure I can even *explain* them without giving away any spoilers. Let's just say it's a cutthroat world out there.
There are certainly some twists here--more at the end, where things pick up. There's an "event" that we know happened, and we don't really find out what transpired until near the book's conclusions. At times this is suspenseful; at others, frustrating. Is the power grab that's happening really worth it all? Only our characters can truly say, I suppose.
Overall, this a dark and sometimes slow-moving novel, but it has its share of surprises. It will be especially intriguing if you love academia-themed novels and power-grabbing characters. 3 stars.
