Atria Books | Book Chatter

All the Words We Know
By Bruce Nash
Atria, July 1, 2025, 240pp

The Short of It:

Dark with humor.

The Rest of It:

Rose may be in her eighties and suffering from dementia, but she’s not done with life just yet. Alternately sharp as a tack and spectacularly forgetful, she spends her days roaming the corridors of her assisted living facility, musing on the staff and residents, and enduring visits form her emotionally distant children and granddaughters. But when her friend is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose embarks on an eccentric and determined investigation to discover the truth and uncover all manner of secrets…even some from her own past. ~ publisher

All the Words We Know surprised me. Rose is this sweet, charming lady whose grasp of the English language is slipping ever so slightly. Words like “elevator” become “relevator” and her interactions with the other residents are one-sided at best, and sometimes not even with the living!

But, she’s sharp. Very sharp, so when strange things begin to happen at the assisted living facility, she finds herself conducting her own investigation into what is going on. She befriends a trans employee who provides warnings, but are they REAL warnings or Rose’s imagination at work again?

I was intrigued by this story. Rose’s observations are colored by dementia but as the story comes together, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to know what the heck was going on and what was up with hat facility?

All of the players, the “angry” nurse, the “scare/care” manager, the nice boy with a mop, provide ways for the story to move forward without giving the entire plot away. Overall, I liked the story. Mostly I appreciated how unique it was. Getting used to Rose’s way of speaking took a bit of time but once I got used to it, the story flowed effortlessly.

Source: Review copy sent to me by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

Julie Chan is Dead
By Liann Zhang
Atria, April 2025, 320pp.

The Short of It:

An accurate depiction of social media and its impact on society.

The Rest of It:

Julie Chan is dead.
Not really.
Her sister Chloe is.

Chloe, a high profile social media influencer is found dead in her kitchen. The shock of the moment takes Julie by surprise, but not for the reason you think.

Chloe and Julie were never close. Chloe was raised by a white, privileged family. Julie, raised by their ruthless mother. Two very different upbringings. Never close. Julie, resenting Chloe’s charmed life 98% of the time.

So in that moment, the moment where Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body, she decides to BE her. To become her. Their resemblance allows it and no one is the wiser. Why not enjoy the limelight for once? Why should her twin be the charmed one?

As Julie steps into Chloe’s world, it quickly becomes apparent that this ruse may take a bit of effort. Perhaps, more effort and skill than Julie anticipated.

I found this part of the story to be pretty accurate. The life of an influencer is never ending. The constant need to post content, the need for clicks. Just managing the products and sponsorships becomes overwhelming and Julie drowns in it.

But then it gets strange. Julie learns that Chloe was part of a smaller circle of influencers. Big ones. Being a part of that circle is suddenly very important to Julie. They don’t seem to notice anything different about Chloe but when Julie (as Chloe) is invited to an island retreat for VIP influencers, it all unravels quickly.

Things go south fast. This part of the story seemed ridiculous and far fetched. Some of it, absolutely included for shock factor. I felt that this method of storytelling was lazy and convenient. I was so riveted by the glamour and the glitz and then, it just went out like a light. Poof.

Strong first half, but in my opinion, didn’t deliver in the end.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

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