Another year, another list of the best books I've read this year. Or rather—another year, an inaugural list of the best books I've read this year. For me, 2021 has been a year of discovering new authors, becoming an unapologetic romance reader, and building a foundation for my future reading habits and goals. But above all, my 2021 reading journey has become inextricably tangled with this blog. le livre en rose is coming up on its third birthday. It's seen me through high school, through the flying leap from graduation to college, and through my freshman first semester. I hope you've had as much of an enjoyable time with this blog as I have. With twenty-two minutes left in 2021, here are my favorite (reviewed) books of 2021:
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Rating: 96% | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Then. Twenty-something writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing high-profile book deals, all she does is churn out puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker: her number one celebrity crush and the latest James Bond. All Chani wants to do is keep her cool and nail the piece. But what comes next proves to be life changing in ways she never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing—and Chani getting closer to Gabe than she had planned. Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a healthy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles as a successful writer with the career of her dreams. Except that no matter what new essay collection or online editorial she’s promoting, someone always asks about The Profile. It always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together. But the truth is that Chani wants to know if those seventy-two hours were as memorable to Gabe as they were to her. And so . . . she says yes. Spoiler-Free Review: If ever there were a catfish cover, this would be it. The comic-style cover art of Funny You Should Ask belies the novel's earnest messages on love, life, and career. Like the recently reviewed Birds of California by Katie Cotugno, Funny You Should Ask is a short, beautiful novel that catches the reader off-guard. (And seeing Cotugno thanked in the Acknowledgements section confirmed the tentative comparison I made while reading.) The story balances on Chani, a brilliantly three-dimensional character struggling with both her own desires and the reality of her situation. Growth—personal and professional—is a central insistence of this novel, and the dual timelines convey the characters' arcs without seeming too heavy-handed. Sussman's "newspaper articles" interspersed throughout the chapters are also microcosmic comments on today's celebrity-obsessed world, emphasizing the stories of both those in front of the microphone and those behind it. This novel made me gasp, laugh, and most of all, sigh in relief. It's tense, this up-and-down arc between Chani and Gabe, this will-they-won't-they. But what strikes me most about Funny You Should Ask is how quickly it converted me to a love-at-first-sight believer (in fiction, at least). Instalove in literature has never been my style—until now. Maybe it's the pining done right, or the undeniable chemistry between the Chani and Gabe, or simply the fact that this is a very, very good novel. Funny You Should Ask straddles the line between light romance and deep reflection and is certainly suitable enough for both contemporary literature lovers and romance lovers. Funny You Should Ask is out April 12, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 89% | ★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley) A newly single girl. A tall dark handsome stranger. What could go wrong? It’s 7am on a Monday morning and Abby Reynolds isn’t where she wants to be. She wants to be in her beautiful loft apartment in Manhattan, drinking a coffee with her fiancé. Instead, she’s heading back to the childhood home in rural Ireland she swore she’d never return to, with some big old secrets. Namely that she’s suddenly found herself unemployed, homeless and absolutely 100% single. She’s feeling all out of luck. Until the first person she meets after she touches down is an absurdly hot guy called Luke, who offers her a lift home. Gazing deep into his sparkling emerald-green eyes, Abby knows instantly that he’s exactly what she needs to take her mind off everything. The perfect rebound. It’s a flawless plan. Until the next day, when Abby realises who he actually is. Not just a stranger. He is, in fact, Luke Bailey, aka the boy next door. Luke Bailey who—so help her God—she’s pretty sure she once shared baths with, back when they were kids. Not that she can allow herself to imagine him in a bath now, not without blushing from head to foot. And judging by the smirk on his face, the same Luke Bailey who’s known exactly who she was the whole time… And who, like everyone in the village, still thinks she’s a high-flying New Yorker… who’s getting married next year. Abby is certain getting under Luke will get her over her ex. But the truth is stopping her. Can she admit to everyone back home that she’s single and has lost everything? Because, if she wants the boy next door, she may just have to… Non-Spoiler Review: The past few weeks, I’ve followed Catherine Walsh’s book two updates on Instagram and settled in for what I was sure would turn out to be a long promotional period before the book’s actual release. And then she dropped the fact that ARCs of The Rebound is on NetGalley and I dropped my phone in a mad digital dash to request one. What I love most about The Rebound—and about all of Walsh's writing, actually—is its depictions of Ireland. Walsh tells Abby's story through an indulgently annoyed lens on Ireland, rejecting the typical tourist perceptions of the county and introducing some more interesting ones. There's a fierce love of Ireland in Walsh's writing, one that endears even if the reader hasn't the faintest clue how to discern between the west and east coasts of the country. (Of course I've seen maps, leave me alone.) The Rebound has a hilarious secondary cast, from Abby's high-strung older sister to Abby's ex-boyfriend's current wife, who is an absolute delight in her scenes. And, of course, Tomasz is fantastic character and deserves his own novel. A more-developed secondary cast of characters is exactly what I wanted from One Night Only (review here) and I'm thrilled that it was a main aspect of this novel. Walsh also writes deftly when it comes to her characters' young age. Life passes quickly around Abby and Luke, and being stuck in their hometown doesn't help. There's a sense of millennial ennui in Walsh's writing that always manages to ground the novel and insist on the novel's deeper relevancy. As always with Walsh's protagonists, Abby is a wonderfully three-dimensional character who is a lovable, much-too-good person. (I highlighted a quote at one point and annotated, "Ugh omg she's such a good personnnnnnn.") However, I wish her romance with Luke had been more developed—I felt that the pacing of the novel veered off track a little towards the end of the story. The constant back-and-forth between the two of them is just a bit over-played in the final act. That being said, The Rebound is a perfect novel with which you can curl up during Valentine's Day, no matter if you're coupled or in a committed relationship with your own box of Ghiradelli. I am always eager to read Walsh's writing—just as any contemporary romance fan should be. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Rebound is out February 14, 2022. Rating: 91% | A- | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): Alice, a novelist, meets Felix, who works in a warehouse, and asks him if he’d like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood. Alice, Felix, Eileen, and Simon are still young—but life is catching up with them. They desire each other, they delude each other, they get together, they break apart. They have sex, they worry about sex, they worry about their friendships and the world they live in. Are they standing in the last lighted room before the darkness, bearing witness to something? Will they find a way to believe in a beautiful world? Spoiler-Free Review: One word to characterize this novel: optimistic. If you're staring at the previous sentence, letting your eyes flit upwards to the big bold letters on the image that read "Sally Rooney," and concluding that "yeah, this blogger is very clearly and very poorly trying to cover up the fact that she's very behind on her TBR and is now lying about reading this novel," I wouldn't blame you. I would react that way too if I'd heard "Sally Rooney" and "optimistic" in the same sentence before reading Beautiful World, Where Are You. But the fact is, Beautiful World, Where Are You is not your typical Rooney novel. It has all of the qualities of one—millennial disillusionment, aching depictions of relationships, visceral writing—except for a heart-wrenching ending. And in that way this novel stands out. Various debates have been had about the quality of Beautiful World, Where Are You and its characters. The novel is too superficial. The novel is too much of a thinly veiled retelling of Rooney's own life. The characters are annoying and despicable. But to a certain extent, these critiques are no different from the critiques of previous Rooney novels. Rooney's novels are not intended for enjoyment; they're meant to turn the reader inward, to confront the ills that are within the whole of humanity and all of its members. My soapbox is crumbling underneath me, so I'll keep it brief: Beautiful World, Where Are You is divisive and readers shouldn't expect to like it simply because they liked Normal People. This is a very different novel from Normal People, but no less worthwhile. The characters are certainly more complicated and more grating on the nerves at times, but I do believe that every reader can find some sort of thoughtful fulfillment in this story. And I can feel, even as I skim through my flagged passages, that this is a book that will only increase in power upon further re-reads. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 97% | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she’d lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She’s finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won’t let anything—or anyone—mess it up. Unlike Fiona, Sam Fox, who played her older brother on the popular television show Birds of California, loves the perks that come with being a successful Hollywood actor: fame, women, parties, money. When his current show gets cancelled and his agent starts to avoid his calls, the desperate actor enthusiastically signs on for a Birds of California revival. But to make it happen, he needs Fiona St. James. Against her better judgment, Fiona agrees to have lunch with Sam. What happens next takes them both by surprise. Sam is enthralled by Fiona’s take-no-prisoners attitude, and Fiona discovers a lovable goofball behind Sam’s close-up-ready face. Long drives to the beach, late nights at dive bars . . . theirs is the kind of kitschy romance Hollywood sells. But just like in the rom-coms Fiona despises, there’s a twist that threatens her new love. Sam doesn’t know the full story behind her breakdown. What happens when she reveals the truth? Spoiler-Free Review: It was a deeply rude experience, reading this book. I was promised a rom-com and instead I got a tearjerker that made me feel things. It's Sunday night, for God's sake. Feeling things is a Friday night kind of venture. I can't just finish this book, go to sleep, and wake up for my econ lecture tomorrow morning like nothing's happened. Birds of California packs a punch in just 288 pages. It's not only a story of Sam and Fiona falling in love (which actually turns out to be the weakest part of the story; it's pleasant, but it's nowhere near the top of the list in terms of importance) but also of abuse, of being painfully young, and of loss. It's beautifully written and catches the reader off-guard with its earnestness. I was having a bad day before reading this book and while reading it, everything that troubled me faded into the background. The world became only me and the characters, precisely the type of experience a good book should facilitate. There's so much heart in Birds of California between the characters: between Sam and Fiona, between Fiona and Claudia and Estelle, and between Fiona and the rest of her theater crew. But most of the heart comes through in Sam and Fiona, two people who have lost themselves somewhere on Los Angeles sets and in tabloids, trying to rediscover and recover themselves. Their journeys touched me deeply as a college student who feels the world expand and constrict around her on a daily basis. The only thing I would change about this novel is the pacing of the romantic arc between Sam and Fiona. I would have loved to see it slowed down and extended, if only to spend more time with them before the story's too-soon end. Birds of California is a must-read. Take an hour or two out of your day and settle down with Cotugno's words. I'm sure, at tomorrow's econ lecture, I'll still be marveling over this story. Thank you to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, Harper Perennial, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Birds of California is out June 14, 2022. Rating: 87% | ★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is leaving rainy England to become acting assistant to a famous singer, on a yacht in the Mediterranean. Their destination is a tiny Italian island that’s hosting the biggest celebrity gala of the season—the Crystal Ball. And while not everything about her new role goes precisely to plan, when she— quite literally—bumps into tall, dark and handsome Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins. Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Wearing a designer dress and drinking champagne, Fran is soon a million miles away from life back in the UK. And that’s the problem: Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again—unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever… Non-Spoiler Review: On a Night Like This is an unabashed, cheeky, modern Cinderella retelling that will charm the glass slipper (or sneaker, in this case) off of the reader. The protagonist, Fran, is an altogether lovely character who, despite this novel being a fairytale retelling, never behaves like a damsel in distress. She's funny, sweet, and feisty. Her Prince Charming, Evan, is equally sweet, if a little static when all is said and done (as are many of the secondary characters; I wish we'd seen more development from them). The best character, however, is Juliette. For a someone that's not even named in the blurb, she plays a deeply influential role on the story. Her romantic and emotional arcs are deeply compelling, even more so than Fran's or Evan's, and I wish there had been more resolution and time given to her. As one Goodreads reviewer opined, this story could've been so much better if the romance had been between Fran and Juliette. While the characters are certainly charming and relatable, what shines the most in this novel is Kelk's writing. Kelk's wittiness, up-to-date humor, and detailed descriptions make On a Night Like This immersive and utter fun to read. On a Night Like This is the perfect pick-me-up if you've been reading heavier books lately, or if you've been mourning the hour of sunlight lost to Daylight Savings. Thank you to Harper360, HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. On a Night Like This is out January 18, 2022. Rating: 53% | ★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Interior Design School? Check. Cute house to fix up? Check. Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of your plans? Check. Unfortunately. Grace Travis has it all figured out. In between finishing school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree and her dream job. Most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her harsh mother could never make. When an opportunity to fix up—and live in—a little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door. Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. As a real estate developer, he knows when he's found something special. Something he could even call home. Provided he can expand by taking over the house next door--the house with the combative and beautiful woman living in it. With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can show you that home is always where the heart is. Non-Spoiler Review: I really wanted to love How to Love Your Neighbor. This novel has everything I typically love in romance stories—an enemies-to-lovers trope, a contemporary meet-cute, an idyllic setting—but in the end it was a struggle to keep reading. The characters don't quite mesh together, the story is a little too ambitious for its execution, and the ending is a little too neat. First, the positives: Sullivan doesn't skimp on the interior design details. Grace is a professional interior designer, and it shows in the detail Sullivan pays to the decoration in both Grace's and Noah's homes. It's believable that Grace knows what she's doing, and that level of expertise is always helpful in putting the reader at ease and immersing them in the fictional world. The secondary characters are also quite lovable: Morty (not of Rick and Morty fame, for better or for worse) perfectly fits the curmudgeon-with-a-heart-of-gold archetype, Josh is a good counterbalance to Noah, and Rosie is a loyal friend. Sullivan's writing shines best in the moments that involve primary and secondary characters playing off each others' personalities. However, this novel suffers from an odd gait when it comes to plot and to character development. The plot never truly climaxes anywhere; it stays at the same relaxed level throughout the novel, even when Grace and Noah debate their relationship status. Moreover, as the novel progresses, Sullivan continues introducing new aspects of the characters' pasts—aspects and details that would have been best confined to the exposition. In short, it feels as if the reader never truly knows Grace and Noah. New information is constantly unearthed, information that feels critical to know yet odd when introduced in the later stages of the story, as it too often is. That being said, obligatory disclaimer: most readers enjoy this novel greatly! I can't exactly count myself among them, but if you're thinking about picking this novel up, please don't let me stop you. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. How to Love Your Neighbor is out January 18, 2022. Rating: 78% | ★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): England, 1867: As half of the writing duo behind England’s most infamous crime column, Miss Caroline Hardcastle has quite the scandalous reputation. It may have cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society than worry about what the ton thinks of her. After Caro’s dear friend is kidnapped, however, she has no choice but to work with Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart. Worse, when her actions put her father’s business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution . . . but can she trust Val to stand by her? Or will their past repeat itself? Val—the new Viscount Wrackham—is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet the only woman he’s ever loved, Miss Caroline Hardcastle, is notorious for behaving improperly. And she’s never forgiven him for his youthful transgressions, missteps made in the name of familial duty, but ones he still regrets to this day. As they grow closer to unmasking the culprit, Val sees an opportunity to show Caro he’s a changed man. But can he convince her to give their love a second chance—before death does them part? Spoiler-Free Review: An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is a thoughtful yet just slightly off-kilter historical romance. While the characters are fairly rounded, the pacing of the plot and some aspects of the writing render the book a slight disappointment, especially given the ambitious nature of the synopsis. The plot begins to unravel a bit as the story progressed, with Collins struggling to juggle two storylines: Val and Caro's romance and Effie's kidnapping mystery. In the end, the romance wins out, and the mystery is rather hastily tied up. Additionally, the nature of the romance is somewhat flat; while Val and Caro are originally touted as adversaries, their amorous reunion progresses rather quickly and without much protest from either side. That being said, their romance is genuine, and their meditations on marriage and the expectations of men and women in marriage are fascinating to read. The writing feels a little strange at times. While this novel does involve dual POVs, it feels that Val and Caro's points of view are so closely intertwined that they should be one; both characters sometimes think the exact same things and make the exact same observations, even though they are meant to act independently. What I enjoyed most about this novel, however, is the faithful historical ambiance that Collins creates. As a rather nitpicky history buff, I always demand that my historical romances have a believable historical backdrop, and this book certainly satisfies that demand. Victorian England is brought to life with concrete historical markers like the Reform Act of 1867, which neatly anchors the story in real history. Ultimately, An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is perfect for anyone looking for a light historical read with an undercurrent of mystery and second-chance romance. An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is out November 19, 2021. Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 82% | B- | ★★★★
Warnings: + Sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two. That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all. Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late. Spoiler-Free Review: The Ex Hex is an upbeat, sweet read that doesn't take itself too seriously, for better or for worse—but usually for better. I'm starting to realize that I have a thing for witchy hijinks set in small towns. Or maybe I'm just trying to chase the childhood high of watching Halloweentown by reading this novel and A Letter to Three Witches. As with other low fantasy books I've read, the best part of The Ex Hex is the setting and the blending of magic with reality. Sterling does a phenomenal job bringing the town of Graves Glen to life, with rich details about Penhallow College, Founder's Day, and more. The Ex Hex is like watching your favorite rom-com with a dash of pumpkin spice. The characters are also lovely and realistic; Vivi and Rhys's yearning for each other is effective and tense. My only qualm is that I wish this book had been longer (which was the same issue I had with A Letter to Three Witches) In the latter half of the novel, the magical conflict takes a backseat to Vivi and Rhys's relationship, and while I enjoyed this, I also felt as though there could have been a better resolution to the curse. I found myself fifty pages from the ending thinking, "is this story actually going to wrap up neatly in fifty pages?" Nevertheless, The Ex Hex is a light, fun read—and that sometimes means not all of the heavy stuff can be addressed in the end. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 54% | ★
Synopsis (from Edelweiss): Told in the intimate voices of unique and endearing characters of all ages, these tales explore desire and heartache, loss and discovery, moments of jolting violence and the inexorable tug toward love at all costs. A bookseller's unspoken love for his employee rises to the surface, a neglected teenage boy finds much-needed nurturing from an unlikely pair of college students hired to housesit, a girl's loss of innocence at the hands of her employer's son becomes a catalyst for strength and confidence, and a proud nonagenarian rages helplessly in his granddaughter's hospital room. Romantic, hopeful, brutally raw, and unsparingly honest, some even slipping into the surreal, these stories are, above all, about King's enduring subject of love. Non-Spoiler Review: Five Tuesdays in Winter was my first foray into Lily King's writing, and unfortunately, it was somewhat underwhelming. While there are some heartwarming moments throughout the collection, the bulk of the collection comes across as confusing, weary, and trite. Additionally, the pacing of all of the stories is unsettling and uncomfortable—it feels as though King ends all of her stories right before she develops true depth to her characters. King's writing also often over-rambles, making for a slightly exhausting reading experience. She focuses much of her details on minute interactions between characters while simultaneously sacrificing the development of the overarching plot. The only stories that feel adequately balanced are "When in the Dordogne," "Timeline," and "Waiting for Charlie" (King's writing shines the best in vignette-style stories like this last one). Ultimately, while Five Tuesdays in Winter will certainly appeal to readers focused on the minutiae of human yearning, I couldn't help but come away from some of the collection's stories with the damning question of "what am I supposed to take from this?" Five Tuesdays in Winter is out November 9, 2021. Thank you to Edelweiss and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review. Rating: A | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): It's time to diversify your reading list. This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader: • Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors of color and from diverse cultural backgrounds. • A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now! EASY TO GIFT: This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase. DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES: The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore. ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION: Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you. Non-Spoiler Review Bibliophile: Diverse Spines is a visually stunning, thoughtful triumph. It not only accomplishes but surmounts its goal of bringing diverse books to the forefront of readers' minds. The book is comprehensive, covering everything from fiction to essays to self-help books; such an extensive array of genres slyly challenges the narrative that people of color or LGBT+ writers can only write one thing. Moreover, the authors make an effort of not only suggesting diverse books but also suggesting resources to find diverse books—book bloggers who advocate for greater inclusivity in literature, marginalized authors's favorite books, and bookstores dedicated to expanding readers' familiarity with diverse literature. This book is not a one-stop shop for diverse books; it spins a web radiating outwards, with connections upon connections upon connections for those truly looking to diversify their library. Bibliophile: Diverse Spines is out October 19, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 60% | D | ★★
Warnings: + Sexual content + Violence Synopsis (from Goodreads): After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice. She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria...even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons. The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world...or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature? Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves... Non-Spoiler Review: Kingdom of the Cursed was my most anticipated book of 2021. While I didn't love the first book (a review of which will soon be available From the Archives), I found the tension between Emilia and Wrath compelling enough that I wanted to continue the series. I find myself echoing that sentiment after reading Kingdom of the Cursed, only more irritably and disappointedly. It's hard to pinpoint exactly where this book goes wrong, but perhaps the answer is that almost every single one of its 448 pages feels scrapbooked together from some larger, more cohesive book. Kingdom of the Cursed runs into many of the same problems as Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo—so many characters and none of them important, so many plot lines and none of them concluded. This book gives neither a satisfying arc of character development for Emilia nor does it advance the plot (which, again, what precisely was the plot?) established in the first book. This book read like an installment in a completely different series. I also found Maniscalco's writing to be more difficult to read than it was in the previous book. Not only are settings and food described in ostentatious detail, but the dialogue comes off as stilted and superficial. (Some of it, I imagine, owes to the novel's first-person point of view, which I am admittedly biased against in nearly all literature.) Maniscalco falls into the trap of creating a veneer of antiquity by disowning nearly all contractions, a choice that I believe is historically inaccurate (though I am happy for more precise clarification on this matter from experts). One of the reasons why this novel was highly anticipated aside from the usual sequel hype was because of Maniscalco's transition from YA to New Adult (NA). To put it plainly, the transition doesn't work. The novel spirals out of the tone set in the previous book and becomes something wildly salacious but without any real meaning—sex and lust for the sake of sex and lust. The reader inevitably circles back to the question posed at the start of this review—what was the meaning behind all this? (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 66% | ★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): It started with a letter. It ended with a love story. Every December, Josie posts a letter from her home in London to the parents she lost on Christmas night many years ago. Each year, she writes the same three words: Missing you, always. But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger--a stranger who will change the course of Josie's life. Josie always thought she was the only one who avoided the Christmas season, but this year, Max has his own reasons for doing the same—and coincidence leads them to spending the holiday together. Aglow with new love, Josie thinks this might be the start of something special. Only for Max to disappear without saying goodbye. Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they'd never expect. New York City. Edinburgh. The quiet English countryside. And it turns out, Max had every reason to leave and every reason to stay. But what does fate hold for Josie and Max as Christmas approaches again? Non-Spoiler Review: Books like Always, in December is the reason why the "Closure/Set-Up" section on this website's rubric exists. I found this novel to be a fairly standard, sort of Love, Rosie-style story and was prepared to give it three or four stars until, quite literally, the last three chapters. First, the positives. I did enjoy the suspense woven throughout this book—the constant meeting, leaving, and re-meeting. The characters are also lovely and quite human, if a little two-dimensional at times when Stone describes their internal thoughts. The writing also shines through at key parts in the novel, especially when Josie discusses the process of grief and notes that it ought to be a process of loving and honoring rather than mourning. Again, though, I must qualify this praise by noting that there are moments where Stone excessively summarizes events, disrupting the flow of the story. The premise of the book—Josie's letter-writing—also mysteriously disappears until the very end, making the reader question its importance in the synopsis. The absolutely nonsensical nature of the ending cast a pall over the rest of the book. Not only was it completely unnecessary to the novel, it was also rushed and poorly constructed; Stone's vague recalls to previous moments in the novel in order to justify the ending fell flat. Ultimately, while I did enjoy Always, in December, it is not a novel for those who are particularly sensitive about the logic of their stories or sudden plot twists in the last act. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for giving me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 83% | B- | ★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle. After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction? Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine. Okay, the woman definition of fine (NOT FINE). Determined to turn her luck around, Zoey accepts her role and vows to get Hannah down the aisle—all the while praying her best friend’s wedded bliss will allow her to embrace marriage and get Rylan back. But as the weekend goes on, Zoey is plagued with more questions than answers. Can you be a free spirit, yet still want a certain future? Can you have love and be loved on your terms? And how DO you wrangle a bossy falcon into doing your bidding? Non-Spoiler Review: Bad Luck Bridesmaid proves itself to be a clever, heartfelt contemporary romance despite being off-kilter at times. It is a novel that feels incredibly modern, not in the least because of its topical Taylor Swift references (and I agree, Allison Rose Greenberg, that Taylor Swift's Red album is the perfect soundtrack to cry to) and its frank discussion of marriage. As someone who does want to get married some day, this book made me reflect more seriously on that future aspiration and what it truly means. The protagonist, Zoey, is a genuine heroine for whom readers will root . . . for at least 70% of her decisions. Indeed, while she is complex in a believable way, Greenberg glosses over some of her poorer decisions in the latter half of the novel in a "sweep-the-evidence-under-the-rug" way. Moreover, Zoey's character feels deeply underdeveloped at times—Zoey frequently refers to the lingering sense that "she does not fit in" throughout the novel, yet it's unclear precisely why she feels that way. Zoey's primary love interest, Rylan, is equally frustrating; in the end, I didn't really enjoy reading about these two characters, nor did I truly want to. The writing is both beautiful and confusing. The premise of the story is executed shakily, with the pacing in the first third of the novel pinballing between slow and fast; the main conflict does not arise until about 100 pages in. And while the frequent pop culture references are charming, the sheer frequency of them stifles true discussion of Zoey's character as well as her inner monologue. I also wasn't expecting the second half of the novel to be so similar to One Night Only by Catherine Walsh (which I reviewed here) and couldn't help feeling a little jaded as I read it (which is no fault of Greenberg's). But aside from these few issues, I felt a true connection to Greenberg's writing. There are multiple lines I highlighted—beautiful, hilarious, and all-around clever lines—that I plan to go back to later. Ultimately, Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a solid, if a little hit-or-miss novel that strengthens the emerging millennial confessional fiction sub-genre. Bad Luck Bridesmaid is out January 11, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 87% | B+ | ★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist. Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist--yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her. Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it's like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long. Non-Spoiler Review: A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft is a gritty low fantasy that starts slow before picking up in the last 2/3 of the novel. It was a struggle to keep reading during the growing pains of the beginning, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. The protagonists, Margaret and Wes, are wonderfully rich and human, and they faithfully carry the story to its magical, triumphant end. Saft writes wisely and poetically, creating beautiful imagery and utterly heartbreaking emotions. While the book is shelved as YA, the themes it discusses are complicated and dark. This novel straddles the line between teen and adult, and is sure to captivate both age groups. The world building involved in the novel was tricky to understand and was the primary culprit in my lack of interest in the beginning, but I now appreciate its complexity and Saft's dedication to it. I still believe more time could have been given to explaining the politics of the novel's world and to drawing more concrete boundaries around the novel's precise time period, but the analogies that Saft constructs are meaningful and avoid being overly didactic. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 47% | ★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals. Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker. Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all. Non-Spoiler Review: I'm sad to say that When Sparks Fly wasn't for me, but I also have to say that I think much of my review boils down to personal preference. I found the characters underdeveloped and two-dimensional and the writing matter-of-fact and tell-not-show. I saw potential for this book to be more meaningful and well-rounded, but in the end I was left unsatisfied. Some of the statements the characters made about women that weren't the protagonist or her sisters also disturbed me; I felt that they promoted internalized misogyny I was uncomfortable reading about. The resolution of the plot was also illogical and damaged much of the character development for both protagonists. That being said, I know many other readers had a much more positive experience with this book than I did, and I encourage all readers to give this book a chance. I think my one-star rating doesn't fully capture all of the elements of this book. When Sparks Fly is out September 21, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 100% | A+ | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Domestic abuse + Sexual assault + Violence + Emotional abuse + Sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. Spoiler-Free Section: Here it is: another addition to the le livre en rose 100% club. I worry that I may be prematurely rating It Ends with Us too high—I just finished it last night at 11:30 P.M.—but I know that if I don't write this review soon, this novel will never let me go. So here we are. I have a confession. Colleen Hoover is known for tearjerking, heartbreaking books, but when I read Ugly Love (review forthcoming, hopefully!) two days ago, I was somewhat underwhelmed. Still teary, but not as teary as I thought I would be. Then, responding to some masochistic instinct within me yearning to test the waters of the Colleen Hoover oeuvre, I picked up It Ends with Us fewer than 24 hours later. It Ends with Us shatters—earth, you, heart. It is a complete and thorough examination of domestic abuse and love that will leave the reader curled up in fetal position at 2 A.M. eschewing sleep because they can't stop crying. (Not speaking from personal experience.) The characters are complex and beautifully present the duality of humans and the nuances of situations. There are no "right" answers at the end of this book, and that is what makes it so unique and heartbreaking. The synopsis of the book does it no justice. Go into this book blind, but don't ignore the content warnings. If you are sensitive to any of the issues discussed above, this may not be the book for you. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 95% | A | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): In the sleepy college town of Zenobia, New York, the only supernatural trace on display is the name of Gwen Engel’s business—Abracadabra Odd Job Service. But Gwen’s family has some unusual abilities they’ve been keeping under wraps—until one little letter spells big trouble… Nearly a century ago, Gwen Engel’s great-great-grandfather cast a spell with catastrophic side-effects. As a result, the Grand Council of Witches forbade his descendants from practicing witchcraft. The Council even planted anonymous snitches called Watchers in the community to report any errant spellcasting… Yet magic may still be alive and not so well in Zenobia. Gwen and her cousins, Trudy and Milo, receive a letter from Gwen’s adopted sister, Tannith, informing them that she’s bewitched one of their partners and will run away with him at the end of the week. While Gwen frets about whether to trust her scientist boyfriend, currently out of town on a beetle-studying trip, she’s worried that local grad student Jeremy is secretly a Watcher doing his own research. Cousin Trudy is so stressed that she accidentally enchants her cupcakes, creating havoc among her bakery customers—and in her marriage. Perhaps it’s time the family took back control and figured out how to harness their powers. How else can Gwen decide whether her growing feelings for Jeremy are real—or the result of too many of Trudy’s cupcakes? Spoiler-Free Review: Quirky and adorable, A Letter to Three Witches is a cozy read that makes me long for autumn breezes and Halloween hijinks. The witch community Elizabeth Bass creates in Zenobia, New York reminds me of nostalgic childhood memories watching Halloweentown with my sister. The characters are suitably strange, devious, and downright hilarious, as is the world they live in. However, I wish the book had been longer overall; there was so much potential for a deeper development of the protagonist's character arc, a deeper dive into the protagonist's romantic relationships, and a deeper explanation of the low fantasy world in general. I found myself shocked about 20 pages from the end, not believing that Bass could neatly wrap the story up so quickly without plot holes. There were plot holes, but that being said, part of the book's charm is that the reader needs to jump into it with a good amount of suspension of disbelief. A Letter to Three Witches is out January 22, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 51% | ★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): When twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. But it’s not easy. She deserted them all—and her high school sweetheart—five years before with little explanation, and they've got questions. Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the east coast, even if it does mean tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, the only way to protect them is to upend all their secrets—secrets that have damaged the family for generations and will threaten everything they know about their lives. In the aftermath, the Brennan family is forced to confront painful mistakes—and ultimately find a way forward, together. Spoiler-Free Review We Are the Brennans has garnered a lot of pre-release buzz, including an impressive 4+ rating on Goodreads and a coveted spot as one of Book of the Month's picks for July—but I'm sorry to say that this book just wasn't for me. I predicted every major plot twist in the novel, which stripped away the effectiveness of the pacing and made the story move at a glacial speed. Moreover, I found the characters disappointingly two-dimensional, likely because of the author's choice to give each major character at least one of their own third-person limited chapters. The constant jumping around from character to character disrupted the flow of the story as well as the characters' respective developments. However, the writing itself was also a little too straightforward—incredibly tell not show. The ending of the novel was disappointing, though I understand that the state of affairs as it stood before the last chapter pointed to only one viable conclusion—no matter how irksome it was. However, I did enjoy that this story really did feel like a personal story of the author's. There was heart and legitimate potential—it's simply the execution that fell flat. We Are the Brennans is out August 3, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 98% | A+ | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Who could have predicted this? Being at the same wedding. In Ireland. There’s a reason one-night stands are one-night stands. You’re not supposed to see each other again, especially not when you’re the maid of honor, and he’s the groom’s brother… Sarah Anderson has never been more excited about anything in her life. She’s going to her best friend’s wedding. And not just any wedding. An Irish wedding. Goodbye New York, hello rolling green hills and men with beautiful accents and twinkling eyes. But Sarah should have known that not all guests are fairy-tale princes… There’s the chinless Uncle Trevor, whose idea of small talk is to claim climate change is a conspiracy. Then there’s Great Aunt Eileen, who doesn’t talk at all (she’s too busy replacing the hotel cutlery with her own set). Worst of all, there’s Declan Murphy. Best man. Brother of the groom. And the man Sarah last saw naked. Is there anything more mortifying than bumping into a one-night stand halfway across the world? Especially as Declan seems determined to embarrass Sarah at every turn. At least when the wedding’s over she’ll never have to see him again. But, back in New York, Sarah finds the more she tries to forget Declan, the more she can’t shake the thought of that infuriatingly charming smile and the way he wears a tux… Was he really just for one night only, or might Declan Murphy be The One? Spoiler-Free Review One Night Only is one of those books where every page is a lamentation and a celebration all in one. Every time I flipped the page, I mourned that there would be one fewer page to read and rejoiced that the story was progressing so beautifully. Simply put, I didn't want this book to end. It's everything I've ever wanted in a contemporary romance novel. It's hard to strike a balance between humor (and this book is capital-H hilarious) and sincerity, but Catherine Walsh does it and makes it all look so effortless. I found myself laughing out loud in one instant and then sitting reflectively with Sarah in the next. I have so many quotes highlighted, so many moments I never want to forget. I went into this book thinking it would be a short, frothy work on the seemingly supernatural attractiveness of Irish men and came out of it with contentedness in my heart and a renewed hope in the concept of love. I adored not only Sarah and Declan but also Claire, Paul, Annie, and even Mrs. Murphy. My only complaints—and they're microscopic—is that I wish the middle section of the book had been a little faster, and I wish Declan had been a less of an ass earlier on in the novel. But as a whole, I adored this entire novel. One Night Only deserves to be on everyone's TBR. Whether you're looking for a light pick-me-up or simply reflecting on the complexities of life, this book is for you. One Night Only is on sale July 30, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 72% | C- | ★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Once upon a time, twelve women joined the hottest reality TV show looking for love. Except one had a secret identity . . . Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be, one day. Right now, she spends her time writing recaps of reality television under a secret identity. When a recap for The Stag – the must-watch dating show – goes viral, her editor thinks she should be on set, writing the drama as it happens. The good news: the next season will be filmed in Sydney. Sun, sea and a glamorous trip abroad, this could be Abby’s big break. The bad news: the producers don’t just want Abby to write the recaps, they want her to be on the show. Abby can’t think of anything worse than being undercover and followed around by cameras. But her career depends on it, and when she meets gorgeous producer Jack, Abby begins to wonder if this job might not be so bad after all . . . Spoiler-Free Review The Dating Game is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone who's having a bad day. It's funny, light, and packs a serious punch in its 290 pages. What I love most about this novel is that it doesn't take itself too seriously—unlike the real show it's based upon. Barker crafts a lovely protagonist in Abby, who is not only a heroine every reader will root for but also an incredibly genuine person. Despite the humor included throughout the novel, I found that I didn't truly enjoy it until well into the third act, once I was well and truly into the swing of things. The writing in this novel can also be a little too much—OTT, as Abby herself would say—but it adds to the story's irreverence. My biggest issue with The Dating Game is its secondary cast of characters, especially Abby's love interest. I found him to be quite static and sometimes even infantile compared to Abby. I was constantly frustrated and mystified by her insistence on being with him. Abby's close friend—one of the Does—at the end of the novel also had a character arc that I wasn't completely convinced by. Nevertheless, The Dating Game is a solid read, perfect for both fans of The Bachelor and those who are always looking for the good in reality TV show contestants behind all of the post-production editing. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Dating Game is on sale September 10, 2021. Rating: 65% | D | ★★
Warnings: + Sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): A wedding. A trip to Spain. The most infuriating man. And three days of pretending. Or in other words, a plan that will never work. Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year. That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call. Four weeks wasn’t a lot of time to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic–from NYC and all the way to Spain–for a wedding. Let alone, someone eager to play along my charade. But that didn’t mean I was desperate enough to bring the 6’4 blue eyed pain in my ass standing before me. Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. Right after inserting his nose in my business, calling me delusional, and calling himself my best option. See? Outrageous. Aggravating. Blood boiling. And much to my total despair, also right. Which left me with a surly and extra large dilemma in my hands. Was it worth the suffering to bring my colleague and bane of my existence as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding? Or was I better off coming clean and facing the consequences of my panic induced lie? Like my abuela would say, que dios nos pille confesados. Spoiler-Free Review I really, really wanted to like The Spanish Love Deception. I know I said that about For the Wolf as well, but my standards for The Spanish Love Deception were different. With For the Wolf, it was more a feeling of frustration regarding how poorly I felt the author executed the premise. With The Spanish Love Deception, it was a feeling of utter disappointment and confusion as to why there had been so much hype on social media about this book. If Emily Henry's Beach Read redeemed the contemporary romance genre for me, Elena Armas's The Spanish Love Deception booted me back to square negative ten, all hope lost. My main problem with this novel is that it reminds me too much of Sally Thorne's The Hating Game, which deprived me of all hope in the contemporary romance genre in the first place, two years ago. (I'm starting to think I might have to swear off all office rivalry romances.) I instantly clocked the similarities between the novels the first chapter of The Spanish Love Deception and it was downhill from there. That being said, if you liked The Hating Game, definitely try The Spanish Love Deception. Aside from the plot and the characters, the writing also didn't suit me. There was an overzealous amount of detail given to the main love interest's eyes—and to everyone's body parts in general. Not to mention the author's refusal to use contractions half of the time, which made for clunky, artificial dialogue. However, I did enjoy some parts of the plot. I found the protagonist to be a semi-well-rounded character by the end of the novel, and many of the struggles she dealt with were well-founded and believable. The ending was also clean and satisfying. Ultimately, this novel is perfect for readers looking for a fun (but not short—this novel clocks in at a whopping 487 pages) romance with a guaranteed happily ever after ending. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 96% | A | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love. Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong? Spoiler-Free Review Emily Henry can do no wrong. Like Beach Read, which I reviewed last month, People We Meet on Vacation completely stunned me. It's brilliant—so cleverly funny it'll split you open with side stitches—and heartfelt and beautiful. Poppy is a fantastic, lively protagonist and Alex balances her out so perfectly. Henry's writing style also hits directly at the reader's heart; I tend to think of her as on the same coin as Sally Rooney, but on the opposite side. They both discuss millennial ennui, but while Rooney is coolly indifferent, Henry is cautiously, gently optimistic. The novel's strength comes primarily from the sincerity of the love between the two main characters. Many online reviewers have said that People We Meet on Vacation made them believe in love; the novel certainly, ardently defends it. Poppy and Alex's love story is a fresh breath of air in the hazy fog of modern life. The plot starts out a little slow, and I have mixed feelings about the ending, but People We Meet on Vacation is a must-read not only for contemporary romance fans but also for all readers. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 99% | A+ | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now. When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist. With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parson's is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet...and maybe poach some Parson's authors along the way. But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or...herself and her future. Spoiler-Free Review Must Love Books absolutely blew me away. It's brilliant, heartfelt, and made me shed more than a tear or two. As someone who wants to work in publishing after graduation, the premise hit me particularly hard (and made me reconsider my future plans more than once). Robinson captures a beautiful blend of longing and practicality. There were so many quotes I highlighted in this novel—so many quotes that resonate with me. Robinson writes candidly and honestly about mental health and depression; this book is sure to strike a chord with anyone that has gone through the same mental health struggles that Nora has. I appreciate that Robinson never fell back on the stereotype of a person with depression as someone who does little else but stay in bed all day. It's often more complicated than that, as Nora points out. This novel is flush with humor, beautiful writing and brilliant characters that will make you believe in the beauty of the world again. It's hard to keep spoilers out of this review because all I want to do is to shout how amazing this book is from every rooftop in America. I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to read this novel in advance of its publication. Must Love Books should be on everyone's most anticipated books of 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Must Love Books is on sale January 18, 2022. Rating: 54% | ★
Warnings: + Violence + Self-Harm (for magical purposes) Synopsis (from Goodreads): As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods. Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again. But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn't learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole. Spoiler-Free Review: I desperately wanted to like this book. I did. Other reviewers raved about it online and persuaded me to request an advance copy of For the Wolf (thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books, for providing me with an ARC), which ended up languishing on my Kindle app for a month before I finally gave in. This book contains everything that usually attracts me: a romance that shouldn't work, a dark fairytale retelling, a vaguely historical setting. But it left much to be desired, in its plot, its writing, and its world building. My biggest issue is the world building. Whitten throws her reader in the deep end with For the Wolf's complicated world, which not only involves a complex magic system but also a complex political system. My head is still spinning from trying to untangle the intricacies of the Wilderwood. Whitten's writing style also adds to the confusion; the dual point of view between Red and Neve blurs the focus of the story and expands the novel's world to the point of bursting. I also didn't find the characters outside the Wilderwood particularly compelling. Neve appears rather two-dimensional throughout her entire quest, and the actions of those outside the Wilderwood are frustratingly predictable. I would have preferred the entire story to be focused on Red and the Wolf. Finally, the ending was far too clean for me. Had the ending been a little more ambiguous (or had I liked Neve more), I would have seriously considered picking up the next book upon its release. However, Whitten neatly ended this novel, and I don't find the state of affairs as they currently stand to be compelling enough for me to continue the series. That being said, I know some other readers absolutely adore For the Wolf, and I encourage everyone to give it a try. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) |
ReviewsThe Ice Swan
For the Wolf Must Love Books People We Meet on Vacation The Spanish Love Deception The Dating Game One Night Only We Are the Brennans A Letter to Three Witches It Ends with Us When Sparks Fly A Far Wilder Magic Bad Luck Bridesmaid Always, in December Kingdom of the Cursed Bibliophile: Diverse Spines Five Tuesdays in Winter The Ex Hex An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire How to Love Your Neighbor On a Night Like This Birds of California Beautiful World, Where Are You The Rebound The Best Books of 2021 |