Book Review: The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Title: The Last Housewife

Author: Ashley Winstead

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Adult

Pages: 385

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Year Published: 2022

Format: Audiobook (Own Paperback Copy)

"From the author of the acclaimed In My Dreams I Hold a Knife comes a pitch-black thriller about a woman determined to destroy a powerful cult and avenge the deaths of the women taken in by it, no matter the cost.

While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and her best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the world works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape. Now, eight years later, Shay's built a new life in a tiny Texas suburb. But when she hears the horrifying news of Laurel's death- delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader- she begins to suspect that the past she ]thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever.

Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes back to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend's life, she's pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privilege shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar. When Shay's obsession with uncovering the truth becomes also consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning. But in a world built for men to rule it- both inside the cult and outside of it- is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?"

My Rating: 5/5

This was such a great audiobook! I would highly recommend the audiobook if you're interested in the content matter as it helps the podcast feel alive. This book contained a lot of subject matter that I find interesting. Interesting in the way i find true crime interesting. I know that it's probably not a healthy thing to be curious about but it's just one of those things for me. I am always curious about how cults start, how they end up where they do and what makes people start them or even join them along the way. This delivered on the mystery aspect of these ideas and the use of a podcast to link it together was perfect! I would highly recommend it!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore

 Title: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

Author: Kate Moore

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Adult, History

Pages: 479

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Year Published: 2017

Format: Audiobook

"The incredible true story of the women who fought America's Undark danger.

The Curies newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.

Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these 'shining girls' are the luckiest alive- until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.

But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for the workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the 'wonder' substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives..."

My Rating: 5/5

Other than hearing about this book a few years ago I had never heard about the Radium Girls and their lives. Considering I'm Canadian I just assumed that it was something that might be spoken more about in the American school system. So imagine my surprise when I realized that not many people know the cases of the Radium girls across America (not every state). This is such a well-written novel about the events, while still making you feel as though you knew the women. I think that this story was more about the girls themselves then the specific legal proceedings (this information is included) and based on the author's note I think that her goal was accomplished. The idea of making these women knowable, more than just what they gave to labour laws, and science. I would recommend this to anyone interested in all honesty. I would also recommend the audiobook, I loved the narrator. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny