A sweet romance novel set in a tourist town that is very aware of its romance tropes (because the protagonist is a romance writer.) Millie is there toA sweet romance novel set in a tourist town that is very aware of its romance tropes (because the protagonist is a romance writer.) Millie is there to write Serious Literature instead of romance, but the locals and garden gnomes are not cooperating. ....more
"Mokoya and Akeha, the twin children of the Protector, were sold to the Grand Monastery as children. While Mokoya developed her strange prophetic gift"Mokoya and Akeha, the twin children of the Protector, were sold to the Grand Monastery as children. While Mokoya developed her strange prophetic gift, Akeha was always the one who could see the strings that moved adults to action. While his sister received visions of what would be, Akeha realized what could be. What's more, he saw the sickness at the heart of his mother's Protectorate."
I was feeling a little too much reality in my end of year Asian focused reading and came across a review of this novella in Litsy, only to realize I had downloaded this with three other novellas from Tor. An interesting kingdom in the clouds where gender is decided by each person upon reaching adulthood, if ever, and these twins have to come to terms with the ramifications of their gifts. I think this is one of two novellas by this Singaporean author to introduce this universe....more
JoJo Moyes writes a novel based around the WPA horseback librarians of Kentucky who delivered books in the mountains from the 1930s to 1943. Mountain JoJo Moyes writes a novel based around the WPA horseback librarians of Kentucky who delivered books in the mountains from the 1930s to 1943. Mountain culture, mining, family feuds - it's all in here! And this is a region of the world I know and love.
This came out October 8th and I'm shamefully just now reading it, but I'm glad I did. It's a nice backstory for my profession especially if they also played the additional roles Moyes includes in the novel (which I will leave the reader to discover.) ...more
These poems tell the truth about how prison changes you, how it never leaves you, and what relationships are like afterward, particularly if you are aThese poems tell the truth about how prison changes you, how it never leaves you, and what relationships are like afterward, particularly if you are also black and recently incarcerated. It is its own form of PTSD.
This collection came out from W.W. Norton on October 15th....more
Well, I hate the word Kafkaesque except in this case it really is appropriate - this slim translated novel is about three people recently hired to worWell, I hate the word Kafkaesque except in this case it really is appropriate - this slim translated novel is about three people recently hired to work at a sprawling, city-dwarfing factory, the kind that has bus routes and restaurants to support the workers (or is it to keep them there?) One woman shreds paper at a job she is overqualified for, one man is proofreading documents by hand and battling sleep, and one bryologist has been tasked with something both impossible and that don't seem to actually want him to accomplish.
I've always felt the series of short novels from Japan speak to one another and had to laugh when one character, after thinking negatively about their job, counters with "at least they aren't working at a convenience store." (If you know the novel CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN you will get what I'm saying.)
The concept of senseless work is heavy with dread but feels even worse in this setting. There are other things going on that are a bit confusing - animals that may or may not exist, a dangerous forest on the grounds of the factory, and the sense that in the overwhelming vastness of the factory, there are as many ways to inadvertently violate expectations in each little microcosm. The author communicates the stress of that very well.
While I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss, the book came out October 29, 2019....more
Gavin and Thea's marriage is on the brink of disaster and his baseball teammates pull him into a secret club that uses romance novels to understand anGavin and Thea's marriage is on the brink of disaster and his baseball teammates pull him into a secret club that uses romance novels to understand and romance their wives. It could have been hokey but instead I found this author to have incredible comic timing (including writing a very realistic deteriorating sex scene between married people who are upset with each other.) This might be the romance novel I assign to my reading class because it's a regency inside a contemporary, with men who have something to learn (and help each other to learn it!)
This came out November 5 from Berkley who provided me an eARC through Netgalley....more
"Fourteen years ago, famous Pakistani activist Samina Akram disappeared. Two years earlier, her lover, Pakistan's greatest poet, was beaten to death b"Fourteen years ago, famous Pakistani activist Samina Akram disappeared. Two years earlier, her lover, Pakistan's greatest poet, was beaten to death by government thugs. In present-day Karachi, her daughter Aasmaani has just discovered a letter in the couple's private code—a letter that could only have been written recently."
This book has many layers but I was also interested in the portrayal of modern day Pakistan - one woman is an activist, another an actress, another works for a TV station. Aasmaani was never her mother's priority but she is still searching for her and it is heartbreaking.
I had previously read Home Fires by the same author, which was largely set outside of Pakistan, and wanted to read something set in the country for my Around the World reading project. Most of this novel is set in Karachi but some characters also go to Islamabad. Ramzan (we sometimes call it Ramadan) is also observed during the novel, which is interesting when everyone "should" be observing it....more
This book isn't really about what you'd think from the title or cover. It's about a woman named Maeve who finally learns her origin story when her birThis book isn't really about what you'd think from the title or cover. It's about a woman named Maeve who finally learns her origin story when her birth mother dies. There is a tiny bit of romance, a tiny bit of danger, and a tiny bit about pets. But the St Francis Society is pretty minor.
I had an early copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley; it comes out January 14, 2020....more
Lillian and Madison were friends for a short time in private school when Madison's father used his money to ensure his daughter didn't get kicked out,Lillian and Madison were friends for a short time in private school when Madison's father used his money to ensure his daughter didn't get kicked out, but set Lillian's life in a different direction. Now Madison is married to a wealthy and aspiring politician, but needs someone to take care of her stepchildren who have a unique health challenge - they catch on fire.
Class and money and privilege are clearly themes throughout the novel but still it makes me feel similarly to when I read other novels by this author (and I'm not sure why they are such a disconnect for me) - I enjoy them, maybe even find them clever or funny - but wouldn't be able to tell you a thing about them a month from now. So like, it's enjoyable enough, but I feel the same as I would if I rewatched a guilty pleasure tv show.
Since the hold queue at my public library was so long, I used an Audible credit for the audio version, and was listening at 2x by the end just to get it done. ...more
I am posting this review late because I read it earlier in the year for a postal bookswap, which was hush hush until everyone had seen all the titles.I am posting this review late because I read it earlier in the year for a postal bookswap, which was hush hush until everyone had seen all the titles.
I've always heard of Jason Reynolds in the context of being a good choice for what we in librarianship call "reluctant readers." I can definitely see the appeal here with sports, single parent, outsider, urban, black representation and more. I loved that Ghost isn't perfect but that the consequences take a while to show up (not as didactic as some middle readers can be.)
I've heard the author also does some superhero novelizations for young readers, so those are probably great too, but I love the "found family" element of this one best....more
I am cycling off a Postal Book Group I participated in from 2015-2019, and The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide was my last read. It started through the BI am cycling off a Postal Book Group I participated in from 2015-2019, and The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide was my last read. It started through the Books on the Nightstand Goodreads group, and if you listened to that podcast (R.I.P.) you know that started a while ago!
A married couple lives in a guest house on a larger estate and the slim novel is more about how they relate to the architecture and light of their house, the seasons, other people, Chibi the cat, and so on. This is another novella/short novel from Japan to add to your pile!...more
This is a graphic novel about difference and isolation. The man who lives alone in a lighthouse has lived there since birth, and the last 15 years of This is a graphic novel about difference and isolation. The man who lives alone in a lighthouse has lived there since birth, and the last 15 years of it completely alone. The images show the life around him and pieces of his daily life. I thought it was beautiful and I loved his dictionary ritual. ...more
A modern day retelling of Little Women, partially (there is an upcoming novel called Beth & Amy that I'm sure will advance the story.) - I have to be A modern day retelling of Little Women, partially (there is an upcoming novel called Beth & Amy that I'm sure will advance the story.) - I have to be honest when I say I never gave Meg one moment of thought, always seeing Jo as the central character, so Meg's story was interesting to me with her epic sense of responsibility. Jo's story was also interesting as a food blogger in NYC, with a pretty memorable love scene, but it was a little hard for me to think of the March sisters as anything but chaste! The relocation to NC instead of Concord was an interesting choice, and the modernization of the father was pretty realistic. One big difference for me is that I root for Laurie in the original, but not here (he's called Trey in this retelling.)
I had a copy from the publisher and it came out December 3. I also mentioned it on episode 174....more
I listened to this quick Audible original while I did some weekend cleaning - it's a contemporary romance with two narrators. It all starts when an adI listened to this quick Audible original while I did some weekend cleaning - it's a contemporary romance with two narrators. It all starts when an advice columnist receives a question from one person at a company and accidentally replies to the other.
In poking around I discovered that what the male narrator looks like is a big mystery - his voice is awfully familiar to me and I have some guesses.......more
The more romance I read, the more I start to learn about the tropes. I haven't read a lot of male/female regency romance but apparently this counts asThe more romance I read, the more I start to learn about the tropes. I haven't read a lot of male/female regency romance but apparently this counts as regency, between a countess widow and a female astronomer who is also skilled at translating. There is a thread in this story about artistic embroidery that may have been my favorite part (and not just one character doing it!) I then read an overall positive but fact-checking review from another romance writer, KJ Charles, who pointed out that in this era there was a quite famous lady astronomer in the UK, and she is never mentioned in this book. So perhaps the historical fiction elements are more fantasy than factual, but it is still an enjoyable read. I also like the beautiful cover even if it doesn't really match the character descriptions. ...more
I was inspired to read "Olive, Again" after listening to an interview with the author on the Guardian Books podcast. I liked Olive Kitteridge, and OliI was inspired to read "Olive, Again" after listening to an interview with the author on the Guardian Books podcast. I liked Olive Kitteridge, and Olive, Again is on the Tournament of Books longlist so it didn't take a lot to convince me.
It might be better than the original because of the way the author captured aging and changing politics and relationships. It's full of northeastern sensibilities, which I like. It is funny to realize you are finding a character refreshing because they are direct - that's when you know you've been in the south too long! But even in her directness, Olive is really a singular and memorable character....more
I think I will be a dissenting voice for these stories. I found them to be repetitive in ways that were unpleasant.
So much fatphobia, either from a seI think I will be a dissenting voice for these stories. I found them to be repetitive in ways that were unpleasant.
So much fatphobia, either from a self-directed perspective or other-directed, but all from people who hate fatness and largeness, equating it with disgusting, unclean, lesser-than. The author may be making a point but who wants to read that over and over? In the first story, a woman is larger than her medical student boyfriend, who lectures her in micro-aggressive ways about her story; she is described as cracking a toilet in a dive bar. In another story two women who clearly have eating disorders refer openly to their female coworkers as cows. In another story a woman describes her family as piggies.
Many of the characters see each other only in the ways they can use them. Yes I know this happens in real life but I didn't enjoy reading about it.
There is a repeating theme of seeing light or jewels inside other bodies, an interesting idea once but it's overused by showing up repeatedly.
I know there's a trend in MFA programs for women to grab hold of unpleasantness as if it is the same as being more feminist. I just don't enjoy it much, and the characters in these stories don't either - they are miserable, living in squalor or addiction, and self-destructing....more
Two young women start out in an intense relationship that ends quickly, sending each into her own exploration of her roots and identity. One goes to GTwo young women start out in an intense relationship that ends quickly, sending each into her own exploration of her roots and identity. One goes to Georgia (the country) and the other to Germany on a Jewish genocide type trip. The entire novel has a floating quality too it as there is a lot happening internally and emotions are high whether it's relationship drama or painful history, and the narration alternates between Willa and Hesper (which took me a while to get in the groove.) A slow burn that will really work for some but not all readers....more
Are all holiday romances set in the UK? Here is another, with young war widow Kate barely making ends meet. In her crap job selling Christmas trees foAre all holiday romances set in the UK? Here is another, with young war widow Kate barely making ends meet. In her crap job selling Christmas trees for a department store, she meets a man she remembers from previous years, but this year he looks alone and sad. It's a story about two people coming together who are "meant for each other" but also a story about gentrification, making it as a single mother, and elder care.
I had a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss....more
Jenny (Reading Envy)
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