Review: The Austen Playbook and Headliners

Back near the start of the pandemic (remember how naive we were?), Harlequin sent out an email with a few titles for reviewers to check out because they thought readers might be looking for some sweet Happily Ever After stories to sink into. They thought correctly and I requested two that ended up being part of the same series - Lucy Parker's London Celebrities series. 

The Austen Playbook follows Freddy, a theatre actress in London, and Griff, a theatre critic, as their lives collide. They've always been aware of each other, given their professions, but they're thrown together in the most unlikely of circumstances as Griff's family estate is playing host to a unique play that Freddy is taking part in. They're staging a play inspired by some of Jane Austen's most famous characters that will be aired on live TV. Not only that, the audience gets to vote on how the play proceeds. Sort of like a choose your own adventure but...televised live. Just a bit stressful, eh? 

The next book is Headliners and, as you may expect if you've read the preceding novel, it features Sabrina, Freddy's older sister, and Nick. The two are evening TV news presenters and they've both taken major hits to their careers. The owner of the news station decides to make them work for their careers and they're thrust together to co-host the network's struggling morning show. They hate each other...at least, that's what they think at the start. As you may imagine, those feelings start to change.

Each novel could be described as an enemies-to-lovers story (though Freddy and Griff's is more of an opposites attract but they did know each other and I wouldn't call them friends or even acquaintances...I think there was a healthy dislike there). And, I admit, this is not one of my favourite tropes. Intellectually, I just don't love the idea of people despising each other and then, wham, they want to hop into bed together. But...I'll admit that many authors know how to tell a good story and I almost always end up enjoying the ride as the characters realize their strong feelings for the other have shifted in a surprising way.

I hadn't read the first books in the London Celebrities series but I don't think you really need to. I would, however, recommend you don't jump into Headliners without first reading The Austen Playbook. A lot happens in Freddy's story that directly impacts what happens in Sabrina's and you'll get a much better sense of the sisters and their lives if you read the books together. 

I really adored Freddy and Sabrina. Their mom died when they were very young and Sabrina had to step up and become more mom than older sister to Freddy (which, of course, has it's own set of issues the pair had to deal with over the course of the novels). Their father was an actor but was injured on set and now managed Freddy's careers (again...much frustration, much drama). The women were close, which was so great, and they had their sibling squabbles like any others (made me miss my sister, that's for sure). They're both smart, funny, and had such warm and welcoming personalities that it was a delight to read their stories - and as the men in their lives realized that they had been idiots and could not live without them. 

The setting of these novels was absolutely delightful. I had a whirlwind trip to Edinburgh before the world shut down and I also spent an evening hitting the top sights in London before flying home the next day. The books are set in London and I was feeling a bit nostalgic for the sightseeing tour my sister brought me on. I also liked that part of Freddy's story took place at a countryside estate because it was just so quintessential England to me. (Maybe that's just the Canadian in me.)

I think I liked Headliners more than The Austen Playbook but both of Lucy Parker's novels were a balm to this romance lover's soul while dealing with all the pandemic has brought upon us. They were sweet and sexy, fun and dramatic, and both had the most delightful Happily Ever Afters. Check them out if you're also in need of an escape!

*Copies of these novels were provided by the publisher, Harlquin, via NetGalley, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review Roundup: 'Twas the Month After Christmas

The problem with most holiday novels is they come out so early in the year. I'm not usually ready for Christmas reading in September and October (even though I love love love Christmas books I just can't quite bring myself to read them before Thanksgiving - which is October in Canada). Then I start reading them in November and December and life gets super busy and I just don't get around to reviewing them in time for, you know, Christmas. The great thing is that most of these books aren't super Christmassy SO you can still read them now, since we're going to be buried in snow for another month (at least in my part of the world). I don't want you to miss out on some of these fun reads so I hope you enjoy my mini roundup of  Christmassy reads that were published last year.

Royal Holiday - Jasmine Guillory (Goodreads)
Have you been reading Guillory's series? I have been and it's been thoroughly enjoyable (you can read my review of The Wedding Party here). Royal Holiday follows Vivian (mom of Maddie, the heroine in The Wedding Party) as she and Maddie travel to England. Vivian hasn't allowed herself much time for life, let alone love, so it's a thrill when she relaxes on the vacation and finds a man. She also finds herself, which was the best part of the story. There's only the smallest hint of Christmas in this book (I think the actual day is skipped over entirely) so you can totally get away with reading this now and you should if you want a fun book to read featuring an amazing heroine.

Christmas by the Lighthouse - Rebecca Boxall (Goodreads)
So...this one was a bit of a dud. I was just...bored? I didn't connect with Summer or Jude so I couldn't really connect with their story. I did like that they were able to really figure themselves out and what they really wanted over the courser of the novel. I just wasn't sure I liked how they went about it? Or how they had ended up in those situations to begin with? The setting was really lovely and how they created their own family was nice too but overall? Major miss.

A Wedding in December - Sarah Morgan (Goodreads)
I love Sarah Morgan and was really excited that she had another holiday novel this (er, last?) year because I adored The Christmas Sisters (review here) in 2018. Her latest featured two sisters and their mother as they all try to get through a wedding (a very surprise wedding, btw). The tricky thing is they're each hiding so many things from the others but over the course of the novel everything gets exposed, for better or for worse. (No wedding pun intended.) The setting - mostly in snow-covered Aspen - was delightfully wintery and I loved reading about all the women in the story. Definitely recommend this romance for a January or February read.

An Alaskan Christmas - Jennifer Snow (Goodreads)
This book isn't remotely Christmassy but, my goodness, I enjoyed it so much. It's a really sweet romance with a super complicated back story for the hero and heroine. They knew each other when they were kids but Erika moved away to the big city and forgot her hometown friends. She's been ordered to take time off from her job at a hospital so, on a whim, she travels back to her hometown and stays with her her childhood BFF, Cassie. Reed is Cassie's brother and he's not happy to see Erika. But, surprise surprise, he's not happy because he's always had feelings for her. It was both fun and frustrating (but in a good way) to read as the two figured their shit out and learned that what they thought was the best life for them may not actually be doing them any good. The setting was lovely (just look at that cover!) and I'm a sucker for small town romances, especially when there's a sort of second chance element to the story. It was a quick read but I enjoyed the time I spent in Wild River, which is good because Snow (who's Canadian!) is writing a series.

Christmas from the Heart - Sheila Roberts (Goodreads)

My final Christmas review book was another dud. Sigh. There was just so much that made me cringe. Olivia runs a non-profit, which I absolutely adored. However. She is SO pushy when it came to Guy and requesting donations and sponsorship which his company had been providing for decades. I understand she thinks her cause is the most important ever but she couldn't grasp that perhaps they decided to donate elsewhere or the company had to cut back due to financial issues. Guy could have handled it better as well. Also? He's kind of a major dick, imo, and I couldn't understand why Olivia could fall for him. And at some point Roberts has him commenting on some woman's "rack"...seriously. That's the term she had him use. WTF? And don't even get me started on Olivia's friend Morris. That whole situation is terrible and ugh. He's in love with her but she doesn't feel that way for him but he thinks she should and pressures her to date because of all the things he's done for her and he could be so good for her. UGH. I know I'm not normally so negative in these reviews but the whole book left me feeling icky instead of festive.

Bonus: Finding Christmas - Karen Schaler (Goodreads)

This novel was really cute. Schaler is the woman behind the Netflix sensation The Christmas Prince (which I've watched and I definitely enjoy her books more). I was supposed to attend an event hosted by HarperCollins Canada when Schaler visited Toronto but we were hit with a majorly dangerous ice storm and my friend and I weren't able to make the drive to the city. HCC sent us copies of the book though so I was able to enjoy the adorably festive novel. Bookmark this one for next Christmas because it's full of holiday feels and it's best read curled up next to the Christmas tree with a mug of hot chocolate. 

Mini Reviews: Contemporary YA Edition

Raise your hand if you have a library card. And raise the other if you use it frequently. *looks around* Good. Glad to see many of you using your library. I, like many voracious readers, don't have the funds to buy all the books I'd like to read. Enter my public library. I use it a lot for book club books and any of the YA titles I want to read but don't get for review. This summer I read two wonderful contemporary YA novels that I really wanted to talk (read: flail) about on the blog.

My YA reading is pretty much restricted to contemporary YA books these days and even then it's only a certain few authors that I make the time for (so many books, so little time). I put Morgan Matson's Save the Date on hold as soon as it was available and was anxiously waiting for it to come in. I honestly didn't even know what the book was about (but you can read the synopsis here) but Matson has become an autoread author for me in recent years. I had the chance to go to a meet and greet before her first ever Canadian tour date where my blogger friend Tiff - from Mostly YA Lit - interviewed her. But...I have a new job and only so much wiggle room on asking for time off plus I'm not super close to where the event was happening. *sobs*

This book was pretty much impossible for me to put down and I had it finished in a weekend. It was smart, funny, and genuine - things I look for in almost every book I read. I was completely sucked into Charlie's life and, as is usual when I read YA books these days, I found myself wanting to play the big sister to Charlie and help her figure out her life. I'm the eldest in real life anyway, plus I'm so much older than the teens I'm reading about now, so it's inevitable that I'll start feeling protective of these girls. Even though I wanted to swoop in and tell her what I thought she should do, I knew she had a great head on her shoulders and she'd figure out on her own what the best path for her would be. That's what being a teenager is all about, isn't it? Making your mistakes, learning from them, and growing as a person.

The Canadians in the crowd will definitely understand me when I say the cartoon Charlie's mom drew totally reminded me of For Better or For Worse, a strip by Lynn Johnston that I was obsessed with growing up (seriously, I still have the book collections). Charlie's mom's strip Grant Central Station, like FBorFW, shows the characters aging in real time. Plus, there were older siblings and a much younger sibling (or siblings) in both, and a dog. I clearly was on the right track because this came up during the event I missed and Tiff, with her amazing recap, mentioned it. LOVE.

Finally, I loved that this book was about Charlie and her family (as well as a little bit about her friends). The boy troubles were totally realistic because, hello, she's 18 and interested in boys so of course they're going to come up in her life. But they weren't the point of the story. She very much was figuring out herself and her place in her family and the world in general. The love story was secondary (but no less welcome).

   *   *   *   

I also try to make time for really great books I wouldn't necessarily read when bloggers I trust can't stop talking about them. This time it was Ginger (of GReads!) flailing about Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian. (Synopsis is here on Goodreads) I wholeheartedly trust Ginger's opinion so on the reserve list it went and I happily dived in when it arrived. And oh - how sweet it was!

These novels were actually quite similar (which is kind of fun/odd because the two authors are friends). Both stories featured smart, funny, sort of shy girls who had just finished or were finishing high school and were looking forward to their next step - college. Every summer I always find myself thinking of the year I was getting ready to go to university and how much of a big deal that summer was. I had some major changes that year, just like Amelia and Charlie. I finished high school, was finishing my final summer at the library where I had worked all through high school (and wanted to work at since I was little, just like Amelia with the ice cream shop), and I started dating someone new even though he was staying behind for another semester and I was moving 2+ hours away. (Spoiler alert: we're still together 13 years later.) That summer between high school and university/college is just so magical and I really, really love reading stories set during that time - especially when they're so amazing. Stay Sweet was great and I am SO GLAD I made the time to read it.

I'm a big ice cream fan (Revelation: I don't know if I can fully trust anyone who isn't...) but I also try to make sure I only eat really good ice cream. I could totally identify with the popularity of Meade Creamery and found myself constantly comparing it to a local ice cream shop I was introduced to a year or so after moving to the area I'm in now - Avondale Dairy Bar. Not only do they both have the family run business feel but I pretty much only see teenagers working at Avondale and most of them are girls, just like at Meade Creamery. I adored that only girls were allowed to work at the ice cream shop and couldn't get enough of Amelia describing how they all helped each other out and the older girls were like another set of older sisters for the newbies. It was also feminist AF and I loved one scene where Grady says Amelia is being bossy and she totally calls him out on it and tells him he's being rude. He immediately apologizes. (Also - I'm writing this almost a month after reading it so I'm kinda paraphrasing.)

I really loved Amelia - probably because she reminded me a lot of myself at that age. Only she's way more confident than I was and had a better sense of her future than I did. (Hell, than I do now at 31.)

Overall, these two books are MUST. READS. for your summer. Or fall. Or holiday. Just read them. And gift them to all the teens in your life because every reader needs to meet Charlie and Amelia because they are absolutely amazing characters. And suddenly I'm craving ice cream...but what else is new?

Mini Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Yes, I know, I know. I had not actually read any of John Green's novels prior to March (note: obviously it's been awhile since I read and wrote this...). It's most surprising because I love contemporary YA and that's Green's thing. I figured with the The Fault in Our Stars movie coming out soon I should probably get around to reading the book. After waiting a bazillion years for the book to come in at the library, I finished it in just a few hours. And I loved it.

Here's the synopsis:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Since I haven't been living under a rock, I knew this book was going to make me cry. In fact, I posted this picture on Instagram the day I started it, with the caption "I'm about to (finally) read THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. Will a full box of tissues be enough?"

The consensus of my Facebook and Instagram friends was no. I would definitely need more tissues! So even though I was prepared and had an idea of what was going to happen, I still found myself with tears streaming down my face. People were right. This is a tearjerker! But, it's not quite as depressing as you may think. I know reading about two teenagers who have cancer isn't exactly anyone's idea of fun but Green has written, what I think is, a fairly realistic portrayal of what teens and their families would be going through.

Hazel and Augustus aren't your normal teens and while I suppose some may criticize the way they talk as being unrealistic, I think it makes sense. These kids are faced with one of the worst things in life, cancer, and they have to grow up fast. So, I liked the way Hazel and Augustus talked and interacted with each other. I loved that they were extremely clever (both smart and funny) teens. And that they sometimes Talked in Capital Letters. They were just amazing characters to read about and get to know and fall in love with. Which what makes it so much harder to read.

There are some really amusing bits throughout the book. One of the lines that almost made spit out my tea was this one:

See? Clever girl.

There's probably not much else that I can say that others haven't. The Fault in Our Stars is a great book. I don't think it glamorizes cancer nor do I think teens shouldn't be exposed to such a book (I actually want to rage when I hear people say that). I'm excited for the movie and I think Shailene Woodley is going to nail it as Hazel. If you haven't checked out the (first) trailer, you can watch it here. I don't really have the urge to run out and read the rest of Green's novels though...none of the others really appeal to me. Maybe some day! What about you? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Bunch of Mini Reviews 7

This edition of mini reviews is a mix of my own book (one) and library books (two). I'm still trying to use my library as much as possible even though there are some books I want to own myself. It's also a good way to break out of my comfort zone as it allows me to get some of the YA I've been missing out on. Without further ado, here is my seventh installment of mini reviews!

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (synopsis)

Before every Ontario Blogger Meet-Up, a massive file is started with lists of books bloggers have to give away or trade. I always peruse the list but I don't have much to offer nor do many books appeal to me because the vast majority of titles are YA. This year though, I saw that Wendy had Dash and Lily's Book of Dares up for grabs and she was willing to give it to me. Yay! I'm so glad she did because it was such a cute and enjoyable read!
I was hooked on this story as soon as I read the first few lines:

Imagine this:
You're in your favorite bookstore, scanning the shelves. You get to the section where a favorite author's books reside, and there, nestled in comfortably between the incredibly familiar spines, sits a red notebook.
What do you do?The choice, I think, is obvious:
You take down the read notebook and open it.
And then you do whatever it tells you to do. (page 1)

Doesn't that intrigue you? I loved that Dash and Lily met because of a scavenger hunt Lily thought up. I totally wanted to take part! I think the hunt exposed more of themselves and their personalities than Lily had intended but it was really great to read along as they learned more about each other and, oh so slowly, fell for each other.
I don't think this is a book that everyone will love though - and I think it's because of the characters. This is probably going to sound harsh/weird/judgmental but bear with me! This book was published in 2010, before the whole hipster scene became a popular thing. I mention this because Dash and Lily are total hipsters in training and that is going to rub a lot of people the wrong way (like my sister, for instance. I think she'd enjoy the story but she would have really disliked the characters, especially Dash). I was fine with it because these types of characters aren't often the focus of novels. I love Sarah Dessen and everything (fave author ever) but her main characters all have similar characteristics. Dash and Lily broke the average character mold and that was really enjoyable to read.
I liked that there was a touch of Christmas cheer (or anti-cheer in Dash's case) in this novel. Because it was a short read, it made it a perfect book for me to read over Christmas. I started it Christmas Eve and finished it in the wee hours of Boxing Day and it was delightful.
If you're looking for a different sort of contemporary YA read, check out Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. It was cute and a lot of fun!

Takedown Twenty - Janet Evanovich (synopsis)

I've been reading Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series for some time now - probably about ten years. Which is half the time the books have been around. Yes, my friends, One for the Money was released a whopping twenty years ago in 1994. I've been saying for awhile that I just kind of wished this series would end. I'm not loving it like I used to and it's gone on for so long. To be blunt...I'm sure the only reason this series is still being written and published is because it's making money. And that bugs me because there are so many other (better) novels out there that aren't getting the time of day because books like these are front and centre at the store. But that's an issue for another day...
Basically, I didn't love Takedown Twenty. It had the same humour and hijinks you'll always find in an Evanovich novel, particularly her Stephanie Plum series, and I found that kind of boring. My favourite part of the book had to do with the giraffe that was running around Trenton. I'm sure I would have found this amusing even if giraffes weren't one of my favourite animals but because they are, I found myself looking forward to every scene featuring Kevin (Lula decided the giraffe looked like a Kevin...she became quite attached to him).
I've decided that I will not read another Stephanie Plum book until I know it's the last one (so someone let me know, K?). You can't fault me for that...I need to know who she finally chooses! Will it be Morelli or Ranger? Until then, I'll pass on Plum's adventures because there are other books I'd rather spend my time on. I know tons of people will read this and enjoy it and that's totally fine. I am not one to judge what others read, trust me. I'm just done with Stephanie until Evanovich is.

Ten Tiny Breaths - K.A. Tucker (synopsis)

Now this should have been my first read of 2014. I could not put Ten Tiny Breaths down. I was hooked! Tucker created a really addictive story and interesting characters in the first of this series.
I did have a couple of problems with it and that's why I didn't give it five stars. It looks like I'm joining others who are not a fan of instalove. I haven't read a ton of books that are like this but as much as I know instant attraction can exist (I'm looking at you, lust), it was sort of hard to get over how quickly Kacey and Trent fell for each other. Another thing that kind of bugged me had to do with the big revelation that I saw coming and you probably will too but I can't say much more about it because I don't want to spoil anything. I just couldn't really see how Kacey could forgive such a huge lie. Everything else I can understand but the lying to her was hard to take.
I did appreciate that there were some serious issues addressed in this book and it wasn't all about the relationship. Kacey has some major problems to sort out thanks to the car accident she was in that killed her parents, her best friend, and her boyfriend. I think Tucker did a good job of showing how PTSD can really affect a person and how different people react to it in different ways.
I also like that the cover doesn't look like your typical New Adult cover (which tend to look like romance covers but with models who are in their twenties). Kudos to whoever approved that!
Even though I had a few issues, I really loved this book. I'll eventually read the next two books in the series, One Tiny Lie and Four Seconds to Lose, but I think I might wait a little while because they feature different characters and I want to stay with just Kacey and Trent for a little while longer.

Bunch of Mini Reviews 6: You Guessed It, More Library Books

This edition of library books mini reviews features two books I read ages ago and have since read the next book in the series as well as a holiday book. It's a diverse post with something for everyone!

Dare You To - Katie McGarry (synopsis)

I originally wanted to read this series because I had heard the male main character in book two was a baseball player. Why? Because my boyfriend is also a ball player and I find that there aren't nearly enough baseball playing characters in books these days. Then, I read the first book in the series (I have to go in order!), Pushing the Limits, and was sucked in. I wanted to love the second as much as I loved the first but I didn't quite have all the feels like I had before.
I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't love Dare You To as much as the first. I wonder if my issue was with how supremely messed up Beth was. Her home life is brutal. I can't even imagine how awful it'd be to live her life. Or Ryan's life, for that matter. His family is picture perfect on the outside but there are some serious issues there, behind closed doors. His father was a hard character to like and get a read on. I like that the story was realistic, portraying all kinds of lifestyles (sadly, kids like Beth exist) but I had to wonder: how real is too real? The characters in this series are seriously screwed up. Drugs and abuse feature prominently and I, at 26, found it hard to read. That being said, I was a really sheltered teen. I'm a small town girl and I was so naive when I was young. Would I have fully understood this book if I had read it at 16? Doubtful. (I thought the same thing in my review of Sarah Dessen's Dreamland.) This isn't a "teens are too young to read about tough subjects" kind of rant. Trust me, teens should read whatever they want. They can handle it, though they might not get it. I just wonder if maybe some of the tough subjects are taking things too far and aren't explained well enough. Both Beth and Echo, from Pushing the Limits, are so completely faithful to their moms even though each mother is destroying their daughter. I don't think either book showed the girls really getting the help they needed since they were both too closed off. Nitpicky? Maybe. But it was something that stuck with me that I just couldn't shake.
In a way, I like that McGarry held back some information - why Ryan's brother isn't around, what's in Beth's mom's apartment, etc. - but it drove me a little crazy waiting to find out what these "big secrets" were.
I really did like getting to know Beth more. In Pushing the Limits she was such a standoffish character that I wondered how on earth I would enjoy her story. Even though I had issues, I did like reading about her. It was heartbreaking to read about her life and watch as her uncle, Ryan, and Lacy tried to get through to her.
Dare You To is a tough read but it's a good one. I really liked reading about Ryan and Beth's relationship and seeing her realize she can rely on people to help her. I'd still recommend that people read book two before three (Crash Into You which I loved - full review here) because it will help you understand how Beth and Isaiah's relationship ends up.

Star Crossed - Jennifer Echols (synopsis)

When I came across Echols' Stargazer series one night while poking around NetGalley, I got really excited. The first reason was because I read some of her YA books when I was younger and loved them (particularly the Boy Next Door series). The other reason was because this series was all about characters who work in PR. I love reading about people in PR. I think it's because it's something I'd like to do but I don't think I am actually cut out to be a publicist. I don't have the right personality. So, after finding the series, I requested book two and went to my library the next day to pick up the first book. I read the majority of this book on a recent train ride into Toronto and I was hooked. I was so into it that I actually wished the ride was longer and was afraid I'd miss my stop on my way home. So. Good.
I liked that the story didn't focus too much on the romance. It was just part of the larger work/personal storyline. There was also a surprisingly dark part of the overall story. I think that also helped this book from being too fluffy or romance heavy. I already knew I was completely invested in the story and the characters but I realized to what extent when I had to walk through an almost empty parking lot at midnight and I was worried the bad guy from the book was going to come after me!
The sneak peek into the lives of the stars was entertaining. Wendy and Daniel's clients, Lorelei and Colton respectively, seemed like your typical twenty one year old stars and they were crazy without being too over the top. As a reader we got to experience some of the glitz and glamour of Vegas and that was fun.
Finally, a final note about the romance between Daniel and Wendy. I knew it was going to happen but it was not at all predictable. Echols threw in enough twists to keep me on my toes. Also, a word of caution for those who don't like sex in their books, this book is steamy! Whew! There aren't many of those scenes (3 or 4 at most) but they're explicit enough that some people might not like it. And your teenage daughter who has read Echols' other works should not be reading it! :)
I loved reading Star Crossed and I cannot wait to dive into book two, Playing Dirty. It will feature Wendy's friend and colleague, Sarah. I'm interested to see how that one works out!
Update: I wrote this well before I read Playing Dirty and you can read my full review of book two here.

The Gift - Cecelia Ahern (synopsis)

The Gift is a book I’ve been meaning to read for awhile. It was released in 2008 and it’s always been on my radar because I love Ahern but I just never got around to picking it up. I was at the library a few weeks ago and they had their Christmas books all out on display (one of my favourite things) and there, sitting on the shelf, was The Gift. I couldn’t leave without it so I took it home with me. This is a novel that really makes you think. It makes you consider the true meaning of Christmas and of life. It’s heavy but it’s good.

Like a lot of Ahern’s work, there is a magical element to this story. When businessman Lou meets homeless man Gabriel, or Gabe as his friends call him, we know that there’s something more going on – even if Lou doesn’t. 

I also liked how Ahern told the story. The book opens with a teenage boy throwing a turkey through the window of a family home and then we move to the police station (since, obviously, tossing frozen fowl into houses is frowned upon). This is when we realize that there’s going to be more to this story than just a turkey, two police officers, and a business man. Sergeant Raphael O’Reilly is essentially narrating the story for us as well Turkey Boy. Every few chapters the story goes back to the holding cell, O’Reilly, and Turkey Boy and we get more insight into what really happened that day. This may sound like it could be frustrating but it all worked together really well.

I desperately wanted Lou to figure out how badly he was screwing up his life. We could see it, his family could see it, mysterious homeless man Gabe could see it…but he couldn’t. And, of course, if you can’t see your problem you aren’t going to fix it. I hoped for a different ending but deep down I knew I wouldn’t get it. And that was ok because then this story wouldn’t have had the impact that it did.

The Gift isn’t your typical Christmas book. It’s not really full of holiday cheer but it does make you think about how you spend your time, especially around the holidays. Are you rushing around like Lou trying to get a million things done at once? Or are you pausing to enjoy the season with your family and friends. Cecelia Ahern’s novel makes you think twice about what you’re doing with your life and I really liked that.

Mini Review: The Midwife of Venice

Surprising news: I haven't read a really good historical fiction in awhile! This month's Retreat by Random House Book Club pick is The Midwife of Venice and they're having a chat with author Roberta Rich tonight. Fun! So, I figured it was as good a time as any to finally read this book. I had actually been given it by the publicist when I was interning at Random House earlier this year. She knew what kinds of books I liked and when I was helping her clean out her office bookshelves she thrust a copy at me and said "Read this! You'll like it!" And she was right - I ended really enjoying this novel! Thanks Adria! :)

Here's the synopsis (I've summarized the ridiculously long synopsis that you can find on Goodreads):

Hannah Levi is a sixteenth-century Venetian midwife. A Christian count comes to her home in the Jewish ghetto pleading for her to look after his wife who has been in labour for days and is nearing death. Jews are prohibited from providing medical treatment to Christians but Hannah cannot bear to let the woman die. She negotiates an enormous fee so she can save her husband, Isaac, who has been captured in Malta. Will Hannah save the Countess and the baby? Will she escape persecution? Will Isaac survive as a slave?

This novel was so dramatic but it totally worked. I was on the edge of my seat and was worried about what would happen to the characters. That being said, I kind of wish we didn't get Isaac's point of view. It showed what life was like as a slave in Malta, sure, but it wasn't really necessary. I wish there had been more of Hannah. 

I found the historical portions of the novel to be so interesting. I had no idea what a sixteenth century woman, let alone a Jewish midwife, would have to deal with. I knew it was just a story but Rich included so many details that made things realistic and informative. In fact, I'm interested enough to do some more reading on the time period.  

I really enjoyed reading The Midwife of Venice but there were a few things that were a little too convenient (things that will give away some details so I'm not mentioning them!) so those things might irk historical fiction fans. These little issues didn't really bother me and I'd still recommend Roberta Rich's debut novel. I'm so excited for the chat tonight. I also cannot wait to read the sequel, The Harem Midwife and find out what happens to the couple!

Bunch of Mini Reviews 5: Yet Another Library Edition

Yes, folks, it's another round of mini reviews featuring books I got from my library! This edition includes two YA books that are part of a series (but not the same series...very different ones, in fact) and an adult novel I've been meaning to read for years.

Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry (synopsis)

I hadn't heard much about this first book in the series but when the second, Dare You To, was released I realized every YA blogger was talking about it. Once I heard book #2 had a baseball player as the love interest, I put a reserve in at my library for book #1, Pushing the Limits.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this book. In fact, I actually thought that it was a New Adult book when I had first heard about the series. Nope, YA. The characters are still in high school. Once I realized that, I prepared myself for some overly angsty...er...angst. Happily, it didn't come. Sure, the situations Echo and Noah are in are extremely dramatic, and I'd hope not many teens would have to deal with those kinds of issues, but McGarry does a good job of making it realistic and relatable.
As many bloggers like to say, this book had all the feelings. Really. I was constantly feeling up and down and sideways because I was so invested in these characters. Echo and Noah were real people to me. They were just kids. Kids who had been dealt an incredibly shitty hand in life but were just trying to make it work while also dealing with the normal agonies of high school.
I really liked Pushing the Limits. At times the situations are so hard to take but I think that's what makes it so great. Author Katie McGarry doesn't shy away from issues. She presents them head on because she knows her readers can handle it. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Dare You To, which has Noah's friend Beth as the heroine and the aforementioned baseball player as the hero. I must say that I'm not sure how I feel about this because I wasn't too crazy about Beth and it seemed like her romance was already set up at the end of Pushing the Limits. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for the next book to become available for me at the library!

Austenland - Shannon Hale (synopsis)

This novel has been out since 2007 and I've probably been meaning to read it since it was released. Most of you know that I'm an Austen fan so it's probably surprising that I haven't read it. It's partly due to the fact that I couldn't buy it in store. Seriously. Chapters just didn't carry it. I thought about buying it when I was in the States last year and at a Barnes and Noble but I decided to pass on it. I could have ordered it when I made other online orders but I just never did. I decided to finally request it from the library because there's going to be a movie and I didn't want anything spoiled for me. Unfortunately, I accidentally found out who is playing Jane, the main character, so I wasn't able to form my own picture of her in my head. Oh well!
I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy this one simply because I had been waiting eons to read it. Happily, I ended up really liking it. It was a quick read (it was a much smaller book than I expected!) but an enjoyable one. My favourite part about it was that it was funny - a clever funny, just like Austen's novels. I found myself laughing out loud at numerous parts. Example A:

"I wasn't aware until this precise and awkward moment that when startled in a strange place, my instincts would have me pretend to be a ninja."

Example B:

"It's not something you tell your single best friend. It's like rubbing your nose in the poop of my happiness."

Sorry, no page numbers as I just tweeted the lines and didn't make a proper note. Just rereading those lines make me giggle again.
All in all, I liked reading Austenland. Shannon Hale didn't blow my mind with her story but it was clever and cute and had great Austen-esque touches. Plus, it had probably the best dedication ever:

What's not to love about that? Now I can watch the trailer, read the news about the movie, and check out the sequel, Midnight in Austenland. Fun!

Insurgent - Veronica Roth (synopsis)

I couldn't wait to dive into book two of this series. I rushed to the library as soon as I found out it was in but I had to put off reading it until I had finished some others - so hard to do! I had heard that the second book wasn't as good as Divergent but I still really enjoyed it.
It's very much a war book - lots of death and dealing with the aftermath (emotionally and physically). Tris is still reeling from what she had to do at the end of the first book and I don't blame her one bit. There were so many heart wrenching moments that I think were well written.
There were a few occasions when Tris' age was brought up. Sometimes she's referred to as a child, sometimes an adult (reminder: she's sixteen). I don't know if it was intentional but I'm glad it was part of the story because it helps the reader remember that she's a young girl having to deal with issues she shouldn't have to (which builds from the above point).
This review was a lot harder to write than I thought! I think it's because I don't want to give anything away and it's one of those cases where I just loved it so I don't know what to say!
There are still many questions that need to be answered as Insurgent was left on a bit of a cliffhanger. I had planned my reading of this series so I wouldn't have to wait too long for the third and final book, Allegiant, to be released but I'm already wishing the days would move faster! The book will be published on October 22 (a month yesterday!!) and I am second in line for my library...and I just checked and there will be two copies. I'll still have to wait for the book to be processed but at least I'll get it!

Happy reading :)

Bunch of Mini Reviews 4: Another Library Edition

I have another round of mini reviews for you! Once again, this features three library books...and they couldn't be more different. I've got a dystopian YA, a women's fiction, and a mystery that turns out to have been written by J.K. Rowling. It's always good to have a little variety in life, right? And happily, all three of these novels were really good reads!

Divergent - Veronica Roth (synopsis)

This is another one of those YA novels that's been on my radar for ages but I just didn't feel like picking it up. I didn't really think I'd enjoy it and I had all sorts of other (adult) books to read. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started reading it because I couldn't remember what it was about (I don't reread the synopsis before starting a book), I just knew that I wanted to see what all the excitement was about. Plus, the fact that it's being made into a movie helped make me finally read it.
The world we see in Divergent is similar to one that we've seen in other novels - a sort of post-apocalyptic/dystopian America that has found a new way to govern themselves, usually by separating the citizens into groups. In this book, we find ourselves in what used to be Chicago. I mention this because I enjoyed the little references that gave away the location. But we don't really know what the rest of the world (aka the US) is up to and how they're managing.
I really liked Tris. I don't know if I'd say she's a great female character (she's a little hard on herself when it comes to her looks, which I think is ridiculous and is a trend with these types of books) but she's definitely not the worst. She discovers a strength in herself that she didn't realize she had but she struggles with it too.
Was I completely obsessed with this book like so many others are? Not really. I didn't want to put it down, though, and I'm eager to read the next two books. I think it's probably best to go into reading this one without comparing it to any of the other, similar, series out there. Enjoy it for it what it is on its own. Divergent was a really enjoyable read and a great book to pick up if you're looking to start a new series.

Big Girl Panties - Stephanie Evanovich (synopsis)

I was looking forward to reading this novel because I wanted a good, sort of light, funny read. I was worried though because a fellow blogger tried to read this book and couldn't get past the first few chapters. Happily, I found that Evanovich delivered what I was looking for and I really enjoyed reading this book.
I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Logan's friend Chase played baseball for the New York Kings. Not the Yankees but the Yankees. Confused? I know baseball and I know the AL East well since I live in Canada and that's the division our only team is in. What I can't understand is why the author named the Blue Jays and the Red Sox but decided to rename the Yankees. My first thought was that there's some sort of copyright situation and she'd have to pay a bazillion dollars to use the name. If so, naming them the Kings? Is that because she truly believes the team to be the King of the MLB? Because if it is, I feel like I should dislike her and her book on principle! ;) Or is it because she was writing about a fictional player she thought she should rename the team? All I know is that I'm way too interested in this aspect of the novel. I NEED TO KNOW!
Thinking back on it, there were some aspects of the novel (mostly characteristics of Holly and Logan) that were a tad...irksome, let's say. It frustrated me that Logan was being so stupidly shallow and I thought she deserved better than that. She was doing so well and moving on with her life and I was worried Logan would end up being a world class jerk and hurt her. I could see that they had chemistry, though, and they were good when they were together so I was rooting for them to figure out their problems.
I think you'll enjoy this novel if you go in expecting exactly what it is - a humorous women's fiction novel. It's so much more than the romance between Holly and Logan. It's about being good to yourself and figuring out what you want in life. It was sweet, not too heavy, and quite funny at times. In fact, I was reminded of Jennifer Weiner at times while reading this book. Mostly because Weiner has written about heroines who have weight issues but also because of the tone of the novel itself. Big Girl Panties should be on your end of summer reading list!

The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith (synopsis)

Once the news broke that this novel was actually written by J.K. Rowling I hopped on over to my library's site and reserved it. I was lucky as I was twelfth in line. A few days later the requests were up past 80! They only had one copy though so I had to wait patiently for my turn with this book.
I had no idea what to expect with this novel. I don't read a lot of  mystery/detective stories but I told myself that since I enjoy movies like that every once and awhile, I would probably like the book. Turns out I was right. The novel was fabulous.
I think the best part was the mystery itself. If you've read Harry Potter you know that Rowling gave tons of little hints throughout the series that you didn't realize were hints until you finished the last book. This novel was like that too. I had no idea who could be the murderer and I was anxious to figure it out. I, for one, was surprised to find out the truth at the end. It was great! Er, as great as things could be when there are possible murderers hanging around...
I must say that it did take me a little while to read this book. It's not slow, exactly, but there's a lot of investigating that needs to be done that I think slows things down. All the info that's uncovered is interesting but you have no idea how it fits into the overall story.
If you're at all interested in the story pick up The Cuckoo's Calling. It was a really well told and interesting detective story and I hope Rowling continues with the series. I'd like to see what Strike and Robin get up to next!

Bunch of Mini Reviews 3: Library Edition

It's time for another round of mini reviews! I've been using my local library a lot lately because I'm trying to cut back on spending (on everything, not just books) and I already own a bazillion books that I haven't read yet. At one point this summer I think I had nine books reserved! Here are three I've read recently. Enjoy!

Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walters (synopsis)

I had heard so many good things about this novel since it was released last summer. I thought it sounded alright but wasn't too sure how I'd feel about it. After it came across my path a few times recently I decided to request it from my library.
I have to say that I was disappointed in this novel. It's not like I had high expectations for it, I just was surprised that there wasn't more drawing me in. The characters didn't do anything for me - and there were a lot of them. I was annoyed by the constant change in time, too. There are scenes from 1945, '62, '67, '78, '07, '08, and "recently", with most taking place in 1962 and recently. There was also a movie pitch chapter (about a guy in the 1800s), and two book chapter chapters. It was just too fragmented for me.
What I did like, however, was the film history aspect of the novel. The parts in 1962 are occurring because of the epic Cleopatra so it was fun to think about what it would have been like if this was true.
Beautiful Ruins wasn't a bad novel and I can see why it received so much praise. It just wasn't for me.
Now, here's something that doesn't really have much to do with the story but I want to note it. Take another look at the cover of this one, note the author's name, and read the synopsis here. I will wait. *hums tunelessly* Would you be surprised to learn that Jess Walters is, in fact, a man? I was. It's sort of a reverse genderflip (see this article for a crash course in what I'm talking about). My point is that we're so used to seeing bright colours and rounded, almost cursive, script on covers of books by women that even I assumed that this book was by a female (though, to be fair, I don't know a single male Jess). I just found it interesting and wanted to share!

Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger - Beth Harbison (synopsis)

I've always heard good things about Harbison in the chick lit world (and even have one of her previous books on my shelf) so I reserved her latest at my library to see what she was all about.
I read this one in one day and it was sweet and fun. However, it's not super amazing and I wonder what her fans think of this book compared to her others. I think I was expecting a little more and, while I did enjoy reading this book, it's kind of forgettable. Does that sound harsh and negative? I suppose it does. There just wasn't anything about this story that really stood out for me. I had the ending pegged from the start. I can usually look past that predictability within my favourite genre if there's a really good journey or twists but this book didn't quite have that.
I think one of my favourite parts was the challenge Quinn's best friend, Glenn, set up for her. He gave her a task every day that was something out of her comfort zone (going commando day and day drunk day had some amusing results).
I also really liked the small town aspect of this novel. I loved that Quinn owned a bridal shop and designed and sewed custom wedding dresses and that Glenn worked right next door at a wine and cheese shop (er..it may have been just a cheese shop..). The connection Quinn has with Frank and Burke's grandmother's farm is really great, too.
I still think that this book a good read overall. I enjoyed Quinn's story and I think others would too.

Inferno - Dan Brown (synopsis)

I put myself on the massive waiting list for Brown's latest (well after the fact...not really sure why I didn't request it the minute I knew it was being released) and waited patiently for it to be my turn. I probably could have read it in one day but there were parts in the middle that really dragged for me and I found myself putting it aside for chunks of time. I think my problem was that I let all the negative talk about Brown get into my head. Since I've been paying more attention to the literary/publishing/bookish world in the last couple of years I've seen how some authors get slammed because they don't live up to some sort of standard. I know this is silly and that these books can be really enjoyable but it still affected me. Annoying, I tell you.
I did eventually get past it and I was reminded, close to the end of the book, why I enjoy Brown's novels. He does a good job of completely surprising you. I thought things were all wrapped up and all the surprises were revealed. Nope. Not even by a long shot. Things were cleverly hidden and I would have kept reading to find out exactly what happened had it not been close to midnight.
I found it incredibly irritating that Sienna was constantly being referred to as pretty. I swear, every other description of her included "pretty" or "attractive". It was kind of ridiculous. We know Langdon always solves the mystery with a hot girl, we get it. Let's move on!
I think the other thing I didn't like as much about this one was the mystery (and is probably also the reason I didn't love the last book) itself. I like history but I really like art history and I think that's what I enjoyed about the first two books. Learning about Dante in this book was really interesting but the scientific and villian aspect didn't excite me. In fact, it was kind of terrifying because of the biological things that could happen that we may not even know about.
Overall, Inferno was a good read. Was it my favourite Langdon novel from Brown? No. But it's exactly what you'd expect from him - fast paced, mysterious, and enjoyable.

A Bunch of Mini Reviews

Welcome to my first batch of mini reviews! My friend Natalie over at Browsing Bookshelves does a version of this called Ten Second Reviews and I've "stolen" her idea. I have so many reviews I wanted to write so I could acknowledge the books I read but I lacked a lot of time to do full reviews. I hope you enjoy them!

The Second Assistant - Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
This was one of those early chick lit novels (it was released in 2004) that I had been meaning to read for years but just never got around to it. I saw it at my local library and decided to give it a shot. The novel follows Lizzie as she leaves her political job behind and moves to Hollywood to work as a second assistant to an agent. I found it to be a cross between Lauren Weisberger's novels The Devil Wears Prada (full disclosure: I have yet to read the book but I do love the movie) and Everyone Worth Knowing. I had to keep reminding myself to stop comparing it to her books because just because I read/watched those first doesn't mean that this one wasn't as good. This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger so I really need to get back to the library to get The First Assistant. I had fun reading The Second Assistant and think other chick lit lovers would enjoy this one too.

Best Friends Forever - Jennifer Weiner
I love Jennifer Weiner so when I was looking for an audiobook (my very first audiobook!) for a road trip to Ottawa I was happy to find Best Friends Forever on my library's shelf. My drive was about six hours each way so I wanted to make sure I got a book I knew I'd like and one that would be long enough to last for the majority of my drive. Well. I have a bone to pick with my library. I knew to check to see if it was abridged or not, I'm not totally new. However, the part of the jacket/case that said it was abridged was cut off and I didn't realize it was adapted for audio until it was finished. And I still had four hours of driving ahead of me. Le sigh. Anyway. That's not really the point. The point is that this was a great read, er, listen. It had a serious plot (check out the Goodreads page to get an in depth synopsis) that discussed weight issues, assault, friendships, mental illness, and infidelity. I was invested in the characters, especially Addie, and wanted everything to work out for them. Apparently I really wanted to read this one because I discovered a hard copy on my shelf a week later that I bought at a book sale last year. *Facepalm* Final verdict of this novel: read it. It was a good one.

A Life That Fits - Heather Wardell
I also love Heather Wardell. I have read eight of her twelve novels and I have loved every single one of them. I've put this book in my mini review pile because I'm running out of ways to gush about her books but still wanted to acknowledge this great novel. Alex was an interesting character and one that I enjoyed learning about. I was invested in her attempt to change her life after her boyfriend of fourteen years walks out on her. Romance is never the main focus of Wardell's novels but almost always plays a large role. The romance in this one is probably one of my favourites. It was both sweet and steamy and I was rooting for the couple. One of the things I love about Wardell's novels are the cameos that pop up in each one. I've been bopping around her list so I hadn't realized that I should have already known some of the characters in All At Sea, which I read last October. If you haven't yet tried Wardell's novels I cannot recommend them enough. They're all just so amazing and well written stories. Bonus: her first, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo is free at all ebook retailers (check out Kobo, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.com). You can't lose. Trust me!

Mini Review: Build a Man

I had heard great things about Build A Man by Talli Roland but it took awhile for me to get around to reading it. Now that I have, I can't believe I waited that long! I loved this book!

Here's the synopsis:

The perfect man is out there . . . he just needs a little work.

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

Some of you know that I also write reviews for Novel Escapes (and if you didn't before, now you do!) and I was asked to review Construct A Couple, the second book in the Serenity Holland series (my review is here). I really don't like reading the second (or third) book in a series before reading the first so I set out to get myself a copy of book one. Happily, I was successful (thank you Smashwords!) and I dove right into the book.

I loved Serenity. She was funny and just clueless enough to make things amusing but not frustrating. I noted in my review of book two that she reminded me of Becky Bloomwood from the Confessions of a Shopaholic series. Becky drives me crazy so Serenity had all of her best qualities. I liked that Serenity was real and relatable. I liked her so much that I hated that she was dating such a boring guy. Peter was clearly not good for her and I couldn't wait for her to realize that. Does she? Doesn't she? Read the book to find out ;)

Some other quick thoughts: The whole premise of the book was unique without being too crazy. I loved the budding romance between Serenity and Jeremy. Her best friend is a great BFF. I love books set in London.

I did find that I enjoyed Construct A Couple more than Build A Man so if you read this one and can't feel bothered with reading book two, I strongly encourage you to give it a shot! I was so happy that I had book two on my ereader when I was on a train trip and finished book one. I was able to pick up on Serenity's story without any delay. Unfortunately, now I have to wait for Talli Roland to finish the next book in the Serenity series! In the meantime, I'll have to find more of her novels because she's become one of my favourites.

Happy reading :)