Tag: america

Mini-Reviews: Sweet, Duke, Briar

Leave a comment

Cara Bastone, Sweet Talk

When chronic insomniac Jessie gets a 2 a.m. text from Eliot, she’s confused but excited—she knows him slightly and has a bit of a crush on him. But Eliot has accidentally texted the wrong person, and due to a mishap while saving her contact info, he has no idea who Jessie is. Nevertheless, they start chatting and hit it off surprisingly well. Soon they’re texting and calling each other every day and sharing personal details about their lives. But Jessie still hasn’t revealed her identity; she’s convinced that she could never have a future with Eliot and that he’d reject her if he knew who she truly was. My winning streak with Cara Bastone continues—this novella is such a delight! Both Jessie and Eliot are somewhat unconventional protagonists: He’s an exuberant puppy dog who’s timid but kind, while she’s a tough, muscular, tattooed woman with a traditionally masculine job. Jessie’s identity and her reasons for keeping it a secret are pretty easy to guess, but that in no way diminished my pleasure in this adorable story!

Eloisa James, Not That Duke

Lady Stella Corsham considers herself a loser in London society. With her unfashionable red hair, spectacles, and tendency to clumsiness, Stella doesn’t see herself as lovable and assumes she’ll never marry. Still, she can’t help her attraction to Silvester, the duke of Huntington, who is far above her reach. Silverster enjoys Stella’s company and her original mind, but he’s courting the lovely Yasmin Régnier (heroine of The Reluctant Countess). Will he ever see Stella as more than a friend? My struggle to love an Eloisa James novel persists. This one has some good points: Despite her unoriginal portrayal as a “strong heroine,” complete with red hair and bookishness, Stella is a fun character to spend time with. I found her more believable than Silvester, whose infatuation with Yasmin doesn’t really make sense, nor does his subsequent pursuit of Stella. I never quite figured out why he suddenly fell for her. Also, this book overlaps quite a bit with The Reluctant Countess, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, so I found the whole Yasmin conflict tedious. I still have a few more James novels on my e-reader, so I’m hoping another series will work better for me!

Kate Quinn, The Briar Club

This novel, set in the early 1950s, focuses on the inhabitants of a women’s boardinghouse in Washington, DC. Nora is from a poor Irish family but hopes to work her way up to a prestigious position at the National Archives. Reka is a former art professor who fled Hungary during World War II. Fliss is trying to be the perfect mother while her husband works as a military doctor overseas. Bea is at loose ends since an injury ended her career with the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Claire is a survivor, but her sense of self-preservation falters when she falls in love. Arlene works for HUAC and is a firm supporter of McCarthyism. And newcomer Grace draws this disparate group together—but what secrets is she hiding? Kate Quinn is a talented writer, and she made me care about all these characters, even the obnoxious ones. Much of the plot was predictable, and she really threw in the entire kitchen sink of the ’50s, which I occasionally found tedious. But a twist near the end surprised me, and there were also a few romantic storylines I enjoyed. Overall, I’m glad I read this one, but it’s not a keeper for me.

Mini-Reviews: Romantic, Unpleasantness, Elatsoe

Leave a comment

Kirsty Greenwood, Romantic Hero

Gertie Bickerstaff is not okay. The final novel of her popular cowboy romance series is due soon, but she has terrible writer’s block. On top of that, her longtime boyfriend has just told her he wants a break. Desperate, Gertie performs a “manifestation ceremony” in hopes of getting her career and love life back on track. But she’s shocked when the villain of her series, River Oakley, shows up (shirtless, of course) in her apartment. The two must team up to figure out how River got here and how to send him home, but an unexpected attraction complicates things. I really enjoyed Greenwood’s previous novel, The Love of My Afterlife, and this one suffers a bit by comparison. I’m tired of contemporary romances where the heroine is a mess and the hero is perfect, yet somehow he loves her anyway. River never felt like a real person to me, and Gertie’s hand-wringing passivity got on my nerves. All that said, the novel is funny and breezy and a quick read. I did have fun with it, but I don’t need to ever read it again.

Claudia Gray, The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield

Despite their mutual affection, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney haven’t seen or communicated with each other since he fought a duel over her. Now Jonathan feels stifled by his parents’ concern and jumps at the chance to visit his Aunt Jane and Uncle Charles at Netherfield. There he’s promptly embroiled in another mystery when Mr. Hurst, also a guest of the Bingleys’, drops dead in the breakfast room. Only Juliet can help Jonathan find the killer, but as they conduct another investigation together, they must also navigate their feelings in the face of parental disapproval. I’m continuing to enjoy this series a lot! I love the deep dive into Austen’s fictional worlds; this book in particular is fun for me, as a lover of Pride and Prejudice, since it imagines what the Bingleys, Darcys, and Bennets would be like 25 years after the novel. The mystery itself is pretty light in this installment (and I did guess the killer!), but that’s understandable because the novel mostly focuses on the various character relationships. I’m genuinely emotionally invested in what will happen next and will anxiously await the next book in the series!

Darcie Little Badger, Elatsoe

Ellie is basically a normal teenage girl—except for the fact that her pet dog is a ghost. Because of her Lipan Apache heritage, she has certain special abilities, including the power to raise the dead. When her cousin Trevor dies, supposedly in a car accident, Ellie communicates with his spirit and learns he was actually murdered. But the murderer, Abe Allerton, is a prominent man in the mysterious town of Willowbee, Texas, and Ellie will need all her family’s power and support to take him down. I’m glad the “indigenous author” Bingo square in my LibraryThing challenge prompted me to pick up this book, because I really enjoyed it! The world-building is unique, Ellie is endearingly snarky, and the ghost dog steals the show. The plot was interesting and fast-moving, and I liked the resolution of Ellie’s final confrontation with Abe. Overall, I enjoyed this one more than I expected to and would be interested in reading more by the author.

Mini-Reviews: Call, Muslin, Desperate

2 Comments

Cara Bastone, Call Me Maybe

Vera has just started her own business and is about to attend a local expo that will hopefully bring her a lot of new clients. But her website is crashing, and she desperately needs it to be functional by the expo. After waiting on hold for hours, she finally speaks to customer service rep Cal, who is surprisingly friendly and helpful. Their conversation soon moves beyond Vera’s website problems, and they find themselves sharing jokes and even personal details about their lives. In short, they’re flirting pretty hard, but each is unsure about how the other feels. Can one chance phone call lead to romance? I was utterly charmed by this short romance novel (my e-book edition is under 200 pages), which focuses almost entirely on conversations between Vera and Cal before they meet face to face. Both of them are realistic, likable characters, and they have great chemistry. Sure, the misunderstandings keeping them apart are a bit silly, and the stakes feel very low. But in a story of this length, I think that’s fine! My streak of loving every book I’ve read by Cara Bastone continues, and I’m excited to read the other two books in this series.

Georgette Heyer, Sprig Muslin

Sir Gareth Ludlow is an extremely eligible bachelor, but he’s shown no interest in marriage since his beautiful fiancée died seven years ago. Now he thinks it’s time to marry, however, so he decides to propose to his longtime friend Lady Hester Theale, a “spinster” in her late 20s. But en route to Hester’s home, he stumbles across a beautiful young woman in need of his help. Amanda has run away from home, and Gareth feels honor-bound to protect her and keep her out of trouble. Unfortunately, given Amanda’s fertile imagination and instinct for drama, that’s easier said than done! A Heyer reread is always a treat, and I like this book in particular because the plot contains a few surprises, including (arguably) Gareth’s eventual choice of bride. There’s a lot of humor in the book, mostly from the stories Amanda tells and her impetuous decision-making. I actually would have liked a bit less of that and a bit more of Gareth and his heroine together, but aside from that, I enjoyed revisiting this book.

Susanna Kearsley, A Desperate Fortune

In the present, autistic computer programmer Sara is hired to decode an 18th-century diary. She travels from London to the outskirts of Paris, where she stays with the diary’s owner and falls for a handsome Frenchman. Meanwhile, the diary’s writer, Mary Dundas, is the daughter and sister of Jacobites who have followed the exiled King James VIII into France. When her brother asks her to help protect a fugitive Jacobite Englishman, she doesn’t realize that she’ll be plunged into adventure, danger, and romance. I loved this novel the first time I read it, and this reread was extremely enjoyable as well. I prefer the historical story to the contemporary one, but both deal with unconventional women trying to find their place in the world. The author’s note reveals that a lot of care was taken with the historical research, and it definitely shows, but not in an obnoxious info-dump-y way. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction!

Mini-Reviews: Bloodstained, Famous, Bellwether

1 Comment

James Anderson, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy

This historical mystery novel has all the trappings of a Golden Age detective story: a country house party, hidden identities, political machinations, a secret passage, a famous jewel thief, a staged car accident, and multiple suspicious deaths. Based on the title, I was expecting the book to be humorous, but it isn’t particularly, though occasionally a character will toss off a witty line. Overall I think this is a great read for Golden Age mystery lovers. All the tropes are present in abundance (sometimes superabundance), yet the book still manages to subvert reader expectations in interesting ways. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because it’s more fun to experience it as it unfolds. Suffice it to say that I liked this one quite a bit and am looking forward to the other two books in the Inspector Wilkins series (I have an omnibus edition that contains all three). Apparently they’re all set at the same country house, so I’m interested to see which characters will recur!

Mary Balogh, The Famous Heroine

The daughter of a wealthy merchant, Cora Downes would normally have no reason to mingle with London society’s upper crust. But when she (sort of) rescues from drowning a relative of the Duchess of Bridgwater, the duchess is so grateful that she decides to sponsor Cora for a Season and help her find a husband. The unconventional Cora is nervous and awkward in this new environment, so Lord Francis Kneller (a friend of the Bridgwater family) takes her under his wing. They soon become friends, but when Francis inadvertently “compromises” her, neither one expects the ensuing marriage to bring true love. This book was a reread for me, and I enjoyed revisiting these characters. Cora is a lovable klutz, and Francis is a kind hero with a sense of humor. Some aspects of the plot don’t quite work; for example, Cora’s mistaken assumption that Francis is gay, based on his colorful attire, persists for far too long. There are also plentiful references to the previous books in the series, Dark Angel and Lord Carew’s Bride, which I found slightly tiresome. But overall, I enjoyed my reread—Mary Balogh is reliably entertaining!

Connie Willis, Bellwether

Dr. Sandra Foster, a researcher at HiTek Corp., is studying the origin of fads, and it’s not going well. As she sorts through articles on hair bobbing and crossword puzzles and the Hula Hoop, she’s forced to deal with out-of-touch management, “sensitivity exercises,” and the world’s least competent assistant. As her world grows increasingly more illogical and frustrating, Sandra meets Dr. Bennett O’Reilly, a fellow HiTek scientist who seems strangely resistant to fads, if his terrible clothes are any indication. Could he somehow be the key to her research? I adore Connie Willis, especially her lighter and more comedic novels, of which this is one. It’s actually a bit stressful to read at times, because Sandra’s work frustrations are entirely too realistic! The satire of life in a corporate environment is spot-on, though, and I really liked the progression of the story and the romance. The book came out in 1996, so some aspects of it are dated now (no one researches anything on the computer), but overall I think it holds up quite well. Highly recommended if the premise interests you!

Mini-Reviews: Something, Captivity, Reluctant

1 Comment

Julie James, Something About You

Assistant US attorney Cameron Lynde just wants a peaceful night in a posh hotel while her floors are being refinished. Instead, she’s kept awake by a late-night sex marathon in the room next door—followed by a murder. And unfortunately, because the case has federal implications, the person in charge of the investigation is FBI agent Jack Pallas, with whom Cameron has a contentious professional past. Since Cameron is a key witness with a high-profile job, she’s put in protective custody, which forces her and Jack into much closer proximity than they’d prefer—that is, until their mutual attraction complicates things even further. Julie James was one of the first romance novelists I ever read, and her books were a great gateway into the genre for me. This one is a fun read with likable leads; both Cameron and Jack are smart and good at their jobs, and they have great chemistry. The book isn’t destined to be a new favorite, but it was definitely an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Michael Gilbert, Death in Captivity

This mystery has the unique setting of an Italian prisoner-of-war camp. An unpopular prisoner is found dead in a tunnel that some of the POWs had been digging to escape. But was his death an accident or murder? And how did he get into the tunnel, whose entrance is disguised by a heavy slab that takes four men to lift? One of the British prisoners, Henry “Cuckoo” Goyles, is tasked with solving the case, but his investigation is complicated by a potential informer within the camp, as well as by the eventual necessity for a prison break. This is a fascinating variation on the “impossible crime” mystery, where the circle of suspects is limited to camp guards and prisoners. Gilbert himself was a POW who escaped from an Italian camp during World War II, and his experience undoubtedly informed many details of the novel. The murder mystery is interesting—and several aspects of the solution surprised me—but it’s secondary to the vivid, personal depiction of this specific time and place. Recommended, but more for those interested in WWII history than for mystery lovers.

Eloisa James, The Reluctant Countess

Giles Renwick, the earl of Lilford, always does the proper thing. He needs an appropriate countess to uphold his social position, so it’s too bad that he’s continually lusting after Lady Yasmin Régnier, whose gowns and reputation are equally scandalous. Yasmin is attracted to Giles also, though she’s reluctant to admit it, as they seem to argue every time they’re together. Eventually they surrender to their mutual passion, but when Giles wants to marry Yasmin, she hesitates, unsure that they are truly well matched. I have really liked some works by Eloisa James, but this book was not one of them. I didn’t really believe in either of these characters or in the conflicts that kept them apart. Giles’s younger sister, who throws some obstacles in their way, also doesn’t seem to have a very clear or consistent motivation for her actions. I’ll try a few more of James’s books in hopes of finding one I really like, but this one was not it.

Mini-Reviews: New York, Unicorn, Daughter

2 Comments

Kate Spencer, In a New York Minute

Franny’s day goes from bad to worse when, on her way home from being laid off, her dress gets caught in the subway doors and rips apart. A handsome stranger gives her his suit jacket so that she can cover up. And that would have been the end of the story, except that a bystander caught the whole thing on camera. Now Franny and the subway guy, Hayes, have been dubbed #SubwayQTs, and the local news is doing a story on their supposed romance. It’s not true, of course; but as Franny and Hayes continue to bump into each other, it feels like fate may be nudging them together after all. This was a pleasant enough rom-com that really wants to be described as “a love letter to New York City,” and maybe I’m just a grumpy old lady now, but that type of narrative does nothing for me. I wasn’t particularly invested in the romance, which didn’t have any obstacles beyond the characters’ general obtuseness. There were some cute moments, and I can see a version of this plot working as a movie, but overall there’s just nothing substantial about this book.

Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters

Anne, duchess of Brittany, is facing a crisis. The king of France is pressing for her hand in marriage so that he can absorb the duchy into his own kingdom—and if she refuses, he’ll take it by force. Her only hope is to marry another powerful ruler who can help her fight the French, but in return, she’ll have to leave Brittany and give up her role as its leader. She plans to marry secretly in the forest of Brocéliande, organizing a unicorn hunt as a cover story. But Brocéliande is an uncanny place, on the boundary between the mortal world and the Lost Lands, and Anne soon learns she has more powerful enemies than France to contend with. I absolutely loved this book, which combines so many of my favorite things. Give me medieval Brittany, fantasy elements, and a romance, and I’m sold! Arden’s writing is vivid and magical, and Anne is a wonderfully drawn character based on a real historical person. I’ve loved every book by Arden I’ve read so far, but this one just may be my favorite. It will definitely be one of my top books of the year!

D.E. Stevenson, The Baker’s Daughter

Sue Pringle has lived in the small town of Beilford, Scotland, all her life. Her father is the baker, and her grandfather owns a prosperous shop. But she’s somewhat bored with her life and eager to try something new. The perfect opportunity arises when a painter from London, John Darnay, moves to town needing a housekeeper. Sue takes the job and soon finds her world expanding. She also develops strong feelings for Darnay, but his social station is far above hers, and he happens to be married already. I enjoy Stevenson’s quiet, romantic, character-driven books, and this one is no exception. I liked getting both Sue’s and Darnay’s perspectives throughout the novel, and the secondary characters are very well drawn. But readers should beware of some distasteful racism that is typical of the period. I don’t remember other Stevenson novels being this egregious, so if you haven’t read the author before, I wouldn’t recommend starting here. But as someone who likes Stevenson’s general vibe, I still found a lot to enjoy in this book.

Mini-Reviews: Shippers, Corpse, Brides

Leave a comment

Katherine Center, The Shippers

JoJo Burton’s love life is a train wreck—a fact that becomes abundantly clear when she leaves her rich, “perfect” fiancé at the altar. JoJo thinks her problem may be rooted in unresolved feelings for her childhood crush, Finn Turner. Fortunately, her sister’s about to get married on a cruise ship, and newly divorced Finn is one of the guests. With several days of forced proximity and her sister’s help, JoJo is determined to attract Finn and thus fulfill her romantic destiny. The only problem is JoJo’s best friend, Cooper, who thinks her plan is ridiculous. As her attempts to lure Finn meet with disaster, JoJo eventually begins to question where her romantic destiny truly lies. This is a fun, fast-paced read with some cute banter, but I have to say that the romance drove me crazy! JoJo is implausibly blind to what’s right in front of her, and I don’t buy that Cooper would have kept his feelings a secret for so long. I also found the ending a bit anticlimactic after all the buildup. The book is still a fun, breezy summer read if you like this premise, but for me it’s not one of Center’s best.

Delano Ames, Corpse Diplomatique

Jane and Dagobert Brown are traveling through France when they encounter a violent death, about which Dagobert immediately suggests Jane write another mystery novel. While staying in Nice, they meet a diplomat from “Santa Rica” who is terrified of being assassinated. His fears seem justified when a bullet whizzes by his head, narrowly missing him but killing Major Hugh Arkwright instead. Who was the true intended victim, and who among the Browns’ new acquaintances at their French hotel is the killer? This series is enjoyable mainly for Jane’s snarky running commentary on the various people and events she’s writing about. The characters are largely well drawn, and I enjoyed the touches of humor, but the mystery itself is a bit lackluster; it kind of plods along without any real forward motion until the very end. Overall I liked this book fine, and I’d read more in the series if I came across them, but I don’t feel compelled to seek them out.

Amy Barry, Seven Brides for Beau McBride

After Junebug McBride found wives for two of her four older brothers, she’s been strictly forbidden from advertising for any more mail-order brides. But the third McBride brother, Beau, thinks Junebug had the right idea and places his own ad for a bride. Naturally, Junebug has to be involved and bets Beau that she can find a better wife than he can. But when she writes to six women instead of one, and they all come out West hoping to marry Beau, she has a problem on her hands. Especially when one of her brides, Ellie Neale, turns out to be best friends with Beau’s own pick, Diana—and Ellie soon falls for Beau herself! I enjoyed this fun Western romance, with its nonsensical yet enjoyable plot and over-the-top characters. Junebug is a lot and would be insufferable in real life, but she’s a lot of fun to read about. I liked that the seven potential brides were all decent and kind women, rather than being catty rivals. Beau and Ellie’s romance was sweet and had some funny moments due to Ellie’s melodramatic nature. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

Mini-Reviews: Waltz, First, Apprentice

1 Comment

Cornell Woolrich, Waltz into Darkness

Louis Durand, age 37, is a prosperous but lonely businessman in 1880s New Orleans. Unable to bear his solitude, he begins corresponding with Julia Russell and proposes to her sight unseen. To his delight, the woman who arrives is younger and more beautiful than he expected. They marry immediately, and Louis is happy at first, but eventually he begins to notice some worrisome behaviors in his new wife. This novel is the literary equivalent of a train wreck: You know it’s going to be a disaster, but you can’t look away. I felt awful for Louis from the very first chapter, which reveals his aching loneliness and his hope that it’s finally about to end. I wanted things to work out for him, even though it was always obvious that they wouldn’t. The book is well written but painful! Ultimately, I’m just not a noir person; but if you are, I highly recommend Cornell Woolrich.

Lynn Painter, First and Forever

Duffy Distefano and her family are huge fans of the Minnesota Coyotes football team. But when the team’s mascot gropes Duffy at a game—and her retaliation is caught on camera—she becomes a target for Coyotes fans. She’s invited to tell her side of the story on a local morning TV show, only to be confronted by a Coyotes player, Connor Cunningham, who’s there to do damage control for the team. Their on-air conversation, which reads as flirtatious banter, creates good PR for the Coyotes, who suggest that Connor ask Duffy out to further improve the team’s image. But as they get to know each other better, they both develop real feelings. I really like Lynn Painter’s romances, which are fun and light with great banter, and this one is no exception. I’m not a sports person at all, so I felt like I was getting a little peek at a new-to-me subculture. I did find the plot a little bland, and the third-act breakup was both predictable and unnecessary, though at least it didn’t last too long. But overall, I liked this one and will be interested to see if there’s a sequel, as there did seem to be some chemistry between Duffy’s brother and her best friend!

L.C. Tyler, The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice

Ethelred Tressider is a mediocre mystery writer and a bit of a sad sack. His wife, Geraldine, left him for his best friend years ago, and now he has neither a romantic partner nor any close friends. The only person he seems to interact with regularly is his literary agent, the abrasive Elsie Thirkettle. But when Geraldine goes missing—along with a fortune she obtained by scamming investors—it’s up to Ethelred, with unwanted assistance from Elsie, to solve the case. This book is a light, humorous mystery that has some fun playing with the conventions of the genre. I loved Elsie’s no-nonsense voice and the way she bullies Ethelred—for his own good, of course! That said, while I’ll definitely read book two because I own it, I’m not sure I’m invested enough to commit to the whole series.

Mini-Reviews: Name, Ántonia, Paris

Leave a comment

Beth O’Leary, The Name Game

Ormer is a tiny, picturesque island in the English Channel, with a population of 500. A farm shop on the island has just hired Charlie Jones to be its new manager. But complications ensue when two Charlie Joneses—one male, one female—show up, both claiming to be the person hired. They agree to share the job and accommodations on a trial basis, but as they live and work together, they learn they have much more in common than their name. Beth O’Leary has become known for writing contemporary romances with a twist, and in this case, the twist bugged me. It was clever, but I’m not sure it added anything to the story; in fact, it detracted a bit from my enjoyment of the romance. The book also felt a bit too heavy at times—most of the characters are dealing with some kind of trauma and/or mental illness. So this is definitely not a light, fun read, but those who enjoy more serious contemporary romances (and idyllic small-town settings) will likely enjoy it.

Willa Cather, My Ántonia

In this 1918 novel, Jim Burden recounts stories of his childhood growing up on the Nebraskan prairie. He recalls the hardships and joys of life on a farm, the mingling of various immigrant groups despite differences of faith and language, the harsh struggle for survival, and the beauty of the land. Many of Jim’s memories focus on his neighbor and friend Ántonia Shimerda, the daughter of Bohemian immigrants, who maintains her joy and zest for life despite many challenging circumstances. This is a beautifully written book with well-drawn characters and a vivid setting. Cather did live in Nebraska for part of her childhood in the 1880s, so she had firsthand experience of the places and people she wrote about. The book has no plot to speak of, and it’s disappointing that Jim’s adult life (revealed in the introduction, so not a spoiler) doesn’t seem to coincide with his true passions and inclinations. But the tone of bittersweet nostalgia is certainly very effective, and I think this book deserves its status as a great American novel.

Kate Clayborn, The Paris Match

Physician Layla Bailey is on her way to a wedding in Paris, and she’s dreading it. The bride is her ex-husband’s sister, so she’ll be forced to mingle with her former in-laws—not to mention the ex himself, who is bringing his new girlfriend. Layla’s sole goal is to avoid any drama, but when the bride gets cold feet after a casual remark of hers, the groom’s abrasive best man, Griff, demands that she help him save the wedding. I really enjoy Clayborn’s contemporary romances, and I liked this one too, though it’s definitely angstier than the cover would suggest. I enjoyed the scenes between Layla and Griff much more than the peripheral wedding stuff; their chemistry is intense, and Griff is a compellingly damaged hero. But they fall very hard for each other very quickly, and I couldn’t entirely suspend my disbelief. Overall, this isn’t my favorite Clayborn novel, but it’s definitely worth reading if you like the premise and enjoy high-angst romance.

Mini-Reviews: Flowerheart, Seething, Fuzzy

Leave a comment

Catherine Bakewell, Flowerheart

Clara Lucas has always wanted to be initiated into the Council of Magicians, but the Council won’t accept her until she learns to control her strong, wild magic. When she accidentally curses her father with a life-threatening illness, her plight becomes even more urgent. Desperate, Clara makes a bargain with Xavier Morwyn, her former childhood friend and now a prominent magician: If he teaches her to control her magic so that she can heal her father, she’ll then surrender all her magic to him. But as she works with Xavier, she learns that he and the Council are both keeping secrets. This is a cozy YA fantasy with a side of romance, which should have been right up my alley, but I found it bland and juvenile. The book had a few interesting ideas but never went beyond the surface level, and I just didn’t care about Clara or her problems. This may work better for a YA (or younger) audience, but it did nothing for me.

Charlotte Stein, While You Were Seething

PR expert Daisy Emmett has been hired to fix the image of famous romance author Caleb Miller, who recently disparaged his fans on national TV. Daisy has set up a regional tour to humanize Caleb and promote his new book, but there are two big flaws in her plan: (1) Caleb is basically a recluse and has no interest in doing the tour; and (2) he was her nemesis in college, and they still can’t get through a conversation without arguing. As their road trip progresses, though, Daisy learns that Caleb doesn’t hate her as much as she thought. I found this book really compelling and devoured it in two days, but I also kept wondering why Caleb is so unnaturally closed off and self-loathing. There’s never a satisfying explanation for his behavior, or why he couldn’t just have told Daisy the truth back in college and saved them both 10 years of pain and pining. So this book was fun in the moment for me, but the plot logic doesn’t really pass the smell test.

H. Beam Piper, Little Fuzzy

Zarathustra is a frontier planet, governed by Terra but effectively managed by the Zarathustra Company, which profits greatly from the planet’s natural resources. The Company’s hegemony is threatened, however, when prospector Jack Holloway encounters a monkey-like being he dubs “Little Fuzzy.” The creature and his Fuzzy friends soon exhibit signs of sapience, which would be a major scientific discovery—but would also necessitate turning the planet into a protected aboriginal zone, drastically limiting the Company’s rights. This book is a fun, plot-driven read that I think would make a good movie or TV episode. The inquiry into the Fuzzies’ sapience is entertaining, with lots of skullduggery as the Company tries to rig the outcome in its favor. There’s not much nuance in the novel; it’s clear from the outset who all the good guys and bad guys are. But I enjoyed it nonetheless and am interested to read John Scalzi’s “reboot,” Fuzzy Nation, at some point.