I know you are asking, you started the alphabet challenge with X?  Aren't you supposed to read it in order?  I am laughing now because there was an important reason to start with X...it was a library book and needed to be returned! But honestly, I decided to read my alphabet challenge in random order, to allow the books to call to me when I needed them most.

The first chapter of Schaitkin's book had me perplexed. The characters were introduced in third person, and I found it cold. I couldn't connect with the characters and found I was craving this to get into the book.  I kept on, and began to discover how poetic and descriptive Schaitkin's writing was. She caught me then, breathless in moments like "Her sister is a secret whispered in her ear." pg 12.  Schaitkin had a way of capturing all the senses in her writing. I could hear, feel and smell many of the scenes vividly.
As the story unfolded, I realized quickly that Schaitkin had an ability to capture the human condition in all it's sin, darkness and struggles. She captured life's unforgiving relentlessness, the obsessions of the mind and the pains of the heart. The impact of how one traumatic event had unrelenting impacts; the spiralling aftermath for so many, the unravelling and destruction of the human psyche. She opened a rawness to her characters that made them real, touchable. "As if the land [was] weary with he burden of human secrets." pg 162. 
Saint X was a mesmerizing read, captured the depths of my soul as a trauma survivor. The ending blew me away. (No spoilers here!) When I closed the book I had to stop, hold the book and breathe out, knowing I will miss these characters in my life. I had a deep sadness for them. Brava to Schaitkin for creating a novel where empathy could be felt so deeply in real time.

Hello 2025! I am so excited to be starting DRB Reviews this New Year!  I love to read, and love to write and thought it would be a great idea to meld the two together and review the books I read.
I decided to start this year off with a unique reading challenge, an alphabet challenge. I have a huge TBR, with books on my bookshelf I haven't touched, although desperately want to make the time for.  They were picked up mostly at thrift shops over the years. So in an attempt to read them before buying any new books, I began to look at my book shelves and the titles they held, and discovered I have enough to create an alphabet challenge. I ignored "the" to accomplish this but began pulling and laying them out on the bed. I discovered I only needed to buy four letters K, Q, V & Z to complete the collection.  I googled books that start with these letters and found extensive booklists on Goodreads. (Thank you to others who have read alphabet challenges in the past I suppose!) I bought four titles beginning with these letters, to complete my challenge with my Christmas gift, an Indigo gift card. (Thanks to my wonderful husband.)
I read a lot, and usually have several books on the go. I read a hard cover by day, and kindle by night.  I plan on reviewing my alphabet challenge books on DRB Review, and will slip in the odd Kindle review as the year progresses.  One thing I have learned about being an author, is the value of other's reviews.
To the authors I will be reading this year...it is my hopes my reviews help to bring notice to your novels, that turn over into sales.  Thank you to all the authors who have written the books I will be reading this year; you have given me a perfect escape. 
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