Review: Red Queen

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red queenVictoria Aveyard, Red Queen

In the world of this fantasy novel, people are divided into two classes based on the color of their blood. The Reds are commoners, forced to serve the Silvers or, if they can’t find work, be conscripted into the army to die in a never-ending war. The Silvers, by contrast, are nobles whose special blood gives them various supernatural abilities. Mare Barrow is a Red who hates Silvers more than anything, but in a twist of fate she discovers that she has a supernatural ability despite her red blood. Immediately she is thrust into the world of the Silvers, where she must constantly hide the truth of who she is. She ultimately becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the government and develops relationships with both of the royal princes.

It’s funny that I read Lyra Selene’s Amber & Dusk so recently, because this book has almost exactly the same plot: poor girl discovers magical ability, enters court full of intrigue and treachery, finds romance, and plots a royal coup. But I much preferred this book’s execution of that premise. The plot moves along at a good clip, and I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists. I also found Mare an interesting character to follow, although like many YA fantasy heroines, she’s too quick to jump to conclusions and too black-and-white in her thinking. But I appreciated that she’s always trying to do the right thing, despite her dark and morally ambiguous environment. Annoyingly, the book doesn’t really work as a stand-alone (the main plot is sort of resolved, but there are a ton of loose ends), but I liked it enough to read the sequels at some point.

Review: Worth the Fall

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worth the fallBria Quinlan, Worth the Fall

This romantic comedy follows the misadventures of Kasey Lane, who loses her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment all in the same week. Luckily, she stumbles upon the Brew Ha Ha café, where she meets a bubbly writer named Jenna and her boyfriend Ben, who take Kasey under their wing and help her find a new place to live. They also introduce her to their friend group, including attractive policeman Max Darby, who just so happens to have seen Kasey at some of her lowest moments. As Kasey starts to put her life back together, she’s adamant that she wants to be single and figure things out for herself, yet she finds herself drawn to Max. But if she pursues a relationship, will she just be repeating her past mistakes?

This is a book that definitely requires some serious suspension of disbelief. Kasey is some kind of marketing professional who is great at her job (we are told), is fired through no fault of her own, yet somehow can’t find another job. Despite having no money (we are told), she secures a great apartment in an expensive part of town. She instantly becomes BFFs with a woman she randomly meets in a coffee shop. But despite all that, I actually enjoyed this book a lot! Kasey is a likable character who comes to greater self-knowledge in the course of the book. And I loved the development of her relationship with Max! They start out a bit hostile to each other but soon embark on a friendship (complete with banter) that is off-the-charts adorable. Overall, I liked this book and will look for the rest in the Brew Ha Ha series (this is book 2 but can definitely be read as a stand-alone!).

Review: Crooked Heart

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Crooked Heart.jpgLissa Evans, Crooked Heart

In this novel set during World War II, Noel Bostock is a precocious 10-year-old boy who lives with his strong, intelligent godmother, Mattie. But his life changes dramatically when Mattie begins to exhibit signs of dementia, just as children are being evacuated from London under the threat of bombing. Noel is sent to the country to live with Vera Sedge, a middle-aged woman desperately trying to make ends meet, who only takes him in for the sake of the small government stipend she’ll receive. Vera plans to make some money by pretending to collect donations for the war effort, but her high-strung, panicky nature makes her fairly unsuccessful — until Noel shocks her by offering to help.

I love a good World War II novel, and this is one of the most unique ones I’ve read so far. What makes it different is that the main characters are not heroes. In fact, what Vera and Noel do in this book is pretty despicable: they lie to people, playing on their feelings of patriotism and compassion, and steal their money. Even without their illegal scheme, neither character is particularly likable at first. But somehow this book peels back their layers and makes them understandable, even sympathetic. Both Vera and Noel are completely alone and very guarded as a result, but this novel shows them slowly coming closer together. I enjoy “found family” narratives, and this one definitely qualifies! So I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the period or the premise.

Also, this book has no epigraph, but I’m fairly certain the title is from the W.H. Auden poem “As I Walked Out One Evening”: “You shall love your crooked neighbour / With your crooked heart.” Which perfectly sums up the theme of the book, in my opinion!

Review: Hotshot Doc

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hotshot docR.S. Grey, Hotshot Doc

Bailey Jennings is perfectly content with her life. Maybe she hasn’t had a date in years, but she loves working as a surgical assistant (specializing in spinal surgery) and taking care of her younger sister, Josie. But when her wonderful boss announces he’s retiring, Bailey panics: she’ll either have to retrain in a new speciality or work for the cold, arrogant — and extremely handsome — Doctor Matthew Russell. Bailey and Matt’s professional relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they are surprised (and dismayed) to discover a mutual attraction. Can they find a way to pursue a relationship without jeopardizing either of their careers?

This contemporary romance novel is a fun read, with some good banter and likable main characters. Bailey is scrappy and strong, and her relationship with Josie is very sweet. Matt is a bit of a jerk at first, but his rudeness arises from his passion for his work and his high standards for himself as well as others. So I really liked each character individually, but the romance itself didn’t quite work for me. It just felt very generic, especially once Bailey and Matt got together. I thought their workplace romance would generate some interesting conflict, but it’s honestly pretty smooth sailing once they act on their feelings. All in all, a pleasant read that I’d recommend to fans of workplace romances, but it didn’t blow me away.

Review: Amber & Dusk

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amber & duskLyra Selene, Amber & Dusk

Although she was abandoned by her parents and raised by strict nuns at the very edge of the Dusklands, Sylvie has always known she’s been destined for great things. She has a legacy — a magical power that marks her as someone of noble birth. Determined to claim the benefits of her legacy, she travels to the heart of the Amber Empire and demands a place at the empress’s court. But despite the court’s aura of magic and luxury, Sylvie soon learns that dark secrets lurk beneath its facade, and she’s not sure whom, if anyone, she can trust. But eventually she decides to take action, and the fate of the entire empire may rest in her hands.

I received this book as a Christmas gift; it’s not something I would necessarily have picked up on my own, but I do enjoy fantasy and political intrigue, so I was happy to give it a try. Unfortunately, I really disliked this book. The plot is fine, though not particularly original, and I liked the detail that every noble’s legacy manifests in a different way. But Sylvie drove me nuts as a protagonist! She’s rude and entitled, she never thinks before she acts, and she does some incredibly dumb things that have horrible consequences for others. I also hated the overly flowery writing style, which set my teeth on edge; you’ll know whether or not it’s for you within the first couple of pages. I should also note that, while there’s not technically a cliffhanger, the book leaves a lot of things open for a sequel . . . but I definitely won’t be reading it!

Review: What Happens in London

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what happens in londonJulia Quinn, What Happens in London

After serving in the army during the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Harry Valentine now works as a translator for the War Office. It’s not particularly dangerous (which is just how he likes it), but it does require a certain amount of secrecy. So when Harry notices that his beautiful neighbor seems to be watching him, he knows there’s a slight chance she could be a threat. Meanwhile, Lady Olivia Bevelstoke is intrigued by her new neighbor, since rumors are flying about the mysterious gentleman who hardly ever goes out into society. When he catches her watching him, she is mortified — especially because, when they finally meet in public, he directly confronts her about it. However, Harry and Olivia’s initial dislike of each other soon turns into friendship and, inevitably, romance. But will a rival suitor, who may also be a spy for Napoleon, come between them?

When I want a light, fluffy Regency romance with minimal angst, I turn to Julia Quinn, and this book delivered pretty much what I expected. I found it a very enjoyable read, particularly because both Harry and Olivia are such nice, normal people. No tortured rakes or unconventional bluestockings here! Don’t get me wrong; those types of characters can be fun to read about, too, but they do tend to be overrepresented in historical romance. By contrast, Harry and Olivia are both fairly conventional, which I found refreshing. There’s plenty of humor in the book, too, mostly surrounding the lurid gothic novel that Harry presents to Olivia. There’s a fantastic scene in which Harry’s cousin Sebastian reads the book aloud to an assortment of spellbound listeners, and it’s an absolute delight. The plot does go off the rails a bit toward the end, with a tonally jarring kidnapping, but at least that storyline wraps up quickly. Overall, I doubt this book will stay with me for a long time, but it was certainly a fun read, and I’d recommend it to fans of historical romance.

Review: The Penguin Pool Murder

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penguin pool murderStuart Palmer, The Penguin Pool Murder

When schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers, a “spinster” of 39, takes her third-grade class to the New York Aquarium, she expects nothing more than an educational outing for her students. But first she thwarts a pickpocket by tripping him with her umbrella, and then she discovers a dead body in the penguin tank. Not the sort of person to miss a chance to investigate, Miss Withers quickly befriends Inspector Oscar Piper, the policeman in charge of the murder case. Through a combination of usefulness (she takes shorthand notes of the initial witness statements) and sheer stubbornness, she is allowed to accompany Piper throughout the investigation. Suspicion immediately falls on the dead man’s wife and her former lover, who were both at the aquarium on the fateful day; but Miss Withers isn’t convinced, and her intelligence and determination eventually enable her to solve the case.

I enjoyed this mystery, although it’s a fairly typical example of the Golden Age detective novel. There are a few creative touches — such as one of the penguins swallowing a key piece of evidence — and I enjoyed the repartee between Miss Withers and Inspector Piper, although I wish their relationship had been a bit more fleshed out. In fact, I wanted more character development all around, but that does tend to be a weakness of mysteries from this era, and I wouldn’t quibble so much if the plot had been more inventive. But instead everything unfolds pretty much as expected, from spurious confessions to various motive-related revelations to a second death. I also guessed the murderer’s identity fairly early on. The final chapter, in which the solution is explained, does contain one delightful surprise, which I won’t spoil. But all in all, this book isn’t particularly special — which doesn’t mean it’s not a good read! It just doesn’t deviate much from the traditional formula, so if you’re looking for something with a lot of surprises, this may not be the book for you.

Top Ten Tuesday: First half of 2019

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TTT-NEW

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is the 10 books you’re most excited for in the first half of 2019. I’ve got a lot of long-awaited sequels and follow-ups on my list, as well as a few books that just sound really cool! So without further ado, here’s my list of ten eight books I’m really looking forward to in the first half of this year:

  1. Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch (1/8) — After loving both The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, of course I can’t wait to read the final book in this trilogy! If you like lush, descriptive fantasy and/or Russian folktales, I highly recommend these books.
  2. Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead (1/22) — More Flavia is always fun, and I’m especially optimistic because I thought the last book was a return to form for the series.
  3. Sally Thorne, 99 Percent Mine (1/29) — I adored The Hating Game so much that I put Sally Thorne on my list of auto-buy authors immediately. I’ve already preordered my copy of 99 Percent Mine, and I’m really hoping it will meet my high expectations!
  4. Leigh Bardugo, King of Scars (1/29) — When I read the original Grisha trilogy, I mentioned that I’d love a book featuring the secondary character of Nikolai…and the book gods must have been listening, because now it’s here!
  5. Jessica Khoury, Last of Her Name (2/26) — Look, if there’s a retelling of Anastasia set in space, I’m going to read it!
  6. Zen Cho, The True Queen (3/12) — Ever since I read and loved Sorcerer to the Crown, I’ve been dying for the sequel. I’m so excited that it’s finally (almost) here!
  7. Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief (3/19) — Apparently this is the last book in one of my very favorite series. I can’t wait to see how it all ends, and I’m excited to go back and reread the previous books in preparation for the finale.
  8. Lucy Parker, The Austen Playbook (4/22) — I’ve loved all Lucy Parker’s books so far, so I’m super excited for this one…it involves a very grumpy hero and a Jane Austen connection, which is basically all my catnip!

Are you also looking forward to any of these books? What should I be adding to my list?

Review: Speak Easy, Speak Love

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speak easy, speak loveMcKelle George, Speak Easy, Speak Love

This debut novel is a YA retelling of Much Ado about Nothing set in the 1920s. Hero Stahr and her father Leo run a speakeasy called Hey Nonny Nonny on Long Island, with the help of Pedro “Prince” Morello. Benedick Scott is an aspiring novelist who chafes under his privileged upbringing and finds a sympathetic home at Hey Nonny Nonny. So does Beatrice Clark, Hero’s cousin, who wants to be a doctor despite her gender and her poverty. Margaret Hughes, the speakeasy’s resident jazz singer, longs for success on a bigger stage — almost as much as she longs for Prince’s standoffish brother, John — but her black skin may stop her from achieving either dream. As these characters fight to keep Hey Nonny Nonny up and running, they must deal with parental pressures, misunderstandings, dangerous bootleggers, and falling in love.

I wasn’t prepared for how much I would love this book. The premise sounded fun, but I thought at best I’d get a lighthearted romp — or, more likely, it would all go horribly wrong. I didn’t expect to care so deeply about these characters, to be so moved by their stories, or to be so invested in their relationships. But I adored this book, and I’m very sure it will be on my “best of 2019” list a year from now! The writing style is sharp and inventive — Beatrice, for example, is described as “a clock-throwing ruin of a girl,” and how could you not love her after that description? I loved the central romance between Beatrice and Benedick, which unfolds with agonizing, delicious slowness. As in Shakespeare’s original, the joy comes from their teasing banter and mutual respect for each other’s intelligence. The book deviates from the play somewhat with the secondary characters, but I thought all the changes made sense and enhanced the story the author was telling. In short, I loved (LOVED) this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes the premise!