Review: Fools Rush In

February 25, 20151 Comment

Kristan Higgins, Fools Rush In

Millie Barnes has been in love with Joe Carpenter since high school, and now that she’s nearly 30 with a promising career as a doctor, she’s decided that it’s finally time to do something about it. When she’s not working at the local clinic, she’s focused on a self-improvement regimen that will surely cause Joe to notice her as something more than just a friend. She begins running, gets a new haircut, and asks her friends for makeup and clothing tips. She even plans out her daily routine so that she can “accidentally” bump into Joe. But Millie also begins spending a lot of time with Sam Nickerson, a local cop who just happens to be her sister’s ex-husband. Although Sam has a good life and a wonderful teenage son, Millie wants him to fall in love again, this time with a woman who’s worthy of him. When Joe finally starts taking notice of Millie, she’s ecstatic; but as the two of them begin dating, she’s shocked to discover that something is missing. And the more time she spends with Sam, the more she realizes that her platonic feelings for him may have developed into something much deeper — and much more complicated.

I always enjoy Kristan Higgins’ books when I’m in the mood for a light contemporary romance. This book has a lot of her trademark qualities, like a neurotic/insecure heroine with a tight-knit family and an adorable dog, but the romance here didn’t work for me as well as in her other books. I just couldn’t get past the fact that Sam was once married to Millie’s sister. The novel goes into a lot of backstory to explain why that marriage fell apart and why they weren’t a good match, but it just wasn’t enough for me. I feel like the book minimizes the difficulties Millie and Sam would actually experience in pursuing a relationship, especially with Millie’s family and Sam’s son. I did like the contrast between Millie’s relationship with Sam and her relationship with Joe, and I also liked the fact that Joe is not a bad guy. Often in love triangles, the third person is portrayed as a horrible human being so that the protagonist’s choice will be obvious; here, Joe is a sweet man with a lot of good qualities, but he’s just not the right guy for Millie. Overall, this was a pretty good read, but the romance is so problematic that I wouldn’t really recommend it. Try some of Higgins’ other books instead!

Review: The Paris Winter

February 19, 2015Leave a comment

Imogen Robertson, The Paris Winter

In November 1909, young Englishwoman Maud Heighton is in Paris pursuing her dream of becoming a painter. She studies at Lafond’s Academie, one of the few respectable art studios that is open to women. However, despite having some talent as an artist, Maud is living in extreme poverty and will soon have to choose between starving or returning to her family in England, which would be an admission of failure. Fortunately, Maud befriends Tatiana Koltsova, a fellow student at the Academie who is friendly, charming, and rich. Tanya takes Maud under her wing and eventually helps her to get a job as an English tutor for the Morel family. Both Sylvie Morel and her older brother Christian seem eager for Maud to accept their job offer, which includes room and board. But while Maud accepts the job gratefully, she can’t help feeling that it’s a little too good to be true. And the more she learns about the Morels, the more sinister they appear, until eventually she must seek out Tanya’s help to extricate herself from an unbearable situation.

I love historical fiction and was intrigued by the premise of this book, but I ended up with mixed feelings about it. First, I did love the setting, especially because it depicts a less glamorous version of Paris than many other books and movies do. Although Maud comes from the English gentry, she is forced to live a much more bohemian life in Paris, befriending people from each extreme of the class spectrum. And because she is not rich, she doesn’t have much opportunity to participate in the exciting, glamorous activities one usually associates with Paris during the Belle Époque. However, I wasn’t particularly invested in Maud as a character or in the plot involving her relationship with the Morels. It moved very slowly and eventually became a psychological thriller, which isn’t quite what I expected when I picked up the book. I thought both Tanya and Yvette, the artists’ model at the Academie, were more interesting characters, and I wish the book had focused more on their stories. That said, I did like the book’s denouement, which takes place during the great Paris flood of 1910. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, but it’s not my favorite offering in the genre.

Review: I’ll Give You the Sun

February 10, 20154 Comments

Jandy Nelson, I’ll Give You the Sun

This novel is the story of a family tragedy and its aftermath, narrated in alternating chapters by twins Noah and Jude. Noah’s narrative begins when the twins are 13. He’s the quiet one who dodges school bullies and spends all his time painting; Jude’s the outgoing one who is popular and daring. Despite their very different personalities, Noah and Jude are incredibly close. But Jude’s story, which takes place three years later, reveals that something terrible has happened, and she and Noah are no longer speaking. Noah is living in denial, trying to act like a “normal” teenager, and Jude is trying as hard as possible to be invisible. As the novel alternates between Noah’s story and Jude’s, the nature of their tragedy is revealed, and it becomes obvious that each twin only has half the story. In order to move past their family’s secrets, both twins will have to forgive themselves as well as each other. Meanwhile, Noah falls in love with the boy next door and must come to terms with his sexuality, while Jude searches for redemption through art.

You may not be able to tell from my woefully inadequate summary, but I loved, loved, LOVED this book! And I honestly wasn’t expecting to…YA contemporary is a genre that varies widely in quality, and I hadn’t heard much about this author, so I was quite wary going in. But I was almost immediately captivated by the energetic, vivid writing style and unexpected imagery. I usually think that the best writing style is the least obtrusive, but this book made me sit up and take notice, in a good way! I also felt deep sympathy for both Noah and Jude, who are each trying to figure out who they are, while being burdened with a huge weight of guilt. Despite their overly precocious voices, they felt like real human beings to me. I loved the book’s focus on visual art and was fascinated by Jude’s quest to make a sculpture out of stone, something that is apparently a dying art nowadays. There’s even a touch of magical realism, as Jude often talks to her Grandma Sweetwine’s ghost. In short, if the premise of this book seems at all appealing to you, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Review: The Gilded Shroud

February 9, 20154 Comments

Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud

Ottilia Draycott has just accepted a position as companion to the Dowager Lady Polbrook, expecting nothing more adventurous than a change of scenery after her former position as governess to her two young nephews. But on her very first day at her new post, the current Lady Polbrook (the dowager’s daughter-in-law) is found dead in her room, having been strangled sometime during the night. The household immediately falls into a panic, especially when it becomes evident that the master of the house has disappeared. Ottilia knows that suspicion is bound to fall on Randal Polbrook; no one knows where he has gone or why, and it’s common knowledge that he and his wife were estranged. But Ottilia, after examining the scene of the crime, believes the late Lady Polbrook was entertaining a lover on the night she died. She shares her suspicions with the dowager and with Lord Francis Fanshawe, the younger brother of the absent marquis. Together, they try to discover the lover’s identity and clear Randal’s name, while minimizing the scandal as much as possible. Meanwhile, the pragmatic, clear-headed Ottilia finds her objectivity compromised as she grows closer to Lord Francis.

I love a good historical mystery, and this book is a very solid member of the genre. Ottilia (despite her ridiculous name) is a very likable heroine, with a keen intelligence and a mischievous sense of humor. The other major players are also interesting, from the sharp-tongued but kindly dowager to the handsome Lord Francis. At times I felt that the characters were essentially copied from Georgette Heyer, but since I’m a big Heyer fan, I didn’t mind too much! And one big difference between this book and Heyer’s novels is that here, the servants aren’t just window dressing; they actually have some relevance to the plot. The mystery is well done, although I was able to guess the culprit before the solution was revealed in the book. I also liked the writing style, which seemed appropriate to the time period but was still fairly easy to understand. Oddly enough, my least favorite part of this book was the romance, which just seemed a bit stilted. Overall, I liked this book and will certainly read the sequel at some point, but I didn’t love it in the same way I love Kate Ross’s books, for example.

Review and GIVEAWAY: The Gracekeepers

January 28, 20152 Comments

Kirsty Logan, The Gracekeepers

This novel is set in a post-apocalyptic universe where almost the entire world is covered in ocean; the land has been reduced to a few small, isolated groups of islands. In this world, people are divided into “landlockers” and “damplings,” with the landlockers generally being richer and more powerful — though no one is truly rich anymore. But Callanish Sand has a unique status: though she lives on her own tiny island, she is a gracekeeper, one who performs the necessary burial rituals for damplings who have died. Her life is a solitary one, a self-imposed punishment for a mistake she made long ago — until she meets North, a dampling circus performer whose act involves dancing with a semi-trained bear. Both Callanish and North are lonely individuals trying to escape their unwanted destinies; but only when their lives collide do they dare to imagine a different life.

I have to say, I have mixed feelings about this book, and I think it’s because I was expecting a different kind of story. The back cover doesn’t reveal North’s gender, so I was assuming that the character was male and that there would be a romance with Callanish. But in fact, North is a woman, and her relationship with Callanish is somewhat ambiguous (possibly romantic, but not necessarily). I also assumed that the characters would interact far more than they actually do in the book. While there is some overlap, most of their stories take place in their own separate worlds. Personally, I found North’s story much more interesting, and I was fascinated by the description of the floating circus and its various performers. Callanish’s story is more subdued, and the stakes seem lower. Also, something about the writing style kept me a distance, so I didn’t feel very invested in the plot or characters. Overall, I think this book would appeal to people who love settings and strong world-building, but it didn’t do anything special for me.

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Win This Book!

If you’d like to win an ARC of this book, simply comment on this post by midnight on February 6, 2015 (EST). The giveaway is open to US residents only (sorry, international folks!). A winner will be chosen randomly, and results will be announced sometime on February 7. I’ll also try to contact the winner personally, but that only works if I can find contact info for you somewhere. 🙂 Good luck!

Review: First Frost

January 28, 20154 Comments

Sarah Addison Allen, First Frost

***Warning: Spoilers for Garden Spells.***

It’s been ten years since the events of Garden Spells, and the Waverley clan has changed in unexpected ways. Claire has given up her catering business to run a much more profitable and far-reaching candy company. But while the candy company keeps her busy and brings in good money, Claire finds herself anxious and uneasy most of the time. Meanwhile, Sydney is married to Henry and desperately wants to give him a son, but so far she’s been unable to conceive a child. Meanwhile, her daughter Bay is now a teenager balancing her desire to fit in with her unique Waverley gifts. She has also fallen in love with local golden boy Josh Matteson, whose parents have big plans for him — plans that certainly don’t include Bay. As the Waverley women prepare for their annual celebration of the first frost, all these tensions continue to rise; and the arrival of a traveling magician with a sinister secret may break apart their family forever.

I love all of Sarah Addison Allen’s books, so it’s no surprise that I really enjoyed this one! Part of me wishes she hadn’t written a sequel to Garden Spells, which I think stands very well on its own. But on the other hand, it was nice to follow up with the Waverleys and see what happened after the happily-ever-after. One thing I really liked was that SAA doesn’t rehash the conflicts from the first book. Garden Spells mainly dealt with the development of Claire and Sydney’s relationship from near-strangers to close sisters, and in this book, that relationship remains solid. At the same time, the past definitely informs the present — for example, Bay’s relationship with Josh is certainly affected by Sydney’s prior relationship with Josh’s father. So in my opinion, this book is a really good sequel: it has certain themes in common with its predecessor, but it doesn’t tell the same story. I wasn’t a big fan of the traveling magician, who didn’t really add very much to the novel. But overall, I liked this book and would definitely recommend it to fans of Garden Spells!

Review: Don’t Point That Thing at Me

January 23, 2015Leave a comment

Kyril Bonfiglioli, Don’t Point That Thing at Me

This picaresque novel is narrated by the Hon. Charlie Mortdecai, an art dealer who usually operates on the shady side of the law. In the opening scene he is visited by Inspector Martland (of a secret branch of the British police) in connection with a stolen Goya. Mortdecai claims to know nothing of the matter, but he cheekily admits to the reader that it is hidden under the floorboards. After Martland’s visit, Mortdecai knows he must unload the painting, but his mission is complicated by the murder of one of his associates. Even worse, someone seems to want Mortdecai dead as well — so he strikes a bargain with Martland to get diplomatic passage to America, where he hopes to make good his escape. There he encounters a variety of adventures, from constant surveillance by men in blue Buicks to the sexual aggressiveness of a rich American widow. Through it all, Mortdecai maintains a cheerful unconcern as he matches wits with several dangerous opponents.

I have very conflicting feelings about this book. On the one hand, I don’t think I understood the plot at all; there’s definitely a painting involved, and a valuable antique Rolls Royce, and various people who want Mortdecai dead, but I was always a bit confused about what was actually going on. On the other hand, Mortdecai has a delightful narrative voice — very reminiscent of Bertie Wooster, if Bertie were an art thief with a crasser mode of expression. (For example, Mortdecai’s valet/bodyguard is called Jock Strapp, which is either funny to you or it isn’t.) So the book does provide a lot of laughs, but in the end I’m not really sure what to think of it. The novel is first in a series, and I may check out the others at some point. The movie “Mortdecai,” which comes out today in the U.S., is also based on this series, and I’m interested to see how it deviates from the book. Johnny Depp seems like a very odd casting choice, for starters, but I’m nevertheless intrigued!

Review: The Girls at the Kingfisher Club

January 22, 201519 Comments

Genevieve Valentine, The Girls at the Kingfisher Club

The Hamilton sisters have been trapped all their lives. Their father is a harsh, cruel man who desperately wanted a son but got twelve daughters instead. He keeps them locked in the house at all times, never allowing them to catch a glimpse of the outside world. As the girls grow up, the eldest, Jo, finds a way to make their lives bearable: they sneak out of the house every night and go dancing. In the murky underworld of 1920s New York, it’s easy to blend in with the crowd, to trade a dance for some champagne or gin, to stay out all night just to feel young and alive. But Jo knows that her sisters’ freedom is incredibly fragile, and she is always watching to make sure that no girl reveals her true identity, gets caught in a police raid, or (worst of all) falls in love. When her father announces that he wants to marry off the girls to various business associates, Jo must take desperate action. She reaches out to a man from her past, a bootlegger who almost stole her heart. But her need to protect her sisters may cost Jo her own chance at happiness.

The premise of this book intrigued me immediately — a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses set during the Roaring Twenties? Sign me up! And thankfully, the novel more than lived up to my expectations. One of my favorite things about it is the setting; New York City in the 1920s really came alive for me. The book captures the glamor and freedom and excitement of dancing all night in a smoky club, listening to a hot jazz band, and drinking exotic cocktails. But it also evokes the dangers of the era, where alcohol was illegal and nightclub raids were commonplace (unless you paid off the right cops). This setting is perfect for the Hamilton sisters’ story, as they are trying to break free but also to stay safe. I was also impressed by the characterization of the sisters; there are twelve of them, so obviously some are more fully developed than others, but they all have at least one unique quality. I also enjoyed the romance in the book, which was bittersweet but ultimately satisfying. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or fairy tale retellings!

Review: The Green Man

January 10, 2015Leave a comment

Michael Bedard, The Green Man

O (don’t call her Ophelia) is a 14-year-old girl who is visiting her Aunt Emily for the summer. The plan is for Emily to take care of O while O’s father is off researching Ezra Pound in Italy; but O will also be taking care of Emily, who recently suffered a heart attack. When O arrives at Emily’s bookstore, the Green Man, she immediately senses something unique about it. The place is disorganized and covered in dust, but O learns that it was once a site for weekly poetry readings and that it may just be haunted by some literary ghosts. As O gets used to the Green Man and to her stubborn aunt, she eventually discovers that Emily is tormented by a secret from her past. But what does this secret have to do with an ancient flyer for a magic show, a collection of valuable old books, or the mysterious boy O befriends at the bookstore? Together, O and Emily must uncover the secret and allow their poets’ souls to believe in magic and mystery.

This book was apparently written in 2012, but it has a timeless quality that reminds me of the books I read in childhood. There are no references to computers or cellphones, and aside from one use of the word “hipster” (which was actually quite jarring), there’s nothing that really anchors the story to a specific place and time. I also think the book would be most enjoyed by a younger audience. Protagonist O is 14 or 15, but based on her actions in this book, she could be much younger. There’s a hint of romance with her mysterious male friend, but certainly nothing overt, and O’s main internal conflict involves her desire to write poetry. I personally found the book well-written and interesting, but I also found it easy to put aside. That said, I think 12-year-old me would have loved it! So I would recommend this book to teens and pre-teens who enjoy reading and magic, but I don’t think it’s a particularly great read for adults.

Review: The Rosie Effect

January 5, 2015Leave a comment

Graeme Simsion, The Rosie Effect

***Warning: SPOILERS for The Rosie Project***

Genetics professor Don Tillman and his wife Rosie are finally beginning to acclimate to their new life in New York. Don is a visiting professor at Columbia, and Rosie is enrolled in their medical school. Their biggest problem is that their laundry was accidentally dyed by a careless neighbor in their apartment building — that is, until Rosie gives Don some news that changes everything: she’s pregnant. Don immediately begins to panic, worrying that his brain’s atypical wiring will make him an unsuitable father. But in an effort to reduce Rosie’s stress levels, he conceals his own anxiety and commences the Fatherhood Project. By reading pregnancy books, researching the healthiest diets for pregnant women, and buying the safest (and most expensive) stroller money can buy, Don hopes that he can overcome his perceived deficiencies as a father. Eventually, his project becomes so all-engrossing that he and Rosie begin to drift apart. Will Don’s preoccupation with the Fatherhood Project cause him to lose the most important people in his life?

The Rosie Project was one of my favorite 2014 reads, so I was excited to see that Graeme Simsion had written a sequel! Overall, I think fans of the first book will really like this one as well. Don Tillman is still a wonderful, (unintentionally) hilarious narrator who, despite his “different” brain, is struggling with a fairly universal experience. I imagine every expectant parent has the same doubts and fears about how to provide and care for their children, and in Don’s case these fears are amplified by his autism. So I found the main plot of the book to be very relatable and touching. The subplots, involving the financial and romantic woes of Don’s friends Gene and Dave, are a bit less interesting, and I thought they could have been streamlined a bit. I also found Rosie pretty unlikeable in this book, frankly. It seems to me that she deliberately isolates herself from Don instead of telling him what she needs. She doesn’t recognize his efforts at all, nor does she make any effort to help him understand how she’s feeling. Still, I enjoyed this book overall and would definitely recommend it to those who loved The Rosie Project!

You Book Me All Night Long

Tag: fiction