Category: Reviews 2019

• Book Review: “We Met in December” by Rosie Curtis

  Posted at 1:47 pm by Laura, on January 26, 2020

  We Met in December by Rosie Curtis

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: November 2019
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9780062964564
  Rating: ★★★★

  Two people. One house. A year that changes everything. 

  Twenty-nine-year-old Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling, but grand, Notting Hill house-share with four virtual strangers. On her first night, Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor, at a Christmas dinner hosted by her landlord. They don’t kiss, but as far as Jess is concerned the connection is clear. She starts planning how they will knock down the wall between them to spend more time together.

  But when Jess returns from a two-week Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else—beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams…and the woman of his.

  Another book I read in the end of 2019 that I didn’t find time to review, but thoroughly enjoyed! It’s just what I needed—something light, fun, rated G, candy for the heart and soul.

  We are a part of the lives of two individuals, Jess and Alex, in their first year of starting blank slates in life. Jess has taken a demanding job in publishing in London, leaving her loving grandmother’s home by the sea; Alex has shifted career paths from lawyer to nurse, much to the dismay of his ex-fiancée. Attraction is immediate and timing is poor. Jess spends two weeks away and comes back to hear of a friends-with-benefits situation with Alex and another roommate; and Alex keeps swearing he’s not looking for a relationship of any kind. As the year progresses, Jess and Alex must come to terms with their hearts and find a way to one another.

  Do not be deceived by the cover! This is not a Christmas/winter book despite starting and ending in December. And that’s okay — I’m all for stories set in/around London, and Jess’s weekly walks with Alex exploring the city was just as magical as Christmastime. I loved the dynamics of the house and the variety of characters in here! It reminded me of my senior year of college, and I knew someone in my life who was exactly like Jess’s friends or their roommates. I also related to Jess on such a deep level it was almost comically painful — her worries and concerns for her family, her future, her finances, her social life, of feeling stuck, of life moving too quickly, all of it.

  This story is for all the Good Girls out there, all the readers who want a sweet friendship-turned-HEA with low low heat, all those who struggled to catch a break in a career they love—this one’s for you, lovelies!

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

• Book Review: “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Mhairi McFarlane

  Posted at 1:24 pm by Laura, on January 26, 2020

  Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: September 2019
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9780062958464
  Rating: ★★★★★

  You always remember your first love… don’t you?

  If there’s anything worse than being fired from the lousiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat… what more could a girl really need?

  Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth… or a second chance with the one that got away?

  This is a book I’ve been shoving in everyone’s faces since October, and it’s such a shame I’m only just now finding an opportunity to review it here (although I did manage to tell you it was in my Top Five of 2019). But oh my gosh. THIS BOOK.

  An event happened before heading off to university that shaped the course of Georgina’s life. Everyone thinks Georgina can do better, be better, that she doesn’t respect herself so why should others. It’s reached a point where she feels the same, and doesn’t seem to mind it too much—but when a disastrous night waitressing meets a nasty shock with a narcissistic boyfriend collides, Georgina’s life propels forward on a path of figuring out who she is, what she wants, and—(does her new boss at this reopened pub remember her? Is she really that forgetful? She certainly remembers him!)—how to free herself from her past.

  The way McFarlane handles grief, friendship, family, trauma, and healing throughout this proper laugh-out-loud novel is absolutely astounding. Here is a dysfunctional, fractured, yet loving family and group of friends loving Georgina through thick and thin, guiding her through a nasty breakup and coming out of an emotionally abusive situation. Here is a daughter burying herself behind self-deprecating humor as she mourns her flawed father. Here is a young woman, standing in front of a young man, wishing she could tell him exactly what happened that night before university, but wonders why she should bother at all because he seems to not remember her anyway. I’m floored. Every little perfection and flaw in Georgina’s character is valid and wonderful—this is a fully developed and realized character, straight to the core, and every character thereafter so completely fleshed out their actions and words made absolute sense for them in that scene. Just…jaw-dropping, genuine authenticity through every page.

  This is guilt. This is grief. This is laughter. This is hope. This is trying your best. This is surviving and thriving. This is friendship. This is heartbreak. This is family. This is enough.

  Thank you, Mhairi McFarlane. Thank you for this book.

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

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 1:55 pm by Laura, on December 1, 2019

  

  

  

  

  I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel — ★★★★★ — If you’re a reader you’ll find at least one thing in this book that is relatable to you! If not the entire book! Sharing your books with friends (or not), repeatedly going to the library and grabbing armfuls of books and holds (even though you have plenty of books at home you own and haven’t read), never leaving the bookstore without buying at least one book, knowing that book recommendations need more than “it’s great!” because readers all have different reading tastes, getting so lost in an audiobook the day has flown by and you didn’t do any housework or errands, rereading favorites because you love them (or not because you don’t want to mess with the memory of them), reading books with your children, racing to finish a book club title (or not and accepting the end will be spoiled), running out of space in your home for your books, buying and building more bookcases, dreading a move because of all the books you own, not owning a whole lot because you go to the library always, owning a lot because you go to the bookstore always, buying books to support authors but never reading them, buying used books because you like holding previously loved books, buying new books and cracking the spine…it’s endless!

  The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott — ★★★.5 — It’s good. The writing is perfect for historical fiction, the right atmosphere and tone for a Cold War novel. I enjoyed it enough to want to keep reading. But by the end it felt rushed, a little deflated. The love story fell apart/fizzled, and I found Boris to be incredibly selfish and thought Olga had it coming. There may have been some aspects of the CIA storyline that was totally over my head and implied and I simply didn’t catch on—some threads seemed loose, frayed, unanswered. I think my attention fell apart a bit when I spotted a major editorial error in a chapter heading. That said, I liked stylistically what was done with the novel. I liked you didn’t have to read Dr Zhivago in order to read and follow the story. I love that art prevails all, that art can reflect culture and criticize. I want to know more about the Cold War, about how people knew he was writing Dr Z and that the whole world knew before it was even published that it was criticizing the Soviet Union. I wanted more about the spying—lots of drops but not a whole lot of the actual acquisition of things—and perhaps more of Boris’s wife and what she was feeling about all of this (was she targeted too or just Olga? What’s the point of “hiding” the relationship when everyone knows what you’re doing, you pig, Boris? Sorry, moving on…). I loved the development of the CIA love story, and wanted more that too—with a more concrete ending please!

  The Trespasser by Tana French — ★★★★ — The sixth of French’s Dublin Murder Squad series held up to her usual literary detective fiction flair. It was a totally new experience for me to listen on audio to a Dublin Murder Squad detective rather than reading—the Irish narrator really grabbed and pulled me in. Hearing the thoughts aloud instead of reading them myself really put me on edge too, truly believing Conway’s paranoia was real and rooted in logic. French’s mysteries have always appealed to me. Her writing is engaging yet literary, smart yet accessible. I would not lump French in the same wheelhouse as Flynn or Hawkins or Ware as so many do—she stands out on her own. She’s a mystery writer for those who aren’t into mysteries (like me!). I also really enjoy that we follow a squad and not the same protagonist with each novel. The secondary character from the previous book becomes the main character for the next—and so forth. The trouble is…I think this series is now complete? Conway was the secondary character of the previous book, The Secret Place, but she’s still with her partner from that book in here too. I’m curious to see if French will continue the series, and how, now that we’ve closed this particular chapter of the Dublin Murder Squad narrative.

  And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander — ★★★ — Mystery isn’t really my jam to read, but I devour BBC/Masterpiece Mystery shows. This young Victorian woman who goes off on adventures and still stays true to the constraints of her society—a modern woman for her era without seeming anachronistic—happens to be at the center of a mysterious death. Lady Emily is recently widowed and ready to get out of mourning. But upon discovery of her late husband’s journals and fascination with Greek artifacts, Emily starts to fall in love with the man he was and learn that his death was…quite fishy. From London to Paris to Santorini to Cairo, Lady Emily must find the truth to her husband’s death and the mystery of stolen museum artifacts, all without shocking her mother half to death turning down marriage proposals. Emily was loads of fun and super intelligent. This had more dialogue than I expected, but the feel of the novel made me think, “If Jane Austen was born now and wrote historical mysteries, this is what she’d write.” It’s witty and clever, had lots of red herrings, and I was guessing through the end. I’d definitely pick up the next in the series!

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

• Book Review: “The Golden Hour” by Beatriz Williams

  Posted at 8:15 am by Laura, on November 4, 2019

  The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: July 2019
  Genre: historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780062834751
  Rating: ★★★★

  The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in Nassau to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?

  Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly—and even treasonous—reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.

  Then Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting coverup reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.

  The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime . . . and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.

  It has been way too long since I read a Beatriz Williams novel, and I’m so glad I picked this one up! Fun fact: a character from a previous novel of hers is born in this one—it’s so fun when authors drop Easter eggs like that!

  Lulu writes society columns for the Metropolitan magazine, mostly for the money but also to get the dirty gossip on the Windsors straight from the horse’s mouth. This takes place during WWII years when the Windsors were banished to the Bahamas, but Nassau is a thriving community of ties to Germany, hidden secrets, and a whole lot of racial unrest. Wallis was, frankly, despicable, and in many ways it sickened me to read the scenes with her in them because it feels like the times definitely haven’t changed a bit. Lulu was great though, I loved her voice and banter, her sleuthing and making connections, almost putting herself in the line of fire. I felt connected to her, and even she surprised me in wonderful ways. She may seem shallow, but boy is she full of depth, talent, and intelligence.

  Elfriede, set during the early 1900s and then through WWI, is caught between the ways of the old world (marriage for social standing) and the new (marrying for love), and the sacrifices that come with both. Talk about a strong woman! She made my heart ache every time children or pregnancy arose—she, like many women, suffered postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, but men are idiots and don’t know how to help women of the time except shut them away or keep them away from children, period. All that she dealt with, all that she overcame, left me in awe.

  These two women’s lives collide by the shared connection of Elfriede’s son, who becomes Lulu’s future husband. The rising tension on the island and the paths they took to get to the end left me on the edge of my seat. What an enjoyable read!

  This qualifies as book 12 of 10 in my library books challenge.

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

• Book Review: “The Harp of Kings” by Juliet Marillier (ARC)

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on October 24, 2019

  The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

  Publisher: Ace
  Published: September 2019
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780451492784
  Rating: ★★★★

  Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan’s burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.

  Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted and the people could revolt. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision and is faced with a heartbreaking choice. . .

  Thank you, Ace and EW+, for the digital galley for review!

  In this new fantasy—laced with the uncanny, the Fair Folk, music, and Marillier’s natural ability to dive into the complicated layers of characters’ psyches, history, and motivations—Liobhan is training to be a Swan Island warrior with her brother Brocc when they are sent on a mission: to find the missing Harp of Kings and restore it to the druids before Midsummer’s ceremony to crown the next king. They travel with their competitor Dau under disguise and infiltrate the prince’s household—but the prince is…not the best choice to lead these people. Trigger warnings for assault and animal cruelty.

  Each of our three warriors have their own story and motivations, and I identified most strongly with Dau and Liobhan. Brocc’s narrative reminded me so much of Shadowfell, and Liobhan felt like a warrior-version of Sorcha in Daughter of the Forest. They’re all strong-willed and determined to complete their mission, but because Prince Rodan is a threat to his people, they need the Fair Folk’s assistance to shine light on the true leader of the kingdom.

  Diving into a Marillier is a treat, and this felt both familiar and refreshingly new all at once. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and I liked that the pacing was a bit faster than her usual style. That said, I do prefer her single POV, lush and beautiful writing narratives, too. Any one of her characters could’ve taken center stage — their voices and arcs were very distinct and well-developed.

  Music, action, druids, courtly intrigue, and Irish faeries as they should be—what more could you want from a Marillier novel?

  This qualifies as book 1 of my Gabaldon / Marillier challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

• 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

• 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

• 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

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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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