Author Archives: Laura

• Book Review: “Ayesha at Last” by Uzma Jalaluddin

  Posted at 9:30 am by Laura, on October 21, 2019

  Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

  Publisher: Berkley
  Published: June 2019
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9781984802798
  Rating: ★★★★★
  

  Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid, who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices, and who dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.

  When a surprise engagement is announced between Khalid and Hafsa, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and the unsettling new gossip she hears about his family. Looking into the rumors, she finds she has to deal with not only what she discovers about Khalid, but also the truth she realizes about herself.

  You know a classic retelling is good when you stop comparing it to the original and get swept up in the new narrative! I read this book earlier in the summer and it blew me away.

  There’s a new Lizzie and Darcy in the house and their names are Ayesha and Khalid! Jalaluddin did such an amazing job with her Pride & Prejudice for the modern age, and I loved the way she incorporated all the classic antics (a flighty, boy-obsessed figure; an image/reputation-obsessed matron; a sensible but judgmental heroine; a quiet and misunderstood hero; oh, and letters!) and spun it on its head.

  I especially appreciated the discussion of what it means to be Muslim in the 21st century, of the many ways one can express faith and values. Within the first fifty pages I wanted to scream at Khalid’s boss and it made me so angry to think that discrimination like this happens everyday (so incredibly unfair and horrible!), so seeing sweet marshmallow Khalid stand up at the end was excellent justice.

  I enjoyed watching Ayesha’s character grow and develop in her artistic strength as well, piecing together what it means for her to be an Indian Muslim woman living life on her terms. Her Nana’s constant quoting of Shakespeare made me smile, her silly brother’s schemes made me laugh out loud, and her amazing and supportive best friend Clara I wanted to hug forever and always.

  It is very difficult for classic retelling to receive a full five stars from me, but this one deserved every single glowing star. Loved it. I can’t recommend this enough!!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review

• Deal Announcement: Lisa DeSelm, YA Fantasy

  Posted at 2:13 pm by Laura, on September 26, 2019

  

  Deal Announcements feature my most recent deal as an agent and the story behind it. Writers and readers should experience how an agent knows when they’ve struck gold and sign an author, the beginning of the journey to publication.

  I’m thrilled to share the news that Lisa DeSelm’s The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice will be hitting shelves in Fall 2020!

  Lauren Knowles at Page Street acquired Lisa DeSelm’s YA fantasy, The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice, a gender-swapped retelling of Pinocchio meets Frankenstein. Pirouette is tasked to build an assassin for the tyrant of Tavia, but when she realizes his schemes dabble in dark magic, she aims to take control of the strings before the next blue moon. Publication is set for fall 2020; Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.

  Once upon a time…

  In the fall of 2017 I received a query about a rather twisted tale, brimming with dark, gothic vibes. In fact, what drew my attention most was Lisa’s twist on a Pinocchio retelling. Most fairytale twists I receive in my inbox take on princess tales––Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, to name the most common––so she stood out among the rest for tackling a unique tale, twisting it, and tossing in the Frankenstein vibes. Yes, please.

  YA fantasies are popular, and the market is flooded with them. There’s some special spark necessary in order to win a prized spot on a publisher’s list. We were so close to selling this novel multiple times over the next…gosh, almost two years! But just like dating, you have to find the exact right editor in order to really make the project shine. We needed someone who devours twisted tales, who luxuriates in the gothic, who isn’t afraid to tap into moral and emotional dilemmas, who finds the humor and bright spots of the novel and sees that hope at the end for a better world. We needed someone who loves beautifully constructed sentences and thoughtful dialogue, who feels immersed in the world and understands it from the first page, who realizes that teens want adventure and depth to their choice books just like adults.

  Lauren is it. One phone call with her, and Lisa and I knew Lauren would be the perfect one to usher Piro and her crew onto shelves.

  And the rest…is history.

  Congratulations, Lisa! You’re going to be a published author!

  Posted in agenting, deal announcement | 3 Comments | Tagged agenting, deal announcement

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 10:15 am by Laura, on August 19, 2019

  July has been a whirlwind of success at work (another deal announcement to come soon, eventually, maybe, keep your eyes open!) and the last few months is crunch time for the wedding, so I’ve been incredibly busy. Not enough time to write up reviews of the books I’ve read! Read, rate, carry on! So here is the miniest of mini reviews for a few of those books I’ve read lately…

  

  

  

  

  Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon — ★★★ — Priory is inspired by the legends of King Arthur as well as St George and the Dragon. Know those legends and you have a great sense of this book. Shannon builds this world from the ground up, and it mirrors our own—Virtudom is clearly Christianity/Holy Roman Empire, the East and South clearly inspired by Asia, Middle East, and Africa. A diverse cast of characters and cultural interpretations, all with different understandings and beliefs of dragons. The dragon lore was neat. The plot threads were intricate and detailed, and I was impressed with how they wove together. That said, the pacing was off, this was far too long (I know the intention was to have one epic feminist fantasy standalone, but it could’ve been edited down another 200 pages OR split into two books, easily), some elements of worldbuilding were dumped through clunky dialogue, and though I enjoyed the folktale way this was written it actually kept me at a distance from the characters and their hopes, dreams, desires, and motivations. And therefore lots of elements didn’t feel relatable, authentic, or justified. I’ve read many reviews of this book, in trusted trade publications as well as readerly reactions. This worked for some, not for others. I think I’m firmly in the middle. I enjoyed it; there are aspects I connected to, was interested in, was impressed by. And equally elements that could’ve been much better if given more attention.

  This qualifies as book 5 in my TBR challenge.

  Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — ★★★ — I was super excited for this and enjoyed the first half well enough—laughed out loud even!—but I think my own expectations are at fault here with regards to my enjoyment of the novel. I was expecting The Royal We (but gay), or Royals (but gay), a book firmly placed in adult (though it’s drawing a YA crowd) that deals with the ins and outs of a budding romance between two top people in their respective countries (which this kind of does…kind of). That’s not quite what this book is and if someone told me it’s more New Adult than YA or adult, specifically that it’s more sexy times than plot, then I would’ve bypassed this for something else. I want plot and character development and deep, thoughtful discussions, but instead found bantering (least favorite dialogue), hate to love (least favorite trope), and more sex than plot development. Needless to say, I was really into the politics of this (what a dream America!), the family dynamics, and the PR/behind-the-scenes elements. Again, many of my critiques on this book I can only blame on myself and my expectations. If you love the tropes and dialogue I mentioned above, if you love New Adult, if you love romance as Plot A, this is definitely your book!

  This qualifies as book 6 in my TBR challenge.

  The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan — ★★★ — Ryan’s previous WWII novel, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, was fun, cheeky, and hilarious while at the same time heart-wrenching and mournful. It was also written in epistolary form, with letters and diary entries informing the reader of the goings-on in the village. The Spies of Shilling Lane didn’t shine quite as much in comparison. It follows your standard narrative form of Point A to Point B, in third person, flipping between Mrs Braithwaite, her daughter Betty, and Betty’s landlord and Mrs B’s sidekick Mr Norris. The spies aren’t as intense as you’d expect from The Alice Network, for instance, but it does shed light on the situations at home and just how unsettling everything was with the inability to trust anyone. Moles, leaks, and double agents are littered throughout the narrative, and Mrs B and Mr Norris are caught in the crossfire. It was entertaining but forgetful. I think it was meant to be more on the funny and cheeky side of things, but I simply wasn’t catching on to that. Read it with a bit of humor in mind, and it’s like watching two old people bumble around solving cozy mysteries when they’re really in the thick of something much worse. I expected more, and perhaps I wasn’t exactly in the humorous mood, but if you need a light WWII novel I would highly recommend this one. Sometimes the genre can get very heavy—but have no fear, Mrs B is here!

  This qualifies as book 7 in my TBR challenge.

  Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear — ★★★ — I stumbled across this book when looking up comparative titles for a client’s new project. Frankly there aren’t enough Great Khan/steppe-or-China/Song-dynasty era books out there. A favorite last year, The Bird and the Blade, is inspired by an opera that’s inspired by this era, but that’s all I’m really aware of. I was drawn to the premise, stayed for the setting (the steppes are vast!), and left interested in reading another Elizabeth Bear book. I didn’t quite connect with the characters or their quest fully, but Bear’s writing hooked me.

  This qualifies as book 11 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 5 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Book Review: “The Friend Zone” by Abby Jimenez

  Posted at 9:22 am by Laura, on August 6, 2019

  The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

  Publisher: Forever
  Published: June 2019
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9781538715604
  Rating: ★★★★.5

  Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

  Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen — especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.

  The premise has your standard romcom meet cutes and such—best man and maid of honor meet under interesting circumstances, she’s dating someone else, they spend lots of time together, will they won’t they—but the big draw for me was the way Jimenez handled infertility. Here is a young woman (24!) with a partial hysterectomy scheduled for very real, very serious health reasons. It means she won’t be able to have kids. But our hero does want kids—a whole baseball team of them, and all his own. Kristen is crushed.

  Though a lot of their issues could’ve been resolved if they just had a conversation earlier in the relationship, I was surprisingly not frustrated by that because Jimenez does a fantastic job with humor and levity. Nothing about Kristen and Joshua’s banter or conversations felt forced—they really are funny, and I felt it was true to their characters too (Kristen using humor as a shield, Joshua because he’s trying to be positive). I wish Kristen was real so we could be friends. We could stay up late and have fun and eat tacos in sketchy parts of town, but also have really great, insightful conversations about the pros and cons of motherhood and what it means to be a woman.

  The raw honesty in this novel was a breath of fresh air and, like The Flatshare, I was so beyond happy to have read it. If you haven’t already, get your hands on this book!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review

• Deal Announcement: Nina Moreno, YA Contemporary

  Posted at 10:29 am by Laura, on July 19, 2019

  

  Deal Announcements feature my most recent deal as an agent and the story behind it. Writers and readers should experience how an agent knows when they’ve struck gold and sign an author, the beginning of the journey to publication.

  I’m excited to share that Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos) is coming out with a new novel, Our Way Back to Always! 

  Hannah Allaman at Disney-Hyperion has acquired Don’t Date Rosa Santos author Nina Moreno‘s new novel, Our Way Back to Always. Pitched as When Harry Met Sally by way of Sarah Dessen, the contemporary YA romance follows two next-door neighbors and ex-best friends—gamer, fanfic-writer Luisa (call her Lou) and drummer, golden boy Sam—whose paths collide during senior year of high school when they rediscover their childhood bucket list and set out to complete it before graduation. Publication is planned for spring 2021; Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.

  Last time I announced a deal for Nina, I mentioned there was a drummer main character. Well, your favorite drummer from Rosa is here to star in his own novel with Luisa!

  Sam and Lou have the weight of the world on their shoulders for different reasons, and also have a shared history. Their divergence before high school, and collision during senior year, allow for them to have their second chance and a new meet cute (y’all, these opening scenes had me cracking up). I fell in love with them the way I fell in love with Alex and Rosa, and I can’t wait for you to come back to Port Coral and do the same!

  Though this isn’t a series (companions! friends!), you should read Rosa nonetheless because it’ll give you all the feels as you wait [with great anticipation] for Always! 

  Congratulations, Nina! 

  Posted in agenting, deal announcement | 0 Comments | Tagged agenting, deal announcement

• Deal Announcement: Heather Walter, Fantasy

  Posted at 3:19 pm by Laura, on July 16, 2019

  

  Deal Announcements feature my most recent deal as an agent and the story behind it. Writers and readers should experience how an agent knows when they’ve struck gold and sign an author, the beginning of the journey to publication.

  I’m thrilled to share the announcement of the publication of Heather Walter‘s Malice and its sequel! 

  Heather Walter’s MALICE, pitched as a queer reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty” in which Alyce, a sorceress whose dark gifts earn her the hatred of a realm, finds an unexpected bond with the last surviving heir whose curse can only be lifted by true love’s kiss — or perhaps by the sorceress herself, to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey, in a good deal, in a pre-empt, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2021, by Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency (world).

  Once upon a time…

  Back in January 2018 I received a Snow White villain retelling/prologue that I quickly requested…and then life happened. It wasn’t until May that I sat down, read it in one fell swoop, fell in love even though Heather crushed my soul and blew my mind with the ending, and immediately offered representation. We edited and refined the project before sending it out on submission. One editor in particular, Tricia Narwani at Del Rey, provided such long, wonderful, beautiful, detailed feedback — which is near unheard of when an editor is passing on a project, by the way — that Heather took it to heart, was super inspired, and decided to write a whole new villain retelling story while we were on submission with Snow White.

  When Heather sent me her Sleeping Beauty villain retelling Malice the following January, I was blown away. Here was a fairytale fantasy that explored what society deemed a monstrous creature, a lesbian fantasy that explored friendship and love, an epic fantasy built from the ground up. I just wanted to hug Alyce and tell her she was great and beautiful and just had a stroke of bad luck, it would be okay, I promise! We went through edits back and forth for a few months to really dig into the world Heather created, to fill those holes and intensify the true villains of the story.

  Then we took a deep breath, and jumped into submission. Tricia was at the top of our list. “Let’s make Malice a Del Rey book.”

  Come July 2, we did.

  And the rest…is history.

  Congratulations, Heather! You’re going to be a published author! 

  Posted in agenting, deal announcement | 1 Comment | Tagged agenting, deal announcement

• Flipping Through the Pages: Spring Rewind 2019

  Posted at 10:00 am by Laura, on July 1, 2019

  

  Every three months I give a quick update on my life and work from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

  Through the Lens

  

  

  

  I purchased and built new bookcases! This is one wall of my office/library/studio featuring these beauties. They replaced ones I’d had since I was maybe 5 years old, carted around when I moved as a kid, to college and grad school and back. I needed a change. Also also, NINA’S BOOK RELEASED in May!!! It was such an awesome release day too. Did you participate in #YellowforRosa? Finally, great coffee with a best friend. We would go out for coffee and work/study all through her med school years, and now she’s an ER doc in another state, so time together is precious.

  Life Highlights

  It has been a busy few months. April was all about designing wedding invitations, attending pre-marital counseling, and reading clients’ second novels or option materials. May was all about submitting the invitations to the printer, enjoying fun weekends out with friends (one weekend we went zip-lining!), and reading even more clients’ next novels or option materials. And June, gosh, was all about addressing and mailing the invitations, making appointments, and continuing to read even more clients’ next novels or option materials. (Seriously, it’s like they all conspired or something…)

  These last few months I’ve been slammed with writing conferences, edits, and reads, with the hope that all that good, hard work and karma would lead to a very relaxing and enjoyable wedding by the fall. So do good, buy Nina Moreno’s Don’t Date Rosa Santos (released in May!), and make the world go round.

  Bookmarked in the Community

  Since I’m spending more time on IG than I am on blog posts, I’m going to include some discussion topics I really liked while scrolling through the feed.

  1. “The Friend Zone and the story it inspired me to tell” @ GReadsBooks — Y’all, if you haven’t read The Friend Zone yet, you need to. Regardless of whether you are or want to be a mother, it’s the kind of book that really touches your soul. Ginger opens up about her experience in reading this book, and it is incredibly moving.
  2. Genre overload and mood reading @mamajustwantstoread — I really liked Jen’s discussion on feeling burnt out at different times of the year, even in your favorite genres. I’m a season reader (summer always makes me want to read romcoms, fall and winter more heavier books like historical or fantasy), but even then you need to have a book once in a while outside of your genre streak so you don’t feel burn out!
  3. Blogging in all its forms across the years @perpetualpageturner — Jamie is basically an icon in the book blogging world (at least I think so…love ya girl) and she has done amazing things across a variety of platforms. Book blogging, flailing, etc has changed, morphed, developed, and adapted across social media in just 10 years alone! Remember when Twitter was THE PLACE to be? In many ways it still is, but IG is where “blogging” is happening now. Jamie reflects on these changes, and what it means to adapt, grow, and learn to take time away too. (Bonus post: a discussion on how many books defines a reader/bookworm. LOVED THIS.)
  4. How to pack for travel @soobsessedblog — I thoroughly enjoy the dynamic duo that is Hannah and Kelly, especially when it comes to posts about traveling as a bookworm. Here, Hannah talks about how she packs for travel: a filled ereader and one comfort/reread novel. It’s light, it travels well, what’s not to love?
  5. Finding yourself (and staying true to yourself) in the age of social media @emilymaryslibrary — You just need to read it. Seriously. I was blown away. It’s an incredibly thought-provoking post.
  6. Asking yourself “Why?” before setting the book aside @theardentbiblio — Calling all readers, writers, librarians, agents, and booksellers! This is such a great post especially when it comes to readers advisory questions and author intentions. What we enjoy as readers is defined by genre, character development, pacing, tone, atmosphere — but you can learn so much more about your reading preferences if you take a moment to pause and ask yourself “Why did the author write this passage? Why am I drawn to/stepping away from this scene/character/theme/book? Why is this here, and what is it’s purpose, and is it being served well?” You’ll learn so much more about yourself as a reader and your personal taste, more so than the books you rate five stars and the ones you DNF.

  Popular Posts on Scribbles

  Apart from my MSWL post, which will always have the most traction any month, these seemed to be some hits despite my low activity this season.

  1. Book Review: The Silver Gate by Kristin Bailey — How random. A 2017 review of a MG historical fantasy…but you know what? I love this book. I’m glad people were searching for it!
  2. Book Review: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary — UH YES BECAUSE YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
  3. Over on IG, Is there a series on your TBR you’re taking ages to get to or finish? Cause if you haven’t forgotten, I’m reminding you below I’m still way behind on my Gabaldon and Marillier challenge *laughcrysobit’sfineit’sfineit’sonlybeenthreeyears*

  Cherished Reads

  

  

  

  

  In Another Time by Jillian Cantor ★★★★

  The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick ★★★★

  The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez ★★★★.5 (review coming soon!)

  Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin ★★★★★ (review coming soon!)

  Reading Goals

  In order to keep track of my 2019 resolutions, I’m keeping an updated roundup here each season of my progress.

  Required Reading: 6/15

  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close || A Gentleman in Moscow
  An American Marriage || Is It All In Your Head? || To Helvetica and Back
  Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

  Library Books (For Fun): 10/10

  The Light Over London || When You Read This || The Familiars
  Meet Cute || The Lost Girls of Paris || In Another Time
  The Firebird || The Library of Lost and Found || The Friend Zone 
  Ayesha at Last

  Marillier & Gabaldon: 0/2

  TBR Pile: 4/10

  The Kingdom of Copper || A Curious Beginning || Roomies
  The Reluctant Queen

  Genre Fiction: 11

  MYSTERY || A Curious Beginning, To Helvetica and Back
  HISTORICAL || The Light Over London, A Gentleman in Moscow, The Familiars, In Another Time, The Lost Girls of Paris, The Firebird
  FANTASY || The Kingdom of Copper, His Majesty’s Dragon, The Reluctant Queen

  Overall Challenge: 24/45

  On the Radar . . .

  Netflix / TV / Film: Oh boy, this was extensive. On Netflix I enjoyed “Wine Country” and I’m loving “Kim’s Convenience.” “Always Be My Maybe” was hysterical, and definitely a favorite. In theaters my heart stopped and my mind was blown by Endgame, and I laughed throughout Secret Life of Pets 2. On TV I finally saw all the way through for the very first time The Martian, which is still just a terrifying concept to me. And one weekend about a month ago I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up to Animal Planet’s “Dr Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet.” Oh my gosh. Yes. So now every Saturday I’ll watch Dr. Jeff and Dodo Heroes, followed by Sunday’s The Aquarium. It gives me all the warm and fuzzy feels. PBS’s Endeavour is back too, but it’s so late that I’ve just been DVRing it to watch another time.

  So if it’s not clear enough, my brain is fried at the end of a long work day and I’m turning to TV more than books. Oops.

  Shopping Bag: Rothy’s! Among other wedding-related purchases (primarily my and my bridesmaids’ jewelry), my favorite by far has been my Rothy’s shoes for the wedding day. Flat, comfortable, navy, Earth-friendly, I’m set.

  Miscellaneous: I feel like such an old lady saying this, but this season I discovered the benefits (and drawbacks, like a draining account) of DoorDash. In fact, I should probably delete the app and get my password changed on the computer or something, because it’s dangerous how much I like getting food delivered. It’s bringing me one step closer to the hermit life…

  Looking Ahead . . .

  It’s crunch time July through September. I have a dress fitting in July. August is full of walk-throughs, payments, appointments, and bridal showers. September will be those timeline discussions with the photographer, florist, DJ, venue coordinators, and caterers, and I just plain can’t wrap my head around it. And that’s just the wedding planning. There are things going on with work, yes––they’re written on the calendar and in my planner, I’ll remember what all those things are too. I’m not drowning. Nope. It’s all good. (No really! It is!)

  ~

  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

  Posted in This Season's Rewind | 1 Comment | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind

• Book Review: “The Library of Lost and Found” by Phaedra Patrick

  Posted at 7:10 am by Laura, on June 26, 2019

  The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

  Publisher: Park Row Books
  Published: March 2019
  Genre: contemporary
  ISBN: 9780778369356
  Rating: ★★★★

  Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people–though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible.

  All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend–her grandmother Zelda–who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda’s past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever.

  Martha has spent her life caring for others. She’s a volunteer at the library, she does laundry and clothing mending, is rebuilding the local school’s Chinese paper dragon, she took care of her ailing parents for 15 years, she looks after her niece and nephew when her sister randomly drops them off, and so much more. She checks off her to-do list one by one, and believes she’s content and happy because she’s needed by people. But when a book of short fairy tale stories appears on her doorstep, written by her grandmother and signed/dated after her grandmother’s supposed death, Martha’s world is rattled. What happened to Nana? Why did she write these stories? Why did Martha’s parents lie to her about Nana’s death? What made Nana disappear?

  I was originally drawn to the “volunteer librarian living a quiet life” aspect of the story, and I’m so glad I read it because it’s much more than that. Martha really digs into her past, breaking down what she knew as a child, what she saw and understood, and finds that looking through a different lens tells a whole other side of the story. There are several chapters throughout the novel through Martha’s mother’s point of view, which really express what it’s like to be in an emotionally abusive and manipulative relationship, why many women stay in these relationships, and that difficult balancing act of pleasing the people you love.

  There’s so much of Martha’s character that rang true for me personally. I’ve often felt overburdened from friends’ and family’s needs. But there’s a difference between being helpful and being a doormat. Poor Martha struggled for decades to find her voice and draw those boundaries. Reading her narrative was like reading a reminder for myself to continue to speak up when overwhelmed, to ask for help, to suggest other options, to continue to learn to say no.

  What a lovely, heartwarming, comforting read. This is a story for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It’s about loneliness and grief. It’s about what happiness and necessity truly mean. It’s about self-care and growth. It’s about boundaries and friendships. It’s about abuse and gaslighting and homophobia. It’s about love and tenderness and imagination. It’s a hidden gem of a story, and I highly recommend you read it!

  This qualifies as book 8 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review

• Book Review: “The Reluctant Queen” by Sarah Beth Durst

  Posted at 8:55 am by Laura, on June 24, 2019

  The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst

  Publisher: Harper Voyager
  Published: July 2017
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062413352
  Rating: ★★★.75

  Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people.

  Naelin is one such person, and she couldn’t be further removed from the Queen—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that’s all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin’s ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife’s ability to control spirits—magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves.

  But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he’s certain he’s done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen’s power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened—even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north—does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything.

  The new, young queen is dying, and Renthia is on the brink of war with neighboring queendoms and from within: if the spirits of Renthia are not harnessed and controlled by a healthy, strong queen, they will attack the citizens within. Ven heads out once more to find the right person for the job, and it just so happens to come in the form of a mother, reluctant to leave her family and reluctant to use her power. Naelin just wants to have a quiet and simple life, but the needs of the country are much larger than she could ever know.

  I loved The Queen of Blood for having a world in which nature was literally violent against humans. Nature was the enemy. Every element had a spirit (think Celtic fairies) with a thirst for human blood; they are controlled and maintained by a human queen whose powers weaken over time and a new young woman would compete to take over. With the queen, the spirits are docile and live in harmony with humans. This continues that premise, but now instead of a young woman who was trained and schooled in the arts, we have a very reluctant woman who is also a mother. She has no interest in controlling spirits—she just wants them to leave her and her family in peace. But the kingdom needs her, for the queen is dying.

  It was so refreshing to read of a hero(ine) who wants nothing to do with the role. Truly, nothing. Naelin’s reluctance and feet-digging was expressed throughout in a very natural and understanding way. She felt so authentic to motherhood, to common life, that when she’s thrust into this new lifestyle and pushed into the role, I felt I could relate to her 100%. Meanwhile, the mystery regarding the queen’s illness, and the subsequent impending battle with the country to the north, fell a little short for me. The battle seemed rushed, the excuse weak, and the mystery not so mysterious, but this book also read like a stepping stone for The Queen of Sorrow. I’m especially intrigued by where this book ended, and I’m hoping the next installment is prepared for the big showdown!

  This qualifies as book 4 in my TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 7:53 am by Laura, on June 3, 2019

  The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

  Publisher: Park Row
  Published: January 2019
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Grace Healey is rebuilding her life after losing her husband during the war. One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, she finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station. She learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a ring of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery. Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose daring mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal.

  Mini Review: I adored Grace and Eleanor’s characters, and I felt Marie was…lacking. This also wasn’t at all what I was expecting, which was great––but on the other hand, all of that suspense and build-up to what really happened fell flat for me. Though the end is tied neatly together, I would’ve given higher stars if all those questions and the tension didn’t build up to what ended up happening. If you love WWII hist fic, definitely read this. It’s exciting, it’s a neat little puzzle, but in many ways the true action of the story was kept hidden from the reader, all behind-the-scenes, which was meant to build tension I’m sure but left it feeling loose and frustrating. I’d recommend other WWII female agent or French Resistance stories above this one, but still good to add to the general collection.

  This qualifies as book 5 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  In Another Time by Jillian Cantor

  Publisher: Harper Perennial
  Published: March 2019
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: 1931, Germany. Bookshop owner Max Beissinger meets Hanna Ginsberg, a budding concert violinist, and immediately he feels a powerful chemistry between them. It isn’t long before they fall in love and begin making plans for the future. As their love affair unfolds over the next five years, the climate drastically changes in Germany as Hitler comes to power. Their love is tested with the new landscape and the realities of war, not the least of which is that Hanna is Jewish and Max is not. But unbeknownst to Hanna is the fact that Max has a secret, which causes him to leave for months at a time—a secret that Max is convinced will help him save Hanna if Germany becomes too dangerous for her because of her religion.

  In 1946, Hanna Ginsberg awakens in a field outside of Berlin. Disoriented and afraid, she has no memory of the past ten years and no idea what has happened to Max. With no information as to Max’s whereabouts—or if he is even still alive—she decides to move to London to live with her sister while she gets her bearings. Even without an orchestra to play in, she throws herself completely into her music to keep alive her lifelong dream of becoming a concert violinist. But the music also serves as a balm to heal her deeply wounded heart and she eventually gets the opening she long hoped for. Even so, as the days, months, and years pass, taking her from London to Paris to Vienna to America, she continues to be haunted by her forgotten past, and the fate of the only man she has ever loved and cannot forget.

  Mini Review: I picked up this book because it was a pre- and post-WWII novel about a bookseller and a violinist, both professions tapping into my biggest life passions. But something about the premise initially kept me at a distance—dissociative memory loss, or amnesia, as a plot device. One of my least favorite. But fairly early on we learn it’s not quite that—it’s wormholes. Time travel. At first I wished I’d known about that up front. But then perhaps I wouldn’t have picked this book up. I fell in love with Hanna’s story, felt deeply her passion for music, for playing, for always being attached to her violin. Cantor is an excellent writer—I felt immersed in Europe, lost in time, along with Hanna and Max. I enjoyed this book, and I was eager to see how they found each other again, if ever. Moving and impactful, even with the time-travel-as-science element.

  This qualifies as book 6 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

  Publisher: Sourcebooks
  Published: June 2013
  Genre: historical and contemporary fiction
  Rating: ★★★★ 
  Summary: Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable. Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption.

  Mini Review: I highly recommend listening to this on audio. The narrator does an excellent job not only when men and women are speaking, but also English, Scottish, Irish, French, and Russian accents. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to this! As to the book itself, it’s a long and quiet book, meant to be savored. The narrative storytelling is incredibly immersive, drawing you in with each of Nicola’s ESP experiences. Nicola wars between wanting to master her gift like her friend Rob, who utilizes his abilities to read minds and see the ghosts/spirits of history in his daily life, and keeping it suppressed like her grandfather wishes her to do. It’s an excellent commentary on what’s considered “normal” and what’s considered “a gift,” and drawing upon those strengths to navigate through life. I especially enjoyed Anna’s narrative too — she had to learn at a very young age how to distinguish between honest and distrustful people during a very turbulent time in European history. The combination of these two narratives with the help of Nicola’s ESP abilities made for a magical read (or listen)!

  This qualifies as book 7 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent and librarian, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I have a passion for Victorian culture, Gothic lit, and music. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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