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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated My Kind Of People in Books

May 21, 2020

My Kind Of People

Lisa Duffy | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+

9.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This novel cemented Duffy as one of my absolute favorite writers. This is a lovely and touching read, bringing to life the group of islanders who come together to care for Sky. Duffy builds her worlds so perfectly: I was lost on Ichabod Island with these characters--all of whom are so uniquely them. This book will go straight to your heart.

I fell immediately for sweet Sky. We learn that Brian and Ann are Sky's adoptive parents, so she's basically been orphaned twice. She is troubled as her parents were fighting a lot right before they died--going against the town view of them as the "perfect couple." While this novel is mostly a deep dive into its characters, there is a touch of mystery here. Why were Sky's parents fighting, and did it have anything to do with the car crash that caused their death? Also, a mysterious woman arrives in town--what is her role to play in the story? Duffy weaves together all of these plot points so well; I was captivated by the book and even though I wanted to slow down and savor it, I also wanted to know what had happened, to find out what would happen to Sky and Leo.

"A fearless girl who doesn't just think she's safe alone in the dark on an island in the Atlantic. She knows it."

I love that Duffy included a gay couple in her novel--and treats them like regular people. Leo is a wonderful character: complex and struggling with new parenthood. In the end, you feel like you know the entire neighborhood block, from sweet Joe; to Maggie, who is coming into her own in her '50s; to longtime resident Agnes, who is set in her ways; to Sky's tough best friend Frankie; and Sky's newly found grandmother, Lillian. All of these characters play a real role in this story: not an easy feat when the focus is on Leo and Sky.

Overall, this is a wonderfully written novel that covers family, marriage, tragedy, love, and so much more. Duffy's characters are beautiful, and she has an amazing way of bringing you right into the world she has created. I will always read anything she writes. 4.5 stars.

Kudos

Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Read and Gone (The Haunted Library Mysteries, #2) in Books

Oct 2, 2020

This is the second book of the series, and even though I haven’t read the first part, I was able to follow this book quite easily. There are a few references to the past and you can quickly realise what happened. Though, if you wish to read the series, don’t start with #2, because there are a few spoilers here that you wish you hadn’t read if you read book #1. I won’t be reading #1 because the spoilers in this book ruined it for me. But I am sure it’s an amazing story as well.

Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.

This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.

I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.

All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)