Review of “Never Saw You Coming” by Erin Hahn

August 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Hahn, Erin. Never Saw You Coming. New York: Wednesday Books, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1250761248 | $18.99 USD | 320 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

“BOLD. IMPORTANT. BEAUTIFUL.” – Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

In Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.

Eighteen-year-old Meg Hennessey just found out her entire childhood was a lie. So instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet what’s left of the family she never knew existed – all while questioning the ideals she grew up with.

While there, she meets Micah Allen, a former pastor’s kid whose dad ended up in prison, leaving Micah with his own complicated relationship with faith. The clock is ticking on his probation hearing and Micah, now 19, feels the pressure to forgive – even when he can’t possibly forget.

As Meg and Micah grow closer, they are confronted with the heavy flutterings of first love and all the complications it brings. Together, they must navigate the sometimes-painful process of cutting ties with childhood beliefs as they build toward something truer and straight from the heart.

“Heartfelt and utterly genuine… I already want to reread it.” – Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of Small Favors

Review

4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t really look into what Never Saw You Coming was about…I just saw the cute cover and the name Erin Hahn, and I’d recently read one of her short stories and liked what I read, so figured, “why not?” Given the issue with branding expectations, I appreciate that Hahn provided context both in a content warning in the intro to the book and on Goodreads to help prepare me for the serious topics the book would grapple with along with the cute romance (as well as further going into her own experiences in the author’s note at the end). It helped me to be prepared.

I feel like this book is very much needed in its criticism of evangelical Christianity, with its “purity” culture and hypocrisy. I appreciate how Hahn digs into the way so-called “Christians” direct shame toward women for the way they dress and for sexual behavior, and to LGBTQ+ people for simply existing, while (mostly cishet male) authorities within the church are the ones with the skeletons in their closets. And while not immediately relevant to the text itself, I was moved by Hahn’s description of her experience querying Christian agents and publishers, who would tell her that she was “not a good fit,” because her characters weren’t “pious enough,” with further remarks about how Christian fiction publishers submission guidelines can be a “great” way to make you feel bad about yourself. And while I have a complicated love for some Christian fiction, I couldn’t help but see the truth in that; I mean, look at what won the RWA Vivian Religious and Spiritual Elements category.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about Meg or Micah at first, but as I got deeper into the book, I got the sense it was somewhat by design, due to the intense things both are dealing with. I really liked seeing how their shared membership of the church brought them together, but their feelings as the story went on led to them challenging the church and religious doctrine through their alternate perspectives influencing each other. It was great seeing them evolve from their prior beliefs, including that regarding premarital sex, and that religious faith can be so much more complex than extreme modesty to the point of objectification and restricting one’s normal human desires.

This book is really beautiful and unexpected, and I love that the focus is on how the man-made institutions of religion are the problem, and not on religious/spiritual belief in itself, although I can certainly see some less spiritually inclined readers not appreciating this book for that reason. However, this is definitely a book I’d recommend to everyone, due to the continued relevance of the topic and the beautiful way Hahn conveys her message.

Author Bio

ERIN HAHN is the author of You’d Be Mine, More Than Maybe, and Never Saw You Coming. She married her very own YA love interest, who she met on her first day of college, and has two kids who are much, much cooler than she ever was at their age. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a.k.a. the greenest place on earth, and has a cat named Gus who plays fetch and a dog named June who doesn’t.

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Review of “The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina” by Zoraida Cordova

August 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Córdova, Zoraida. The Inheritance of Orqídea Divina. New York: Atria Books, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1982102548 | $27.00 USD | 336 pages | Magical Realism/Fantasy

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman, Isabel Allende, and Sarah Addison Allen, this is a gorgeously written novel about a family searching for the truth hidden in their past and the power they’ve inherited, from the author of the acclaimed and “giddily exciting” (The New York Times Book Review) Brooklyn Brujas series.

The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers—even for graduations, weddings, or baptisms. But when Orquídea Divina invites them to her funeral and to collect their inheritance, they hope to learn the secrets that she has held onto so tightly their whole lives. Instead, Orquídea is transformed, leaving them with more questions than answers.

Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador—to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked back.

Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is an enchanting novel about what we knowingly and unknowingly inherit from our ancestors, the ties that bind, and reclaiming your power.

Review

3 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a beautifully written adult debut from Zoraida Córdova, and objectively, I have no complaints. It’s atmospheric and hypnotic, sweeping the reader into the Ecuadorian riverside setting.

But this is very much a slow-burn, and it really takes time to get invested. I really enjoyed the overall themes and plot points with the family bonds and digging into the mysteries of Orquídea’s life, but more on a broad, basic level, especially with the story frequently going back and forth in time. I found reading about Orquídea’s past a bit more interesting than the present, as the latter involved parsing out the multiple family members who I wasn’t attached to, while I found myself more easily invested in a younger Orquídea. The final part of the book leaning more in favor of her memories definitely helped me feel more engaged by that point.

I also felt like it was a bit dense to the point of some of it going over my head style wise…but that could just as easily be a feature, not a bug, for the book, as “true” magical realism isn’t something I pick up often.

I’ve read a few of Zoraida Córdova’s YA books, so I’m glad to see her branching out into new styles and subgenres for an older audience, even if it doesn’t entirely work for me. But fans of magical realism will definitely enjoy this a lot more!

Author Bio

Zoraida Córdova is the author of many fantasy novels for kids and teens, including the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.

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Review of “Love for Beginners” Wildstone #7) by Jill Shalvis

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Shalvis, Jill. Love for Beginners. New York: William Morrow, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-0063025431 | $16.99 USD | 357 pages | Women’s Fiction

Blurb

When Emma Harris wakes up from a coma she learns that her fiancé and her BFF have fallen in love, she’s lost her job, and the life she knew is gone. Overwhelmed but grateful to be alive she decides to start over from scratch. Not as easy as it sounds, of course. But she’s never been a quitter, even if she wishes she could quit rehab, where her hot but evil physical therapist, Simon, puts her through the wringer.

Desperate for a new start, Emma opens a doggy day care. Unfortunately, the only space she can afford is owned by her childhood nemesis Ali Pratt. But hey, she’s been through worse, right? She tries to roll with the punches, but a friend drops his grandpa off at the doggy day care because he can’t find senior care. On top of that, she and Ali bring the term ‘frenemies’ to a whole new level. And then another grandparent shows up. And another.

In the midst of all that, Emma realizes she’s accidentally fallen for Evil PT. But the most horrifying thing of all is that Ali just might have turned into the best friend she’s ever had. And as Emma grows from the pain of her past and takes on her new path, she comes to realize that life isn’t what you’re given, it’s what you make of it.

In the series

#1 Lost and Found Sisters

#1.5 The Good Luck Sister

#2 Rainy Day Friends

#3 The Lemon Sisters

#4 Almost Just Friends

#5 The Summer Deal

#6 The Forever Girl

#6.5 Mistletoe in Paradise

Review

4 stars

Love for Beginners is the latest in Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone series of loosely connected standalone small-town women’s fiction. It’s another heartwarming and sweet read, with personal growth, friendship, and romance all playing roles in the story.

I really liked and rooted for Emma as she tried to figure out what she wanted out of life after getting a second chance at it after waking up from a coma. I really liked how the uncertainty of her situation was conveyed, from the simple passage of time with her unawares, to not having a place to stay since her then-fiancé and best friend ended up getting together. The fact that she instinctively feels pulled to start a doggy day care definitely scored points with me.

And while she lost a friend, I liked seeing the way her new circumstances led to her reevaluating her relationship with her childhood enemy, Ali. She too is in-between, having pushed her ex away and is regretting it. I really liked how it explored her side of things, to explore the vulnerabilities behind the mask, while also seeing the two women bond as they figure their lives out in multiple ways.

Emma also develops a romance with her physical therapist and Ali’s cousin, Simon, who is a bit of a hard-ass, but ends up being effective in motivating Emma. While there are some questionable lines with the crossing of professional and personal, I felt the transition from medical professional/patient(?) to romantic partners was handled with sensitivity.

I enjoyed this installment a lot, and found it to be a nice comfort read. If you love small town contemporaries, you’ll enjoy this one.

Author Bio

ltiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is … mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning heartwarming and full of humor novels wherever books are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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Review of “Among Thieves” by M.J. Kuhn

August 29, 2021August 29, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Kuhn, M.J. Among Thieves. New York: Saga Press, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1982142148 | $26.99 USD | 352 pages | Fantasy

Blurb

A thrilling fantasy debut—a high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice, and perfect for fans of Six of Crows!

In just over a year’s time, Ryia Cautella has already earned herself a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the dockside city of Carrowwick—not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name.

For the past six years, a deadly secret has kept her in hiding, running from town to town, doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the formidable Guildmaster—the sovereign ruler of the five kingdoms of Thamorr. No matter how far or fast she travels, his servants never fail to track her down…but even the most powerful men can be defeated.

Ryia’s path now leads directly into the heart of the Guildmaster’s stronghold, and against every instinct she has, it’s not a path she can walk alone. Forced to team up with a crew of assorted miscreants, smugglers, and thieves, Ryia must plan her next moves very carefully. If she succeeds, her freedom is won once and for all…but unfortunately for Ryia, her new allies are nearly as selfish as she is, and they all have plans of their own.

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Among Thieves is the first book from MJ Kuhn, and it’s a solid debut. It’s billed as a heist-fantasy with morally gray characters, and it definitely delivers.

The story follows a band of thieves, and all are pretty well drawn. Ryia, a mercenary, is suggested by the blurb to be the protagonist, and she does have a pretty big role, with her fleeing from the Guildmaster, who has been trying to capture her for years. But the fellow thieves she joins up with play equally important roles as POV characters, and I appreciate how well balanced it was in fleshing them all out, as at first, I was worried that having so many POVs would mean some would be better drawn than others. Each of them have secrets and their own motivations that make each of them interesting to follow.

The world building does leave something to be desired. There’s names of locations thrown at you, but there isn’t a super strong sense of the time or place to ground you in this setting. There is a vague sense of grittiness to the atmosphere that I appreciated, however.

The plot is engaging and kept me flipping pages with every twist and turn. While there’s a lot of darkness and intensity, I appreciate that it was balanced by some soft, fluffy moments as well.

This is a promising first book from an author I’m excited to see more from. If you love fantasy heist books (it has been compared to Six of Crows, which I haven’t read), you might enjoy this one.

Author Bio

M. J. Kuhn is a fantasy writer by night and a mild-mannered office worker by day. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and a very spoiled cat named Thorin Oakenshield.

Less than a year into her life as a full-time office-worker she began using her nights and lunch breaks to work on her first novel, and she hasn’t looked back since.

When she isn’t reading or writing you can find her playing the piano, weightlifting, or anxiously awaiting the next installment of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.

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Review of “The Ghosts We Keep” by Mason Deaver

August 29, 2021August 29, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Deaver, Mason. The Ghosts We Keep. New York: PUSH, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1338593341 | $18.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Contemporary

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, this book will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal and celebrate life in the process.

When Liam Cooper’s older brother Ethan is killed in a hit-and-run, Liam has to not only learn to face the world without one of the people he loved the most, but also face the fading relationship with his two best friends.

Feeling more alone and isolated than ever, Liam finds themself sharing time with Marcus, Ethan’s best friend, and through Marcus, Liam finds the one person that seems to know exactly what they’re going through, for the better, and the worse.

This book is about grief. But it’s also about why we live. Why we have to keep moving on, and why we should.

Review

5 stars

Having recently loved Mason Deaver’s debut, I Wish You All the Best, I was excited to hear he had a new book, The Ghosts We Keep. And while I knew it dealt with grief in the wake of familial death and the trauma resulting from that, I was still hit with a wave of emotions, even more so when I realized how real life events in Mason Deaver’s life had influenced the fictional ones.

I really connected with Liam. He completely falls apart after his brother Ethan tragically dies, and the mess of his emotions is so compassionately conveyed. I hated how everyone around him approached the situation with him, and while I understand you can only do so much in a situation, I sympathized whenever Liam lashed out at his parents or friends, to the point of isolating himself.

I really liked the scenes between Liam and Marcus, and how it helps Liam to get more perspective on his brother and the different facets of Ethan, while also attempting to provide some clarity for Marcus in the wake of his own grief.

I also love the way queerness was included in the story. Like Deaver themself and the MC of their prior book, Liam is non-binary, using both he and they pronouns. There are also others in the supporting cast who are from other parts of the LGBTQ+ community, with the story touching on issues like misgendering, coming out, and other stuff.

This is a deeply emotional read, and I love the way it deals with the issues at its center frankly and honestly while also presenting a sense of catharsis, a ray of hope, and a path to healing. While the issues it discusses might make it a sensitive read for some, it is deeply cathartic and relatable and worth the read with the proper preparation of what you’re getting into.

See Mason Deaver’s website for CWs: https://www.masondeaverwrites.com/content-warnings-tgwk

Author Bio

Born and raised in a small North Carolina town, Mason Deaver is an award-nominated, bestselling author and designer living in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Besides writing, they’re an active fan of horror movies and video games. As you can see from the photo above, they’re a big fan of plants as well.

You can find them online at various places,
Instagram – @mason_deaver
And their website – masondeaverwrites.com

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Review of “So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix” by Bethany C. Morrow

August 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Morrow, Bethany C. So Many Beginnings. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1250761217 | $17.99 USD | 291 pages | YA Historical Fiction

Blurb

Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women, by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow.

North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedpeople’s Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the “old life.” It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:

Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.

Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.

Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.

Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family’s home.

As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

Praise for So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

“Morrow’s ability to take the lingering stain of slavery on American history and use it as a catalyst for unbreakable love and resilience is flawless. That she has remixed a canonical text to do so only further illuminates the need to critically question who holds the pen in telling our nation’s story.” —Booklist, starred review

“Bethany C. Morrow’s prose is a sharpened blade in a practiced hand, cutting to the core of our nation’s history.…A devastatingly precise reimagining and a joyful celebration of sisterhood. A narrative about four young women who unreservedly deserve the world, and a balm for wounds to Black lives and liberty.” —Tracy Deonn, New York Times-bestselling author of Legendborn

“A tender and beautiful retelling that will make you fall in love with the foursome all over again.” —Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times-bestselling author of White Smoke and Grown

Review

4 stars

I received a complimentary copy through BookishFirst and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

So Many Beginnings is part of a series of “Remixed Classics” the publisher, Feiwel and Friends is doing to provide new, culturally diverse lenses to classic stories. And while the starting point for a retelling is typically reverence for the source material, I appreciate Bethany C. Morrow’s frankness about the fact that she didn’t have that personal connection to the story, but took advantage of others’ attachment to it “to trojan horse in a story and history you weren’t checking for otherwise,” even as she faced racist reviews accusing her of “cultural appropriation.”

Because, aside from some of the basic setup with them being four sisters with the same names, the familial relationships at the heart of the story, and somewhat similar (to varying degrees) personalities, and the fact that it’s set during the Civil War, the story is different and more nuanced, so it’s not just taking the original and racebending the cast, as has become the new trend in Hollywood. She sets her story in the Roanoke Island Freedmen’s Colony, something I had not heard of, something she also admits to in her author’s note, attributing it to the culture in the US of protecting the legacies of the people majority-white Americans view as heroes: enslavers and colonizers.

I really liked seeing the subtle ways in which the characters were adapted. Just like in the original, Jo is my favorite, and perhaps the best written of the four. I liked how she writes nonfiction about the Black experience in America, and enjoyed seeing how her ups and downs with that, including a questionable publishing opportunity, parallel the experiences of the original. I also really liked her relationship with Lorie, and their intense, close friendship. Given the intense conversations around whether the original Jo/Laurie should have ended up together, I appreciated how this was done, still allowing Jo to be her own person and exploring the fact that she doesn’t want anything physical with him, but values his companionship.

I also really liked the way Beth’s character was written, with her mysterious illness and the questions around that. I loved how layered it is, what with both the general misunderstanding of chronic illness, plus the way white medical professionals mistreat Black patients with these conditions and accuse them of lying, and then there’s the historical lens where the understanding of medicine was more limited to begin with. I appreciate how it does give her a chance for a happier outcome, as she’s given an opportunity to live her life and pursue opportunities, even if they do lead to her parting from her beloved family.

I had mixed feelings about Meg. I liked the general direction for her at first, as her character has always been the most “traditional,” wanting to marry and have a family. But I was a bit bummed by how this came to pass. She’s interested in someone early on, and it seems they might have a long distance thing, but it doesn’t work out. Then, almost out of nowhere she’s marrying someone else? I did like how some aspects of this relationship paid tribute to the Meg/John relationship of the original, including Jo’s skepticism, but I just wasn’t wild about who she ended up with.

And the reasoning for that romance fizzling out was setup for him to be Amy’s love interest…does Amy ever get a man of her own, or is every version of her destined for a former flame of one of her sisters? I mean, I get it, the guy is wealthy, so it works out for her, and it leaves the new Jo/Lorie arc unaffected. And I do appreciate that Amy makes her terms for their relationship clear, making him prove he wants her, and not just one of the March sisters, which feels like a direct response to some of the criticisms of the original Amy/Laurie pairing, where it seemed like he only chose her because she was Jo’s sister.

This is a beautiful book, containing the heart of what is so beloved in the original, the importance of sisterhood and family, while also excavating and interrogating history through the lens of nostalgia. Whether you’ve read Little Women or not, this is definitely a must-read.

Author Bio

Bethany C Morrow is an Indie Bestselling author who writes for adult and young adult audiences, in genres ranging from speculative literary to contemporary fantasy to historical. She is author of the novels MEM and A SONG BELOW WATER, which is an Audie, Ignyte and Locus finalist. She is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology TAKE THE MIC, the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award winner. Her work has been chosen as Indies Introduce and Indie Next picks, and featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY’s list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.

Literary rep: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary Agency

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Review of “Seven Days in June” by Tia Williams

August 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Williams, Tia. Seven Days in June. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1538719107 | $27.00 USD | 336 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Seven days to fall in love, fifteen years to forget and seven days to get it all back again . . . From the author of The Perfect Find, this is a witty, romantic, and sexy-as-hell new novel of two writers and their second chance at love.

Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone’s surprise, shows up in New York.

When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York’s Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can’t deny their chemistry—or the fact that they’ve been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since.

Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva’s not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered . . .

With its keen observations of Black life and the condition of modern motherhood, as well as the consequences of motherless-ness, Seven Days in June is by turns humorous, warm and deeply sensual.

Review

5 stars

I heard about Seven Days in June through Twitter, something about readers being excited that Reese’s Book Club had picked a romance, when they usually tend toward more emotional “women’s fiction,” which may feature romantic arcs, but those aren’t always central or ending with an HEA. Upon picking it up, I glommed it within a couple hours, and it might be a contender for one of my favorites of the year.

I loved the honest depictions of the issues both leads were dealing with. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of Eva’s struggle with migraines, as that is something I deal with as well. I could relate to the hurdles she faced, both in dealing with the illness itself and in the societal lack of understanding of the issue, including the ways the system might fail you medically.

I also appreciated the way both Shane and Eva’s past traumas were conveyed, and the way Shane’s addiction was portrayed. There are many sensitive issues throughout the story, but Williams handles them all deftly and with care.

I loved the overall concept, with the idea of an alternate take on Romeo and Juliet where they broke up and reunited years later. I loved the exploration of what went wrong in their past, and rooted for them to find a way to be together in the present.

The picture is complete with the inclusion of Eva’s preteen daughter, Audre. She’s delightfully precocious, somewhat angsty, and has an old soul, while still being believable.

I also really enjoyed the discussions about publishing, particularly in how Eva ends up being pigeonholed in terms of genre as a Black woman, such as the demands from publishers that Black stories center their trauma instead of being fun, while white authors are allowed to write “a good story for the sake of a good story.” I loved Eva and the other Black women writers fighting for their right to write “fluff” and dismantle industry misogynoir.

While the book is intense in its themes, there are some lighthearted moments too. I loved the inclusion of the humor that lightens the mood. While many of the insights into the book industry feel unfortunately relevant, they’re also very tongue-in-cheek, satirizing the very bizarre reality of the publishing world.

This book is absolute perfection on every single level, and while the sensitive topics will mean it might not be for everyone, it’s definitely worth the read if you go in prepared for what to expect.

CW: alcoholism, substance abuse, parental death, suicidal thoughts, self-harm

Author Bio

Tia Williams had a fifteen-year career as a beauty editor for magazines including Elle, Glamour, and Essence. In 2004, she pioneered the beauty blog industry with Shake Your Beauty. She wrote the bestselling novel, The Accidental Diva, and penned two YA novels: It Chicks, and Sixteen Candles. Her award-winning novel, The Perfect Find, will be adapted into a Netflix film starring Gabrielle Union. Tia is currently an Editorial Director at Estée Lauder Companies, and lives with her daughter and husband in Brooklyn.

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Review of “Carved in Stone” by Elizabeth Camden

August 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Camden, Elizabeth. Carved in Stone. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-076428437 | $15.99 USD | 352 pages | Historical Romance/Christian Fiction

Blurb

Her gilded world holds a deeply hidden secret.

After years of tragedy, Gwen Kellerman now lives a quiet life as a botanist at an idyllic New York college. She largely ignores her status as heiress to the infamous Blackstone dynasty and hopes to keep her family’s heartbreak and scandal behind her.

Patrick O’Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community. He’s proud of his work, even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office. All that changes when he accepts a case that is sure to emphasize the Blackstones’ legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery.

Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him. Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case, but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming. Now, as they navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger, Patrick and Gwen will be forced to decide if the risk to the life they’ve always held dear is worth the reward.

Elizabeth Camden’s writing is full of . . .

“Richly drawn characters and fascinating American history.”– All About Romance

“Fabulous love stor[ies] wrapped around compelling historical events.”–Booklist

“Adventuresome, entertaining romance.”–Foreword Reviews

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Camden once again draws from history to create a compelling historical romance. This time, her inspiration is JP Morgan and the influence he and men like him had on the economy during the turn of the century in the US. Having read several books, both fictional and nonfiction, set around this time period, I was fascinated and impressed with Camden’s immersive historical detail.

Her two leads this time around are rather layered, and while I wasn’t sure what to think of them at times, I ultimately found a lot to like about them. Gwen comes from an upper-crust background, but has largely shunned her family’s scandals after they impacted her, choosing a quiet life. She’s compassionate and has a willingness to do what needs to be done, but also, while she is a bit out-of-touch with the reality of what some people go through, she comes to an awareness of her own privilege over the course of the book. Patrick, by contrast, has built himself up into a success from a youth of struggle. I did find his pride regarding her money a bit much at times, but I appreciated the way it was handled, showing both his good intent and the fact that he might be a bit too proud and short-sighted in his own way, with Gwen even remarking on his brand of snobbery at one point.

The mystery element took a bit to get into, but I felt it was ultimately satisfying. There are some great revelations about Gwen’s missing brother, kidnapped as a child, and a scandal surrounding a libelous book about the kidnapping that Gwen and the rest of the family are trying to suppress.

This is a great first installment in a new series, and it’s perfect for fans of sweet historical romance with a generous helping of mystery.

Author Bio

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

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Review of “Fast Pitch” by Nic Stone

August 27, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Stone, Nic. Fast Pitch. New York: Crown BFYR, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1984893017 | $17.99 USD | 192 pages | MG Contemporary

Blurb

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.

Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way.

Strike one: As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat.

Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup.

Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified.

It’s up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve read a few short stories from Nic Stone in the past, but never read a longer work from her. So, even though I have little interest in softball, I jumped at the chance to review Fast Pitch. And even as a non-fan of sports, I still enjoyed it.

Despite my lack of sports knowledge, I’m still aware of the trend of the girl being the underdog in many sports stories, so to see a heroine like Shenice who excels at softball. I loved the camaraderie between the Shenice and the other Black girls on the team as they face off against the racism and bigotry that comes their way as the first all-Black team.

There’s also a sense of Shenice following in the footsteps of previous generations of her family who also played the sport, including her father, grandfather, great-uncle, and great-grandfather. I admired her determination to get justice when she found out that her great-grandfather JonJon’s career came to an end after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, somewhat clouding her focus from the here-and-now with her team.

I like how Stone depicts sensitive issues to the Black experience, while also conveying a fairly lighthearted tone with the sense of community in the bonds between the characters. This is a fun book centering Black girlhood, and one I would recommend for both kids and adults.

Author Bio

Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.

You can find her goofing off and/or fangirling over her adorable little family on most social media platforms.

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Review of “The Riviera House” by Natasha Lester

August 27, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Lester, Natasha. The Riviera House. New York: Forever, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1538717318 | $15.99 USD | 480 pages | Historical Fiction

Blurb

The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Secret weaves a lush and engrossing novel of World War II inspired by a true story and perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff.

Paris, 1939: The Nazis think Éliane can’t understand German. They’re wrong. They think she’s merely cataloging art in a Louvre museum and unaware they’re stealing national treasures for their private collections. They have no idea she’s carefully decoding their notes and smuggling information to the Resistance. But Éliane is playing a dangerous game. Does she dare trust the man she once loved with her secrets, or will he only betray her once again? She has no way to know for certain . . . until a trip to a stunning home on the French Riviera brings a whole new level of peril.

Present Day: Wanting to forget the tragedy that has left her life in shambles, Remy Lang heads to a home she’s mysteriously inherited on the Riviera. While working on her vintage fashion business, she discovers a catalog of the artworks stolen during World War II and is shocked to see a painting that hung on her childhood bedroom wall. Who is her family, really? And does the Riviera house hold more secrets than Remy is ready to face?

Natasha Lester brilliantly explores the impossible choices ordinary people faced every day during extraordinary circumstances, weaving fact with fiction and celebrating women who push the boundaries of their time.

Review

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve never read anything from Natasha Lester before, but I’ve heard good things about her work, so I decided to take a chance on The Riviera House. The Nazis’ art theft is a topic I had heard a bit about, but hadn’t looked into very much, so I was excited to learn more.

I found the historical timeline incredibly well-researched and engrossing. I liked the seamless mix of real and fictional characters working on the art cataloging project. One of the major historical characters is Rose Valland, and I liked learning a bit about her.

I also felt Éliane’s story was well-written, working with the Resistance and taking advantage of the fact that Nazis underestimate her.

The present narrative is interwoven through a shared setting of the French Riviera, and the fact that Remy uncovers the actions of Éliane and the Resistance in her chapters. Remy is also dealing with her own personal familial losses, and while I wasn’t as invested in her chapters and did feel like some of her initial chapters dragged, I did like seeing her find healing. And structurally, I feel like Lester’s approach was more balanced, allowing us to spend more time in each time period in mostly-multi-chapter bursts, instead of pulling us back and forth from chapter to chapter, at least initially; she does start to do the chapter-to-chapter switch towards the end, but by then, I feel like it’s more effective.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and look forward to catching up on Natasha Lester’s backlist, and any future books she’ll release in the future. If you like historical fiction about World War II, you won’t want to miss this!

Author Bio

Natasha Lester is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS, THE PARIS ORPHAN / THE FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHER and THE PARIS SECRET. Her new book, THE RIVIERA HOUSE, is coming in August 2021.

Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.

Her first historical novel, A KISS FROM FITZGERALD, was published in 2016. This was followed by HER MOTHER’S SECRET in 2017 and her first international bestseller THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS in 2018. Since then, her books have been translated into many different languages are now published all around the world.

Natasha lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves fashion history, practising the art of fashion illustration, collecting vintage fashion, travelling, Paris and, of course, books.

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