DNF - I tried, I really did. I've been slogging through this book for weeks. It dragged me into a slump the first time, so I took a break and came back hoping to feel refreshed. But no. I'm calling it quits before it drags me back again.

When did feminist literature become a cliché of men-hating tropes? Each male character in here is portrayed as either dumb or cheating or a rapist/killer. And every woman is frothing with rage to get even with the men who have hurt them, all the while menstruating torrents of blood (I kid you not) and taking care of their babies. There is a bitterness and hatred coming off the pages that makes the whole thing hard to stomach.

I always want nuanced portrayal in the books I read. Every person should be judged by who they are instead of the color of their skin or their gender. So it makes me really uncomfortable to see groups of people lumped together like this, as if the sin of one is a reflection of all.

My other problem with this book is that it's really long and slow. It seems more interested in thoroughly exploring the backstories of every character rather than forwarding the main narrative. So even though I'm 150 pages in (of an almost 500-page book), it feels like the story has just begun.

The blurb promises this to be "gloriously sharp and funny," but obviously it missed the mark for me. I haven't cracked a smile since picking this up, and there's nothing sharp about the writing or the characters. Every time I set the book down, I have no desire to pick it back up, which is a sure sign that I need to move on.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars (DNF)

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

Ah, is there a more satisfying feeling than finding the perfect beach read during the waning days of summer?

I can't believe this is Elin Hilderbrand's 28th novel (of which I've only read a paltry few)! I'm always a little hesitant when an author has been around for so long. What if they've lost their verve and zest for writing and are now just doing it to put out one more book? But gosh, I didn't need to worry at all.

The Hotel Nantucket was the consummate summer reading experience. It transported me to Nantucket, and I fell in love with the island, the atmosphere, and all the wonderful characters.

Instead of focusing solely on one or two individuals, this story is more of an ensemble cast, with many characters taking up the pages. And while that took me a few chapters to get into, once I did, I was all in. I can honestly say there wasn't a single character I wasn't fond of, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone and seeing them grow through the pages.

If I had to nitpick something, it would be that there were two characters with almost the same name. There's Sweet Edie (a main character) and Fast Eddie (only a side one). Thankfully, Fast Eddie only appears a few times, though it did confuse me every time he did. But I really had to reach hard to come up with this minor quibble.

No doubt about it, I just about savored every moment of this book. I read it almost entirely outside, soaking up the sunshine and with various fruit-flavored bubble teas in hand. Summers are so special and inevitably too short. Especially this year, having lost half of my summer due to moving and feeling unwell, I'm doubly thankful to have found this gem of a story. It totally buoyed my spirits and added that extra spark to my otherwise abbreviated summer.

Now my only remaining question is: could the ending have been a teensy-weensy wink towards a sequel? I sure hope so!

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

I cannot hope for the future, for I know what it is to become.

Whenever I'm in a reading slump and I need something to shake me out of my funk, Greek mythology is what I reach for. The tales of passion and tragedy, war and loss, glory and triumph always hit the right spot for me. So I'm a bit flummoxed that Elektra didn't turn out to be the reading experience I was hoping for.

Though the title would have you thinking this story is centered on one woman, it actually follows three separate women during the time of the Trojan War. Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon and mother of Elektra, was by far my favorite of the storylines. I was instantly swept up in her narrative and felt sympathy and heartbreak for her plight. We also follow Cassandra, a princess of Troy with the gift of foresight but the curse that none would believe her. While she isn't a big character in mythology, her story is definitely interesting.

Where this fell short for me is with Elektra. Her storyline feels one-dimensional, with her only trait being her obsession with her father and how great he is. Her perspective quickly becomes whiny and repetitive, and I could feel my eyes rolling around in my head whenever it's her turn. It's ironic that the character whose name is the title of this book is also the one I enjoyed the least and dreaded reading.

Another issue is the uneven pacing. Once you get past the exciting initial setup, it feels like things start to slow down. And since the Trojan War is well known in Greek mythology, a lot of what's in here isn't new. So when you put the two things together, a good chunk of the latter part of this book felt like a trudge, without the spark of something new and exciting to engage the reader.

A Greek mythology retelling, when done right, takes us into the hearts and minds of seemingly remote characters and makes them come alive. And so this story does too, though with mixed results. Clytemnestra and Cassandra's narratives were undeniably fascinating, and for that, this was a worthwhile read for me.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars