Tag: Contemporary

Serena’s Review: “A Heart So Haunted”

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Book: “A Heart So Haunted” by Hollie Nelson

Publishing Info: Alcove Press, October 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Landry is ready to clean house—not just Harthwait, but the traumatic memories and family entanglements that haunt her. Left reeling from her aunt’s sudden death, Landry knows she has to restore the old house and sell it for much needed cash. Preferably, before autumn arrives. But as renovations begin on Harthwait, she notices some motion sensors activate when no one is home, doors slam shut, and every night, at a quarter after midnight, the disembodied crying begins. Then, when she uncovers a hidden door during the renovations, she dares to open it.

Behind the door is a world of nightmares, some of which are hers, while others belong to a monster—who is trapped inside and desperate to get out. Both haunted by their pasts, Landry makes a deal with the monster, but as they develop feelings for each other, she realizes that the thing that looks like a beast may not be the most beastly thing after all.

This rich and spellbinding tale explores the idea of what we call home and who we call family.

Review: While I’m not as committed to celebrating the Halloween season as Kate, I do try to find a few books that both align with my typical reading genres while also touching on Halloween themes. And this one, with its promise of a haunted house and beastly love interest, felt like it neatly checked that box!

This was one of those cases where I think my expectations (and many other readers’, I suspect) were misaligned in a number of ways. Perhaps I wouldn’t have greatly enjoyed it more had I been more properly prepared for the sort of book I would be reading, but it would have at least been a bit less jarring. And, ultimately, I think the readers who are more likely to enjoy this one would have an easier time finding it.

As it stands, the book description and even the cover, though to a lesser extent, prep the reader for a gothic fantasy story featuring a darker tone that explores not only the romance but the nightmares that surround these two characters. And yes, technically we do get that. But this aligns way closer to the cozy fantasy genre than it does to gothic or horror fantasy. From the very start, the overall voice of the story is lighthearted. Even the “creepy” moments are treated with such a soft hand that I never felt even the teensiest bit of trepidation. And, like I said, there is nothing overtly wrong with this, but it wasn’t what I had been led to expect and it ultimately wasn’t what I wanted.

Perhaps I could have gotten on board more easily with this bait-and-switch of vibes if the story itself had been strong. But boy, did this one drag. I knew we were in trouble when in one of the early chapters, the characters hear a bump in the house… and then proceeded to talk about who should go check it out, whether they should go check it out, jokes about how neither wants to check it out… for pages! Before, you guessed it, finally going and checking it out! By which point, any suspense or tension had been so thoroughly killed that I was bored before we even got into the room in question.

This poor pacing continued throughout the story and really was my primary problem with it. Very little truly happens. And I mean, very little. Instead, pages and pages are devoted to the smallest of interactions and depictions of mundane scenes. This could easily have been edited down to a shorter novel or perhaps even a novella. And I’d argue it would have been stronger for it!

I also never felt invested in these characters. There were, perhaps, smidgens of interest to be found in the predicament of the MMC, but even that wasn’t enough to really hold my interest. And I will say that the romance itself was one of the stronger elements. However, there were also numerous side characters who felt so pointless that it almost boggled the mind. (One of these side characters was the other half of that early, pointless scene I described above, which didn’t endear me to him.)

Overall, this was a bit of a disappointment. I think the author has potential, and I did enjoy the romance. But the story felt bloated with unnecessary characters and drawn-out scenes that severely hampered the pacing and plotting of the main story itself. I will say, cozy fantasy readers who enjoy slower-paced books still might enjoy this one!

Rating 6: Bogged down by unnecessary side characters and drawn-out scenes, this one failed to capture my interest, ultimately.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Heart So Haunted” isn’t currently on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Gimme a Beast.

Serena’s Review: “It Happened on a Sunday”

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Book: “It Happened on a Sunday” by Tracy Wolff

Publishing Info: Entangled: Amara, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: They call her the Black Widow. A pop star. A tabloid tragedy. A girl who set the world on fire—and got burned in return.

But Sloane Walker doesn’t care what they say. Not anymore. The headlines, the hashtags, the rumors that never die? Let them come. She’s survived worse—like the ex who tried to kill her and the fans who blamed her for surviving. These days, she’s armor and eyeliner, singing songs that hurt and pretending they don’t.

She’s halfway through a sold-out tour and dangerously close to unraveling when a meet-and-greet throws her into the path of Mateo Sylvester—a rising star quarterback with a devastating smile and a grandmother who’s Sloane’s biggest fan. He’s got stadiums at his feet and the press eating from his hand. She’s got a flask full of sweet tea, a voice full of ghosts, and no patience for golden boys with good intentions.

She tells herself it’s just a photo op. Just another handshake. Just another charming fan with perfect cheekbones and no idea what it means to bleed for your art.But Mateo sees more than the stage persona. He sees the cracks in her smile. The songs she’s too scared to write. The girl underneath the glitter, still fighting to stay.They weren’t supposed to fall. Not in the spotlight. Not when the world is watching. And definitely not when the people closest to them would do anything to keep them apart.

This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a slow-motion car crash. And if they’re not careful, it might just cost them everything.

Review: As I’ve ventured further into romantasy and fantasy romance fiction, I’ve also started dipping my toes back into other subgenres of romance. I’ve most regularly enjoyed historical romance novels (Sherry Thomas, one of my favorite authors, has written several!), though I’ve been known to read a few contemporary romances sprinkled throughout. I’ll be honest, these are the hardest sell for me, most of the time. But I’ve also read a few recently that I’ve enjoyed (after loving “Shield of Sparrows,” I’ve gone back and read a few of Devney Perry’s contemporary books and really enjoyed them, though I haven’t reviewed those here on the blog.) All of this to say, I was happy to jump on board when I was given the opportunity to review an early copy of this title!

So, this one both worked really well for me in some areas, but also was a struggle in others. First off, there’s no escaping the obvious and intentional parallels to Taylor Swift and and Travis Kelce (the book leans into this, in fact, with several references to Swift’s songs). I don’t particularly enjoy Taylor Swift, but that’s more due to the fact that her style of music isn’t my preferred style, and less to do with anything to do with her particular songs. Further, I’m by no means caught up on all of the celebrity gossip and drama to be found there. That said, there’s no avoiding the basic points, so it was easy to see the lines being drawn within the book.

However, I think the author did a very good job of distancing this story enough from these real life individuals. While there are similarities to be found, the core of the story revolves around an almost “thriller-like” plot line involving the mysterious deaths of Sloane’s previous boyfriends and the present danger of an increasingly threatening stalker. And, of course, this gives the book plenty of opportunities to place our romantic hero in a protective role as the couple tries to cope with these increasingly dire circumstances. All of this gives the book a lot of action, as well as fully centers the story around unique characters who aren’t simply carbon cut-outs of their real-life counterparts.

I will say, there were quite a few moments that push the limits of credibility with the way many things played out, particularly with the stalker plot-line. However, this is a romance novel first and foremost, so I didn’t go in with expectations of a hard-nosed thriller/mystery. That being the case, it was easy enough to sit back and enjoy this plot line for what it was. And by far, this mystery and built up sense of danger was my favorite part of the book.

Unfortunately, while I liked the the thriller aspects of the story, I struggled more with the romance itself. For one thing, there was exactly zero build up or progression of feelings. Instead, by date number two, love is being expressed and devotion committed. While I expect romance novels to move a bit more quickly than my slow-burning heart desires, this one was fast even by comparative standards. There was no tension, no push and pull, just instant gratification. It was all too much and too fast for me to ever feel fully invested in their relationship.

Further, some of the writing was a bit off-putting to me at times. While most of the book is written in a very casual style, there would be random moments where the author would throw in obscure, lesser-used terms. These moments always stood out to me, almost as if a second editor had went through and used a thesaurus sporadically to “smarten up” the text. It just read as off. Similarly, some of the spicey scenes also included phrases and descriptions that felt oddly clinical or even eerie at times, leaving me feeling as if perhaps there was some deeper mystery being built up between the two. But nope, in the end, it seems like it was just odd writing choices.

Overall, this was an ok read. I enjoyed the stalker plot line and the tension that was built up as this threat intensified. However, the love story itself didn’t quite land for me. That said, I do think this book will work well for a lot of contemporary romance fans, particularly those who have enjoyed following Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story!

Rating 7: I enjoyed the stalker plot line quite a bit, but the romance took off too quickly and never quite struck the right chord (chord…get it??) with me.

Reader’s Advisory:

“It Happened on a Sunday” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Musicians Romances and September 2025 Sports Romance Release.

Book Club Review: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret”

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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Re-visiting some of our past themes, we’re once again reading books that have had film/TV adaptations and then comparing the two mediums. For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume

Publishing Info: Bradbury Press, 1970

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

What We Watched: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” (2023)

Book Description: Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbrook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them can believe Margaret doesn’t have religion, and that she isn’t going to the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is Margaret has her own very special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything—family, friends, even Moose Freed, her secret crush.

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.

Kate’s Thoughts

I missed out on so much classic children’s literature when I was little, because I basically jumped from the likes of “Goosebumps”, “The Babysitter’s Club”, and “Fear Street” to full on adult novels, without really touching any contemporary books that are long enduring classics. So I never actually read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” by Judy Blume when I was a prepubescent girl, which was probably the best time to read it. But thanks to book club, I had the opportunity to read it, now at forty years old! Better late than never?

And I really enjoyed this book! I actually kind of wish that I HAD read it as a pre-teen because there were so many things that I absolutely would have been able to relate to when it comes to Margaret. I was a girl who was worried about making friends and fitting in, and I was a girl who was raised without any kind of religion, really, outside of major Christian holidays celebrated in the most secular sense (we did go to Church for a month when my Mom convinced herself that we needed that community factor in our lives and then remembered pretty quickly that oh yeah, Church was NOT something ANY of us wanted to do, least of all her). And even though the book was written decades ago, I thought that it still has a lot of pertinent and timeless themes like friendship, peer pressure, burgeoning sexuality, and the way that families can be complicated, even if we don’t fully see the big picture as children. Margaret is very realistic in her anxieties, whether it’s fitting in, her crush on a boy who may not be seen as ‘cute’ by her friend group, her worries about not getting her period yet, or her existential crisis when it comes to her family’s approach to faith.

And I have to say, the film adaptation was actually better than the book! I think that is due, in part, to the way that not only do we see Margaret’s point of view, but we also see the POVs of her mother (played by a delightful Rachel McAdams) and her grandmother (played by the ICONIC Kathy Bates). It made the story all the more emotional seeing three generations of women trying to figure it out through crazy changes in their lives. It also wrapped up a few things that I felt were left a bit hanging in the book (I was far more satisfied with how the Laura storyline ended in the movie). I really, really loved it.

I am so glad that I finally read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret”! What a charming and delightful book that still speaks to the anxieties of adolescence.

Kate’s Rating 9: A charming, incredibly relatable, and at times emotional coming of age story. I really enjoyed this one!

Book Club Questions

  1. Have you read “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” before? If so, how does it compare reading it now? If not, what books were you reading as a pre-teen?
  2. Religion is a huge theme in this book. Why do you think religion and choosing one was suddenly so important to Margaret after not really thinking about it for so many years in New York City?
  3. When it comes to the adults in the book and in the movie, how did you feel that they were portrayed between the two mediums? Did you prefer one portrayal over the other?
  4. What were your thoughts on Margaret’s friend group in her new home?
  5. Do you think that this story could be updated to take place in the 2020s as opposed to the 1970s? Why or why not?

Reader’s Advisory

“Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” is included on the Goodreads lists “Best Coming of Age Stories”, and “Friendship Between Girls”.

Next Book Club Pick: “Matilda” by Roald Dahl

Kate’s Review: “Leap”

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Book: “Leap” by Simina Popescu

Publishing Info: Roaring Brook Press, November 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A coming-of-age graphic novel following two dancers at a conservative performing arts school―exploring friendship, first love, and what it means to fall out of step with your own dreams.

Ana has been studying contemporary dance since she was little, but her heart isn’t in it anymore. Instead her focus is on Carina―a beautiful, ambitious ballerina whose fear of being outed keeps Ana in the closet and their fragile relationship from seeing the light of day. Risking her own career, Ana gives up more and more in order to fit into the shadows of Carina’s life.

Sara, on the other hand, is fielding whispers she may be the best dancer their school has produced in years. Much of that is thanks to her mentor and instructor, Marlena, who plucked Sara from the classical track and encouraged her to blossom as a contemporary dancer. Sara has always been in awe of Marlena, but recently, that admiration has sparked into something more, and Sara’s not sure what to do about it.

As junior year at their performing arts school begins, Ana and Sara are assigned as roommates. What starts off as a tentative friendship soon becomes a much-needed anchor.

Review: Sometimes I have a hard time writing reviews because I find myself somewhat unable to express why I feel a certain way about a book outside of the very simple and concise phrase ‘vibes, man’. It never feels fully constructive, but sometimes it is what I find myself falling back upon. “Leap” by Simina Popescu is absolutely one of those books, as once I had finished it I was chiller and calmer and happier than when I’d started it, all because of the vibes. But then it was time to explain why, exactly, it made me feel that way, and I found myself having a hard time articulating. So you may have to forgive me as you read this review, as it very well may fully turn into a written out screed that all comes back to vibes. But hopefully that can be enough sometimes?

Okay fine, even I’m unconvinced, I’ll give it a shot! (source)

“Leap” has a very straightforward plot: two young women, Sara and Ana, are two dance students at a fairly conservative academy in Romania. They are both in a more contemporary program, though Ana is dating an ambitious ballerina named Carina on the sly, as Carina isn’t ready to come out. Ana and Sara become roommates and start to forge a friendship through a shared interest in dance, as well as the realization that they are both queer women in a setting where they are a bit more invisible, though Ana would love to be out and Sara is grappling with the possibility of doing so. It’s a bit slice of life, and I enjoyed watching their friendship build as they support each other through the highs and lows of what’s going on in their lives (Sara’s unattainable crush on Marlena, one of the teachers at the school, and Ana’s ennui with dance and her somewhat one sided relationship with Carina). The issues were important and weighty without feeling overwrought, and their separate but easily relatable journeys felt very real and fit together well, leading to believable conflict but nothing a little communication and empathy couldn’t fix.

Another aspect that really worked for me, and I do have to spoil a bit here to talk about it but it doesn’t really spoil anything too much, is that this book’s focus really was on the importance of friendship instead of focusing on romance. Ana and Sara are two queer friends who are both going through difficult moments in their personal lives in the romance department; Ana is having to hide her relationship with Carina, and Sara is discovering her sexuality through crush on her teacher Marlena (and which is wholly unattainable for many reasons). While these relationship woes are definitely a conflict for them and unrequited and painful, Ana and Sara are always there and supportive of each other, and the story never hints at a possible romance for the two of them. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve read that would have taken the opportunity to show that these two girls would fall for each other in the end (not that I dislike that kind of trope, friends to lovers can be fun!), and in this case I loved that Popescu instead decided to show that platonic love and intimacy can be more than enough for connections between two people.

“Leap” is a calm and lovely coming of age story that felt cozy and earnest. If you are looking for something sweet to read this Spring, this is a great choice. Vibes galore.

Rating 8: A sweet and charming coming of age tale about friendship, self discovery, and connection.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Leap” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of now, but it would fit in on “Graphic Novels Featuring LGBTIQ+ Themes”.

Kate’s Review: “Fence, Vol. 5: Rise”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Fence, Vol. 5: Rise” by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad (Ill.)

Publishing Info: BOOM! Box, August 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: USA Today best-selling author C. S. Pacat (Captive Prince) and popular web cartoonist Johanna the Mad along with colorist Joana LaFuente (Transformers) and letterer Jim Campbell (Giant Days) reunite for the highly-anticipated next chapter in this fierce and heartfelt GLAAD Media Award-nominated series. Excitement is in the air as Nicholas and his friends celebrate their prestigious invitation to the Halverton Training Camp. They immediately come face-to-face with the best teams in the country, and Nicholas struggles as he suffers defeat after defeat by an old enemy. Will a new addition to the team bring Nicholas closer to the rest of the team and awaken the resilience within he needs to prevail? But Seiji, in contrast to Nicholas, remains unchallenged and let down by the camp. With Seiji’s goal to learn (instead of win) stuck in his head, will Nicholas step up to pose a real challenge to Seiji, even growing their friendship as a result?. Get ready to say “En Garde” to the next installment of Fence!

Review: It has been so long since I’ve revisited the fencers at King’s Row Boys School! Once I realized I hadn’t read the next installment in the “Fence” Series, I hastily requested “Fence, Vol. 5: Rise” from the library, more than ready to jump back into the world of high school fencing and all the slow burn drama that comes with it. Normally I like a slow burn, as well all know. But I will say that when it comes to “Fence”, I’m starting to get a little impatient…

But first I’ll start with that I enjoyed. I do like how Pacat is still really devoting time and explanation to fencing as a sport, and how we are seeing the ins and outs of the fencers and the kinds of competitions they engage within. In this volume we see Nicholas, Seiji, and all the rest of the team (as well as new team manager Bobby!) go to a prestigious training camp to hone their skills, alongside other top tier fencers in their competitive circles. It’s an interesting way to keep things going while also showing the kind of work and dedication elite athletes have to tend to even if they aren’t doing high stakes tournaments. We also get introduced to a few new characters, and while we don’t get to know them terribly well (And how could we? We already have so many characters to keep track of), we see enough of them that I got a feel for the different teams and how they gel with each other. And finally, I REALLY loved how Pacat found a way to bring in Bobby further into the story, as I think that Bobby is just the sweetest. I had been worried when he hadn’t made the team, as I was thinking that meant we wouldn’t be seeing as much of him anymore, but here he is in all his adorableness being able to be a part of the team while using his skills at being the best booster ever for his friends. Perfection!

But there are a couple of things that didn’t work as well, and I think that at this point I am just about done with the very slow pacing of this series. I know that for some people that means that they are waiting for Nicholas and Seiji to finally figure out their feelings for each other (or Aiden and Harvard, who are also lollygagging a bit in their will they or won’t they), but for me it’s about an actual confrontation between Nicholas and his half brother Jesse, who as far as we know doesn’t know that Nicholas exists. That has been a huge driving force for Nicholas in this series, to prove himself as a good athlete as a way to work out his abandonment issues regarding his father, with Jesse being the personification of that (as well as an arrogant prick, as far as this reader can tell). But I feel like it just keeps getting drawn out, and I’m starting to lose my patience. I like the technical aspects of this book when it comes to fencing as a sport and a skill, but I also want to get to some of the emotional pay offs that have been teased for quite awhile now.

ANY DAY NOW. (source)

At the end of the day I’m still invested in “Fence” and am interested to see where we are going next. But I would love it if we could move it along.

Rating 7: Another cute installment to this sports series, though I am getting a bit impatient waiting for some interaction between Nicholas and his half brother…

Reader’s Advisory:

“Fence, Vol. 5: Rise” is included on the Goodreads list “Books About Queer People In Sports”.

Serena’s Review: “Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue” by Kate Pearsall

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: As Caball Hollow slowly recovers after a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.        18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell people’s lies—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long resented her gift, which has taught her that everyone lies and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old nemesis, Hadrian Fitch, the biggest liar of them all, shows up on her front porch—bloodied, broken, and asking for help only she can give—her first instinct is distrust. But something new is stalking the Forest that surrounds Caball Hollow.       Now things are disappearing. At first, it’s small stuff—like letters, photos, and keys. But then, Rowan notices people around her are losing their memories. And when the body of a neighbor is found in the middle of town, Rowan knows there’s a link between this death and all the events disturbing the Hollow. Can she find what—or who—the link is before it takes another life?

Previously Reviewed: “Bittersweet in the Hollow”

Review: While “Bittersweet in the Hollow” wasn’t a perfect read for me, it got a lot of things right, particularly with regards to the atmosphere of mystery and creepiness that surrounds Caball Hollow. I also always enjoy stories about a bunch of sister with magical powers, so there’s that. Rowan didn’t play a huge role in that story, but I was definitely intrigued by her character and excited to see where her story would go in this sequel!

So, to get it out of the way, this one probably came in at around or a bit below the same level as “Bittersweet:” in that, I definitely see parts that I appreciate, but it also failed to capitalize on its strengths in a way that would have elevated it to a higher level for me. But let’s start with the good, as always. Like “Bittersweet,” one of the biggest strengths of this book is its overall tone and the vibe of this small town and the dark woods that surrounds it. It worked out in a strange way that I was reading two books back-to-back with this general setting (Adrienne Young’s “A Sea of Unspoken Things” was the other), and I found that I appreciated the use of this setting just as much here as I did there.

Beyond the mysteriousness of the woods and the dangers it contains, I also liked the exploration of small-town life. Particularly, the challenge of living in a town with such a limited population where you know everyone, for better or worse. Forgive and forget becomes a necessity to functioning in an environment like this, sometimes for very practical, economic reasons, as we see here with the family’s café that depends on the town folk for business even if some of them have behaved in truly terrible ways.

However, as I read, I found myself really struggling with the pacing and some of the plotting of this book. It’s just a very slow read, taking a long time to really get started, with what feels like numerous “false starts” to the plot. Further, as I continued to read, I was dismayed to see so much time spent on events and characters from the first book. In some ways, Lindon was allowed to overshadow Rowan in Rowan’s own book, which is always disappointing. I’m not sure whether the author simply didn’t have a robust enough storyline for Rowan herself or what. But I do think this book may have been more successful as a novella or shorter companion piece. As it stands, it feels as if Rowan was short-shifted as a main character.

In a similar way, the romance was very lackluster. It wasn’t bad, and I did enjoy moments with the romantic lead. But at the same time, I failed to really feel any chemistry between these two characters. I felt as if I was being told they were developing feelings for one another, but I wasn’t getting any of that on the page. For a character like Rowan with her particular ability with lying, there should have been plenty of material to build a complex romantic relationship, so it was disappointing to see the book flounder in this way.

Overall, this was an ok read. If you enjoyed the first book and Lindon as a character, this one is probably worth reading simply for the large emphasis on the events of that book and that character. If you were hoping for a truly fresh-feeling story and a clear development of Rowan as her own character, however, you may find yourself as disappointed as I was.

Rating 7: The story shines with regards to its atmosphere and mysterious vibes, however, weaker characters brought it down a bit in the end.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2025.

Serena’s Review: “A Sea of Unspoken Things”

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Book: “A Sea of Unspoken Things” by Adrienne Young

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life. 

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved. 

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.

Review: Adrienne Young has been reliably a “one book a year” author for a while now, and I feel like I’m getting quite spoiled. I look ahead to the fall and the winter and mentally assume that I’ll be getting to enjoy her most recent release somewhere in there! It also helps that I’ve been enjoying this turn towards adult novels with a closer feel towards magical realism than straight fantasy. So, like clockwork, I’m back with another review for her latest entry!

While this one didn’t quite hit as hard as some of her other books, there was still a lot to like about this one! First of all, I think the cover on this book, while beautiful, is a missed opportunity. So much of the book is taken up with the oppressive, claustrophobic, wild nature of the forest that surrounds the small town of Hawthorne, that a cover picture of a wide open seascape seems very misplaced. Especially since this unique atmosphere and nature of the woods is so omnipresent throughout the book. While reading it, you can almost feel the trees pressing in.

I grew up in the mountains and the woods, so I love forests. But Young also deftly captured the unique experience of feeling closed in, even while outside, that can come from thick woodlands. Here, she cashes in on the tension that comes from reduced sight lines, not being able to see the shifts in the landscape or what they can hide. This sense of the unknown is then woven through the various mysteries of not only Johnny’s death, but also James’ past that drove her to flee her hometown many years ago.

I also enjoyed the complicated nature of the sibling relationship between Johnny and James. We never see Johnny alive on page except for flashbacks, but again, Young masterfully captures the lingering feeling of presence after someone as close as a sibling passes away. Of course, this is fantasy realism, so this ghost-like presence is explored in more mystical senses as well. But even small things, like coming into a place that was suddenly abandoned by an unexpected death and then trying to piece together that person’s last days or moments…it was all quite well done. Even more so due to the complicated relationship between Johnny and James, one that was both as close as it could be, but also full of tension and whips of darkness. The flashbacks were incredibly effective at building up James’ feelings towards this mercurial brother and the ways in which he directed so many of her life choices.

On the other hand, while the romance was sweet, this was the relationship that felt a bit short-shifted. In many ways, it felt very similar to the romance we saw in another of Young’s books, “Spells for Forgetting,” focusing again on small towns and second-chance romances. Instead, I found the dynamic between Johnny, James, and Micah together as a trio to be of more interest. Micah wasn’t really given enough on the page to fully flesh him out as a character. Instead, he felt more like a sounding board character for Johnny and James. Not saying I’d rather there have not been a romance, as I did enjoy the love story. Just that if you’re going in looking for romance, then you might be a bit underwhelmed.

The mystery was also fairly good. There were a number of reveals and connections that I thought were done quite well, red herrings that would go back and forth between being red herrings at all. On the other hand, at least one of these reveals felt like it came a bit out of nowhere and didn’t have much to truly back it up. A person did a thing because of…reasons. Ultimately, as I was mostly invested in the mysteries surrounding the past and on the dynamics between the Micah, Johnny, and James, I was mostly ok with this. But it did feel a bit weaker than some of Young’s past entries in this regards.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book! It didn’t quite live up to some of the highs of past books by Young, but it was also a solidly enjoyable mystery/romance/fantasy realism book on its own! If you’ve enjoyed her books in the past, odds are good that you’ll like this one as well!

Rating 8: The true triumph is Young’s ability to capture the beautiful yet oppressive nature of a deep, dark woods.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Sea of Unspoken Things” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Book titles with all the vowels in it. A E I O U

Kate’s Review: “Tunis to Sydney”

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Book: “Tunis to Sydney” by Meriam & Christian Carnouche, & Sam Rapley (Ill.)

Publishing Info: Fairsquare Graphics, August 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from the authors.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Lilia and Bill enjoy a tranquil life in the heart of Sydney, Australia. Bill is a local, while Lilia hails from Tunisia, making them an unconventional but inseparable pair. Their happiness has always been unshakeable, until that day. 

When Lilia receives the devastating news of her parents’ tragic death in a car accident, a staggering ten thousand miles away. She’s consumed by a profound sense of shock. The weight of unspoken questions surfaces. Did she fail her parents by not being there for them throughout the years?

As they hastily journey to Tunis for the funeral, Bill stands steadfastly by Lilia’s side, offering unwavering support. Yet, this journey unveils the fault lines in Lilia’s life, leading her to confront a cascade of profound questions.

Dive into a poignant graphic novel that delves into the labyrinth of grief, resilience in the face of loss, and the complexities of human relationships.

Review: Thank you to Christian Carnouche for sending me an eARC of this graphic novel!

I am very fortunate in that I haven’t experienced a deep in my bones kind of grief in my life when it comes to losing people I care about. I know many people who have, however, and I kept thinking about this as I read the graphic novel “Tunis to Sydney” by Meriam and Christian Carnouche. When I saw this novel in my inbox, the description sounded interesting, in that the graphic novels I read tend to be more genre focused, or full on memoir. But this one really grabbed me, and I decided to give it a try, mainly because the idea of following a woman in grieving her parents, and returning to her childhood home in Tunisia. I am so, so glad that I took a chance on this one because wow did it deliver.

“Tunis to Sydney” is very much a ‘day in the life’ kind of book, though it’s more like a few months in the life. We follow Lilia and Bill, a married couple living in Sydney, Australia, though Lilia is originally from Tunisia. When she gets a horrible phone call that both her parents have been killed in a car accident, they return to Tunis to make plans for the funeral. The story is a path of Lilia’s loss of her parents and how she maneuvers through a deep grief and all the other feelings that come with it, like shock, guilt, and rage. I though that following this journey was very poignant, and that it touches upon the guilt of leaving loved ones behind for a new life as well as a sense of loss. But that loss is not only of immediate family, but of a place as well, as Lilia has returned to Tunis after being gone for so long, and readjusting if only for a little while. Watching her move through scenes of her former home was so bittersweet, and I loved the moments with the community, and within spaces that she hadn’t seen in so long, be it her mother’s greenhouse or even the market or Zitouna Mosque.

I also appreciated how up front and honest this story was with how grief and loss, especially an astronomical one such as the loss of not one but two parents, can consume a person. Lilia is reeling through most of the story, moving from shock to guilt to sadness to anger and back around, and her emotions and palpable and completely leap off the pages. She has her moments of being overcome by many of these differing stages, and while she has her moments of being unfair or even cruel to her husband after the loss as really taken its toll, there is always sympathy for her, and the story never makes her out to be right or wrong, nor does it judge her. It shows how grief and trauma of this type can be incredibly messy, and I thought that was such an honest point of view and route to take. It also made her journey feel that much more touching, seeing her resilience in the face of despair, while her loving partner and husband is there to support her in any way he can, even if that means dealing with difficult moments.

And I REALLY loved the artwork in this. Sam Rapley’s style is a mix of realism as well as a clear aesthetic that makes for very poignant imagery that is striking. There were moments and images that really took my breath away, and really added to the overall weight of the story.

(Fairsquare Graphics)

Overall I really, really enjoyed “Tunis to Sydney”. It’s heartfelt, quiet, and deeply emotional. Absolutely lovey.

Rating 9: A lovely and melancholy story about loss, grief, and healing. Incredibly moving and stunning artwork. Highly recommend.

Readers’s Advisory:

“Tunis to Sydney” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on “Best Books About Grief and Grieving”.

Kate’s Review: “You’ve Got the Map Backwards”

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Book: “You’ve Got the Map Backwards” by Brian Usobiaga

Publishing Info: Self Published, April 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an epub from the author.

Where You Can Get This Book: Amazon

Book Description: A year removed from high school, lifelong friends Aisha Kinseya and Sarah Piedmont find themselves lost in different places. Struggling with depression, Sarah’s growing dependency on alcohol lands her in rehab. Aisha, in the midst of her second year of college, finds herself increasingly isolated as a crippling anxiety begins to overwhelm her.

Finding solace in familiarity, the two girls reunite only to have their friendship fracture. As they search for answers, Aisha and Sarah discover how relationships can change. How knowing someone your entire life doesn’t mean you know them forever, and how, if you want to grow, there are certain things you must leave behind.

Review: Thank you to Brian Usobiaga for sending me an epub of this novella!

We are starting to wind down 2024, with Thanksgiving next week and then the whirlwind of the holidays kicking into overdrive. I had such an anxiety filled year that I’m actually kind of behind on my reading goals, if I’m being honest, and usually that means that I’m not really taking chances or risks in genres outside of the ones I love. But that said, when author Brian Usobiaga reached out to me with his novella “You’ve Got the Map Backwards” a few months back, even though I KNEW that I was going to be going outside my genre, I was so intrigued by the premise that I wanted to give it a go! So let’s depart from horror, thriller, cozy mystery, and graphic novels to take on a coming of age contemporary novella!

(source)

This is, quite obviously, not the usual kind of fare that I spotlight on this blog, but I was intrigued by the story as someone who has had falling outs with close friends once we hit a certain age and different paths in life (not due to any addiction issues or anything like that, however). And I liked that Usobiaga decided to focus the story on both Sarah’s struggles as well as Aisha’s struggles, and how sometimes friendship can be complicated when both people in the relationship are going through things, even if those things are quite different. We follow both of them through their own perspective moments, with Sarah dealing with being fresh out of rehab and teetering back towards alcohol, and Aisha trying to adjust to college while also taking on Sarah in hopes of supporting her and helping her after rehab. Usobiaga is pretty frank about how difficult Sarah’s path is, as she is in a very vulnerable place and not equipped to deal with trying to stay sober after her program has completely. Sarah is an interesting character because I found her to be incredibly maddening, but I also really felt for her. I also liked Aisha’s perspective as she is trying to hold her own in school as her connection to her father is distanced and somewhat strained, while also feeling a loyalty to Sarah even though Sarah is a mess and bordering on taking advantage of Aisha’s kindness. Their friendship is very complex and I really liked getting both of their perspectives to be able to see both sides.

I think that the only hangup I had was that sometimes the time shifts were confusing. There were definitely headers that lets the reader know that we are now in a different place in time, sometimes a decade behind even, but I found myself having to go back and remind myself when a certain moment was taking place because it felt a bit like the other moments in time that we were seeing play out. I’m someone who really likes structured time jumps that follow a pattern, so ones that are a bit more creative tend to confuse me, and this may not be a problem that translates to all readers.

I found “You’ve Got the Map Backwards” to be an emotional and quick read, with characters whose pain felt very real and who we hope will find some healing. I’m happy I took a chance on it!

Rating 7: Shorter and to the point, “You’ve Got the Map Backwards” is a story about addiction, friendship, and a crossroads between two people who mean a lot to each other.

Reader’s Advisory:

“You’ve Got the Map Backwards” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of now, but if you like friendship dramas with some honesty and a little bit of hope, this would be a good match for you.

Blog Tour & Joint Review: “Not in Love”

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Book: “Not in Love” by Ali Hazelwood

Publishing Info: Berkley, June 2024

Where Did We Get This Book: eARC from blog tour!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through – and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business – one that plays for keeps.

Serena’s Thoughts

First of all, I’ve loved being included in these blog tours and truly appreciate the opportunity to participate! I’ve loved most books I’ve read by Ali Hazelwood, up to this point, so I was excited to check this one out! Unfortunately, I have to admit up top that not only was this my least favorite book by Hazelwood so far, but it was a let down of a read for me in most ways. Now, of course, this is a subjective take, especially the things that didn’t work for me, and many of my complaints may work great for others!

First of all, I was disappointed to find that this was a duel POV romance story. Hazelwood has always been a favorite of mine for the simple fact that she writes single POV love stories, something that I always prefer. And, I’m sorry to say, but I think the change in format was for the worse in general. More often than not, I feel like authors end up using duel POV as a crutch when conveying the a love story. Instead of showing the romance building, the narrative simply switches between POVs where both characters simply tell the reader how much they adore the other. And we had much of that here. Gone was much of the nuance and the romantic scenes/action that show the characters growing to love one another.

What’s worse, given the nature of the way this relationship builds, instead of telling the reader how much they each are growing to care for one another, we ended up with a whole lot of inner thoughts about simply wanting to jump into bed with one another. The male POV was especially rough in this arena. I don’t care to repeat the number of times he reflects on how great of a lay Rue is. This is all fine and dandy, but not something I need to be in someone’s head to hear about repeatedly.

I also thought the balance was off in this book between the spice scenes and the emotional development: there was too much of the former and not enough of the latter. Rue, in particular, had an interesting background and I enjoyed learning more about her backstory and watching her come out of her shell a bit. But for his part, Eli felt a bit too much like your standard “golden retriever esque tech bro” type character. He also seemed to immediately fall into instalove/lust with Rue from their very first scene together, which didn’t leave the story anywhere to go for him.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book, which I’m so disappointed to report. I’ve really enjoyed Hazelwood’s romances in the past, but many aspects of this were just never going to be for me (the duel POVS, the balance of spice to plot, etc.). Others who like these elements may enjoy this one more.

Kate’s Thoughts

There is a reason that Ali Hazelwood is probably my favorite romance author, and that is because in some ways I know exactly what to expect, but in other ways she knows how to catch me off guard. I usually know a few things about what I’m going to get into with her novels, and that is they are always going to have quirky and science minded protagonists, and there will be some steamy spicy moments. “Not In Love” is no exception to this, and it still works for me for the most part. I really enjoyed our female lead Rue, as she was probably Hazelwood’s most coded as neurodivergent character yet, and I am always going to be ALL about that kind of representation. Especially since she is never put down or made to feel bad for it by those who matter. I wasn’t as big of a fan as Eli, and it’s for the same reasons that Serena lists above. But I DO appreciate that Hazelwood has been experimenting a bit within her sub genre approaches as of late, whether it was a stellar dive into paranormal romance in “Bride” or a tamer and more chaste take on YA romance in “Check and Mate”. In this one she explores kink and BDSM as Rue and Eli do their forbidden lust/romance, and I kept thinking about “Secretary” as I read, which is a good thing because that movie is WILD and oh my GOD JAMES SPADER. Anyway. I have no experience in the BDSM/kink community so can’t speak to how accurate it is, but I like that Hazelwood is expanding her horizons.

But I do find myself agreeing with her frustration with the way the romance progressed as was presented, though in my case it may have more to do with personal preference more than anything else. I have been used to Hazelwood taking her sweet time with the romances in her books, building up the sexual tension and the friendship and intimate aspects to her love birds at.a pace that makes for lots of fun moments and then a HUGE pay off when they do consummate. Well in “Not In Love”, while there is a BIT of a wait, the sexytimes payoff is a bit sooner than a lot of her past books, and for me it felt like we were going off prematurely. Which I fully recognize is a bit of a silly criticism for a forbidden romance/no strings turned more romance. But it’s a tried and true pattern for me and my reading tastes that romances that have a lot of spice too soon don’t connect for me as well as that sweet sweet slow burn, and that’s, of course, incredibly subjective. I know plenty of people who will see this as a huge plus.

So while some parts of “Not In Love” didn’t quite click for me, I did enjoy other aspects of it like I have in previous books by Hazelwood. I still can’t wait for whatever she comes up with next.

Serena’s Rating 6: The duel POV hampered rather than helped the love story, and the spice scenes were not the best and overshadowed the plot.

Kate’s Rating 7: I like that Hazelwood continues to explore different angles and sub genres of romance, and I like how unapologetically neurodivergent Rue is. But as someone who really likes there to be some build up to spice for a slow burn pay off, “Not In Love” went a little too hard too fast for me.

Reader’s Advisory

“Not in Love” is on this Goodreads list: Rom Coms