Kylie’s Book Nook
My name is Kylie Sebert. I'm a native of Spirit Lake and recently moved back to West Des Moines! I have a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, with an emphasis in fiction. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook as @litwithkyiejo. As with most writers, one of my passions is discovering and reading great books. I hope my reviews will spark an excitement for literature in people around the Iowa Great Lakes area!
Funny Story by Emily Henry
This is my third Emily Henry book and I think it just might be my favorite! I absolutely love the premise, Daphne is unceremoniously thrown out of her apartment when her fiancée Peter leaves her for his best friend (Petra) not only that but she has to move in with Miles, Petra’s EX! As if that wasn’t already awful, Peter and Petra decide to get married and invite their exes. Enter fake relationship, Daphne & Miles say they are together.
Funny Story made me laugh out loud so many times. Henry’s ability to write witty banter blows me away! Writing dialogue is no easy feat and she fills her books with it. I also enjoy her ability to make a mundane scene into something memorable with her fantastic characters. I always love her bookish characters, Daphne is a librarian. This book wasn’t all fun and games, as Henry dives into deeper topics like family, finding yourself and falling in love. It’s just truly beautiful and made me want to visit Lake Michigan right away!
Highly recommend this one on audiobook as the narrator, Julia Whelan never misses!
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
This one is getting a ton of buzz including being chosen for Jimmy Fallon’s Book Club and rightfully so! If you want a psychological thriller that will hook you and keep you terrified from beginning to end, it’s this one! I read/listened to this one in two days.
The protagonist is a mother who is trapped in a blizzard in her old New England house with her two kids. First line of the book, There was someone in the house. She realizes there is an intruder and quickly gathers her kids to go to a secret hiding spot in the office behind a wall. Every movement the man makes is described as he searches her home and they hide.
This book starts in such a high stress state and keeps you guessing the entire time! I felt a mix of emotions…anger, sadness, terror, shock. Nightwatching had the atmospheric writing of Ruth Ware mixed with the terror elements of Stephen King! I honestly thought it was going to disappoint me at one point but she nailed the ending! I will be reading anything Tracy Sierra releases and will have to sleep with one eye open.