I've got to hand it to Liane Moriarty. Apples Never Fall has got to be one of the most scintillating family dramas I've ever read.

Joy Delaney, beloved wife and mother of four, has disappeared. Her adult children are rightfully aghast, but they're reluctant to report her missing. They know the prime suspect will be their father, and to be honest, they're not quite sure of his innocence. When the police starts asking questions, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the family has stories to tell and secrets to hide. But how long can they hold out before all is laid bare?

First and foremost, this is a story about dysfunctional families, and I just love me a good one of those. Every member of the Delaney family is distinct and compelling, and when you throw in the game of tennis, sibling rivalries, the mother's disappearance, and that decidedly strange interloper to their family home, the tale gets interesting real quick.

I can't get over the premise. It's such a fascinating dilemma, and I couldn't stop myself from chewing it over. What would I do in this situation—would I side with my father or against him if I suspected he murdered my mother? I love a good moral quandary, and this story perfectly captured the nuances that such a predicament would bring to a family.

What I've always adored about Moriarty's writing is her sharp and astute observations about people and their flaws. She has this ability to peel back the layers of family relationships and what it means to be human, and to expose everything beautiful and ugly within, all the while injecting just the right amount of humor. This book hit upon tender subjects familiar to everyone, yet instead of making me cry, it made me laugh.

Needless to say, I found the whole thing to be utterly riveting. The characters were memorable, the dialogue snappy, and the strife felt all too real. I devoured it in just a few days. And while the mystery wasn't the core of this book, there were still plenty of revelations along the way to keep me on my toes.

If I had one quibble, it would have to be the ending. I'm not a fan of when a story is clearly wrapped up, and then the author goes on to continue some more, often to its detriment. And that's kind of what happened here. The last few chapters really weren't necessary, and including them caused the story to veer off course and end on a slight odd note. But that's a minor complaint, and I could very well ignore that last bit in my head (which I've already done) in favor of the rest of the story.

If you're considering this, do keep one thing in mind—to properly enjoy it, you have to have the right mindset. This isn't a mystery/thriller and you would be sorely disappointed if you went in expecting that. In fact, this isn't even its milder domestic suspense cousin. This is straight up a dysfunctional family drama, and Joy's disappearance is simply a plot device used to drive the narrative forward.

I feel like when Liane Moriarty writes what she knows best, there's almost nothing better. And this tale of the dysfunctional Delaney family certainly turned out to be quite the startling and dazzling gem.

Readaroo Rating: 4.5 stars

But these were the Storms.

Yes, so you remind me every other paragraph. But I'm going to need a little more than that to sustain my interests.

DNF - What is happening to my summer reading? I feel like I keep picking up books, then DNFing them. This one had so much potential, and yet the pages are filled with, well, nothing but filler. The dialogue was bland, the plot seemed nonexistent, and the siblings can all be interchanged with one another.

The thing is, name dropping and bad storm analogies do not constitute a story. My bar isn't that high. Whatever is on the pages just has to be slightly more interesting than what I've conjured up in my mind from skimming the blurb. And this did not, sadly, pass that low bar.

It reads like I've accidentally eavesdropped on a boring conversation where all the interesting bits have been cut out and the most tedious and obvious parts dwelled and expanded upon.

Maybe it's my old age, but I'm running out of time and no longer have patience for books with basic dialogue and no plot. So, onto the next.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

If Evelyn Hugo put Taylor Jenkins Reid on the map, then surely Daisy Jones is the one that cements her dominance over the expansive landscape of fictional memoirs.

When you think about, what is the difference between fiction and nonfiction? Well, that's an easy question. One is real and the other is made up. Okay, but how do you differentiate between them while you're actually in the midst of a story? Ah, and herein lies the crux of what makes TJR's stories so special.

Told via interview transcripts, Daisy Jones & The Six chronicles the rise of the eponymous band that came to define rock 'n' roll in the late 1970s, as well as the troubles that subsequently led to the band splitting up seemingly overnight and never playing together again. The thing is though, this band and their entire story is fictional, but it sure doesn't feel like it.

The narrative is raw and evocative, filled with sweet, complicated characters I can't help but cheer for. There's complexity and nuance in the way TJR captures the relationships between the band members, each flawed in their own way with their individual personalities, quirks, and baggage.

Every character in here, every interaction, every thought and emotion, even the lyrics and the technical factors that go into making a band, all come together to heighten the sensation that what we're reading is real. The amount of details in here is staggering, and I applaud the author for having done so much meticulous research to build out her fictional world. The result is as authentic and gripping as the real deal.

I was captivated. I fell head first into this band and this world, and I had trouble resurfacing. There's this reader's high that you only get in the most immersive of reads—where the real world fades out and the one on the pages sharpens until it takes over your mind—and I got it here. I absolutely inhaled this whole thing, and I didn't stop, couldn't stop, until it was all done.

Going in, a lot has been made of the story's interview format; some love it, some hate it. I wasn't sure where I would fall. But of course I needn't have worried. I was hooked right from the start. It reads like an intimate first person account, allowing us to see right into the hearts and minds of every character. We lived every moment with them, feeling every emotion as if it were our own.

I will say, rock and roll is not my preferred music genre, so I was definitely a bit taken aback by how deeply invested I was in this story. I wasn't alive during the 1970s, and it would be multiple decades after that that I even began to notice American music. But that's TJR for you. She has this way of making me care deeply about things which I know nothing about and quite frankly have never given a farthing of thought to before.

Perhaps my only small quibble is that this felt almost too real. And just like real life, not everything was wrapped up in a neat bow, not everyone got the happily ever after that they deserved. In fact, no one got everything, just like real life and maybe that left me feeling a bit wistful and yearning, but for what, I don't really know.

I think to say to an author, I loved your story so much I wish it were real and I'm sad it's not and I don't want it to end, is about the highest compliment I can give. So I pay that highest compliment to TJR here. This story really showcases the range of her skills and abilities. She isn't just a writer of generic women's fiction. She can take any topic and build out a convincing, technically rich world around it, and make us see it as real. That's so impressive, and I cannot wait to see what she tackles next.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

DNF - I don't know, you guys. I see so much love for this book, but it's not grabbing me at all.

First off, the story is so weird. There's interesting weird, like I haven't seen this before but please tell me more cause I'm intrigued. And then there's just plain weird and vaguely repulsive, so please, don't tell me anymore. And this one definitely fell squarely in the latter.

The characters were all so unlikable, but none more so than Honor. So to tell the story from her perspective was especially grating. Then when the narration switched to what is effectively third-person omniscient, it became even more strange and awkward.

The writing didn't flow naturally. It felt like the author was constantly trying put little jabs into every scene she could, making fun of people, parents, consumerism, etc. But it didn't come across funny at all. Like, was I supposed to laugh or find insight in the jabs? It was so strange and jarring.

And that flippant and stilted tone was really at odds with what should've been an emotional tale. The topics and themes in here are ones that usually would've had me blubbering, yet I felt nothing at all. I don't care what happens to any of these characters, which is always a bad sign.

Every time I went to pick up this book, I dreaded it. I held on for a few days, but it's not getting any better. Supposedly there are all these surprises and secrets coming up, but if they're anything like the first chapter, I don't really care to find out. So that's that.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

I adore this series, and A Conspiracy in Belgravia is another fun one to add to the collection. But that adoration does come with some caveats.

First, the good stuff. I love strong female characters, and this series has it in spades. Charlotte Holmes is as clever and intrepid as ever, readily going about her day sussing out secrets left and right without ever missing a beat. It's so refreshing to follow a heroine who, when faced with adversity, is so confident in her abilities that she just uses her wits to get through any and all situations.

The repartee in here is delightful—Victorian, witty, a touch prudish—and I would often find myself lingering, rereading parts just to savor it some more. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the sizzle between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Their unrequited love was so sharp and visceral without ever being directly referenced that I had no choice but to swoon.

But I have to be honest. For a mystery series, the mysteries themselves are perhaps its one weakness. There are a few too many characters and subplots, a bit too much complexity in the way of the twists and turns, for this to really be easy to follow along with. And the denouement, in which everything is revealed, doesn't feel so much shocking as vaguely confusing, leaving me wondering where it all came from. Certainly I did not see the twists coming, but I'm not clear how Charlotte was able to either.

Another quibble I have is that not all the points of view were equally riveting. Charlotte, with the force of her personality, steals the show, so whenever we turn away from her to let Inspector Treadles or Livia have a turn, my attention waned. Thankfully, those sections were short, but they did slow the pace a bit for me overall.

But those really are small quibbles, and they don't unduly impact my enjoyment. The characters, their relationships with each other, the nonstop banter in the dialogue, all make this such a charming and interesting read. I hope the too-complex mysteries will get ironed out as the series matures or as we get more familiar with the characters and events at play.

Oh, one more thing to note if you're considering this. The question always comes up if one should read a series in order, and the answer here is a resounding yes! Even though each book has a self-contained mystery, there is so much backstory and character development and relationships throughout the series that to read it out of order would just be a big pile of confusion. And I do speak from personal experience, having done just that on my first go-around and lived to regret it until I finally completed my reread in the correct order.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

This is it, my moment of reckoning, and in some ways I long for it.

If characters make or break a story, then it's easy to see why Broken Country has stolen so many hearts.

I didn't really know what to expect going in. When a book is labeled as both a love story and a thriller, with promises of secrets and love triangles and death, it can easily go off the rails in the hands of the wrong author. It can slip into a soap opera, with drama for drama's sake and emotions for emotion's sake. But thank goodness that didn't happen here.

The writing was filled with so much nuance and skill, to fall into the world within was but a foregone conclusion. It took me a few chapters to really get settled, but once I did, I was fully immersed. Every scene felt vividly portrayed, every character sketched in sharp relief. It was as if I was really there, soaring with every joy and suffering through every pain.

I can't get over these characters. To say they were likable would perhaps be a step too far, but I did connect with each and every one of them. I could see bits and pieces of myself laid bare on the pages, in the precipice of the characters' decisions and in the overwhelming emotions that drove them there. They rang so true and touched me so deeply, I'm still reeling in the aftermath.

I have to take a moment to emphasis just how immersive this story was. Sometimes it feels like that's all I talk about, but that's because for me, it's just about the most important quality in a story. There's nothing worse than reading something that isn't grabbing me, while my mind checks out and tallies up chores I have to do and bills I have to pay. So when I come across a truly immersive story, I get pretty darn excited.

The narrative unfolds as a triple timeline. We spend the majority of time in the past and in the leadup to the shooting, and only a little bit of time on the trial. Looking back on it, I can see why the author chose to tell the story the way she did, and it was as effective as it was riveting.

A big deal always gets made about twists and turns whenever we're talking about a mystery, so I just want to set expectations correctly. I think if you're a mystery/thriller enthusiastic, you probably won't be that surprised here (and I wasn't). But on the other hand, if you don't read a lot of the genre, then perhaps there will be a few unexpected developments throughout. But no matter which way you land, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of this story.

Phew, that's a lot of praise, and hopefully it hasn't scared you off, if you know what I mean. There is a certain category of books out there that seems to attract effusive compliments from readers and award-giving committees alike, but when you try to read it for yourself, they somehow come across as dull as dishwater. Or even worse, they're trauma porn out to batter your emotions simply for better ratings. But that's not this book. This book is as compulsive and unputdownable as they come, and I dare you not to read it in one go.

I think this book set out to achieve the unachievable—to be a love story and a mystery/thriller, a character driven study while being fast-paced, quiet and moving and yet still an utter delight to read—and it somehow managed to achieve them all. What a feat.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

I hate to say it, but this isn't sci-fi. It's more of a mystery/thriller and an overly sappy one at that. And I guess I just wasn't in the mood for such a thing.

The premise is certainly enticing. Four strangers travel to the past to revisit the day their lives changed forever. They were only supposed to be there for an hour, but soon find themselves trapped for days and days. And when their paths start to cross, they realize maybe they aren't the strangers they thought they were.

No complaints from me about the way this story kicked off. I found the initial chapters with the four different characters to be riveting, and I settled in, thinking I was well on my way to a unique and fascinating read. But then as the characters' lives began to intersect, I started to get the feeling that maybe this isn't the mind blowing speculative fiction I thought it was going to be.

The problem is that we start near the end of the timeline, so we already know most of what happens, if not the how. Then we jump three years into the past and slowly fill everything in. This structure makes it so that by about halfway through the book, all the pieces are in place and we have a pretty solid idea of how it will all play out. After that, there are no more surprises. From then on, the book proceeds to spell out in long form what is already obvious.

I don't have to have surprise after surprise in the books I'm reading, but to remove all elements of the unknown does mean a book would have to work extra hard to keep my attention. And unfortunately, this one didn't quite succeed.

It doesn't help that I can't seem to connect with these characters. No matter how difficult and complex their problems—and they had some gnarly ones for sure—every single one of them was resolved neatly and with much emotional fanfare. Every single character got their moment of enlightenment, and that one scene, one conversation was all it took for them to be happy and fulfilled.

Maybe I'm a cold hearted reader, but I just don't buy it. There is no way real people would behave like that. It's ludicrous to think that no matter what losses we suffer, be it our children or our limbs, that we would only need to hug it out before resuming our normal lives. And these pivotal scenes were often padded with so much saccharine mush to up the emotional ante that I had a lot of trouble keeping my focus.

What happened to finding out more about the time traveling tech or the glitch that stranded these travelers in the first place? It was such a disappointment to come to the end of this book and realize that those questions would never be answered. Clearly, the time traveling was just a way for the author to tell her story in a slightly different, nonlinear way and once that was done, the plot device could be tossed aside and forgotten.

Sometimes when a book isn't what I'm expecting, I can still adjust and end up enjoying it. But in this case, there just wasn't enough of what I wanted and too much of what I didn't want for that to happen.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars