Tag: mini review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on September 18, 2017

  The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Published: January 2017
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: The Wollestonecraft Girls embark on their most important case yet–the famed dinosaur fossil hunter Mary Anning is being blackmailed. Her precious dog has been snatched and the kidnappers are demanding that Miss Anning authenticate some fake dinosaur bones up for auction at the British Museum in order to get him back. Ada and Mary have just three days to track down the fossil fakers, find the dog, and save the integrity of science! The game is truly afoot in this quirky caper involving blood-sucking leeches, an asthmatic pug, smoke bombs, secret elevators, diabolical disguises, and wicked word-play.

  Mini Review: I love middle grade detective fiction, and the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series is no exception! Featuring Mary Shelley and Ada Byron as little girls (anachronistically), with partner in crime Charles Dickens, they solve what appear to be little instances of crime (stolen dog) but are actually major connections to criminal rings (there’s a clever Moriarty character cropping up!). The books were originally inspired by the novels of Charles Dickens’s protege, Wilkie Collins. Now they are taking on a life of their own and it’s so thrilling to watch! I highly recommend this series for little history nerds, fierce feminists, readers with quick wit and sense of humor, and little detectives in the making. See reviews for The Case of the Missing Moonstone and The Case of the Girl in Grey.

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

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  A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Published: January 2015
  Genre: young adult, gothic, science fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls. Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

  Mini Review: This book gave me graduate thesis flashbacks. I spent a whole year immersed in gothic literature (classic and YA) with a fine tooth comb, loving every second of my nightmares that followed. A COLD LEGACY continues the “twist on classic gothic novels” trend Shepherd began with The Madman’s Daughter by following the Frankenstein narrative. The other two books worked as parallels to the inspired classics, but this time the characters meet Dr Frankenstein’s descendants and friends, who want to continue the “cold legacy” of his experimentation. Scottish moors, creepy children, reanimated corpses, oh my! I appreciated the parallels to the original narrative, and found all the high drama twists and turns appropriate to gothic fiction. Juliet’s internal battle and her devotion to two boys continued (and I was so over it in Her Dark Curiosity), but the final chapters left the reader with a solid ending and hope for the remaining characters.

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  This qualifies as book 13 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 7:05 am by Laura, on August 17, 2017

  Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

  Publisher: Viking
  Published: June 2017
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants. 
  

  Mini Review: I enjoyed Dessen’s latest, but it also left something to be desired. The characters were good (well-rounded, depth, teen voice), the story was good (growth, development, plot), I enjoyed the Easter eggs (classic Dessen!), and it somewhat reminded me of my favorite Dessen novel (The Truth About Forever)…which may be why it was only good. It felt a little recycled, and the stakes, especially the romance, seemed more like afterthoughts. This landed right in the middle of my Dessen rankings: plain ol’ good. She’s a staple in contemporary YA literature, a modern classic, but I do think this could’ve been better.

  This qualifies as book 9 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

  Publisher: Salaam Reads
  Published: June 2017
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: There are three kinds of people in my world:
  1. Saints, those special people moving the world forward. Sometimes you glaze over them. Or, at least, I do. They’re in your face so much, you can’t see them, like how you can’t see your nose.
  2. Misfits, people who don’t belong. Like me—the way I don’t fit into Dad’s brand-new family or in the leftover one composed of Mom and my older brother, Mama’s-Boy-Muhammad. Also, there’s Jeremy and me. Misfits. Because although, alliteratively speaking, Janna and Jeremy sound good together, we don’t go together. Same planet, different worlds. But sometimes worlds collide and beautiful things happen, right?
  3. Monsters. Well, monsters wearing saint masks, like in Flannery O’Connor’s stories. Like the monster at my mosque. People think he’s holy, untouchable, but nobody has seen under the mask. Except me.

  Mini Review: Janna is angry and hurt, and wants everyone to know that the scumbag who assaulted her is their beloved star boy at the mosque. This is a great exploration of the mind of an assaulted woman, how many of us respond when violated in some way, especially those of us who have difficulty expressing what happened, convincing others of what happened, or trying to move on from what happened but can’t. The novel is character-driven to the core (the plot is entirely about exposing the truth), showing all sorts of dynamics within a family, a community, and among friends. Be forewarned, this may contain some triggers. Root for Janna; be on the side of justice.

  This qualifies as book 10 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 4:10 am by Laura, on June 28, 2017

  Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

  Publisher: Ace
  Published: October 2010 
  Genre: fantasy
  Rating: ★★★   
  Summary: Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king’s fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river. It’s there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood—and the secrets of the royal family—she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.
  

  Mini Review: So many people have praised Shinn’s writing, and I have to agree. She’s created a brilliant fantasy world, one that feels wholly unique and full and developed. The use of elemental magic isn’t all that original in magical worlds, but the way Shinn used elemental magic for specific individuals in certain families (primes), and others with the spirit of certain elements (like personality descriptors), was really neat. Though I found the court scenes in the second half of the book to be a little dull, I can’t blame Shinn on that — I’m generally not a fan of royal politics. I’m in love with the world enough that I fully plan to read the next book in this series!

  This qualifies as book 8 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: April 2013
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from “aging out” of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie. Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As Molly helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, she discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

  Mini Review: I was far more invested in Vivian’s narrative than Molly’s, probably because the book’s historical focus was so fascinating. I’m not as familiar with this moment in American history. How often do we get to read about the Great Depression outside of the major cities? What’s going on in the Midwest, in the heart of the country, with ordinary people? Not only that, but I had no idea the orphan trains began as early as the 1850s. Watching the development of the American foster care system (and adoption system) and seeing how it hasn’t exactly changed too much — more paperwork and regulations does not necessarily mean a better experience — was certainly eye-opening. The story ties up nicely, but truly, I found the historically-set narrative far more engaging. Kline knows how to keep the pages turning!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

• Mini Review

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

  The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman

  Publisher: Scribner
  Published: July 2012
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: Tom Sherbourne takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast of Australia. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

  Mini Review: I adored this book, most especially for its moral complexity. As many people have already read and raved over it, and many more have seen the film, I’ll keep this brief. Even though I stand by “each woman is a little off her rocker,” it still doesn’t solve the moral, emotional, judicial, and psychological issue at hand. Is the baby better off with the mother it knows, or the mother who birthed her? Are the mothers well within her rights to claim the child as her own? Are they even in the right mental state? It is impossible to know, especially with the evidence presented in this book, what is “right” or “wrong,” and even with the issue resolved, Stedman leaves threads of the story hanging in just the right way to make you continue to wonder.

  Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

  Publisher: Roc
  Published: October 2009
  Genre: fantasy
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Anluan has been crippled since childhood, part of a curse that has besieged his family and his home of Whistling Tor. But when the young scribe Caitrin is retained to sort through family documents, she brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows. But to truly free Anluan’s burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life-and their love…

  Mini Review: This was going to be the most perfect read ever, just based on this formula alone: Marillier + Beauty and the Beast + ancient Ireland. But it didn’t quite live up to my own expectations. While I didn’t fall in love with it, Marillier continues to astound me with her storytelling and world-building abilities. She has a way of utilizing the bare bones of a familiar fairy tale and making it entirely her own. She doesn’t rely on all the aspects we’re familiar with — just the important ones. Her characters are singular and developed, and the setting and atmosphere enchanting.

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  This qualifies as book 1 of 9 in the Flights of Fantasy / Gabaldon-and-Marillier challenge.

  This qualifies as book 1 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2017 | 5 Comments | Tagged books, flights of fantasy, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews VIII

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on August 15, 2016

  The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow

  Publisher: Algonquin
  Published: February 2010
  Genre: adult, fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy. With her strict African-American grandmother as her new guardian, Rachel moves to a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring mixed attention her way. Growing up in the 1980s, she learns to swallow her overwhelming grief and confronts her identity as a biracial young woman in a world that wants to see her as either black or white.

  Mini Review: Durrow skillfully created a character who walks the fine line of diversity in 1980s Oregon. Rachel struggles to understand what it means to be biracial after having grown up in a home where race was never discussed. Mixed in with Rachel’s bildungsroman is a mystery regarding the death of her mother, and the ways the community came together for Rachel and her family across the years. Touching and eye-opening, this is a portrait of a young girl and society’s views of race, gender, economic standing, and physical beauty.

  The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

  Publisher: Europa Editions
  Published: September 2008
  Genre: adult, fiction
  Rating: ★★★ 
  Summary: In the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families, Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Then there’s Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma’s trust and to see through Renée’s timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her.

  Mini Review: The only proper way to describe this novel is “indulgent.” Renée and Paloma are both highly intelligent people, but while Renée sees the world with humor and wit, Paloma (yes, stereotypical) fails to see any beauty to make life worth living, and can sometimes be a pompous, pretentious bore (she’s precocious too (all the p-words!) but gosh…more pretentious than anything else). I enjoyed Renée’s observations of the world around her. When the Japanese man arrives, a plot appears and drives the book forward. But until then, sit back and people-watch with these two characters.

  These books qualify as books 7 and 8 of 10 library books in 2016. 

   

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

• Mini Review VII

  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on July 6, 2016

  13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: December 2010
  Genre: contemporary, young adult
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket. In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat. The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist. Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again? Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

  Mini Review: This was a good mix of Just One Day / Just One Year and PS I Love You. Following the letters of a dead loved one and backpacking through Europe, not knowing what may happen next, and making new friends in new cities (like Carrie and the Australian gang, the Knapp family, Richard, and Keith). I’ve traveled to Europe five times now and I still don’t think I could do what Ginny did: following letters blindly and managing to get by. Ginny managed her quest, and it’s full of art, self-discovery, and love. In a hippie, wanderlust sort of way, I enjoyed the light read. This book shows why it’s important for you to travel. It really changes you in a million different ways!

  Sing by Vivi Greene

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: May 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★.5
  Summary: After getting her heart shattered, pop star Lily is taking herself out of the spotlight and heading to a small island in middle-of-nowhere Maine with her closest friends. She has three months until her fall tour starts to focus on herself, her music, and her new album. Anything but guys. That is until Lily meets down-to-earth local Noel Bradley. Suddenly, Lily’s “summer of me” takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself falling deeper than ever before. But Noel isn’t interested in the limelight. Come August, Lily may be forced to choose between the boy and her music.

  Mini Review: It started off as a fun, cute, contemporary summer YA read. It was easy to imagine Lily as Taylor Swift, especially because Lily is thinking of changing up her music style and song topics. I was all for this sweet read, especially with her best friends Sammy and Tess — I even thought of this book as a lighter version of Emery Lord. But about halfway through the book it became too predictable. It’s a short read, so if I’m already feeling like the plot is unnecessarily drawn out, there’s a hitch somewhere. That’s when I noticed it had more telling than showing, and relied heavily on dialogue to keep the plot moving. It almost had me! Almost!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review.

  Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here by Anna Breslaw

  Publisher: Razorbill
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★
  Summary: When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV.

  Mini Review: I thought I was going to be reading a self-deprecating version of Cath from Fangirl — with all the uber nerdy internet lingo. In fact, I know some really funny people who are basically Scarlett in real life, with the same investment in stories and TV shows and sarcastic comebacks. But I didn’t find Scarlett funny. And to be honest, I didn’t see the point of the story. What was I supposed to get from that? I enjoyed her chat interactions with her internet friends, and I liked her relationship with Ruth, the old feminist neighbor across the highway. But when it came down to it, the writing and humor just weren’t my cup of tea.

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews VI

  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on May 23, 2016

  The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

  Publisher: Anchor
  Published: March 2012
  Genre: adult, historical fiction
  Summary: A gorgeous novel that tells the story of a group of young women brought from Japan to San Francisco as “picture brides” nearly a century ago. The story traces the extraordinary lives of these women, from their arduous journeys by boat, to their arrival in San Francisco and their tremulous first nights as new wives; from their experiences raising children who would later reject their culture and language, to the arrival of war. This is a spellbinding novel about identity and loyalty, and what it means to be an American in uncertain times.

  Review: I’ve never come across a narration quite like this before. It was written in plural — “we” and “us” instead of “I” or “she.” (Grammar nerds, please tell me the correct name for it!) This narrative style is fitting, as this short book details the lives of Japanese “picture brides” coming to San Fransisco in 1917, working the lands, raising children, and disappearing during WWII. As a society that values the group over the individual — and told through the eyes of women — it makes sense for the structure to follow that narrative style, too. These poor women, these lost voices, were so hopeful in the beginning for a new and prosperous life, only to find their husbands were lies; they would continue to work the land; they might eventually work in laundries or great homes; they would raise their children as Japanese only to find their children shamed and rejecting their culture for an American one; they would wake up in the morning to an empty bed and no husband in sight; and they would, one by one, leave their homes and cross the Rockies, never to be seen or heard from again. Thought-provoking.

  This qualifies as book 4 of 10 library books in 2016. 

  Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

  Publisher: W.W. Norton Company
  Published: November 1998 (first published in 1966)
  Genre: adult, historical fiction
  Summary: The novel is Rhys’s answer to Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë’s book had long haunted her, mostly for the story it did not tell–that of the madwoman in the attic, Rochester’s terrible secret. Antoinette is Rhys’s imagining of that locked-up woman, who in the end burns up the house and herself. Wide Sargasso Seafollows her voyage into the dark, both from her point of view and Rochester’s. It is a voyage charged with soul-destroying lust. “I watched her die many times,” observes the new husband. “In my way, not in hers. In sunlight, in shadow, by moonlight, by candlelight. In the long afternoons when the house was empty.”

  Review: The one reason I’m not giving this one star is because it’s an excellent example of colonialism and racism in the nineteenth century. The book’s saving grace is the academic fodder for discussion. Apart from that, I had a hard time caring about Bertha, or understanding the motivations and personalities of the characters. It’s not a compelling story, and I’m not sure it could stand on its own. It’s as if the only way this could be read is alongside or after reading Jane Eyre. Otherwise the writing feels disjointed, disconnected, and lost.

  This qualifies as book 5 of 10 library books in 2016. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 6 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

• That One Time I Binged on Kinsella… II

  Posted at 5:55 am by Laura, on April 25, 2016

  

  Welcome back to the second edition of That One Time I Binged on Kinsella! Last time we discussed I’ve Got Your Number and The Undomestic Goddess, as well as what inspired my Kinsella binge in the first place: Can You Keep a Secret? Now we’re here to discuss two more non-Shopaholic Kinsella books.

  

  

  Twenties Girl (★★★.5) surprised me in many ways. At first I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as everyone said — a ghost great-aunt? really? — but I absolutely sank into it! Lara’s romantic storyline hit a little too close to home for me, so I found it difficult in the beginning. Sadie, Lara’s great-aunt/ghost, could be annoying and conceited, but that changed as the story developed more and we could explore her character. There’s a surprising thread in the story that deals with art and art history, which was fun and really amped up the pace. When Lara’s Trump-like uncle gets involved with the art deal — and the overall family history — Lara comes to terms with many aspects of her life and takes control.

  And it’s that “taking control of your life” thread that made Twenties Girl enjoyable. The Lara at the beginning of the book is clinging to a rather poor and directionless job, lacks strong familial relationships, feels isolated from friends, and is quite obsessive with a dead relationship. Sadie tries to snap her out of it, simultaneously teaching her (in her nagging, Sadie way) to live each day fully and to know when to fully invest in something worthwhile. By the end of the novel, Lara has sorted her priorities and knows what she wants in life.

  Remember Me? (★★★) has an intriguing premise: what if you lost your memory from the last three years, and found your life is completely different? New appearance, new job, new set of friends, a marriage? Now if that happened to me, I’d have a full-blown panic attack. But in typical Kinsella fashion, Lexi uses these positive changes (she’s gorgeous! She’s the boss! She has a hot, rich husband!) to her advantage and attempts to put the pieces of the puzzle together in a humorous way. How did she go from poor and struggling to a success? There are two accidents in the novel, and I had such a great theory going from about page 50 that was completely debunked in the last three chapters. Prepare for the twist!

  Though it’s mostly discussed through Lexi’s romantic entanglements — her husband versus Jon, the successful but laid-back architect her husband employs — Kinsella touches upon glossy exteriors and their hidden flaws. On the surface, it looks like Lexi woke up to the perfect life. But those perfections do not make up Lexi, a quirky, fun, kind, flawed individual. She has a beautiful, state-of-the-art, magazine-spread home, but there’s nothing in there that feels personal, homey, or lived in. She’s the head of a department in a big company, but her employees see her as a cutthroat snake, something Lexi most certainly is not. She’s married to a gorgeous businessman, who fits everything on a dream checklist, but that checklist does not equal a dream relationship. It seems perfect and wonderful and safe, but flaws make life enjoyable. And in the case of Lexi’s relationship with Jon, they are far more equal to each other, and that’s a healthy lifestyle.

  ~

  I read Kinsella at just the right time in my life. As I alluded to a few weeks ago, the beginning of 2016…well, sucked. Kinsella brought smiles and humor. And in each of the novels I read, I found a little something to relate to that also lifted me up. Can You Keep a Secret? spoke to me on a billion levels, most especially in the career fumbles and trying to prove oneself. I’ve Got Your Number shared the same fluctuating confidence and self-doubt I experience daily, and The Undomestic Goddess reminded me that it’s possible to try new things and still remain exactly who you are. Twenties Girl taught me to be bold, and Remember Me? encouraged me to look beyond the glossy exterior and into the heart of things.

  I’m sure plenty of readers felt the same way about her novels, for any of the protagonists in any of their situations. Kinsella’s books are semi-predictable, they’re quick reads, and you can guarantee some laughter. But I think that’s what makes them so enjoyable: her voice is accessible and relatable to so many women. You can’t help but love the characters and wince over their hilariously embarrassing situations. You’re glad this isn’t your life, and at the same time, this is your life. And it brings such comfort.

  Have you read Kinsella? What are some of your favorite books?

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 6 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews V

  Posted at 8:35 am by Laura, on April 13, 2016

  Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

  Publisher: Viking Children’s
  Published: March 2016
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  Rating: ★★.5
  Summary: Destined to wind up “wed or dead,” Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she’d gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan’s army, with a fugitive who’s wanted for treason. And she’d never have predicted she’d fall in love with him, or that he’d help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

  Mini Review: Everything that didn’t work for me could very well be the Golden Words another reader seeks in a book. I adored the Middle Eastern-inspired aspect of this fantasy (the Buraqi, the landscape, the history), but did not care for the gun-slinging Old West vibe (which I wasn’t keen on in the first place). I liked how badass Amani was, yet at the same time I felt as if I didn’t know her well enough to feel a deep connection to her character, one that singles her out among the other YA fantasy female protagonists. I liked how intricately plotted this was, but on the other hand I felt this was more plot-driven than character-driven (and I’m very much a character-driven reader).

  

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  This qualifies as book 3 of 5 of the “Flights of Fantasy” Challenge, hosted by Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books and Rachel @ Hello, Chelly.

  This book also qualifies as book 3 of 10 library books in 2016. 

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  Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Published: May 2015 (ppbk)
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: Before Sloane, Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, and she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—someone who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. There’s just a random to-do list with thirteen bizarre tasks that Emily would never try. But what if they can lead her to Sloane? Getting through Sloane’s list will mean a lot of firsts, and with a whole summer ahead of her—and with the unexpected help of the handsome Frank Porter—who knows what she’ll find.

  Mini Review: Morgan Matson is another auto-buy/auto-read author for me. Her books tend to be summer-themed with strong friendships at the heart of the story. Though this friendship felt more one-sided to me throughout most of the book, it was still a friendship that propelled Emily’s character growth in a natural way. Without Sloane’s list, Emily would’ve sat at home, bored to tears. This list kicked her butt into gear and created a whirlwind, adventurous summer! What was great about the list (I’m a huge fan of lists) is that even though it’s definitely meant to bring Emily out of her shell and explore, it doesn’t seem outrageous or forced. The cute romance on the side was unassuming, too, and blossomed naturally. Check out my full review (and ice cream and playlist!) over on Lindsey’s blog, Bring My Books!

  

  .

  This book qualifies as book 3 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, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 8 Comments | Tagged books, flights of fantasy, genre: contemporary, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• That One Time I Binged on Kinsella…

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on March 11, 2016

  

  Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been itching for romcoms — not movies, but books. Something light and fun that also doesn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out over the lack of character depth or completely ludicrous and implausible situations. Even in my darkest days I still want to read something with quality! But what would I read? I wanted to read adult fiction, but I tend to gravitate to fantasy, historical, and a bit darker (aka “sadder”) contemporary on my adult fiction TBR bookcase. I looked at my Read shelves and thought “Hmmm…is there something similar to The Royal We that I could binge-read?” And Sophie Kinsella immediately popped into my head!

  Because I enjoyed Finding Audrey so much, and I like all the concepts behind Kinsella’s non-Shopaholic books, I decided to dive in and try reading her adult fiction. She grabbed my attention with Emma Corrigan in Can You Keep a Secret? and now I can’t get enough! Though her books follow something of a formula (young twenty-something career woman experiences painfully, hysterically embarrassing situations and comes to her own, all with a light little romance on the side), it’s the narrator’s anxious, driven, silly brain that feels so akin to my own that draws me in! I am that young twenty-something career-focused woman stumbling through Adulthood and trying to Prove Herself. Give me your silly, scattered heroines, Kinsella. I’m ready.

  

  

  I’ve Got Your Number (★★★.5) was an excellent second choice after reading and loving Can You Keep a Secret? Poppy’s character and inner monologue speaks to me on such a deep level. Reading her fluctuating confidence/responsibility and self-doubt/insecurity makes me want to shove this book into people’s hands to better understand me, in a way. This was also an incredibly millennial book too. The digital elements to this — our society’s need to be in touch with everything and everyone and all times — was all too relatable. I’d die* without my phone, as I need it for work and personal life and social media and games and notes and reminders, and it’s not like I even use all those smart phone apps in the first place. Just your basic smart phone stuff! But wouldn’t it be nice to not have it for a while? How peaceful does that sound? Anyway, Poppy’s digital part of story was funny and surprisingly crucial to the plot.

  As for the romantic elements in this book, I have a note in my scribbled-on-scrap-paper review: “obvs disliked Magnus because wtf who is this guy.” I don’t think anything more needs to be said on that. I wanted more from Sam’s character, as it felt like all we really saw was the business side of him, but he certainly wasn’t dislikable. The ending was very much a cheesy romcom movie ending, a bit unbelievable, but certainly cute for this kind of novel, and I’m okay with that!

  *exaggeration, I promise

  The Undomestic Goddess (★★★) had a bit of a slow start for me, but quickly turned into laugh-out-loud entertainment during all of Samantha’s kitchen and laundry mishaps. I especially related to her with her cooking inexperience. As someone who can set a boiling pot of water on fire** I understood her anxiety during her first cooking lesson with the gardener’s mother. The juxtaposition of Sam’s character in the law firm in London — stressed, frazzled, tired, overworked, unaware of her unhealthy eating habits — and the domestic job in the Cotswolds — easy-going once she learned how to operate the oven and washer, peaceful, open — was brilliantly done. Though the locations and her situation changed, she stayed true to herself.

  And again, as for the romantic elements? Swoon. Nathaniel was great, and I couldn’t help but picture Matthias Schoenaerts as Gabriel Oak in Far from the Madding Crowd from the moment he entered the kitchen and witnessed Sam’s string of mishaps. While Sam’s employers were absolutely ridiculous (if they were real people, I would’ve snapped at some point) and the premise was quite cheesy, it was all around enjoyable good fun.

  **I don’t even know

  Remember Me? and Twenties Girl are next on my list, and I’m super excited to dive into them. Stay tuned for another Kinsella post!

  xxx

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 10 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, 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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