So many words. So little time.
Category: book review
This was a fantastic writing week! I wrote three book reviews, Fallen City, by Adrienne Young, The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber, and An Academic Affair, by Jodi McAlister as well as my September reading post and my post on the best books I read in September.
Happy writing!
Title: Overdue
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Is it time to renew love or start a new chapter?
Ingrid Dahl, a cheerful twenty-nine-year-old librarian in the cozy mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina, has been happily dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for eleven years without ever discussing marriage. But when Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement to a woman she’s only been dating for two years, Ingrid and Cory feel pressured to consider their future. Neither has ever been with anybody else, so they make an unconventional decision. They’ll take a one-month break to date other people, then they’ll reunite and move toward marriage. Ingrid even has someone in mind: her charmingly grumpy coworker, Macon Nowakowski, on whom she’s secretly crushed for years. But plans go awry, and when the month ends, Ingrid and Cory realize they’re not ready to resume their relationship― and Ingrid’s harmless crush on Macon has turned into something much more complicated.
Hmm. I loved the idea of this, especially being surrounded by books all the time, but this was the slowest, foot-dragging “romance” ever. EVER. The writing was solid and I liked the setting, but the premise of Ingrid and Cory being together for forever and then suddenly deciding they need a one-month break to get it out of their system or whatever was ridiculous. And Ingrid and Macon’s “slow burn” was so slow as to be almost a farce. Despite my love of books about books, this did not work that well for me.
Stephanie Perkins is a bestselling author. Overdue is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books in exchange for an honest review.)
In September, I read 17 books, bringing my total for the year to 183 books read. I also DNFed six books. Of the 17 books I finished, most were solid reads, a handful were meh, and three were really excellent.
The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell. This was historical fiction mixed with a bit of magic, and it was truly a lovely read. Great characters, an enchanting setting, and enough magic to keep it interesting.
Introducing Mrs. Collins, by Rachel Parris. A Pride and Prejudice spinoff about Charlotte Lucas? I was immediately intrigued. And reading about this character, who I never really gave much thought to before, was just so enjoyable. Yes, we get to see a few P&P scenes from a different set of eyes, which was wonderful, but Charlotte was fascinating in her own right.
The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber. Sweet Southern fiction with a touch of magic? Yes, please. Y’all, I don’t even like small towns, and I loved Forget-Me-Not. Every character in this was fantastic and believable, and I loved both Juliet’s and Tallulah’s (How’s that for a Southern name?) journeys.
Books Read in September: 17
Books Read for the Year: 183/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Artist of Blackberry Grange, by Paulette Kennedy (TBR): This was a solid historical fiction!
Happy After All, by Maisey Yates (TBR): I really enjoyed this read!
Nobody’s Perfect, by Sally Kilpatrick (TBR): This started off a little so-so, but it impoved a lot.
The Forbidden Door, by Dean Koontz (TBR): Still creepy.
Endings and Empathy, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): I enjoyed this series-ender.
Be the Hands and Feet, by Nick Vujicic (spiritual): This was an interesting read.
Magic on the Line, by Devon Monk (re-read): Still loving this series!
For Review:
Overdue, by Stephanie Perkins. This was the slowest slow-burn ever. I loved the library/bookshop aspect, but the basic premise just didn’t make sense to me.
Mint to Be, by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc. This was an okay read—and sweet—but it wasn’t anything unexpected.
A Curious Kind of Magic, by Mara Rutherford. This ended up being a lovely read! I liked the world and the characters quite a bit, and I’d be happy to read more.
The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell. This was a heck of a read! I truly enjoyed it from the very beginning.
The Final Cut, by Olivia Worley. I don’t do horror, but I didn’t find this scary. I found it completely unrealistic, with characters that were too stupid to live.
The Dagger in Vichy, by Alastair Reynolds. This was very short, fortunately.
Introducing Mrs. Collins, by Rachel Parris. Loved this! Actually, I can’t believe this is a debut novel, but it was wonderful. I never really thought much of Charlotte Lucas from P&P, and this was a fascinating read.
Fallen City, by Adrienne Young. The back and forth nature of the timeline in this made it harder for me to connect with than Adrienne Young’s books usually are, but I enjoyed it.
The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber. Another lovely read! I was hooked from the first scene, and had trouble putting it down at all.
Just Because:
Crucible Zero, by Devon Monk (audio): I’m glad I’m finished with this trilogy. The MC kind of got on my nerves.
Left Unfinished:
Witchkiller, by Ashlee Latimer. I didn’t like either of the siblings—their dad was really horrible.
Higher Magic, by Courtney Floyd. This world and character did not work for me.
A Scar in the Bone, by Sophie Jordan. This felt like a totally different read than the first book, and It just did not work for me.
Death at the Door, by Olivia Blacke. I found this pretty boring.
The Book of Autumn, by Molly O’Sullivan. I was so intrigued by this idea, and I love dark academia, but…this absolutely dragged. I read almost 37% of it, and NOTHING was happening. Also, WHY did Marcella just automatically trust the pretty, rich boy, with no reason at all to?
The Tortoise’s Tale, by Kendra Coulter. This is billed as “spellbinding,” but it came across as more “dragged on with excruciating slowness.” It sounded fascinating, and the comparison to Remarkably Bright Creatures sold me on it, but it was so slow. Despite solid writing and a great premise, it was so slow it couldn’t hold my attention.
Title: Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance
Author: Kate Robb
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
When Jules finds out that Kitty St. Clair, a resident at the retirement home where she works, has passed away and bequeathed her a dilapidated dance hall in their quaint and picturesque lakeside community, Jules is surprised. Kitty St. Clair was as eccentric as she was glamorous, but Jules cannot figure out why Kitty left her an abandoned building.
That is until Reeve, a charming, successful developer, returns to town, looking for the new owner of the dance hall, intent on turning it into luxury vacation condos. Suddenly Jules has a way to make her lifelong dream of going to med school a reality. But selling the dance hall will only add to the steadily rising real estate prices and make it harder for residents of her tiny vacation town to live there, not to mention, Reeve also happens to be the man who Jules shared a magical night with two summers ago– and never heard from again.
Reeve wants a second chance with Jules and is determined to earn back her trust. But can she let herself fall for him again? Does he want her, or a guaranteed sale?
Jules wishes she could talk to Kitty, who always seemed to have the best advice, so she turns to the diary she left her. But as Jules falls asleep reading, she wakes up in the world of the diary, fifty years ago, accompanying a young Kitty to the dance hall in all its glory. Her dream visits to Kitty’s past begin to parallel the questions plaguing her in her own world. Will Kitty’s past hold the keys to unlocking Jules’s future?
This was a fun read! I loved Jules and found her so relatable (mostly), and just a fun character to spend time with. Her friendships with her best friend and the residents at the retirement home were so realistic and believable, and it just sounded so fun (and undoubtedly a lot of work). I liked seeing how she grew and trusted and finally found the courage to chase her dreams.
Kate Robb lives in Canada. Kitty St. Clair’s Last Dance is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: Christmas People
Author: Iva-Marie Palmer
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5
Some people are Christmas people, but Jill Jacobs is most certainly not. She hasn’t been ever since her hometown love broke her heart on Christmas Day three years ago. After that, Jill moved to L.A. to pursue her dream of becoming a screenwriter. She hasn’t been home in years to avoid her ex, but this winter she finds herself back in drab, suburban Illinois for the holidays.
After one very hazy night, Jill wakes up to a hometown that’s filled with jolly neighbors, covered in pristine white snow, and shimmering with the smell of nutmeg. She realizes that this is more than just a bad hangover… she’s stuck in a Heartfelt movie. One set in her town, starring real people from her life, including her family, her high school crush (uber perfect, owns a bakery, and definitely a Christmas Person), and of course, her ex —handsome as ever and now exclusively clad in plaid flannel.
The only way out of this bizarro world is to complete the plot of the movie, including a holiday bake off and a cookie-sweet love story. To get home in time for Christmas, Jill must act out a picture-perfect holiday romance with the one that got away, all while her ex watches on. Fa la la la freaking la….
Jill seems like one of those people who thinks she’s being funny but she’s actually being mean. There was a lot of moping around and feeling sorry for herself, which I’m not a fan of, and she had no problem using or manipulating people. I’m also not a fan of that, so it was a close call for me to keep reading. It ended up being an okay read, but I found it to be pretty predictable.
Iva-Marie Palmer lives in California. Christmas People is her first adult novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review.)
This was a much better writing week! I wrote four book reviews: The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell, Final Cut, by Olivia Worley, The Dagger in Vichy, by Alastair Reynolds, and Introducing Mrs. Collins, by Rachel Parris. I highly recommend the first and last ones, but I’d skip the middle two if I were you.
Happy writing!
Title: Charlie Quinn Lets Go
Author: Jamie Varon
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
Charlie Quinn has spent her life playing by the rules. But when, on her thirtieth birthday, she is laid off, her boyfriend leaves her because their life is too “predictable” and she spends the night with violent food poisoning, she hits rock bottom at a stunning velocity, and her carefully constructed world unravels.
She has no choice but to return to her childhood home in LA, where her little sister strikes up an idea: Can control freak Charlie go a whole month saying yes to anything her free-spirited sister requests? Charlie agrees, if only to prove that living by one’s whims will result in nothing but disaster and disappointment.
But when a serendipitous encounter with her high school crush leads to a month of steamy no-strings romance, Charlie starts questioning her monotonous existence. Can she learn to loosen her grip, to let go of past heartbreak, to finally say yes to a messy, bold and exciting life?
At first, I was not sure I was going to like Charlie enough to keep reading this. She was so rigid and uptight it made my skin crawl. I can understand her frustration with her mom and sister growing up—that lackadaisical way of life would have driven me crazy, too. But I can’t imagine being so regimented as to eat the same exact thing every single day for years, and wearing the same thing every day, too. I enjoyed reading Charlie’s journey and her realization that life could be so much more.
Jamie Varon is a bestselling author. Charlie Quinn Lets Go is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake
Author: Rachel Linden
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Rising star Jules Costa loves re-creating vintage recipes for her popular online cooking show. But when personal and professional disaster strikes, her only chance of saving her career is to complete her new cookbook before the end of the summer. Panicked, Jules returns to her family’s beloved olive farm on the shores of Italy’s stunning Lake Garda. Seeking culinary inspiration, she’s hoping to convince her spunky eighty-year-old Nonna Bruna to share her precious collection of family recipes.
Jules’ plans quickly go awry as she discovers Nonna’s cookbook has magical and unpredictable powers. It only reveals one recipe at a time, offering a cooking experience guaranteed to satisfy the chef’s palate and bring clarity to their life. Yet it remains stubbornly blank for Jules. To make matters worse, the olive farm is in deep financial trouble, and Jules soon uncovers a web of family secrets involving the cookbook and a lost recipe for orange blossom cake that holds the key to everything. And Nicolo, the boy next door who broke her young heart, is now all grown up, even more attractive, and the only person poised to help her find answers.
In a whirlwind summer beyond her imagination, Jules begins to unravel the mysteries baked into her family’s history and discovers the essential ingredients to create the future of her dreams.
I loved this! This had the feel of Southern fiction but made me ready to move to Italy—and eat all the pasta! This was charming and magical and full of memories and whimsy, and it just made me smile. Jules is so fixated on certain things, and the shock of finding herself scrabbling for any port in a storm in Italy is a shock to her system—and who she wants to become. I loved her Italian family—and her little sister—and live on an olive farm sounded so rewarding, especially with Nonna’s cooking and life lessons as a backdrop. This would be a perfect vacation or weekend read.
Rachel Linden lives near Seattle, WA. The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: A Dark and Deadly Journey
Author: Julia Kelly
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
After being sidelined for a pesky gunshot wound, typist-turned-field agent Evelyne Redfern is ready for her next assignment with Britain’s secretive Special Investigations Unit. When a British Intelligence informant in Portugal mysteriously disappears just after hinting that he has vital information about German plans that could tip the balance of World War Two, Evelyne and her dashingly irksome partner, David Poole, are sent headed to Lisbon to find him.
Once they land, Evelyne and David aren’t even able to leave the airport, before she discovers one of their fellow aeroplane passengers murdered and uncovers a diary with a clear link between the victim and their missing informant. With their mission in jeopardy before it can truly begin, Evelyne and David fight to keep their cover intact as they descend deeper into the shadows that surround Lisbon’s glittering collection of wealthy expats and dangerous spies. This case will test Evelyne and David’s training, charm, and wit―and their growing attraction for one another.
I’m still loving this series! Historical fiction is my jam, particularly World War II-era stories, and I do love a good murder mystery, so this makes it a winner in my book. Evelyne and David are great characters and I’ve loved getting to know them more with every book. I’ll admit, I did figure out who the killer was a bit before the reveal, but I was not expecting that ending!
Julia Kelly is a bestselling author. A Dark and Deadly Journey is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 