Tag: Winter

Book Review:: The Memory Library | Kate Storey

The Memory Library is the story of an estranged mother and daughter coming back together in a moment of difficulty, as they discover that no wound is too deep to heal.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey Book Cover

Ella hasn’t seen her mother in over twenty years. After a grief-stricken fight, she moved to Australia and started her career and family away from England. But when her mother has a fall, she and her husband decide it is time for Ella to go. She is the only one who can.

While there, she and her mother, Sally, are forced to confront what tore them apart, and as the waves of healing wash over them, Ella comes to realize what her decision cost her.

Sally still lives in the same home, and has been continuing her tradition of buying a new book for Ella every year on her birthday, but since their estrangement, she’s been keeping them safe in her own library at home until Ella was ready. She inscribes them each with a little message, describing why each title was chosen, but it was ruined in the flood that resulted from her accident.

The idea of this book is sweet, but for me it felt a little forced. It’s an uplifting story that has a thread of sadness and grief tied all through it. It warns us to make sure we’re not taking for granted even the more difficult relationships in our lives, and urges us to try harder to understand others. It’s a great message, so I can forgive a few clumsy character motivations.

I can see people really latching onto this book if they have healed estrangements in their own lives, or have complicated relationships with their own mothers.

Note:: I received this book through netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Details

Title:: The Memory Library
Author:: Kate Storey
Genre:: Contemporary
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 335 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 20m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jilly Bond & Imogen Wilde
Audiobook Publisher:: Avon
Published:: February 1, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

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Book Review:: After Life | Gayle Forman

There are a lot of lessons we learn the hard way in our youth. but what if we got a second chance to change things?

After Life by Gayle Forman Book Cover

Seventeen-year-old Amber rides home on her bicycle one day, but when her family sees her, they’re terrified. Amber was killed in a hit and run seven years before. But somehow, she’s there. Alive?

Between the mystery of her spontaneous reappearance is a story about losing faith, finding faith, forgiveness, family, and priorities. It’s about enduring love. It’s about making mistakes and learning from them.

Death has a way of instantly reprioritizing your life – especially, as it happens in this book, when it is your own. Families break apart. Other relationships strengthen. Our lives are constantly evolving, and it isn’t always until we’re not part of something anymore that we realize how much.

I really enjoyed this poignant young adult story that demonstrates that mistakes don’t make or break our lives. It’s a good message.

I was lucky to receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts are mine.

Details

Title:: After Life
Author:: Gayle Forman
Genre:: YA Contemporary
Publisher:: Quill Tree Books
Length:: 272 pages
Audio Length:: 6h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Gail Shalan, Jade Wheeler, & Andrew J. Andersen
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: January 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

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Ghosted | Sarah Ready

Book Review:: All the Water in the World | Eiren Caffall

You like reading about life post-apocalypse? How about a double apocalypse?

All The Water In the World by Eiren Caffall Book Cover, New York Underwater

Nonie is born after the end of the world as we know it. Weather patterns have changed, and the water levels have risen. Which has led, apparently, to the downfall of civilization. Her parents decided to stay in New York City (somehow there were flood gates installed…all around Manhattan, to keep it mostly unflooded?), and they lived and worked at the American Museum of Natural History (what they would come to call the Amen) to preserve human knowledge during this time of reckoning. But then a hypercane comes and destroys what very little was left of the museum, and the survivors must try to get out of the city to (relative) safety.

This one takes a big suspension of disbelief, and to be honest, I wasn’t quite there. Hypercanes are a theoretical caliber of storm – you can look them up – and from what I’ve read, it doesn’t really seem to fit into the narrative the author weaves here. The fallout of a storm like that would be far more widespread than she seemed to account for. Already I was stretched thin being asked to believe rising sea levels would have destroyed all civil and federal order (I guess the spread of disease was also a big factor, but still), and this theoretical storm was a little too much for me. I literally don’t believe a world like this is possible the way it is implied (but I get it is fun to imagine). There would obviously be issues around the modern coastline but…um, there’s a lot more world out there than that (seriously though, there are more museums in the world, why didn’t they just move inland)? Not to mention it’s essentially impossible for ALL the ice to melt. I feel like readers have a high probability of misunderstanding the real world because of this book, and I don’t like that.

However, it is full of little philosophical snapshots and provokes deeper thinking about human concepts, which I could appreciate. Nonie’s parents were intellectuals and had dedicated their entire lives to preserving as much history and human knowledge as they could. They sacrificed the chance at an easier life to this end and were raising their girls to carry forward as much knowledge as possible, too. Once they leave the Amen, there are the studies of base human nature in the encounters they have with others, which, really, is why we love reading post-apocalyptic fiction, right? We see humanity in its rawest form. On the positive end of the spectrum, our ability to bond to one another and cooperate, and on the other, what a thin line stands between civilization and becoming wild again.

In many ways it reminded me of Margaret Atwood’s MaddAdam trilogy (which is wonderful), I just wish it had stronger legs to stand on so I could better immerse myself.

I was provided an advanced copy of this audiobook through the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: All the Water in the World
Author:: Eiren Caffall
Genre:: Apocalyptic Sci-Fi
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Press
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 42m
Audiobook Narrator:: Eunice Wong
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

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The City in Glass | Nghi Vo

Book Review:: The Lodge | Kayla Olson

The Lodge by Kayla Olson is a romantic wintertime escape. Set in a Vermont ski resort, it hits the spot for your cozy romance itch in the dark days of winter.

The Lodge by Kayla Olson Book Cover

Alix Morgan is an entertainment writer who just landed the gig of a lifetime: ghostwriting the memoir of Sebastian Green, one of the front men of the boy band called True North. The band was once the most popular in the world, but ultimately broke up after one of the members disappeared. Needing some space from her roommate to focus on her tight deadline, the publisher (via Sebastian himself) puts Alix up at a posh Vermont resort. She’s having trouble communicating with Sebastian, and her next-door neighbor offers her ski lessons, so in between days of intense work, Alix strikes up an unlikely friendship with him. It doesn’t take long for it to turn into more, but both of them have secrets, and it’s only a matter of time before they come to light and change everything.

The best part of this book was the falling. Ooo, the sparks between Alix and Tyler (the ski instructor) were red hot and plentiful. I felt like their connection was authentic and romantic and all the things you want from a romance novel.

I struggled a little bit with the cheesiness of the plot. I think it’s inherent a lot of times in a celebrity romance. It was well crafted as far as character backstories and everything fitting together well in a puzzle sense for an impactful climax, but for me it’s hard to escape the fan fiction vibe in this genre. I think I’ve only read one celebrity romance that didn’t give me that aftertaste (When in Rome by Sarah Adams), but if celebrity romance is your thing, I think you’ll love this one.

Note:: I received this title from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Details

Title:: The Lodge
Author:: Kayla Olson
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h
Audiobook Narrator:: Andi Arndt, Graham Halstead & Gilli Messer
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: January 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

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Reading Diary:: A Discovery of Witches | Deborah Harkness

My experience with A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness has been different to every other book I’ve read this year, or ever. For this reason, it doesn’t feel right to simply ‘review’ this book. Instead, I’m going to walk through my journey with it (so far). I have a feeling you other readers out there will be able to relate to something, at least, in this experience. We’re lovers of books and story, after all. But for those of you interested, yes, I gave this book five stars, no question.

It begins with…

Let’s start at the very beginning. I heard of this book when it was first popular. I even checked it out from the library, and after an incredibly long wait, I had couldn’t remember why I’d wanted to read it in the first place (I mean vampires? Really? Weren’t we passed that, as a culture?). Plus, as usual, I had a long list of other books on my list that I prioritized instead. After that, I had no intention of reading it. Ever.

and then…

Then the TV series came to Netflix in the US, and during Halloween season, too! My husband and I were looking for something new to watch, and that’s what we chose one night.

Holy crap.

Instantly I knew it was something I had to read. Not only did the story intrigue me, this ages old mystery and people who have been around through ancient history (this is what I’m always missing from other vampire tales. Oh you’re a hundred years old? Who cares. Two hundred? Snore. ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED?! Now we’re talking…), and a girl with magic who refuses to embrace it, but I was so curious about the construction of the story itself. There are so many storylines depicted in the show, I wanted to see how it was translated from the book. Yeah, I’m a book nerd and a story geek and an aspiring writer who is desperate to soak up every quirk and detail I encounter.

I had to read it. So I ordered the paperback trilogy boxed set.

We finished the first season in a few days, and we started the first few episodes of season two before I decided to stop and catch up with the books before continuing.

It begins (again)…

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Book Cover

I tackled this thing armed with all of my tools of the trade. My copy of this book is underlined, highlighted, and page flagged to within an inch of its life. Because I already knew the plot of the story from the show, I was able to identify the details and ‘clues’ throughout the narrative that had to do with the primary conflict in one color, I used another color highlight for the romance details I liked, and a third for the magic/creatures details. I flagged every scene or micro-scene that felt important or extra meaningful.

In short, I savored it. Every word, every detail, every choice by the author.

There are some odd things about this story, from a structure point of view. It doesn’t follow a lot of the formulaic advice you heard incessantly in writing circles. It takes its time. It makes itself easy to savor. I loved it.

The story is built in layers, and though there are probably too many scenes with Matthew and Diana just sitting around talking about intense magical theory, all that information is needed by the reader and can be forgiven. It’s hard to tell if I’d have been so engaged with these sometimes-tedious conversations if I didn’t already have some understanding of where it all was leading already. I suspect it wouldn’t have been quite as enjoyable if I was reading it with no context, but it could easily be the opposite. That’s the thing about books vs adaptations. The only other time I’ve seen an adaptation before reading the books is with The Lord of the Rings, and Pride & Prejudice, and neither of those were as enjoyable to read after seeing them come to life so beautifully on screen (feel free to come at me in the comments). But if I watch something after reading the book, I usually enjoy it a great deal less.

As I said, I stopped watching the show after season two, episode two or three, so I’m actually changing my tactic going forward. I’m currently reading Shadow of Night (book two), and I’m about halfway through. I’m enjoying it just as much as A Discovery of Witches, but I’m feeling the lack of knowledge of what is coming next doubly, since I had that for book one. Such a strange experience!

So tell me — have you read this All Souls series? Have you seen the show? Have I intrigued you enough to pick it up?! Tell me all!

See ya next time!

Details

Title:: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls #1)
Author:: Deborah Harkness
Genre:: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:: Viking Penguin
Length:: 592 pages
Audio Length:: 23h 59m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jennifer Ikeda
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: February 2011
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1

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If you liked this book, check out…

The Familiar | Leigh Bardugo
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews

Book Review:: All the Missing Pieces | Catherine Cowles

So, like, romantic suspense is a thing?! If this book is good representation of that, this might be my new favorite genre! Oh my gosh, the mystery, the danger, the intrigue! I was hooked in early on and I was happy to let it reel me all the way in.

All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles Book Cover

When Ridley’s sister disappeared, she started living double. She had to experience the world twice as much, in honor of the life her sister didn’t get to live. She lives life out of the back of her van, traveling the country recording true crime podcasts. She’s good at her job because she can empathize with the grieving family’s and has a bone-deep interest in finding sickos and getting justice for their crimes.

Of course she has been researching the disappearance of her own sister, and she believes it wasn’t just an isolated incident. Her next project is investigating the failed kidnapping of a woman Ridley believes was her sister’s killer’s first victim. When she rolls into town, she finds the victim’s brother is a sheriff, and overprotective at that, which won’t make things easy for her.

First of all, the construction. When an author crafts her characters to fundamentally fit, and then throws in a dramatic question that not only justifies but also inherently creates conflict for story between them, it’s like friggin magic, and Cowles has done it in All the Missing Pieces.

Come on! A crime podcaster and a cop? Both with family members who were victims of the same type of crime? Their goals don’t only align, they’re exactly the same, but there’s so much room for tension and conflict and that’s👏🏼what👏🏼we👏🏼live👏🏼for👏🏼

It’s spicy too, did I mention? *blushes*

We’ve got an active investigation, plenty of suspects, old secrets resurfacing, hot bods, sexual tension, and sparks a-flying. There is real danger, protective instincts, and cute animal sidekicks with quirks that make you go aww. Seriously, I loved every word, and I can’t wait to read more exactly like this. Everyone drop me some recs!

I am so grateful I got to listen to an advanced copy of this title through the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

Details

Title:: All the Missing Pieces (Shady Cove #1)
Author:: Catherine Cowles
Genre:: Romantic Suspense
Publisher:: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: January 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

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If you liked this book, check out…

Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews
In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros
The Reappearance of Rachel Price | Holly Jackson

Book Review:: A Sea of Unspoken Things | Adrienne Young

We all have secrets. This is the story of a twin trying to discover the secrets her brother was keeping, which may have led to his unexpected and untimely death. But all she has is what was left behind, and it tells a broken story.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young Book Cover, Pacific Northwest Coastline

Johnny was an odd duck – dark and mysterious, even to his twin sister, James. Between them was some kind of supernatural connection twins tend to have. But James felt something even more than that in times of great distress. Like she was in both bodies at once, somehow. It is how she explains the crystal clear sensation she got of the bullet that killed him hitting her own chest. And she still has that preternatural feeling. It won’t go away, even though he’s gone, and James is certain he’s trying to tell her something from beyond the grave.

As a mystery, this works really well. There’s a clear objective, there are lots of compelling clues, and a cast that supports the story well. I was hooked. But the little *sparkle* I love about every Adrienne Young book I’ve read so far are her complicated romance plotlines, and this one did not disappoint.

Now, in no way is this a romance novel – this is firmly mystery territory. But there’s this guy, right? And despite their messy history, he’s there and ready to help her figure out what the hell happened to Johnny.

It’s a simple story really, but the writing is skillful and compelling. Another mark of an Adrienne Young story is some kind of magical realism element. With June Farrow it was a foundation of the story and integral to the plotline the whole way through, with Spells for Forgetting it was a little more understated, but still foundational, but with Unspoken, it’s in the little details. The twin feeling. Their pet Smoke. Maybe even the forest itself.

I really enjoyed this book, and I’m honored I was chosen by the publisher and netgalley to receive a free download of the story in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’m sure this isn’t the only time I’ll be visiting this one!

Details

Title:: A Sea of Unspoken Things
Author:: Adrienne Young
Genre:: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Publisher:: Delacorte Press | Random House Ballantine
Length:: 288 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 16m
Audiobook Narrator:: Christine Lakin
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: January 7th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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Book Review:: Not in My Book | Katie Holt

Oh, this is a good one. You want a yummy, rivals-to-lovers modern romance that’ll take your breath away? Grab Not in My Book, a phenomenal debut by Katie Holt, and thank me later.

Not in My Book by Katie Holt Book Cover

Rosie and Aiden have been in the same NYU writing workshop for the past two years. He writes lit fic, she writes romance. And they got off on the wrong foot. They both take enormous pleasure in critiquing each other’s work to within an inch of its life, until it comes to a breaking point and they’re forced to write something together or get kicked out of the class.

They’re marketing this book with a comp for Beach Read, my favorite Emily Henry book, and I have to say…I see that. It’s Gus and January: the college years. The romance, once it gets popping, is electric, and it gets spicy as hell. It isn’t a fast thing though. I wouldn’t exactly call it a slow burn, but she makes us wait for the good stuff, and I loved every minute of it!

This book has a story within a story, with excerpts of the book the two characters are tasked with writing between all the chapters. At first I didn’t think it added much to the experience, but by the middle I was eating those up too.

Both Rosie and Aiden are great characters. They have depth and history and goals and desires…I really found myself caring about them early on, and I love how their story ended *swoon*. Rosie had quite a big group of friends, and I wonder if this will turn into a stand-alone style series.

I am so thankful to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to review this one. It was a pleasure!

Details

Title:: Not in My Book
Author:: Katie Holt
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Alcove Press
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Frankie Corzo
Audiobook Publisher:: Recorded Books
Published:: December 10th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 4

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Author Website (book reporter)
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If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Better Than Friends | Jill Shalvis

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis has all the ingredients for a real romance banger. Second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, (kind of) forbidden romance, mystery, drama, accidents, freakish storms that move in to leave the characters stranded…the pages are jam packed with tropey delight, but it doesn’t feel all that tropey. It feels like a beautiful story of real heartbreak and crisis and healing and falling in love, even when you don’t mean to.

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis Book Cover

The only home Olive ever really knew was with the Turner family. Her own parents were flaky at best, and she found real connection with her best friend Katie, and even her twin brother Noah. But after a tragic accident after graduation, Olive fled her hometown in a rush of shame and guilt. Now years later, her best friend needs her. Her husband was in a terrible accident that’s left him in a coma. Despite wanting to keep as far away from Noah as possible, she returns home and naturally, runs into him constantly.

This story really drew me in from the beginning with such a complex and intriguing backstory between all of the characters that had be turning pages for more. Turns out Olive and Noah had a little bit of history back in the day, and the sparks are still smoldering! The two main characters are MFEO (made for each other). Their conflicts complement one another and their traumas can really only be healed by each other, too.

It’s not only a romance, but a novel of self-discovery. Olive has a complicated history with her own parents, and it turns out they’re actually missing, which adds an interesting plot element to all the sparks trying to ignite all over the place. There are some deep themes that tug at your heart strings and keep your mind turning over them long after you finish reading.

Jill Shalvis is a new author for me, but it looks like she’s quite prolific! I’m really looking forward to reading more of her work, because this one was a major win for me!

Note:: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher & netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

Details

Title:: Better Than Friends (Sunrise Cove #7)
Author:: Jill Shalvis
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 15m
Audiobook Narrator:: Andi Arndt
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: January 21st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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If you liked this book, check out…

Hate Mail | Donna Marchetti
Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello
Business Casual | BK Borison
Wild Love | Elsie Silver
How to Hide in Plain Sight | Emma Noyes

Book Review:: A Five Letter Word for Love | Amy James

Let’s get this out of the way up front. This book was rated entirely on *vibes*. Is it perfect? No (and it has more faults than most of my five star reads). But should you read it? Absolutely, yes.

A Five Letter Word for Love by Amy James Book Cover. Cute world word puzzle with the could embracing to the side

Emily is having a quarter life crisis. She’s finished college in a degree she regrets, and is working in a small town on Prince Edward Island because the rent is cheap and she found a job in an auto shop that pays her just enough to make some progress on those pesky student loans. But she’s not passionate about anything. She wants to find passion. She wants to find her dream job.

The thing is, she’s entirely insufferable. Her attitude is perpetually under-satisfied, always looking for the greener grass, no matter what is in front of her. She sees her college friend group thriving on their individual paths, but she’s floundering and has no direction, and she doesn’t even like those friends that much anymore.

BUT — starting from a place of discontentedness leaves lots of room for growth, and the more room for growth, the more powerful an impact for the ending. Even though some of the threads of this story got kind of muddled from the 50-75% point (ish), the resolution made up for every other complaint I was holding onto as I read. The opening was also awesome, you just have to have a little faith that things will pay off by the time all is said and done.

It may also help that John is essentially my husband. Car guy, mechanic, racer, (yes those are all different), not a big talker, hunky, sweet when it counts, confident, steadfast, funny. I loved their relationship, but it’s a little hard to see his side of it with how misaligned they appear to be.

The most sand-chewing part for me is that she’s creating this life she actually really really loves in PEI, with or without John, but she’s still just got it lodged in her head that she needs something better, that there’s always something better. It may be the plight of Gen Z, at least a little bit. The idealistic social media generation. Y’all. Take a big breath and say it with me *gratitude*.

Like I said, in the end this book was absolutely worth it, with valuable themes I think many will embrace or relate to. I was sure this was going to be three stars, but then it just blew me away in the end. I cried several well-earned tears. Sleeper hit! Surprise gem! Diamond in the rough! Five stars from me!

This was a netgalley arc read. I was provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Details

Title:: A Five Letter Word for Love
Author:: Amy James
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 33m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kate Koster
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: December 3rd, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1

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If you liked this book, check out…

Let’s Call A Truce | Amy Buchanan
Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour | Nore Nguyen
Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello