Showing posts with label 2022 reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2022 reads. Show all posts

19 Jan 2023

We Can(ada) Read: ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS by Maggie Knox

19 January 0 Comments

We Can(ada) Read is by Canadians for EVERYONE to learn more about some amazing Canadian authors!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Author: Maggie Knox
Series: N/A
Source: Audiobook from Audible
Publisher: Viking
Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: N/A

Summary:
True love wasn't on their holiday wish list.

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they've finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they're paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn't be too hard, except for one small problem--Sadie and Max can't stand each other.

But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: death of a loved one, death of a grandparent, grief, stalking, alcohol consumption, sexual content, creepy men.

This could have been a four star read if the conflict and resolution had been a bit more interesting. But I thought there were a lot of easy "cop-out" moments in this that took away from the story because I was so focused on the plotholes. I also think it's a little strange that we missed an entire year of each of their lives - there was no moments in the in between to keep us intrigued in their relationship or the characters.

This didn't feel like a "holiday" romance novel, except that it took place around Christmas. I felt like this could have taken place at any moment in time and it would have been the same novel, so I'm not sure how I feel about it being a "Christmas romance novel."

But the premise was cute enough and there were some heavier topics discussed in this around grief and how the music industry treats women that I could give it some passes. I liked Sadie and Max both as individual characters and a couple. I thought that their best personality traits were perfect for the other person and I am glad that they got together at the end.

If you were a fan of Maggie Knox's other books, you'll probably enjoy this one too!

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16 Jan 2023

Review: ONCE UPON A CON Series by Ashley Poston

16 January 0 Comments

GEEKERELLA

Author: Ashley Poston
Series: Once Upon A Con #1
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Quirk Books
Publication Date: April 4, 2017

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation (Whole Series): F/F romance, demisexual main character (implied) Japanese side character, M/M romance (side characters), bisexual main character, latinx side character, nonbinary side character

Summary:
Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: Moderately strong language, emotional abuse, fatphobia, groping, Harry Potter references, misogyny

Geekerella

I thought this was really cute and I liked a lot of the retelling portions of this. It hit all the right beats and had a pretty compelling storyline. But I thought some of it was just too convenient and could have been better fleshed out. I just felt like it was too fanfic-y for me, especially since the romance felt almost insta-love. I know, I know, they talked for a while. But only via text and never once called each other. And the explanation for not doing that wasn't compelling enough in my opinion.

But it was cute! And I enjoyed it so I'll probably continue on with this series.

The Princess and the Fangirl

I didn't realize I skipped this one when I was reading, so I came back to it before continuing with another book. This was ... okay. I like the setting of this series and how it could be our world and life. But it was also kinda boring.

There wasn't a lot of things happening because we learned the plot right from the beginning and then there was just too much fluff in between for me to really enjoy it. I was hoping for a bit more action than what we were getting. It also didn't quite make sense that they switched places when Jess could have just asked Imogen to go find the script for her.

But it was cute! And I'm glad I read this series. It's free on Audible Plus so if you have the chance, give it a read.

Bookish and the Beast

This was really cute and I enjoyed it a lot! It doesn't have the same level of "fandom" as Geekerella, but it was definitely a cute rom-com novel. I did think the characters fell a little short and everyone had the convenience of "being rich" which made a lot of the problems easily solvable.

I thought this could have been a better retelling of Beauty and the Beast - it focused so much on how Vance doesn't see the magic of books rather than the other aspects of B&tB. I like books about books, but this just didn't have the right magic for me.

I do recommend this series, though!

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29 Dec 2022

We Can(ada) Read: THE UNMATCHMAKERS by Jackie Lau

29 December 0 Comments

We Can(ada) Read is by Canadians for EVERYONE to learn more about some amazing Canadian authors!

THE UNMATCHMAKERS

Author: Jackie Lau
Series: N/A
Source: Audiobook from Kobo
Publisher: Kobo Originals
Publication Date: June 28, 2022

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: Asian-Canadian main character, Asian-Canadian love interest

Summary:
From the author of DONUT FALL IN LOVE comes a perfect summer love story set in the forested paradise of Canadian cottage country that asks the question: can love beat the odds when the odds are two mothers dead-set against it?

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You’d think my mother would be trying to set me up with architect Neil Choy, the unmarried son of her best friend. But you’d be wrong.

My single mother has always been fiercely independent. Since I was a small child, she’s always told me not to believe in fairy tales and that I don’t need a man. So she’s failed to mention that Neil is a total hottie in glasses. When I see him for the first time in a decade, on a multi-family cottage vacation, I’m in for quite a shock. (In fact, I nearly fall in the lake, but let’s keep that a secret.)

He sure can grill a mean steak and mix a killer cocktail, plus he’s pretty impressive in a kayak. Yes, he’s a little stern and grumpy, but that just makes him more fun to tease—and makes it more satisfying when he quirks his lips in my direction.

Even though my mind is spinning romantic fantasies, I’m not entirely sure how he feels. And I’m afraid that if anything happens between us, it’ll screw up the friendship between our staunchly anti-relationship mothers. Especially since they’ve been acting increasingly weird since we arrived—I will never forgive them for the S’mores Incident. In fact, I think they’re trying to sabotage my love life, and I’m starting to worry that I won’t make it through this bizarre summer vacation…

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Perfect for fans of Helen Hoang’s THE BRIDE TEST and THE DONUT TRAP by Julie Tieu, THE UNMATCHMAKERS is a forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy that explores finding the balance of meeting expectations and being true to yourself, and how even the best of intentions can sometimes backfire.
Purchase:
Kobo
Content Warning: overbearing parents, explicit sex scene, falling into water

I thought this was a cute enough, short read! There wasn't as much emphasis on the romance as I would have liked - and I thought it would have been more friends to lovers than instalove but that's okay. There seemed to be a lot of emphasis on the community and family rather than on the romance, which in my mind took a bit away from the overall story.

But I loved that it's set in Canada in places I've been to and there's a charm about that for me. I also ate timbits while reading it!

This is one that you could easily pass on and read something else, but if you have Kobo Plus and can read it for free, you may as well!

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28 Dec 2022

Review: PARTNERS IN CRIME by Alisha Rai

28 December 0 Comments

PARTNERS IN CRIME

Author: Alisha Rai
Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Kobo
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: October 18, 2022

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: Indian main character, Indian love interest

Summary:
Indian Matchmaking meets Date Night in this fun, romantic adventure in which a match-made couple about to be engaged gets caught up in a caper that puts their future—and lives—in danger.

At thirty-five, with a stable job as an accountant, Mira Chaudhary wants nothing more than to find a boring man to spend the rest of her life with. Having had enough excitement in her younger days and desperately trying to escape her dysfunctional past, she turns to a matching app specializing in Indian American singles to help her find someone to settle down with.

Enter Naveen Desai. An English professor with an uneventful, normal, and—dare she say it, boring—life, Naveen is perfect.

But just when things are going well, Mira receives news that her aunt has died. Suddenly a trip to Las Vegas to settle her aunt’s affairs turns into a mad dash to escape kidnappers, evade art thieves, and consorting with hackers who can decipher just what it was Mira’s aunt was involved with. Mira just hopes that Naveen isn’t chased away by the very same life of “excitement” that she’s been trying to get away from. But maybe, over the course of one wild night, Mira and Naveen will find the love connection that neither expected.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: toxic parents, Parkinson's disease, kidnapping, gun shot, past alcoholism, rehab, fatphobia, explicit sex scenes, lack of sleep

This was such a good book and such a fun one to read! I loved all the twists and turns that happened and seeing the little clues to lead you to where the ending was. I thought it was a really well done romance and thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I was entertained by this one way more than I anticipated! I thought Mira and Naveen were great as main characters, as well as ex-lovers, and that added so much to the mix. I am glad we had both POVs since there were definitely great moments for each of them to think about the other and the situation at hand.

If you are looking for a action-packed romance, this is the book for you!

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2 Dec 2022

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES by Alix E. Harrow

02 December 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES

Author: Alix E. Harrow
Series: N/A
Source: Audible
Publisher: Redhook
Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Summary:
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.
Purchase:
Content Warning: Child abuse, both physical and psychological; parental death; arrest and imprisonment; mind control; pregnancy and childbirth, including forced hospitalization; abortion; racism; sexism; homophobia, both external and internalized; threat of sexual assault, averted; torture (mostly off-the-page, but alluded to); execution (attempted); child abandonment; major character death.

Like many reviews, I think this could have been shorter and that would have made it better. But I did really enjoy this! I loved the addition of the spells throughout and the topical conversations that we've been having for hundreds of years. This book beautifully merges magic and feminism - looking at the witch burnings and suffrage movement through a different lens, but one that still feels as though we've seen it before.

That aside, what a fantastic story! This is essentially a cross-cultural, queer, feminist reimagining of all things Grimm and fairytale, blending together multiple traditions in an alternate historical setting as three sisters battle the draconian patriarchy with witchcraft. I loved it, and I was delighted to see a trans character included too.

Highly recommend if you have time and don't mind a long story.
INSTAGRAM

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25 Nov 2022

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: THE THEMIS FILES by Sylvain Neuvel

25 November 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

SLEEPING GIANTS

Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Series: Themis Files #1
Source: Audible
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: April 26, 2016


Summary:
A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square-shaped hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved - the object's origins, architects, and purpose unknown.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top-secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the relic they seek. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unravelling history's most perplexing discovery-and finally figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?
Purchase:
Content Warning: Medical content, body horror, death, car accident, injury, confinement, sexual content, sexual violence, force institutionalism, vomit, war, ableism, misogyny, xenophobia, kidnapping, torture

Sleeping Giants
I really enjoyed this and think the audiobook highlighted the story overall. The full cast made this story that much better since we got to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions from the nuanced voices of the characters. I felt like a fly on the wall reading this and I loved that!

An interesting mix of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pacific Rim, with much less science and technology and much more politics. I really enjoyed learning about the giants robots and how they functioned. I do have questions about the "missing" case files since this is spread amongst a number of them, but there are some missing in the sequence.

I know this is a trilogy, but I still wish this had a bit more of a satisfying conclusion. It was a little too open for me. But if you enjoy SciFi and stories told through interviews/transcripts/pieces, then this is for you.

Waking Gods
I really enjoyed this one and liked that it started with a time skip. I also literally laughed out loud that the one character is named after an neon genesis evangelion character. I still loved this as an audiobook and think this is made to be listened to. The full cast is amazing.

I loved the way this built upon the original story and gave us more worldbuilding, especially outside of the characters. I'm so glad that even when the world is supposed to "come together," there is still a lot of power plays with the government agencies. I think this is a pretty super realistic approach to what would happen.

I'm excited to see what happens in book three!

Only Human
Wow, wow, wow! This was such a good conclusion to this series! Another huge time skip, but such great political commentary and I loved the further worldbuilding of the aliens. I loved everything about this entire series and it's definitely one I will be recommending to everyone.

Have you read this series? What was your favourite part?
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21 Nov 2022

REVIEW: WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon

21 November 0 Comments

WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI

Author: Sandhya Menon
Series: Dimple and Rishi #1
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 30, 2017
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:
Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family—and from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitating toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways. 
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
When Dimple Met Rishi covers these differences through the characters of Dimple and Rishi, who are polar opposites with what they want to achieve in life. Dimple is set out to be a coder, changing lives with her intelligence and drive to pursue the better. This goes against her mother's wishes for her to marry a good man and become a housewife.

Rishi on the other hand, has a gift for artwork and drawing comics. Ever the dutiful son, he lets his parents dictate what he should do in life, from going along with the arranged marriage to studying Engineering.

I loved how Rishi embraced his cultural identity, finding every opportunity to educate others about his identity. While this was something Dimple shied away upon, it was nice seeing his quiet confidence and how he didn't care about people's opinions - at least those that didn't matter.

The book also explores first love, but having a goal in life beyond just finding your future husband. As someone who isn't afraid to pursue her talents and who is driven to succeed, I related a lot to Dimple's mindset. Especially when it came to getting into a relationship that would only hold her back.

I absolutely loved this book so much. The family dynamics, the relationship, and the cuteness and squealing I did throughout reading it. I was smiling the entire time I was reading this.

I do wish there had been a bit more of the actual coding and programming (and less on the talent show, which seemed like a weird addition to the story) but it was such a great story.

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18 Nov 2022

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

18 November 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

THE FIFTH SEASON

Author: N.K. Jemisin
Series: The Broken Earth #1
Source: Audible
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: August 4, 2015


Summary:
This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.
Purchase:
Content Warning: Assault, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Infanticide, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

The Fifth Season
This took a bit to get into and I'm still not 100% sure on the worldbuilding but the characters are fantastic and I loved the writing! I thought that there were a lot of great parallels between the world we live in today and the nation that Jemisin creates, which will really open up people's eyes - if they are paying attention.

The Obelisk Gate
Holy shit, this was so good!! I can't believe this was better than the first but this was more than a work of art. This answered all the questions I had from The Fifth Season and opened the world up so much more. I was concerned about how we would continue the story since the first book was basically following only one character, but it transitioned so perfectly.

This has some of the best writing, character development, and magic of any fantasy series I've ever read. If you haven't already read this series, start today!

The Stone Sky
REVIEW

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