My Current Reads

Books I’ve read and reviewed.

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland traces the origin of a secret Vermeer painting (created by Vreeland, not a real-life missing Vermeer) told in vignettes, where each subsequent point-of-view switch sets up the previous storyline, as we follow the painting backwards through time.

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This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

In This Could Be Us, Soledad Barnes is facing a devastating betrayal that shatters the life she built with her husband. As she struggles to provide for her daughters, Soledad begins a journey of self-discovery and resilience. Alongside her rebuilding, a new romance challenges her to trust again.

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After Annie by Anna Quindlen
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

After Annie by Anna Quindlen

After Annie tells the story of three of the most important people to the titular character, Annie Brown, following her sudden death. Annie's husband Bill, their four children, and her best friend Annemarie, are left to grapple with the void left by her absence. Quindlen explores what the first year following Annie's death looks like for this trio of loved ones.

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The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

In The Warm Hands of Ghosts, set during WWI, Arden crafts a narrative rich with potential, introducing Laura Iven, a field nurse from Halifax, Canada, rocked by tragedy and determined to uncover the truth behind her brother's disappearance. Meanwhile, Freddie Iven awakens in a half-destroyed pillbox, forming an unlikely alliance with German soldier Hans Winter as they navigate survival amidst chaos.

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All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, and Jamie Grant
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, and Jamie Grant

Issued by DC Comics as a 12-issue run from 2005 to 2008, All-Star Superman centers on the idea of Superman suffering from overexposure to the Sun—the very celestial object that grants him his superpowers on Earth. Faced with the news of his inevitable death, Superman embarks on twelve labors as he prepares the world he calls home for his absence.

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Wellness by Nathan Hill
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

Wellness by Nathan Hill

Following a deliciously drawn-out, meet-cute in early 1990s Chicago, Jack and Elizabeth eagerly immerse themselves in the underground art and growing hipster scene. Fast forward to 2015 and the pair, now married with a young son, struggle to navigate middle age, parenthood, and life in the Information Age.

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Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

In Night of the Witch, Raasch and Revis venture into the Trier Witch Trials, where Fritzi and Otto unite against zealot witch hunters led by Kommandant Dieter Kirch. While rich in historical detail, the story's burdened by the weight of research, making the protagonists and antagonist feel one-dimensional.

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Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley Books, Reviews Chrissie Whitley

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

Jay Gardiner, a seventeen-year-old estranged from his family, dives into the Pacific Ocean to locate his father's remains, hoping to ease the guilt of his suicide. A giant squid and a hungry sperm whale unexpectedly jeopardize his mission, trapping him inside the whale's belly.

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