Review of “Sandcastle Beach” (Matchmaker Bay #3) by Jenny Holiday

February 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Holiday, Jenny. Sandcastle Beach. New York: Forever, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1538716571 | $8.99 USD | 432 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

From the USA Today bestselling “master of witty banter” (Entertainment Weekly) comes a hilarious and heartwarming romance about two enemies whose feud turns red-hot.

Maya Mehta will do anything to save her tiny, beloved community theater. Put on musicals she hates? Check. Hire an arrogant former-pop-star-turned-actor? Done. But what Maya really needs to save her theater is Matchmaker Bay’s new business grant. She’s got some serious competition, though: Benjamin “Law” Lawson, local bar owner, Jerk Extraordinaire, and Maya’s annoyingly hot arch nemesis. Let the games begin.

Law loves nothing more than getting under Maya’s skin, and making those gorgeous eyes dance with irritation. But when he discovers the ex-pop star has a thing for Maya, too, Law decides he’s done waiting in the wings-starting with a scorching-hot kiss. Turns out there’s a thin line between hate and irresistible desire, and Maya and Law are really good at crossing it. But when things heat up, will they allow their long-standing feud to get in the way of their growing feelings?

Includes the bonus novella Once Upon a Bride!

In the series

#1 Mermaid Inn

#2 Paradise Cove

Review

2 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jenny Holiday is an author who it seems like I’d like, as all her premises are solid, but this series in particular (the first two of which were my introduction to her work) just rubs me the wrong way, making me question if it’s me not clicking with her work, or if it’s the series in general that’s a miss, given that I did enjoy (while not being massively blown away by) her Hallmark Christmas-style book, but had issues with elements of the previous two in the series, and now found this one to be a complete miss.

The idea of the characters putting on a play is interesting, and probably the highlight in a mostly dull story. The community vibe has been a constant plus for the series, even with all the other flaws.

And I can’t speak to the specifics of the representation, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I did like Holiday’s portrayal of a desi heroine overall, and felt that while she could have been more explicit about it earlier on (not to mention some of the implied representation in the secondary cast), she tried her best without resorting to defining the character based on trauma or stereotypes.

I just didn’t care for Law? He’s basically defined as this arrogant pop star who Maya has enmity with, and I never felt like it made for a convincing enemies-to-lovers dynamic? There was no spark, just an “I don’t like you” sort of vibe that felt pretty one-sided at times. And the transition felt more into lust than anything else, which is a major personal turnoff.

This was a disappointment to cap off (?) a very uneven and underwhelming series. Again, I can’t say how it will impact my approach to Jenny Holiday’s work in the future, as I like her work a lot, even if only in theory. I do also see how it can work for others, given the amount of praise both this and the previous books have received. If you loved the previous two, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick this one up. And if you love a small-town romance with enemies-to-lovers, perhaps you’ll enjoy this more than I did.

Author Bio

Jenny Holiday started writing in fourth grade, when her awesome hippie teacher, between sessions of Pete Seeger singing and anti-nuclear power plant letter writing, gave the kids notebooks and told them to write stories. Most of Jenny’s featured poltergeist, alien invasions, or serial killers who managed to murder everyone except her and her mom. She showed early promise as a romance writer, though, because nearly every story had a happy ending: fictional Jenny woke up to find that the story had been a dream, and that her best friend, father, and sister had not, in fact, been axe-murdered.

From then on, she was always writing, often in her diary, where she liked to decorate her declarations of existential angst with nail polish teardrops. Eventually she channelled her penchant for scribbling into a more useful format. After picking up a PhD in urban geography, she became a professional writer, spending many years promoting research at a major university, which allowed her to become an armchair astronomer/historian/particle physicist, depending on the day. Eventually, she decided to try her hand again at happy endings—minus the bloodbaths. You can follow her on twitter at @jennyholi or visit her on the web at jennyholiday.com.

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Review of “The Bone Maker” by Sarah Beth Durst

February 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Durst, Sarah Beth. The Bone Maker. New York: Harper Voyager, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-0062888631 | 17.99 USD | 496 pages | Fantasy

Blurb

“Durst consistently defies expectations.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived.

Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.

She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.

Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Bone Maker is a stand-alone fantasy with a setup that vaguely resembles that of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn meets Gideon the Ninth, resulting in something that is delightfully unique. And considering I did not have the best first impression of Sarah Beth Durst’s work (a poorly executed romance/sex element in The Queen of Blood was an instant turnoff), I am glad I gave Durat another chance, as she truly shines here.

Older protagonists have become rare in modern fantasy, with a few notable exceptions, so I found it fascinating to follow a cast of characters who had had their days of youthful glory in their past. And the fact that Kreya, who the blurb openly declares has a likely grim story arc ahead of her? Durst is able to get the reader invested in her character, while also posing key questions through Kreya’s inner monologue, about what separates heroes and villains.

The supporting cast is also pretty interesting, and each of the rest of the band has unique talents related to bone making. I will say that not all are fleshed out in equal measure, with the focus being on Kreya, Zera, and a few others. However, given it is a stand-alone novel, I can see why some of these choices were made.

This was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Author Bio

Sarah Beth Durst is the award-winning author of over twenty fantasy books for kids, teens, and adults, including Spark, Drink Slay Love, and The Queens of Renthia series. She won an ALA Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for SFWA’s Andre Norton Award three times. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. For more information, visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

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Review of “The Unexpected Wife” (The 3 Mrs. #1) by Jess Michaels

February 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 2 Comments

Michaels, Jess. The Unexpected Wife. Dallas: The Passionate Pen, LLC, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1947770461 | $4.99 USD | 265 pages | Regency Romance

Blurb

Although Celeste Montgomery was forced into a marriage a year ago, her husband is more often gone than home and she is living a quiet life. Until investigator Owen Gregory shows up at her home to tell her some outrageous news: Her husband has been murdered…and he was also a bigamist, making her the third of three wives.

Owen Gregory was hired to investigate Celeste’s husband, but he never thought it would lead him here, to this beautiful woman whose life he just shattered. Once he determines she couldn’t be the murderer, he asks her to join him in London, in the hopes she can help him solve the crime.

Now they must navigate two other wives, a broken-hearted brother and a duke who keeps poking his nose in as they work to determine who killed Erasmus Montgomery. Not to mention the intense feelings and passionate desires growing between them. But will secrets long held endanger them in ways they never imagined? And will they find a way to save each other before it’s too late?

Review

5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Unexpected Wife is the first in Jess Michaels’ newest series, The 3 Mrs., and it may just be one of my favorites of hers. For one, the premise is a spin on one of my favorites, bringing together the scorned women of a philandering man.

I really felt for Celeste, and how she was basically conned into the marriage by her awful parents, only to find out he was a bigamist after he was murdered. But to see her rightly place the blame at his door, and to immediately form a rapport with the other two women was nice to see, and I hope it continues throughout the series.

Owen is a great hero, and the antithesis of everything she has known. He’s a very good investigator, being smart and level-headed, hence his reluctance at first to get involved with her, but he is also a very caring person and provides a sense of stability for her that she hasn’t had before.

And while Jess Michaels isn’t known for her mystery plots, she crafts an excellent one here, keeping me intrigued throughout. There’s a plot twist towards the end that had my jaw dropping due to how well-thought out it was, and I found it very satisfying overall.

This is a delightful read, and I think fans of historical romances with a bit of mystery will love it.

Author Bio

USA Today Bestselling author Jess Michaels likes geeky stuff, Vanilla Coke Zero, anything coconut, cheese, fluffy cats, smooth cats, any cats, many dogs and people who care about the welfare of their fellow humans. She is lucky enough to be married to her favorite person in the world and live in the heart of Dallas.

When she’s not obsessively checking her steps on Fitbit or trying out new flavors of Greek yogurt, she writes erotic historical romances with smoking hot heroes and sassy heroines who do anything but wait to get what they want. She has written for numerous publishers and is now fully indie and loving every moment of it (well, almost every moment).

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Review of “Monday’s Not Coming” by Tiffany D. Jackson

February 27, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Jackson, Tiffany D. Monday’s Not Coming. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2018.

ISBN-13: 978-0062422675 | $17.99 USD | 435 pages | YA Thriller

Blurb

Jackson’s characters and their heart-wrenching story linger long after the final page, urging readers to advocate for those who are disenfranchised and forgotten by society and the system. (Publishers Weekly, An Anti-Racist Children’s and YA Reading List)

From the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly, Tiffany D. Jackson, comes a gripping novel about the mystery of one teenage girl’s disappearance and the traumatic effects of the truth.

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable–more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried.

When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best–and only–friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

Review

4 stars

Picking up Monday’s Not Coming while on the cusp of a reading slump was a risk, given the messy timeline, but I ultimately found that, while it took a bit to truly understand the structure of the story, I was gripped immediately by the overall concept and Tiffany D. Jackson’s prose style once again.

As Jackson has done in her other work, she draws inspiration from real life, exploring the way the system fails the many missing children. The situation is heartbreaking, and Jackson does a great way of conveying its complexity.

I liked that the story highlighted Claudia and Monday’s friendship, both the good and the bad, and seeing the way Monday’s disappearance impacted Claudia at various points in the narrative/timeline is very moving. There are also some subplots highlighting other issues both they and other members of Monday’s family went through.

This is a powerful read, and I think if you are prepared for the dark subject matter going in, it’s absolutely a must-read, both for teens and adults.

CW: bullying, child abuse, child death, physical and emotional abuse, domestic violence, racism, homophobia

Author Bio

Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times Bestselling author of YA novels including the Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning Monday’s Not Coming, the NAACP Image Award-nominated Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, and her 2020 title GROWN. She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking.

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Review of “A Rogue to Remember” (League of Scoundrels #1) by Emily Sullivan

February 26, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 1 Comment

Sullivan, Emily. A Rogue to Remember. New York: Forever, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1538737309 | $8.99 USD | 261 pages | Victorian Romance

Blurb

In this irresistible historical romance, a seasoned spy sets out to rescue the childhood friend he once loved from a reputation-destroying rumor—only to discover that she is actually the source.

After enduring five interminable seasons, Lottie Carlisle has had enough of shallow London society, her boring little life, and her uncle Alfred’s meddling. When he demands she accept a proposal by the end of next season or else he will choose a husband for her, she devises a plan: create a scandal shocking enough to make her unmarriageable and spend her spinsterhood far enough away in the countryside where no one will ever recognize her.

Alec Gresham hasn’t seen Lottie since he left his childhood friend without a word five years ago. So he’s not surprised to find her furious when he appears on her doorstep. Especially bearing the news he brings: her uncle is dying, her blasted reputation is still intact, and Lottie must return home. As they make the journey back to her family estate, it becomes increasingly clear that the last five years hasn’t erased their history, nor their explosive chemistry. Can Lottie look past her old heartache and trust Alec, or will his secrets doom their relationship once again?

Review

2.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Despite my typical aversion to trying new Regency/Victorian authors due to burnout with the genre, I was cautiously optimistic about A Rogue to Remember, due to the friends-to-lovers plot and the promise of unconventional characters. However, while there are some positives, I largely found this book rather unmemorable.

Emily Sullivan has a way with words, managing to write fairly engaging prose that kept me interested enough in spite of all my other issues. And while I didn’t care a ton for Alec as a whole, he had some secrets that made his arc the more interesting of the two by a slight margin.

Unfortunately, Lottie just wasn’t what I expected. I wanted her to have more of a spine, especially given how she was built up, especially given that Alec could be kind of cruel to her at times. That really put a damper on my belief in their relationship.

And the “spy” element wasn’t included enough to feel relevant, but it also felt like it was included too much simultaneously, if that makes sense?

I’m not opposed to trying another book from Emily Sullivan in the future, as she does have potential, but I feel this was a massive disappointment. I do think that some historical romance fans will still like it, and would encourage you to try it if it piques your interest.

Author Bio

Emily has been an avid reader and writer since childhood and in 2019 won RWA’s Golden Heart award for Best Historical Romance.

She has both a BA and MA in English and her writing has been featured in a variety of print and online publications, including The Southampton Review and The Toast.

Her debut novel, A Rogue to Remember, is the first in a new series coming in March 2021 from Grand Central Forever.

A life-long New Englander, Emily shares her home with her husband, shelves of books, and a piano she should really use more.

Her other talents include baking chocolate chip cookies, correctly identifying guest stars in old Simpsons episodes, and not overwatering her houseplants.

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Review of “Sing Me Forgotten” by Jessica S. Olson

February 26, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Olson, Jessica. Sing Me Forgotten. Toronto, Ontario: Inkyard Press, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-13335147943 | $19.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Fantasy

Blurb

Isda does not exist. At least not beyond the opulent walls of the opera house.

Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stay out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.

But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.

Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.

Review

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The concept for Sing Me Forgotten drew me in instantly: I mean, gender-bent Phantom of the Opera? Yes, please! And it’s not just an homage to the dynamic of the original, but you feel a real sense of the lyrical and musical nature to the story, especially with how it plays into the magic system.

Isda being the equivalent of the “Phantom” is incredibly well done, capturing all her flaws, including the viciousness and spite that feels appropriate to this character archetype, thanks to her background of being ostracized. She’s complex, and there’s no attempt to water her down to appease those who buy into the double standard of “unlikable heroines” versus their more acceptable male counterparts. In spite of it all, I really wanted her to succeed in the same way I did the original Phantom in spite of the questionable things he did, and I was in shock over the trajectory her story took.

Her romance with Emeric is lovely, what with it being a bit more balanced than the original’s Phantom/Christine relationship. They have lovely banter, and he becomes more nuanced as the story goes on. Her relationship with Cyril is also complex, evoking a connection to Quasimodo and Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, although I’m not sure if that was intentional (although the two do share common threads of a Beast-like figure hidden away in Paris).

The one weak spot is in the world building. I got the sense of it being French-inspired, but not actually being set in France. However, I didn’t get a sense of the scope of the setting beyond that.

This is a charming book providing a fresh spin on a well-loved classic. And in spite of its flaws, I think fans of the original will enjoy it, due to the way it pays homage to the original. But even if you don’t love it, or haven’t experienced any incarnation of the story, I think you’ll still get a lot out of it as a story in its own right.

Author Bio

Jessica S. Olson claims New Hampshire as her home, but has somehow found herself in Texas, where she spends most of her time singing praises to the inventor of the air conditioner. When she’s not hiding from the heat, she’s corralling her three wild—but adorable—children, dreaming up stories about kissing and murder and magic, and eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar. She earned a bachelor’s in English with minors in editing and French, which essentially means she spent all of her university time reading and eating French pastries. Sing Me Forgotten is her debut novel.

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Review of “Scandalous Secrets” (Jackson Falls #2) by Synithia Williams

February 25, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 1 Comment

Williams, Synithia. Scandalous Secrets. Toronto, Ontario: HQN, 2020.

ISBN-13: 978-1335013996 | $9.99 USD | 363 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Can they do what’s right…without betraying their hearts?

Senatorial candidate Byron Robidoux always does the right thing. And, after years of focus and dedication, his life and campaign are going exactly to plan—until a blackmailer jeopardizes everything. No one is supposed to know that thirteen years ago, Byron told a lie to protect a college friend. And now that lie could destroy his career…and threaten the woman he never stopped loving.

Zoe Hammond hardly recognizes the refined and handsome politician Byron has become. The last time she saw him, he was the friend who saved her life by claiming to be the father of her unborn baby. For that, she’d do anything for him. Except Byron’s world of wealth, reputation and deceit isn’t a place where Zoe or her daughter belong. But when a menace from the past comes calling again, staying with Byron is best for them all. And, as the searing attraction between them builds, they soon realize some things are worth fighting for…especially love.

In the series

#0.5 The Promise of a Kiss

#1 Forbidden Promises

Review

2 stars

I wasn’t sure about picking up Scandalous Secrets at first, because while I enjoyed the first book, I felt reading about a politician hero was a bit too much to handle, especially in the midst of the increasingly contentious political climate in the US, especially around the 2020 election and its fallout. However, the family drama of the first appealed to me enough that I was willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt.

And in some ways, it works. It’s soapy and angsty, and I love that Zoe and Byron still have feelings for one another, but he needs to focus on his career and image.

The stalking/abusive ex/child kidnapping elements were a bit much, but I can see why some might be upset with them, especially if they went into this not expecting it.

Now, the politics. One of the things that bothered me a lot was the way Williams chose to include it without really delving into the issues. Byron is a candidate from North Carolina, and while it’s never said aloud, he’s implied to be a Democrat. Despite this book being about campaigning and image and whatnot, the opponent (implied to be Republican), wins at the end of the book. Given the fact that the real-life incumbents are Republicans, I ended up doing research into gerrymandering and voter suppression in North Carolina, and while I didn’t dig too deep, it helped me find the answer I was looking for, and it was what I expected. How a romance author could allow her book to end this way, especially with her book releasing in the middle of one of the most heated election cycles ever, is beyond me. Not to mention, so many romance authors teamed up to support Stacey Abrams in her fight against voter suppression in Georgia. Ultimately. the way it was handled just left a bad taste in my mouth and that perhaps I should have followed my gut in this instance.

It’s hard to say who this is for. Some want no politics (at least not the political parties and elections kind) in romance. Others don’t mind it, but would prefer the issues be handled with nuance and a true understanding of the political situation, hence why some of the other more blatant “across the aisle” romances have drawn so much backlash. This book seems to try and walk the line between pleasing both, and I suspect, ended up pleading neither. The other elements redeem this somewhat, even if some may not be for everyone, so if you’re looking for something soapy and melodramatic, maybe you could give it a try, with the caveat that there is some poorly handled political stuff.

Author Bio

Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her first one at the age of 13. It was only natural she would begin penning her own soon after. It wasn’t until 2010 that she began to actively pursue her dream of becoming a published author. She completed her first novel, You Can’t Plan Love, in the fall of 2010 and sold it to Crimson Romance in 2012.

Her novel Making it Real was a USA Today Happily Ever After blog 2015 Must Read Romance and A Malibu Kind of Romance a 2017 RITA finalist. Synithia has also written two books under the pseudonym Nita Brooks.

When she isn’t writing, she works on water quality issues for local government while balancing the needs of her husband and two sons.

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Review of “It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story” by Lauren Morrill

February 24, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Morrill, Lauren. It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-0374306212 | $17.99 USD | 352 pages | YA Contemporary

Blurb

A delicious love story with all the toppings, Lauren Morrill’s It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story is a contemporary YA rom-com about love, friendship, and pizza, perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han.

After her mother gave birth to her in the bathroom of a local pizzeria, Beck has been given the dubious privilege of having minor fame, free pizza for life, and a guaranteed job when she turns sixteen—a job she unfortunately can’t afford to turn down.

Now she’s stuck with her geeky co-workers instead of taking Instagram-ready shots with her best friends (and her epic crush).

But maybe the pizza people aren’t all bad. Maybe that pizza delivery guy is kind of cute. And maybe there’s a way to make this Bathroom Baby thing work for her. Because when disaster strikes the beloved pizza place that’s started to feel like home, she’s going to need a miracle—one that might even mean bringing her two worlds together.

Review

3 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story is straightforward, in that it’s exactly what you see on the tin: it’s a cheesy love story (with some semblance of a self-discovery narrative), but it also involves literal cheese, because pizza. It’s cute, it’s fun, and it makes use of its premise without delving in too deep.

I did like the overall narrative of Beck having to figure out how to be herself when she’s split between two very different groups of people, and having to reckon with the fact that she does need to work because of familial financial struggles, even though her parents are very supportive of her emotionally.

And the romance with Tristan is cute. It’s not epic or anything, but I think it’s nice to have a teen romance that is just normal and allowed to have all the awkwardness mixed with the good moments, as suits a YA contemporary.

I did feel that the story lacked real depth to the characters. I was able to finish the book quickly, but in spite of the issues it attempts to deal with, I just felt very detached from everyone and like it felt fairly superficial.

I enjoyed this book, but I do think this was a case where I’m outside the target demographic, and perhaps someone it was more suited for would appreciate it more.

Author Bio

Lauren Morrill is the author of six YA novels. NPR called her latest novel, Better Than the Best Plan, “a perfect summer read.” Active on social media, Mashable called her “one of those rare authors who tweets more about others’ books than her own.” Her publicist would like her to tweet a little bit more about her own books. She’s working on it. Lauren grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, graduated with two degrees from Indiana University, spent four years playing roller derby in Boston, and now lives in Macon, Georgia with her husband and two sons.

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Review of “Network Effect” (The Murderbot Diaries #5) by Martha Wells

February 24, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Wells, Martha. Network Effect. New York: Tor.com, 2020.

ISBN-13: 978-1250229861 | $26.99 USD | 350 pages | Science Fiction

Blurb

Martha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, The Death of the Necromancer, the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, The Murderbot Diaries series, media tie-ins for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won a Nebula Award, two Hugo Awards, two Locus Awards, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the BSFA Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. Her books have been published in eighteen languages.

In the series

#1 All Systems Red

#2 Artificial Condition

#3 Rogue Protocol

#4 Exit Strategy

Review

4.5 stars

I learned about Murderbot thanks to a couple BookTubers, and was intrigued both by the unique premise of a rogue antisocial AI with a dark past and the creative series structure of starting off with four novellas, prior to picking up with a novel, Network Effect. Through those prior books, I became invested in Murderbot’s story and their relationships with the humans and other AI they encounter, especially the latter as he and ART engage with their favorite popular media. And going into this full novel, I enjoyed it a lot, feeling glad to see a fully fleshed out story with these engaging characters.

It should be noted that this is billed as a stand-alone novel, even though it follows the same characters as the previous Murderbot Diaries novellas. I don’t know that there’s any harm in starting here, although I do feel that the character work that leads up to where Murderbot is now is built in the previous stories. I recommend reading them if you can, but it’s not as strict necessity, if you absolutely can’t.

Murderbot remains a delightfully complex character in their relationships with others. They’re as snarky as ever about humans and continue to deny having feelings, but do have a personal investment with the humans, like Dr. Mensah. And their relationship with ART is continually delightful, although it is more complicated this time around.

The more plot-driven action also allows for seeing Murderbot in some high-stakes space battles alongside their comrades. The pacing between these moments is a bit uneven, but it’s not too much of a negative, given the largely character-focused bent of the series thus far.

This is an enjoyable full-length outing with a character who I’ve come to love, and I can’t wait for the next book. If you love sci-fi and your favorite characters have always been the AI and other robot characters, you won’t want to miss this!

Author Bio

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Review of “Act Your Age, Eve Brown” (The Brown Sisters #3) by Talia Hibbert

February 24, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Hibbert, Talia. Act Your Age, Eve Brown. New York: Avon Books, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-0062941275 | $15.99 USD | 393 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

In USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert’s newest rom-com, the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

One of POPSUGAR’s 42 Books Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2021, Marie Claire’s 10 Best New Romances of 2021, and Oprah Mag’s Most Anticipated Romances of 2021!

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It’s time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore… and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

In the series

#1 Get a Life, Chloe Brown

#2 Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Review

4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown is another delightful story from Talia Hibbert following the Brown sisters, this time with Eve as the heroine. While it is the third in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone, although I do recommend reading them all.

Talia Hibbert consistently provides a world with multiple facets of diversity in her books, and she continues the tradition here with her two neurodivergent leads. While Eve and Jacob are opposites in many ways, they relate to each other due to them both being neurodivergent, while also each being able to compensate for each other’s weaknesses in a realistic way. Jacob’s autism in particular is so well written, and while I did find myself a bit unsure at first how I felt, this was a case where it was simultaneously a slow-burn fall-into-love and super steamy and sexy in the best ways at the same time.

And while each book does stand alone, as I noted prior I love the little cameo appearances from the other sisters, reinforcing the bond between them that returning readers enjoyed in previous books and also giving new readers a taster of these characters. Chloe and Dani are both so wonderful, and I love seeing them provide sisterly support for Eve as she did for them.

This book, like the previous two, is pure delight, and if you loved them, you’ll love this. And if you’re just discovering Talia Hibbert and/or her Brown Sisters, I think you’ll love it too!

Author Bio

Talia Hibbert is a USA Today bestselliing author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.

She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online.

Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.

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