CUTTER AND BONE (Newton Thornburg) - April 30/22

 This fairly erratic book certainly kept me gripped for large chunks, as Thornburg sure paints a vivid picture of these two completely captivating characters and the '70s California in which they exist. But the author's extremely descriptive sensibilities ensure that certain sections just aren't that compelling (ie get on with it, already), but the final stretch is definitely quite electrifying and I was fairly shocked by the impressively grim conclusion. *** out of ****

NO EXIT (Taylor Adams) - April 18/22

 Wow! This is definitely the most entertaining and fast paced book I've read in quite some time. It starts out a little slow but the thing moves like a rocket once Darby sees the kid in the truck. I didn't know how Adams would keep things going after that, but he kept piling on twist after twist and the whole final stretch felt like an over-the-top '90s thriller - complete with a seemingly unstoppable villain! Good stuff. **** out of ****

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE (V.E. Schwab) - April 8/22

 Well this one is sure frustrating. It took a while to get going but I eventually got pretty invested in the central character and her exploits, and just when my attention was beginning to wane, Henry was introduced and I was very intrigued. I was rooting for them to make it, but Schwab's propensity for overwriting the hell out of this book eventually becomes impossible to overlook. And then the whole thing with the story becoming a Y.A. love triangle thing was astonishingly tedious. I wish some editor had chopped this thing in half, ultimately. **1/2 out of ****