Mini-Reviews #3: June Books, Part 1

July 17, 20163 Comments

Still making my way through my review backlog, so here are some more short ones:

Martha Hall Kelly, Lilac Girls — For the past few years, I’ve really gravitated toward books set during World War II, especially those dealing with the “home front” experience rather than the actual fighting. So I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. I found the story of Kasia, a Polish girl imprisoned in Ravensbrück, to be the most compelling. I especially liked how the book follows her (and the other characters) long after the war is over and shows the psychological scars that still remain. But I didn’t like Caroline’s story at all; I found her the least interesting character, and the romance between her and Paul didn’t do anything for me. The book is worth reading if you like the time period, but I’d recommend Elizabeth Wein’s Rose Under Fire for a better book on Ravensbrück.

Morgan Matson, The Unexpected Everything — I’ve said it before, but it’s true: Morgan Matson writes the perfect summer reads! I really enjoyed this one, which centers around politician’s daughter Andie and a summer that doesn’t go quite according to plan. One of my favorite aspects of the book is that Andie has a really close group of girlfriends, and those relationships are just as important as her newfound romance. I’d definitely recommend this book as an adorable summer read, especially for those who enjoy YA.

Helen Simonson, The Summer Before the War — I really enjoyed this quiet, character-driven novel, although I wouldn’t recommend it to those who love lots of action and unpredictable twists. The plot (such as it is) centers around a young woman who moves to a rural English village to become the new Latin teacher. As one might expect, she meets with some resistance from the locals because of her youth and gender, but she also wins over some key players, including the unconventional Agatha Kent and her two nephews. Most of the book involves the resulting social politics, although the titular war (World War I) does intrude near the end.

V.E. Schwab, A Darker Shade of Magic — This book hooked me from the first line: “Kell wore a very peculiar coat. It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several, which was, of course, impossible.” The novel is an exciting blend of fantasy and sci fi, combining magical artifacts with parallel universes. The hero is a conflicted, magic-wielding prince, and the heroine is a scrappy thief and would-be pirate. In short, I loved it and have already purchased book 2, A Gathering of Shadows!

Kerry Greenwood, Cocaine Blues — After watching and LOVING “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries,” I decided to pick up the first book in the series. Phryne is a wonderfully entertaining character: intelligent, rich, attractive, and determined to get the most out of life. I also really enjoyed the setting of 1920s Melbourne, where Phryne rubs elbows with all sorts of people, from wealthy blue bloods to socialist cab drivers to feisty maidservants. I did miss Inspector Jack Robinson, who apparently has a much smaller role in the books than he does in the TV series. I also didn’t care too much about the mystery, but I still liked the book for its setting and protagonist.

Mini-Reviews #2: May books

June 19, 20166 Comments

Still behind on reviews, so here’s a batch of minis for the books I read in May!

Ben Macintyre, A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal — Guys, if you’re at all interested in espionage in the 20th century, you need to read Ben Macintyre! This is a fascinating stranger-than-fiction account of Kim Philby, an old-school English gentleman who rose to an extremely high position in the Secret Service while actually being a spy for the USSR.

Rebecca Mead, One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding — Mead, a British journalist, examines the contemporary American wedding from a sociological and monetary perspective. If you enjoy weddings but suspect they’ve gone off the rails in recent ~~years~~ decades–particularly in the ever-inflating costs for both the couple getting married and their guests–you’ll find a lot of interesting material here.

Anne Tyler, Vinegar Girl — First there was The Austen Project, for which six famous contemporary authors tried their hand at updating the novels of Jane Austen. Now Hogarth Shakespeare is doing a similar project with the Bard’s plays, with Vinegar Girl being a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. Judging it as a novel, I found it a very pleasant read, albeit not particularly original or memorable. But I didn’t think it was a particularly good retelling of The Taming of the Shrew! So whether you enjoy the book will probably depend on what you’re looking for.

Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven King — If you love the series, you’ll love the ending! I thought certain plot elements were resolved a bit too abruptly, but the heart of the book–the relationships between Blue, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah–remains true. I was also torn on the addition of Henry Cheng as a character. First of all, I should say that I LOVED Henry Cheng! (Maybe he could have his own book? More Henry Cheng, please!) But part of me felt like the book was already crowded enough between the five main players and all the people at Fox Way. Be that as it may, I found this book to be a deeply satisfying ending to a wonderful series. If you love fantasy, you definitely need to read it!

Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate (trans. Carol Christensen and Thomas Christensen) — I’d heard a lot of good things about this book; people are always mentioning magical realism and comparing it to Sarah Addison Allen’s books (which I love). But ultimately, it didn’t do much for me. I felt sorry for Tita, doomed to take care of her bullying mother and remain unmarried while the love of her life marries her sister. But I also found the entire situation entirely too melodramatic, and the supernatural elements didn’t charm me. Overall, a disappointing read.

Mini-Reviews #1: Readathon leftovers

June 16, 20163 Comments

It’s pretty obvious that I haven’t spent much time on this blog lately. *blush* What can I say — life has been busy for the past couple of months, and when I’ve had free time, I’ve preferred to spend it doing other things (like reading!). As a result, I have a pretty huge backlog of books that I haven’t written about yet, and the thought of sitting down to compose a full review for each one is incredibly daunting. So, rather than continuing to avoid the task, I’ve decided to do three batches of mini-reviews — just titles and authors of the books I’ve been reading, along with a couple of sentences expressing my opinions. Once I catch up, I plan to go back to my regular style of reviewing. But for now, here are mini-reviews for the books I read during April’s 24-hour readathon:

Cindy Anstey, Love, Lies and Spies — A fun, lighthearted bit of Regency fluff for those who enjoy YA historical romance. I found the spy storyline weak, and the romance wasn’t quite compelling for me — Georgette Heyer, this is not! But it’s a pleasant enough read for fans of the genre.

Jen Chaney, As If! The Oral History of Clueless as Told by Amy Heckerling, the Cast, and the Crew — This book will only appeal to people who really love the movie “Clueless” and who are fascinated by behind-the-scenes movie knowledge. Fortunately, I fall within this demographic, so I really enjoyed the book!

Ellis Peters, The Hermit of Eyton Forest — Full disclosure: this installment of the Brother Cadfael series features a male character called Hyacinth. But I still love this series about a 12th-century Benedictine monk who solves crimes! (Who wouldn’t?)

Lindsey Kelk, Always the Bridesmaid — Entertaining British chick lit about a young woman named Maddie whose two best friends are at opposite ends of the romantic spectrum: one just got engaged, while the other is getting divorced. My friend pointed out that Maddie is a huge pushover, which she (my friend) found irritating. While I think that’s a fair criticism, I ultimately enjoyed the book for its humor and romance, so I’d definitely read more by this author.

Mindy Kaling, Why Not Me? — I think Mindy Kaling is very talented and hilarious, and this book had me giggling pretty much nonstop. I like that she isn’t preachy, she’s very self-aware, and she doesn’t apologize for her confidence (some might say arrogance). As she says in the book, there’s nothing wrong with being confident — as long as you’ve put in the hard work to back it up. Bottom line: if you like Mindy Kaling, you’ll like this book.

Review: Kindred Spirits

June 3, 2016June 2, 2016Leave a comment

Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

Elena is a “Star Wars” superfan. She grew up watching the original trilogy with her dad and is absolutely thrilled when “The Force Awakens” comes out. In fact, she’s so excited that she decides to camp out in front of the movie theater before opening night. She imagines a huge group of people who love “Star Wars” just as much as she does, and she can’t wait to share her excitement with like-minded fans. Unfortunately, she never imagined that (1) there would only be two other people in line, (2) one of them would be a silent boy named Gabe who doesn’t seem particularly interested in sharing the “Star Wars” love, or (3) she’d have nowhere to pee except in a cup behind a dumpster. Still, Elena is determined to persevere, and her eventual experience is as wonderful as it is unexpected.

At a succinct 62 pages, this tale is either a very short novella or a very long short story. Either way, I really enjoyed it, as I’ve enjoyed all of Rainbow Rowell’s books. Rowell is obviously very interested in fandom and its role in the creative arts, and this story explores one small facet of that. Elena is a fan of “Star Wars,” and she has certain expectations about how fans should behave. But her fellow line mates, Troy and Gabe, don’t exactly match up with her preconceived ideas. And as she discovers, Gabe has doubts about the authenticity of her fandom because she’s a “cool” girl and not a “nerd.” I thought the story explored the idea of what constitutes a “real fan” very well, albeit in a narrowly focused way. There’s also a bit of romance in the story (which, duh, it’s Rainbow Rowell), but I would have loved a bit more! Still, fans of Rowell’s other work will definitely want to read this as well, whether or not they’re into “Star Wars.”

Review: The River of No Return

March 22, 2016Leave a comment

Bee Ridgway, The River of No Return

Nicholas Falcott, Marquess of Blackdown, is about to die on the battlefield at Salamanca. But instead of being trampled by a French cavalry horse, he suddenly disappears in a blaze of light and reappears in the 21st century. There, Nicholas finds himself under the protection of the Guild, a secret society of individuals with the ability to jump forward in time. The Guild provides Nick with a new identity, plenty of money, and enough information about the modern world for him to survive in the present. Nick believes it’s impossible to go back to his original time — until one day, out of the blue, the Guild leaders order him to do just that. They tell him about a rival group of time travelers whose attempts to change history will result in widespread disaster, unless Nick can go back to 1815 and stop them. But when he jumps back to his own time, he learns that the Guild is keeping secrets from him. He also reconnects with Julia Percy, his beautiful young neighbor who is somehow connected to this feud between time travelers.

This is a book I should have loved: it’s got Regency England, romance, intrigue, and time travel! But sadly, the novel’s underwhelming execution didn’t live up to its great premise. One of the biggest problems for me was the pacing. It took forever to set up the world and introduce Nick and Julia as characters. Once Nick jumps back to 1815 (about 1/4 of the way into the book), things pick up a little, but the pacing still drags. Nothing really important occurs until the last 50 pages or so, when the characters suddenly learn a whole lot of new information at breakneck speed. My other big problem with this novel is that NOTHING IS RESOLVED IN THE END. Nick eventually learns more about the future catastrophe that the time travelers are trying to prevent, but he doesn’t actually do anything about it. So basically, this book is one long setup for a payoff that isn’t going to happen until the sequel — and I don’t think it’s actually been published yet, so it could be a long wait! I’ll admit that I am a bit curious to know how things turn out, but it may not be worth the aggravation this book caused me.

Review: Act Like It

March 19, 201610 Comments

Lucy Parker, Act Like It

Actress Lainie Graham is the sweetheart of the London stage, and her wholesome public persona is now especially sympathetic because she’s recently been dumped. In contrast, her co-star Richard Troy is the quintessential bad boy. His Byronic good looks and considerable talent have counterbalanced some of his negative behavior, but the public is no longer willing to overlook his violent temper. Desperate to get public opinion back on their side, the theater manager and Richard’s agent concoct a plan: Richard and Lainie will pretend to be in a relationship so that her positive image will rehabilitate Richard’s negative one. At first, Lainie objects to the plan — she can’t stand Richard’s obnoxious behavior and inflated ego — but she is eventually convinced to play along. As she spends more time with Richard, however, she learns that there’s much more to him than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Richard is surprised to discover that Lainie is intelligent, kind, and more than willing to match him quip for quip. But how can these two actors be confident that their so-called fake relationship has evolved into something real?

After a streak of books that weren’t grabbing my attention, I was delighted to discover this sweet romance! I always enjoy the “fake relationship becomes real” trope, so I was predisposed to like the book anyway. But the adorable banter between Lainie and Richard is what really sealed the deal for me. Their sarcastic jabs at one another soon become playful teasing, and these interactions really made their chemistry believable. I appreciated how their careers as actors added another layer of complexity to the relationship; I especially enjoyed watching Richard seethe as Lainie had to pretend to be in love with her ex, another actor in the same play. The book does contain some of the romance genre’s more annoying clichés, such as a physically perfect hero with piercing blue eyes and a Big Misunderstanding that needlessly threatens the relationship. But overall, this book was a lovely surprise that came along at just the right time for me. Definitely recommended for fans of romantic comedies!

Review: Read Bottom Up

March 17, 20162 Comments

Neel Shah and Skye Chatham, Read Bottom Up

This epistolary novel tells the story of a 21st-century romance solely through emails and texts. Elliot and Madeline meet at a restaurant opening in New York City and slowly begin to communicate through emails, texting, and finally in-person interactions. But they’re not only communicating with each other; they’re also in simultaneous conversations with their best friends, David and Emily respectively, as they frantically over-analyze each interaction down to the very last comma. Elliot and Madeline tentatively embark upon a relationship while navigating modern dating pitfalls such as how to wait the appropriate amount of time before responding to a text, or how to tell the difference between a date and a group hang. But beyond all the angst and analysis, are they actually right for each other?

I picked up this book from the library on a whim and found it a quick, pleasant read. I love a good epistolary novel, and I’m especially interested in modern-day versions that utilize technology like emails and texting. Moreover, the epistolary format emphasizes the paradox that despite all the modes of communication available to Elliot and Madeline, they are actually pretty bad at communicating honestly with each other. This drives the conflict in the book, as well as most of its humor. I have to say, I wasn’t particularly enamored of Elliot or Madeline, especially the former; I’m not quite sure why Madeline is so interested in such a bland guy. The best friends, David and Emily, are actually more interesting characters, but that’s probably because they’re offering genuine opinions, not censoring themselves to please a potential love interest. Overall, I think this novel is a pretty accurate representation of modern dating, and it’s a pleasant way to spend an evening, but there’s nothing particularly deep or emotionally resonant about it.

Review: Things I Can’t Explain

March 14, 2016Leave a comment

Mitchell Kriegman, Things I Can’t Explain

Those who grew up in the ‘90s will likely remember Clarissa Darling, the witty, offbeat heroine of the Nickelodeon sitcom “Clarissa Explains It All.” This novel, written by the creator of the show, follows a grown-up Clarissa trying to navigate life in her late 20s. Although she achieved her childhood goal of becoming a journalist, she’s now unemployed because the newspaper she worked for has gone under. Her family is also in a state of upheaval, as her overachieving mother and impractical father are separating. And most confusing of all is her love life, as she wavers between an old romance and a chance at something new. Clarissa may have been a know-it-all as a teen, but now she’ll have to confront, and maybe even embrace, the fact that she still has a lot to learn.

When I was a kid, “Clarissa Explains It All” was one of my favorite shows, but I definitely overestimated my level of nostalgia for it! First of all, I actually remembered much less about the show than I thought I did. I had no memory of Clarissa’s lists and wacky superstitions, and I didn’t remember her female friends at all. In fact, I think all I really wanted to know was what happened between Clarissa and her best friend Sam. The show kept them platonic throughout, but honestly, my sappy romantic soul wanted them to end up together! And — spoiler alert — they don’t. In fact, Sam is never actually “on page”; Clarissa reminisces about him quite frequently, but we never get his side of the story. That bugged me so much that maybe I’m not being fair about the rest of the book. But overall, I thought it was pretty mediocre chick lit, not really worth reading unless you’re a diehard Clarissa fan.

Review: Love in Lowercase

February 24, 20162 Comments

Francesc Miralles, Love in Lowercase (trans. Julie Wark)

Samuel is a thirty-something professor of German living in Barcelona, ringing in the New Year alone with no sense of joy or optimism for the year ahead. But his life suddenly becomes much less lonely with the arrival of a stray cat who immediately demands his attention and affection. The cat leads Samuel to his upstairs neighbor Titus, who is compiling a collection of inspirational stories. Samuel eventually agrees to help the elderly and ailing Titus with his book, which opens up Samuel to a host of new people and experiences. He befriends Valdemar, a possibly homeless conspiracy theorist who philosophizes with him late into the night. He mildly flirts with the veterinarian who comes to give the cat its shots. And by sheer happenstance, he runs into Gabriela, the girl he fell madly in love with as a child but whom he hasn’t seen in decades. But will Samuel be able to transcend his solitary habits and actually act on his feelings?

I should say up front that I didn’t particularly enjoy this book, but I don’t think it’s necessarily the book’s fault. Based on the title and cover, I was expecting a romantic comedy. The cover art looks similar to that on Rainbow Rowell’s books, so I think that made me subconsciously expect a Rowell-esque story. But this book is very different; in fact, the romance is quite weak, which disappointed and sometimes even aggravated me. It’s not that I always need a strong romantic plot in my books, although I admit it’s usually a plus! But if there’s going to be a romance, I’d like for it to be emotionally satisfying…and for me, this one wasn’t. Gabriela is barely a character at all; she’s merely an idealized romantic fantasy for Samuel to moon over. And in fact, the romance isn’t even the main plot. The book mostly just follows Samuel around Barcelona as he philosophizes (in a not particularly deep manner) about life and love. So I wasn’t a fan of this book, but maybe I would have liked it more if I’d gone into it with different expectations.

Review: Anything for You

January 24, 20162 Comments

Kristan Higgins, Anything for You

Connor O’Rourke thinks it’s the perfect time to propose to his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Jessica Dunn. His restaurant is thriving, his new house is big enough for a family, and he’s even thinking of opening his own brewery. But when he gets down on one knee, Jessica gives him a kind but firm “no.” Her life has always been complicated: unlike Connor, she grew up in poverty with alcoholic parents and an intellectually disabled younger brother. She finally has a good job and a stable living situation, and she doesn’t want anything to change. But Connor is left reeling by her refusal and says that he can’t be with Jessica anymore if she’s not willing to move forward with him. The problem is, no matter how many women his well-meaning sister sets him up with, he can’t get Jessica out of his mind. And Jessica, despite her independent facade, begins to realize that she misses Connor a lot more than she thought she would.

When I need a light, quick, palate-cleansing read, I almost always pick up a Kristan Higgins novel. This one was enjoyable, as always…I liked that the conflict between Connor and Jessica feels realistic, given Jessica’s difficult past. It was also fun to spend more time in the world of the Blue Heron series, of which I think this is the last installment. All the characters and couples from earlier books make an appearance, and they’ve all pretty much achieved their happily-ever-afters. In fact, if I had one complaint, the sheer amount of happiness in this book — literally everyone is getting together, getting married, and/or having babies — is pretty saccharine and unrealistic. But then again, I’m not reading fluffy romance novels for the realism. 🙂 If you’re looking for a sweet, fun romance you can read in a day, I’d definitely recommend this book, although you might be a little confused about the secondary characters if you haven’t read the rest of the series.

You Book Me All Night Long

Tag: contemporary