Review: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

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Wall of Winnipeg and MeMariana Zapata, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

For the past two years, Vanessa Mazur has been the personal assistant to professional football player Aiden Graves. She’s cooked his meals and cleaned his home, answered his emails and scheduled meet-and-greets with his fans. And in all that time, Aiden has never thanked her for her hard work; in fact, he barely acknowledges her at all. So Vanessa is determined to quit, but when she finally musters the courage to resign, Aiden surprisingly wants her back. And when she resists becoming his assistant again, he makes an even more shocking proposal: she should marry him to help him gain permanent residency (he’s Canadian), and in return he’ll pay off her massive student loans and buy her a house. Vanessa finds the deal appealing but is reluctant to enter into an in-name-only marriage — especially when she finds Aiden so frustratingly attractive.

I find myself with mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I found it a fast and compelling read, despite it being quite long for a contemporary romance (more than 600 pages!). I like a marriage-of-convenience story and a slow burn, so the plot is right up my alley. On the other hand, I do think the book is a little too long and repetitive; better editing could have tightened it up substantially. I also didn’t totally love Aiden as a hero. I have no problem with the strong, silent type, but I want my heroes to grow throughout the novel; love should make them change for the better. In this case, while Aiden opens up to Vanessa very slightly, I never felt like I truly got to know him. And his treatment of her in the beginning is pretty inexcusable; I definitely wanted more groveling from him about that! He also does some things that Vanessa reads as “protective” but that I would consider to be controlling. So overall, the romance just didn’t work for me.

Review: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles

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Enchanted Forest ChroniclesPatricia C. Wrede, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles

These four stories take place in a fractured-fairytale setting and center around Cimorene, a princess who refuses to be proper. In Dealing with Dragons, Cimorene wants to escape marriage to a handsome but dull prince, so she runs away and offers to become the princess of the dragon Kazul. She has many adventures in her new life, most importantly thwarting some meddlesome wizards who hope to steal the dragons’ magic. In Searching for Dragons, Mendanbar, the king of the Enchanted Forest, needs to find out who is stealing magic from the forest, so he teams up with Cimorene to discover that those pesky wizards are at it again. Calling on Dragons follows the witch Morwen, who discovers yet another wizard plot and must alert Cimorene and Mendanbar, with the help of her nine cats and a magician named Telemain. Finally, in Talking to Dragons, Cimorene’s son Daystar has his own adventure and learns about his past as a result.

What a delight these books are! They’re marketed for children, but they contain so much sly humor that they can definitely be enjoyed by adults as well. It’s fun to catch all the references to, and subversions of, fairytale tropes: for example, in the first book, Cimorene is perpetually annoyed by knights and princes who keep trying to “rescue” her.   I also really loved all the main characters in these books, especially the women. Cimorene is a delightful heroine, strong-minded and pragmatic, who can solve any problem that comes her way, including melting a troublesome wizard. And the witch Morwen reminds me a great deal of Professor McGonagall — stern, but with a heart of gold underneath. I unapologetically shipped her and Telemain! Some things didn’t quite work for me, such as the rabbit-turned-donkey in the third book; he’s meant to be comic relief, but I found him a little much. And Shiara, a main character in the fourth book, seems a little bit too much like Cimorene. But all in all, I really enjoyed these books and am frankly annoyed that I don’t know any eight- or nine-year-old children to share them with!

Review: Duels & Deception

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Duels & DeceptionCindy Anstey, Duels & Deception

After the death of her beloved father, Lydia Whitfield is determined to keep her family’s estate up and running, but her hot-tempered, alcoholic uncle thwarts her at every turn. Lydia’s only solution is to marry a suitable man who will allow her to run things as she chooses. She already has an unofficial understanding with her neighbor, Lord Aldershot, so all she has to do is draw up the marriage contract. Her plan hits a snag, however, when she meets her lawyer — or rather, her lawyer’s clerk, a handsome young man named Robert Newton. He seems to understand Lydia in a way that no one else does, and she finds herself getting distracted by his broad shoulders and kind brown eyes. Complications ensue when Lydia and Robert are abducted by persons unknown, and they must work together to discover who engineered the kidnapping and why.

I’d previously read another book by this author, Love, Lies and Spies, and while I wasn’t crazy about it, the adorable cover of this novel convinced me to try again. Unfortunately, I enjoyed the cover much more than the book! Even as someone who enjoys a light and fluffy Regency romance, I found this novel utterly insubstantial. The attempts at humor are grating, and the setting is nothing more than window-dressing. The mystery of who kidnapped Lydia and Robert isn’t compelling enough to carry the plot, and a separate storyline involving Robert’s best friend and a duel seems to be completely shoehorned in, with no relevance to the A-story. However, that side story does contain the only marginally interesting character in the book, Robert’s best friend Vincent Cassidy. Perhaps it’s just as well that the author hasn’t written a full novel featuring him, because I’m sure I’d be doomed to disappointment if I read it!

Review: The Golden City

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Golden CityJ. Kathleen Cheney, The Golden City

In an alternate-history version of 1902 Portugal, the country has been divided in half because of differing attitudes to the nonhuman creatures living within its borders. In Northern Portugal, the nonhumans are banned from the Golden City and must remain in their own island territories. Oriana Paredes is a sereia (siren), and she is in the Golden City illegally to spy for her people. As a cover, she works as a companion to Lady Isabel Amaral. When she and Isabel are both kidnapped and trapped underwater to die, Oriana’s heritage allows her to survive. She vows to avenge Isabel’s death and teams up with Duilio Ferreira, an aristocrat with selkie blood and ties to the police. As they investigate the kidnapping, they uncover a much larger conspiracy involving government corruption and dark magic. They also begin to fall in love, but many obstacles stand in the way of their relationship.

I enjoy the historical fantasy genre, and the somewhat unusual setting of early-20th-century Portugal inspired me to pick up this book. I liked the book overall, but the world-building is not particularly strong. There are a few passages of exposition near the beginning, in which the author tries to explain the alternate history, the nonhuman races, and the social structure of the Golden City, but it’s all a little confusing and muddled. People who pick up this book because they want to read about selkies and sirens will likely be disappointed, because the novel doesn’t explore the nonhuman cultures in any real depth. On the other hand, people who like “fantasies of manners” will probably enjoy the book overall, as I did. I found the plot a bit overwhelming, but I liked the interactions between Oriana and Duilio, and I look forward to reading more about them in the sequels.

Review: The Flatshare

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FlatshareBeth O’Leary, The Flatshare

When Tiffy Moore is dumped by her boyfriend, she needs a new place to live right away. So when she spots an ad for an inexpensive flatshare, she jumps at it, despite the unconventional terms of the agreement. Leon Twomey, the current renter of the flat, works nights and weekends as a palliative care nurse. So he only needs the flat from 9am to 6pm, while Tiffy is at work; meanwhile, she can use the flat while he’s gone. They’ll never even have to meet each other. But then Tiffy leaves a note and some leftover baked goods for Leon, and he leaves a thank-you note in response, and soon they’re corresponding via Post-It notes left all over the flat. And while they seem to have little in common—Tiffy is gregarious and messy, while Leon is quiet and self-contained—their correspondence deepens into a close friendship, and maybe even more. But their complicated lives threaten to derail their fledgling romance: Leon’s brother is in jail fighting a wrongful conviction, and Tiffy’s ex doesn’t want to let her move on.

Despite the somewhat contrived premise, this book is an adorable rom-com that I would wholeheartedly recommend! The story is told in alternating chapters from Tiffy’s and Leon’s points of view. While some reviewers had trouble getting into Leon’s clipped, stilted narrative style, I thought it made for a great contrast to Tiffy’s bubbly voice. The notes between Tiffy and Leon are a joy to read, making the relationship between the characters believable despite their not meeting in person until halfway through the book. I also liked that they both seem like real people: they have jobs (and we actually see them doing those jobs!) and friends and family members whom they care about. The secondary characters are a bit less dynamic—Tiffy’s scary lawyer best friend, Leon’s bitchy girlfriend—but I didn’t mind because I enjoyed the main story so much! The book does deal with some serious issues, but it remains light and optimistic overall. In other words, it’s a perfect summer read!

Review: Duplicate Death

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Duplicate DeathGeorgette Heyer, Duplicate Death

Young barrister and future baronet Timothy Harte is in love with Beulah Birtley, but his family fears she’s an unsuitable match. She works as a secretary for Mrs. Haddington, a widow with shady origins who has somehow found a way into London society. When a man is murdered at Mrs. Haddington’s bridge party, suspicion falls on Beulah, and Timothy is determined to prove her innocence. But Beulah is clearly hiding something, and she had both motive and opportunity to commit the murder. Luckily, the policeman in charge of the case is Chief Inspector Hemingway, who remembers Timothy from an earlier encounter (detailed in They Found Him Dead). As Hemingway and his assistant investigate the case, they discover not only Beulah’s secret but a host of others. They develop what seems to be a convincing theory of the crime — until a second murder throws all their conclusions into doubt.

Once again, Heyer delivers a mystery in which the plot is a lot less interesting than the characters. But her sparkling dialogue and incisive social commentary make up for any weaknesses in the mystery itself. I enjoyed Timothy’s interactions with Beulah, which strongly reminded me of Heyer’s romances. I also liked the fact that, for the first time in a Heyer mystery, the policemen are actual characters! Hemingway gets a lot more time on page than he has done in previous mysteries, and his exchanges with the Scottish Inspector Grant are some of the funniest in the book. But as I mentioned earlier, the mystery plot isn’t particularly strong, particularly when it comes to the second murder. The book also describes a homosexual character in very derogatory terms by today’s standards. Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to people who like Heyer and/or vintage mysteries, but it’s not a keeper for me.

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer reading list

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Now that summer is officially here, it’s time to focus on one of my favorite aspects of the season: summer reading! Let’s face it, I’m not outdoorsy at the best of times, but it’s especially true in summer’s heat and humidity. So any activity that allows me to stay indoors, sipping a cold beverage and enjoying the air conditioning, is a good thing in my book (see what I did there?). Here, in no particular order, are 10 books I’m excited to read in the next couple of months. What’s on your summer TBR?

1. J. Kathleen Cheney, The Golden City — This may be cheating a bit because I’m actually reading it now! It’s the first book in a historical fantasy series set in 1902 Portugal, and so far it’s very interesting, although a bit slow to start.

2. Ellis Peters, The Heretic’s Apprentice — It’s been a while since I’ve visited the world of Brother Cadfael!

3. Margaret Rogerson, Sorcery of Thorns — Despite the fact that I haven’t enjoyed much YA fantasy recently, the premise of this one really appeals to me. Apparently it combines magic with a slow-burn romance, and there’s a library!

4. Abby Jimenez, The Friend Zone — I think I read about this romance on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, and it sounds like fun!

5. Linda Holmes, Evvie Drake Starts Over — I mentioned this one last week, and I’m super excited to read it when my library hold comes in.

6. Abbi Waxman, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill — Another new release I’m very excited for. The cover alone! *heart eyes*

7. Kristan Higgins, Life and Other Inconveniences — I’m always up for the latest Kristan Higgins release, even though I wish she’d go back to writing straight-up romance rather than “women’s fiction.”

8. Mary Stewart, The Stormy Petrel — Stewart’s books tend to follow the same formula: innocent young woman travels to foreign destination, meets one or more mysterious men, and becomes involved in a dangerous situation. But it’s a formula I really enjoy, so I don’t mind one bit!

9. John Bude, The Cornish Coast Murder — So I actually own two books by John Bude, but I’ve never read anything he’s written! I blame the lovely new British Library Crime Classic editions of vintage mysteries. Time to see if this is an author I want to keep on my shelves.

10. Patricia C. Wrede, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles — I think I read the first book in this series, Dealing with Dragons, as a kid, but I don’t remember a thing about it. But I’m a huge fan of Wrede’s, and I’ve been wanting to read the whole series for a long time. Now is my chance!

Review: Washington Black

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Washington BlackEsi Edugyan, Washington Black

George Washington Black is an 11-year-old slave, born on a sugar plantation in Barbados and doomed to a grueling life working in the cane fields. But when the master’s brother arrives at the plantation, he changes the course of Wash’s destiny. Christopher “Titch” Wilde is a scientist, and he enlists Wash’s help in building and testing a flying machine of his own invention. Titch also teaches Wash to read and encourages his talent for drawing. Eventually, a tragedy at the plantation forces Wash and Titch to flee, and their subsequent adventures take them as far as the Arctic and beyond. As Wash faces an uncertain future, he also ponders his identity as a black man in a hostile world and questions the significance of various relationships in his life.

I enjoyed this book and found it much more of a page-turner than I expected. Wash is a compelling narrator, and I was invested in his fate from the very beginning. His relationship with Titch is the central relationship in the book, and Edugyan does an excellent job of showing its complexity and ambiguity: Titch is kind to Wash and staunchly anti-slavery, yet their interactions are always complicated by their very different social status. However, I found the first half of the book more interesting than the second half; the plot seems to run out of steam, and the ending doesn’t really resolve anything. Which I think is intentional — after all, Wash grows from a boy of 11 to a young man of 18, but at the end of the novel he is just entering into his adult life. But I personally enjoy novels with a bit more resolution and emotional payoff. That said, I still liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the premise.

Top Ten Tuesday: New and noteworthy

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We’re almost halfway through 2019, which means it’s time to start looking ahead to the second half of the year. Below are my top ten nine upcoming releases in publication order. They range from graphic novels to romance, new-to-me authors to old favorites, but what they have in common is that I’m excited to read them all!

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1. Linda Holmes, Evvie Drake Starts Over (6/25) — Right out of the gate I’m cheating, because the book comes out on June 25, which is technically in the first half of the year. But it hasn’t come out yet, so I’m still counting it! This romance has been blurbed by the likes of Rainbow Rowell, and it’s been described as “quirky,” “warm,” and “hilarious.” Sounds like my cup of tea, for sure.

2. Abbi Waxman, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (7/9) — This book is about an introverted heroine who works in a bookstore and is being romantically pursued by her bar trivia nemesis. Yes, this is relevant to my interests!

3. Kristan Higgins, Life and Other Inconveniences (8/6) — I’m a big Kristan Higgins fan, although I’ve been a little wary of her switch from the romance genre to straight-up women’s fiction. The synopsis of this latest novel doesn’t mention a love story at all, which is somewhat disappointing, but I’m still going to give it a try.

4. Rainbow Rowell, Pumpkinheads (8/27) — I’ve had this one on my wishlist for at least a year. I love Rainbow Rowell and am really eager for this graphic novel about two high schoolers who work in a pumpkin patch every fall. Maybe I’ll save it for a crisp autumnal day…or maybe I’ll devour it as soon as it comes out!

5. Alix E. Harrow, The Ten Thousand Doors of January (9/10) — This one just sounds really cool: it involves a neglected girl and a magical book, and it sounds like it might have a creepy gothic feel. In other words, perfect fall reading!

6. Mhairi McFarlane, Don’t You Forget about Me (9/10) — McFarlane is one of my favorite chick-lit authors, and I know I can expect humor, romance, and a charming narrative voice from all her books. This one appears to feature a second-chance romance, which isn’t my favorite trope, but I remain optimistic.

7. Jessie Mihalik, Aurora Blazing (10/1) — The sequel to Polaris Rising, which I read and enjoyed earlier this year. And based on the few glimpses we got of this couple in the first book, I’m excited to read their story! If you like a few spaceships and some intergalactic politicking in your romance novels, this series may be for you.

8. Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea (11/5) — So, I’m one of those strange people who didn’t absolutely love The Night Circus, but I’m still very intrigued by Morgenstern’s second novel! The marketing blurb on Amazon calls it “a timeless love story set in a secret underground world — a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.” Sounds good to me!

9. Maggie Stiefvater, Call Down the Hawk (11/5) — I’m a little nervous about this book, because I really liked the Raven Cycle and thought Stiefvater concluded the story in a fitting and satisfying way. But if she’s going to continue to follow the fortunes of Ronan Lynch and his family, I’m certainly going along for the ride, at least for the time being.

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Are you also looking forward to any of these books? What other upcoming releases should I add to my to-read list?

Review: A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake

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Counterfeit Betrothal : Notorious RakeMary Balogh, A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake

This volume contains two Regency romance novels, each on the shorter side. In A Counterfeit Betrothal, debutante Lady Sophia is upset that her parents, Marcus and Olivia, have been estranged for 14 years, though they were once desperately in love. She concocts a ridiculous scheme to reunite them: by betrothing herself to an unsuitable man, she hopes her parents will unite to find a society-approved way of breaking the engagement. But Sophia gets more than she bargained for with her incorrigible fiancé; meanwhile, Marcus and Olivia must move past an old argument to repair their relationship. In The Notorious Rake, a chance encounter brings the respectable Mary, Lady Mornington, together with the dissipated Lord Edmond Waite. He soon begins to pursue her, hoping to make her his mistress. Mary resists but is confused by her attraction to him. The more she gets to know him, the more she begins to hope that he will reform his rakish ways.

So, I started this volume last night, intending to read just a few chapters — and stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish both novels! Mary Balogh isn’t Georgette Heyer; her style isn’t as light and witty, and she certainly writes more sexual content (though it’s not on the super explicit end of the spectrum). But she may be the next best thing! I very much enjoy reading about her complex characters, most of whom have experienced significant troubles in their lives and need healing as well as love. I will say, I was a bit disappointed in A Counterfeit Betrothal, which sounded like a fake relationship story (my favorite!) but turned out to be a second-chance romance (not my favorite), focusing much more on Marcus and Olivia’s story than on Sophia’s. It was still well-written and entertaining, though! And I was very pleasantly surprised by The Notorious Rake, because I usually don’t find reformed-rake stories very appealing or convincing. But in this case, while Edmond starts out as a truly despicable character, he genuinely does grow and change throughout the book. All in all, I really enjoyed both books and look forward to my next Balogh!