Tag: genre: romance

• 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

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 9:30 am by Laura, on May 2, 2019

  Roomies by Christina Lauren 

  Publisher: Gallery
  Published: December 2017
  Genre: women’s fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: For months Holland Bakker has invented excuses to descend into the subway station near her apartment, drawn to the captivating music performed by her street musician crush. Fate steps in one night in the form of a drunken attacker. Calvin Mcloughlin rescues her, but quickly disappears when the police start asking questions. Using the only resource she has to pay the brilliant musician back, Holland gets Calvin an audition with her uncle, Broadway’s hottest musical director. Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway—until his reason for disappearing earlier becomes clear: he’s in the country illegally, his student visa having expired years ago. Seeing that her uncle needs Calvin as much as Calvin needs him, a wild idea takes hold of her. Impulsively, she marries the Irishman, her infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves and Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway—in the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting—will Holland and Calvin to realize that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?

  Mini Review: Broadway, musicians, Irishmen, Midwesterner in NYC—a recipe for a book I knew I’d enjoy! This was my first Christina Lauren novel and I enjoyed the writing and romance—what a complicated and frightening, confusing situation Holland and Calvin found themselves in—all of it still somehow so grounded and relatable. From the crash info sessions while filling out paperwork to the drilled interview questions in the office, backstage swoons on Broadway to little moments of vulnerable quiet at home—I was immersed in all of it. Hopefully reading another Christina Lauren soon!

  This qualifies as book 3 in my TBR challenge.

  Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: March 2017
  Genre: women’s fiction
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: Nikki lives in West London, where she tends bar at the local pub. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she’s spent most of her twenty-odd years distancing herself from the traditional Sikh community of her childhood, preferring a more independent (that is, Western) life. When her father’s death leaves the family financially strapped, Nikki, a law school dropout, impulsively takes a job teaching a “creative writing” course at the community center in the beating heart of London’s close-knit Punjabi community. Because of a miscommunication, the proper Sikh widows who show up are expecting to learn basic English literacy, not the art of short-story writing. When one of the widows finds a book of sexy stories in English and shares it with the class, Nikki realizes that beneath their white dupattas, her students have a wealth of fantasies and memories. Eager to liberate these modest women, she teaches them how to express their untold stories, unleashing creativity of the most unexpected—and exciting—kind. As more women are drawn to the class, Nikki warns her students to keep their work secret from the Brotherhood, a group of highly conservative young men who have appointed themselves the community’s “moral police.” But when the widows’ gossip offers shocking insights into the death of a young wife—a modern woman like Nikki—and some of the class erotica is shared among friends, it sparks a scandal that threatens them all.

  Mini Review: I wanted something fun, with depth, and Punjabi Widows was just the ticket. Nikki needs to take on an extra job to make ends meet and decides to answer a callout for writing instructors while pinning her sister’s matchmaking ad on the temple community board. Though she was under the impression she would be teaching women to write creative stories, she finds out her real job is to help them learn to read and write, period. In Punjabi, in English, either, both, all of the above. But as she continues her lessons she finds these women seek escape in stories—specifically erotica—as these stories are the only ways they can express themselves without shame. The writing was engaging, and the plot—with male morality police (god, oppressive men are everywhere for us, aren’t they?), mysterious deaths, hush money, and double lives—unexpectedly twisty and thrilling. I loved these women and their stories, ones that stemmed from their lost loves and others from their imagination, the way Nikki empowered them and they ways they strengthened her. If you’re looking for a good sisterhood book and what it means to be part of a community, this is it!

  Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

  Publisher: Forever
  Published: April 2019
  Genre: women’s fiction, chick lit
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: On her first day of law school, Kailyn ran – quite literally – into the actor she crushed on as a teenager, ending with him sprawled on top of her. Mortified to discover the Daxton Hughes was also a student in her class, her embarrassment over their meet-cute quickly turned into a friendship she never expected. Of course, she never saw his betrayal coming either. Now, eight years later, Dax is in her office asking for legal advice. Despite her anger, Kailyn can’t help feeling sorry for the devastated man who just became sole guardian to his thirteen-year-old sister. But when her boss gets wind of Kailyn’s new celebrity client, there’s even more at stake than Dax’s custody issues: if she gets Dax to work at their firm, she’ll be promoted to partner. The more time Kailyn spends with Dax and his sister, the more she starts to feel like a family, and the more she realizes the chemistry they had all those years ago is as fresh as ever. But will they be able to forgive the mistakes of the past, or will one betrayal lead to another?

  Mini Review: Romcoms lately have taken a pleasant turn to include more than just a meet cute (ha!) and romance—other compelling elements in the narrative are propelling the plot forward, which definitely makes me happy! With a cute cover and classic romcom premise, I thought I would enjoy a very surface-level comedy on meeting and interacting with a celebrity crush. But it’s a little deeper than that—Daxton suddenly has to care for his little sister, and their aunt is suing for custody. Kailyn was a great character to relate to and root for, and she has a good head on her shoulders. Daxton’s situation was genuinely heartbreaking to read, and Emme’s teenage reaction to everything catapulted me back to my own middle school years. But around the middle of the novel I wished this custody case would just wrap up already—lots of repetitive scenes, dialogue, and thoughts bogged down the momentum of the story as well as the romance. Overall this was a solid, good read to pass the time.

  This qualifies as book 4 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 2 Comments | Tagged genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 5:25 am by Laura, on December 6, 2017

  Life has been crazy hectic, leaving very little time for me to sit down and write full reviews for the books I’ve read lately. I didn’t want to not review them, though, so here are my two cents on a variety of books!

  ~

  Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

  Publisher: Penguin
  Published: 2001
  Genre: gothic, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★★.5
  Summary: Barcelona, 1945. Daniel’s widowed father, an antiquarian book dealer, initiates 11-year-old Daniel into the secret of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library tended by Barcelona’s guild of rare-book dealers as a repository for books forgotten by the world, waiting for someone who will care about them again. Daniel’s father coaxes him to choose a volume from the spiraling labyrinth of shelves, one that, it is said, will have a special meaning for him. And Daniel so loves the novel he selects, The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax, that he sets out to find the rest of Carax’s work. To his shock, he discovers that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book this author has written. In fact, he may have the last one in existence. Before Daniel knows it his seemingly innocent quest has opened a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, magic, madness and doomed love. And before long he realizes that if he doesn’t find out the truth about Julian Carax, he and those closest to him will suffer horribly.

  Mini Review: What a thrilling, engrossing, captivating book. This is gothic fiction. Mystery, romance, suspense, murder, literary passions, mistaken identity, ghosts (real or otherwise), haunted homes, ancient cities, a web of secrecy. I savored every word. There were moments of greatness here, with scenes that captivated me, I could not tear away. There were other moments that could’ve had more to it — more character development or more depth — to make it absolutely perfect. But perhaps that’s what happens when a work is translated: not all of the brilliance of the original shines through. I know this is brilliant. This translator did an excellent job conveying Zafón’s story. If you haven’t read this book yet, drop everything and do so now.

  London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning

  Publisher: Hot Key Books
  Published: June 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Sunny’s always been a little bit of a pushover. But when she’s sent a picture of her boyfriend kissing another girl, she knows she’s got to act. What follows is a mad, twelve-hour dash around London – starting at 8pm in Crystal Palace (so far away from civilisation you can’t even get the Tube there) then sweeping through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill . . . and ending up at 8am in Alexandra Palace. Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she’d have anything in common with. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it’s the people living there who make up its life and soul. 

  Mini Review: The city of my heart! It was a fun romp of a story, racing all over the city over 12 hours. Sunny is sweet and naive, and she has her share of boyfriend troubles (in my opinion, she should’ve been angrier earlier, but that would ruin the fun of this ode to London), but I loved the way others worked with her, strangers and friends alike, to help her find the boy who wronged her. So many great neighborhoods and snippets of history, fantastic locations with interesting trivia, and all the colorful people. I laughed out loud at many points in this book, even took pictures of quotes and passages I found hilarious, poignant, and so very true to life. If you’re looking for a good, quick, light contemporary YA, this is the book for you!

   

  

  

  Blue Heron Series: The Best Man & The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

  Publisher: Harlequin HQN
  Published: February 2013, October 2013
  Genre: contemporary, romance
  Rating: ★★★.75 and ★★★
  Summary: (1) Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief – and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

  (2) Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there… or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn’t easier said than done. Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind. In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn’t easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

  Mini Review for The Best Man: The characters felt authentic, even in the cheesy and comical bits, and there was a surprising amount of depth in the development and plot. The small town feel was so cute and quirky, and the novel was a great balance of comedy and romance. There was only one scene in particular that rubbed me the wrong way (you’ll know it when you read it), but overall this was an enjoyable read. Romance isn’t normally my go-to, but I wanted something good and light to read during the chaos. Higgins delivered, and I promise you: even though there were some romance cliches and tropes, I was still left guessing to the end how the pieces would come together.

  Mini Review for The Perfect Match: Honor and Tom are two desperate souls (heavy emphasis on desperate, because that described Honor and her talking eggs (I kid you not) to a T) for two very different reasons, but they matched each other well. It was nice to be back in this small town atmosphere, even closer to the winery than the first book. I wasn’t a huge fan of Tom as a love interest, and Honor sometimes made me want to throttle her, but when the two were together they complimented one another. Together, I could root for them. I fully plan to continue the Blue Heron series!

  ~

  Hopefully writing up another full review soon before the holidays hit! Keep reading, friends!

  .

  This qualifies as books 13 and 14 of 5 library books in 2017.

  This qualifies as book 14 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 7 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Book Review: “The Map That Leads to You” by JP Monninger

  Posted at 4:36 am by Laura, on July 13, 2017

  The Map That Leads to You by JP Monninger

  Publisher: St Martin’s Press
  Published: June 2017
  Genre: contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781250060761
  Rating: ★★★★.5

  Heather Mulgrew’s world is already mapped out: she is going to travel abroad with her friends after college, come back to a great career in September, and head into a life where not much is left to chance. But that was before an encounter on an overnight train introduces her to Jack, a passionate adventurer who changes the course of her journey and her life.

  Throwing Heather’s careful itinerary to the wind, they follow Jack’s grandfather’s journal through post-World War II era Europe: Vienna, Budapest, Turkey–exotic places that serve only to heighten their feelings. As September looms, Jack urges Heather to stay with him, to keep traveling, to give in to the romance of their experience; Heather convinces him to return to the United States.

  Jack has a secret that could change everything. And Heather’s world is about to be shaken to the core.

  Heather and her friends have their summer trip across Europe, and their lives, completely mapped out after graduation. She will be moving to NYC in September in a dream job position just as soon as she completes all the paperwork. While on an overnight train to Amsterdam, a stranger from Vermont named Jack pegs her for exactly who she is, and it makes her question how she’s approached everything, including the fun and carefree moments, in her life. Heather tosses her careful plans aside and joins Jack on his adventure through Europe, following in the footsteps of his grandfather’s journal written at the end of WWII. But what makes them rattle most is what happens after: after this trip, what’s next for them and their relationship? Jack’s not telling Heather something, and it’s big enough to shake all of her carefully laid plans.

  Everything I love and feel about travel is packed into this book. Surprising moments of philosophy (the kind of discussions I thoroughly enjoy, especially when traveling) and pondering on life. And then the ultimate travel fantasy: finding that person to love and cherish, who sees you at your best and worst and knows you better than anyone else because of all that travel brings out of you…wow. I don’t have much to say about this book except that I dog-eared several pages with great quotes. I’ll present a few of them here in lieu of a review.

  ~

  On Family

  “He was from a dairy farm in Vermont. That’s the puzzle. I have a hard time imagining him here in Europe, just poking around. He had a big soul, Grandma always said. ‘He breathed through both nostrils’ was her phrase for it.”

  On Life and Love

  “What’s the opposite of a romantic? I’ve always wondered.”
  “An accountant, I guess. A person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

  “Dad, I don’t know for sure what it all means with Jack. I love him. I know that. And I think he loves me. I know some of the timing may be a little awkward, but there’s always a glitch, right? Isn’t that what you say? Life is one long fight against glitches? Well, I’m starting this new job, and I will give it everything. I promise you that. But Jack counts for something, too. We could postpone everything, tell ourselves what we experienced here doesn’t count, but you didn’t raise me like that. You didn’t. Life doesn’t happen someplace in the future. You said that. You said life happens here and now, and it’s a fool’s bargain to let something good go now in the hope of something better at a later date.”

  On Faith

  “She is a young woman who has been asked to hold in her womb and arms the divine. What I admire about this statue is the ambivalence. You can see she is charmed by the child. See him? He is playing with a brooch on her cloak and not looking at her exactly, and her hip is out. I love women’s hips, especially when they’re poked out. See? Poked out to hold her child, who is the salvation of the world, and it all rests on a woman’s hip. But inside all that majesty is this small, timid woman and her beloved child. That’s why this statue kills me. I’ve read about it over and over, and now to see it…you know, there have been many transformations here in front of Our Lady. People have been converted in a single instant by one glance at her. I know, I know, I don’t believe much of it myself, but, Heather, I believe in the human need to believe, and this is the embodiment of that.”

  On Books

  “A book is a companion, though. You can read it in a special place, like on a train to Amsterdam, then you carry it home and you chuck it on a shelf, and then years later you remember that feeling you had on the train when you were young. It’s like a little island in time.”

  “Have you ever heard someone say that books are places we visit and that when we run into people who have read the books we have read, it’s the same as if we had traveled to the same locations? We know something about them because they have lived in the same worlds we have lived. We know what they live for.”

  ~

  A beautiful novel on love, friendship, and the places that shape the course of our lives.

  .

  This qualifies as book 11 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: travel, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “When Dimple Met Rishi” by Sandhya Menon (ARC)

  Posted at 3:15 am by Laura, on May 17, 2017

  When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

  Publisher: Simon Pulse
  Publishing Date: May 30
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781481478687
  Rating: ★★★★

  Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

  Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

  The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

  Dimple wants nothing more than to be away from her family, immersing herself in college life and web development and all things coding. Rishi wants nothing more than to continue honoring his cultural roots, experiencing that big sweeping romance his parents had when they were arranged to be married. Little do they know, once their parents got wind both teens were interested in the same summer program, the arranged marriage between them would start taking flight earlier than expected.

  I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic comedy. Everything about it screamed nerdy cute fun flails, and I especially loved the cultural elements in here. Though the novel did fall into some stereotypical YA tropes, I let it slide in favor of the great story beneath it all.

  First, Dimple is such a fierce, determined, energetic young woman eager to embark on her own adventures and govern her own life by her own rules. I wanted to squeeze her in a hug every time she spoke up about feminism, females in the tech industry, and combining two cultures (being American and being Indian) instead of ignoring one and embracing another. I understood where she came from…but I also understood where Rishi came from! He’s such an artistic, romantic soul, who has to live up to his parents’ expectations. The difference is that he doesn’t find it to be a burden, at least not at first. As their romance blossoms, they both learn from one another — Dimple the importance of tradition and respect, Rishi the importance of independence and openness.

  Second, the diversity in this novel isn’t a problem that needs fixing. There’s no agenda here. It’s open and honest and a character of the story. It’s not an issue, it’s just another life we have the privilege to experience and learn about. First generation Americans have that tough in-between role to play: living up to parents’ expectations within the “old” culture and traditions, and living up to friends’/society’s expectations within the “new” culture. Too often first generation Americans are asked, “Where are you from?” And in many ways, that’s shared in this novel too. I highly recommend reading this if you want to add more diversity to your TBR. Experience America through another’s eyes, and experience another culture’s expectations within America through two different perspectives. It’s bound to start conversations!

  Though some major YA tropes do occur in this novel (all possible relationship milestones occur within six weeks, to give you an idea without blatantly spoiling), it didn’t take away from the entertainment and enjoyment of a feel-good contemporary romcom on a sunny California campus with a bunch of app-development nerds.

  When Dimple Met Rishi is perfect for fans of Anna and the French Kiss. Get your hands on this book ASAP!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Simon Pulse for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 6 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “Alex, Approximately” by Jenn Bennett

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on April 20, 2017

  Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

  Publisher: Simon Pulse
  Published: April 2017
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781481478779
  Rating: ★★★.5

  Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.

  Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter.

  And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.

  Bailey is an Artful Dodger: she likes to avoid confrontation, she dislikes new environments without checking them out first, and she’s wary of new people. The one true friend she has someone named “Alex” online on a classic Hollywood film fanatic website, and he happens to be living in the same California coastal town Bailey just moved to. Before telling him she’s moved there, she wants to test the waters first and see if she can figure out who he is before the summer’s big film festival on the beach. But her new job at the local museum, and the annoying boy Porter she’s beginning to fall for, are making her Artful Dodger plans to meet Alex unravel. Or are they?

  This was such a cute contemporary, and definitely something the doctor ordered! It has an awesome surfer/beachy vibe to it without it being all about going to the beach and getting tan or catching boys or getting up to shenanigans. Bailey’s interest in old Hollywood films also adds retro flavoring — she dresses like classic film stars and even drives a Vespa! So cool.

  Bailey’s voice was engaging, and I liked the recipe for romantic banter between her and Porter: the kind that is genuinely funny, there’s no game involved, and they don’t hate each other. They just know how to bicker really well, and really affectionately. It was almost like reading an old couple’s bickering conversation — laced with love, but still poking fun at one another.

  Elements of the novel that really appealed to me included one perspective (gosh, this feels so rare in contemporary YA lately — or YA in general) and a super cool, unique job. She’s not working at one of the many churro stands along the beach, or a boardwalk shop, or fast food restaurant, or babysitting, or any of the other super predictable summer jobs for teens. No, in this YA, Bailey is working at an interesting, local, wacky museum that’s part manor house part cave, curated by a wealthy couple from the 1920s and full of all sorts of odds and ends within themed rooms. This is the perfect job for Bailey because she would like to be a museum curator one day.

  I’m not sure if I wanted to know that Porter is Alex. In many ways it makes Bailey look dumb — to no fault of her own. I tried to read this without my extra insight getting in the way. Would I have noticed this clue if I were Bailey? But I have to admit that part of the fun of the book was waiting to see when Bailey (or Porter) would figure it out.

  If you’re looking for a grounded YA contemporary that’s not too fluffy but not too serious, has great “we met on the internet” vibes, and you’re eager to dig your toes into some figurative sand, grab a copy of Bennett’s latest novel!

  This qualifies as book 6 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Trigger warning: guns, shark attack

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “Son of the Shadows” by Juliet Marillier

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on March 27, 2017

  Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier

  Publisher: Tor
  Published: 2002 (first published in 2000)
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780765343260
  Rating: ★★★★

  It is from her sacrifice that her brothers were brought home to Sevenwaters and her life has known much joy. But not all the brothers were able to escape the spell that transformed them into swans, and those who did were all more–and less–than they were before the change.

  It is left to Sorcha’s daughter Liadan who will take up the tale that the Sevenwaters clan is destined to fulfill. Beloved child, dutiful daughter, she embarks on a journey that opens her eyes to the wonders of the world around her…and shows her just how hard-won was the peace that she has known all her life.

  Liadan will need all of her courage to help save her family, for there are forces far darker than anyone chould have guessed and ancient powers conspiring to destroy this family’s peace–and their world. And she will need the strength to stand up to those she loves best, for in the finding of her own true love, Liadan’s course may doom them all…or be their salvation.

  Liadan is the beautiful younger daughter of Sorcha and Red, legends in their own fairytale story of the Sevenwaters clan. She loves to assist her mother with herbs and healing, speaks telepathically with her twin brother Sean, and attempts to rein in her older sister Niamh’s wild ways. But turbulent times crash into the family just when all seems to be well, and Liadan is trapped in the middle of an ancient prophecy. She is determined to make the right choices for her family, but with every step she takes her course appears to bring them further into darkness.

  SPOILER ALERT
  Events pertaining to Daughter of the Forest are within this review.
  SPOILER ALERT

  The second book in the Sevenwaters series is just as breathtaking, beautiful, and magical as the first, featuring another strong female protagonist who draws upon strength of the mind and spirit rather than physical qualities to combat her enemies.

  Liadan is a fierce and stubborn chatterbox, and she will tell you what she thinks of your decisions and actions if she believes it will improve your character or the family. She’d be a good friend to have around — patient and loving, while still practical and headstrong. She’s a great blend of Red and Sorcha, and that makes her flawed. While Sorcha is still one of my favorite characters in literature (right up there with Jane Eyre!), she was almost too perfect. Liadan makes loads of mistakes, to the point where it really does seem like the family is doomed. She is observant, aware of her mistakes, aware of how people treat her and how she treats others, and how sometimes similar situations and others’ reactions to them can be hypocritical. Take this, the family’s reaction to Liadan’s pregnancy:

  I was aware, constantly, of how different this was from Niamh’s experience. For my sister there had been the cold disapproval, the harsh censure, the shutting out, the hasty, forced marriage. For me there was simply acceptance, as if my fatherless child were already part of the family at Sevenwaters.

  While Son of the Shadows was entertaining and fantastic, and Liadan was an excellent character on her own, I had a hard time getting into the romance. It felt more like a means to an end for me, and less epic and profound as I was led to believe. Much of Liadan’s motivation and decisions were stemmed from this love, so I was pretty miffed by how central of a role it played when I wasn’t convinced of it.

  The prophecy from the first book is becoming a reality in this one, and it leaves the reader hanging, ready to read book three to see what happens next. There was more about the curse and the characters that come into play (such as, ah-ha!, the son of the shadows), more strategizing and skirmishes, more storytelling and culture. Sorcha was on a quest, separated from her family; Liadan is in the thick of it, a key player in the prophecy and all it entails.

  This qualifies as book 2 of 9 in the Flights of Fantasy / Gabaldon-and-Marillier challenge.

  This qualifies as book 4 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, flights of fantasy, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: romance, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “You and Me, Always” by Jill Mansell

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on February 27, 2017

  You and Me, Always by Jill Mansell

  Publisher: Sourcebooks
  Published: July 2016
  Genre: adult fiction, chick lit, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781492638858
  Rating: ★★★.5

  On the morning of Lily’s twenty-fifth birthday, it’s time to open the very last letter written to her by her beloved mother, who died when she was eight.

  Learning more about the first and only real love of her mum’s life is a revelation. On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who just might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie’s attentions.

  Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily’s friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again…

  With her mother’s final letter, Lily and her friends’ lives are about to change forever. Lily’s mother passed away when Lily was a child, and every year on her birthday she receives a letter from her mother. In this last letter, her mother mentions a man, Declan, who was the only real love her life. Lily sets out to find Declan and befriend him on the same day she runs into Eddie Tessler, a movie star hiding away in her friend Patsy’s house till the most recent scandal calms down. As Lily and Eddie grow closer, her childhood friend Dan comes to grips with his secret feelings. But Dan’s not the only one with secrets in the village of Stanton Langley, and the summer is about to change for everyone.

  If you’re a fan of Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, this book is for you!

  I enjoyed the glimpse of Cotswold village life, how everyone knows everyone in some way or another, and yet the secrets keep on building. Unlike many novels I’ve read recently with secrets that just lead to massive amounts of frustrating miscommunication, these secrets are ones we everyday folks keep from family and friends: one night of regret that would never ever ever be mentioned or brought up again ever, harboring a secret crush or love, or surprising a sibling with Beyoncé tickets. What was entertaining was seeing how even these tiny secrets created a snowball all when Declan and Eddie come to town.

  Though it comes across as a love triangle, I promise you it’s not. It’s clear from the beginning, even if it’s not clear to Lily, that Dan is the one. Their banter was the kind I enjoy — not hate-to-love, but one of familiarity, friendship, and excellent witty comebacks. A genuine friendship and love underneath it all. Eddie’s glamorous life and lifestyle made him seem more appealing, yet I didn’t see much going for him. He was nice, don’t get me wrong, but I had a hard time being convinced Lily liked Eddie for Eddie rather than Eddie the Movie Star, if that makes sense. This was a good, clean, funny romance all in all.

  Shout out to Patsy, who is — I swear — my soul sister.

  Cozy up with this great afternoon romcom, and enjoy the banter, the dates, the village life, and the glamor!

  .

  This qualifies as book 2 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on October 6, 2016

  The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

  Publisher: August 2016
  Published: William Morrow
  Genre: adult fiction, chick lit
  ISBN: 9780062439598
  Rating: ★★★★

  Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
  2) A person’s undoing
  3) Joshua Templeman

  Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

  Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

  If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

  Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

  Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are the assistants to the co-CEOs of Bexley & Gamin, recently merged publishing houses with two very different ideas of how to run a business. From the very start of their jobs, Lucy and Joshua try to one-up the other in every aspect of their job — until an announcement is made for a new promotion, and only one of them can have it. The stakes are higher, and soon the line between love and hate is blurred, and there’s more at risk than a swanky office.

  A few weeks ago I asked Twitter what they were reading, and how I needed a book to dive into and break out of my reading lull. My client Nina recommended a “funny workplace rom-com,” and after I looked it up I knew I had to get my hands on it. A debut voice a la Kinsella set in the publishing industry? Yes, please. In the midst of reading it, I found other elements that I knew would be appealing to several blogger friends. Soon this book exploded across Twitter and Instagram and Goodreads. If that doesn’t convince you to pick it up, then maybe read on for the review…

  I enjoyed this book. It was like candy for the brain. Intelligently written, funny, with fully-fleshed main characters. Their backstories — Lucy’s childhood on a strawberry farm, Josh’s history with his medically-inclined family — enhanced the experience and really gave the characters the depth they needed to further explain their desires and motivations for the promotion.

  There’s a tension between Josh and Lucy that starts as colleague rivalry, moves into frustration, then secret, romantic glee. The entire story is told through Lucy’s perspective. It’s clear she doesn’t want Josh in her life, but it’s also clear to the reader from the get-go that Josh is into her. These two experience a whole range of scenarios together, at work and otherwise, that demonstrate their compatibility. Thorne was great at not shying away from all the details, never fading to black or glossing over scenes. It was like experiencing these few weeks with/as Lucy as they came up for her, no holds barred.

  That said, there were so many moments I wanted to dive into the book, shake Lucy, and tell her she’s reading each and every little situation wrong. She’s simply not seeing the signs — but after working for the merged B&G for a year with the particular attitude and sass Josh gives her, it makes sense she would see him in such a negative light. But that’s my qualm with hate-to-love relationships. Not a huge fan of them because of one character’s obvious feelings and the other’s blatant blindness. But it kept the plot moving!

  If you’re looking for a Sophie Kinsella-esque book set in a bookish office and lots of sexual tension, this is the one for you!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fiction, genre: romance, review

• Book Review: “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes

  Posted at 5:35 am by Laura, on July 21, 2016

  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

  Publisher: Penguin Books
  Published: July 2013
  Genre: adult fiction, contemporary, women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9780143124542
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life-steady boyfriend, close family-who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life-big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel-and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

  Will is acerbic, moody, bossy-but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

  A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common-a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

  Louisa, an average girl from an average family living in an average English village, desperately needs a job to keep her family afloat. When she becomes the caretaker to Will Traynor, a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic man who used to take the world by storm, she begins to have second thoughts as to how desperately she needs employment. Will’s ever-changing moods soon become a welcoming challenge to Louisa, and their time together increases drastically. His carefully built walls fall, and she glimpses a bit of the man he used to be — and what he can still become. But Will has other plans for his life, and Louisa is torn between giving him exactly what he wants and showing him that life is still worth living.

  “Live boldly.” Those two words slayed me every time Will said them to Louisa. Here is a man hell-bent on ending his own life, advising a sheltered girl to take life by the horns and seize it at every opportunity. That, I think, is the heart of Louisa’s dilemma. Will isn’t being hypocritical. He’s reminding her that he once lived boldly, with no regrets, and would have continued to do so had he not been the victim of a terrible accident. Life in a wheelchair, after the way he’d lived, is far too debilitating to continue.

  From the very beginning you know how the book is going to end. Soon enough all the tension, the foreboding atmosphere, and racing against the clock builds up to such an emotional climax that by the time I reached the last fifty pages, I sobbed and sobbed and needed to take a break from reading to clear my eyes. It’s such an emotional release. This book sheds light on a remarkable dilemma. I’m not even sure I’d have Louisa’s strength by the end of this.

  Me Before You isn’t a full-blown romance. It’s about two individuals from very different worlds, experiencing life in very different ways, coming together and finding love in the most unlikely circumstances, and, belatedly, navigating the effects of that love and their diverging life plans. It’s not sudden and sweeping, but slow, heartbreaking, tense. The characters don’t even know what they’ve gotten into until it’s too late. I enjoy these books. It’s natural.

  While I’m aware there’s a sequel to this book, I don’t plan to read it. I enjoyed the book as is, I know where things stand, and I want to keep it that way. The characters live on powerfully enough in my mind and heart.

  .

  This book qualifies as book 12 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, 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 by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. 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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