Happy “where’d all my money go?” new release Tuesday, everyone!
As you know, the most exciting day of the week in this community is the day that follows the one we all dread (Mondays for the nope) and today we’re going to highlight some of the new books chipping away at our bank accounts — but each one is so worth it.
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano marks the third instalment in this single-mother-writer-accidentally-becomes-a-hitwoman series following, none other, than Finlay Donovan.
Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare is the third and final instalment in the Last Hours series.
Are You Happy Now by Hanna Jameson is a dytopian story with a pandemic of malady. An interesting read promised.
Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she’s a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had “borrowed” in the process of saving the life of Finlay’s ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.
Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.
Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen’s police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay’s looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob’s clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero’s past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.
From USA Today bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the highly anticipated, hilarious, and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series…
Title : Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun Author : Elle Cosimano Series : Finlay Donovan (book three) Format : eARC Page Count : 304 Genre : mystery / thriller Publisher : Minotaur Books Release Date : January 31, 2023
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : ★ ★
Hollis’ 2 star review
Pretty sure in my review for book two I said something about my suspension of disbelief button getting a workout but hoo boy. That’s nothing compared the third installment in this series. Poor pointer finger is exhausted.
That aside, I have to say, I found it extremely hard to get back into this world; or, maybe more accurately, the writing. I cared nothing for the characters, the nonsense they had once more gotten themselves twisted up in, and certainly not the romance. Can I blame all that on the writing or am I just over this concept? I’ll admit the red herrings for the mystery were well done but it sorta feels like everything was made more convoluted and dramatic, as opposed to less, because of Finlay and Vero’s involvement. And that did not make for a great experience.
I am all for a plucky heroine stumbling into bigger things and having to navigate but like.. it’s just not working anymore. Things are either too big for her to be emerging unscathed or things just aren’t being taken seriously enough and therefore the stakes aren’t high. Or both, sometimes at the same time. It’s a weird feeling. The vibes are off.
Also, that big near-final scene happening surrounded by all those cops? Yeah bloody right. The eyerolls.
Also also, the very meta writing bit about Finlay and her characters is getting tired, too.
While Vero had definitely saved some of the bits that I had previously given side-eye, she did not fare so well in this one. I worried her subplot would add to the OTT and ruin her and yeah, I think it did. Honestly, the only character I really enjoyed in this one was Wade, a firearms instructor, because his lack of fucks really spoke to me. Nick, one of the many (!) love interests, wasn’t too bad, either. I am just bewildered by all these menfolk panting after Finlay because I do not get the appeal.
But what do I know; the same could be said about my feelings for this series vs the many many readers who are having a blast. So.
While I had hoped to find a spark of love for this series, I think I’ll stick this on the back burner until the end is in sight.
ps, still wishing Steven was dead.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.
In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.
Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.
Title : I’m Glad My Mom Died Author/Narrator : Jennette McCurdy Format : Audio Page Count : 6 hours, 25 minutes Genre : Memoir Publisher : Simon & Schuster Audio Release Date : August 9, 2022
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★★
Micky’s 4 star review
I feel weird rating this memoir as if I’m rating the life of Jenette McCurdy. I’m not rating her life but if I was, to date, I’d give it one star. However, this was such as well written memoir, engaging, sad, frustrating and witty. McCurdy is a sharp writer, intelligent and (now) insightful.
This book was a tough read in many moments. It focused on abuse and eating disorders. The nature of parental abuse had me shocked quite frankly, it was odd and very damaging. The insight into showbiz kids was incredibly eye opening.
All kudos to McCurdy for her journey, her hard work to overcome some of the damage and courage on leaving acting behind; I have a lot of admiration for her.
I listened to this book on audio and I have to say, narrated by the author, it brings something extra to the piece. Thank you to LibroFM for the audio review copy.
As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together.
But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time.
But sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones.
Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Begin Again is an unforgettable novel of love and starting again
Title : Begin Again Author : Emma Lord Format : eARC Page Count : 352 Genre : YA contemporary Publisher : Wednesday Books Release Date : January 24, 2023
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : ★ ★.5
Hollis’ 2.5 star review
Even though this is the lowest I’ve rated a book by Lord, I still consider her an auto-read author. But this didn’t quite reach the usual levels of charming that I’ve come to expect. And mostly, and I’m bummed to say it, that’s because of the main character, Andie.
Strike one : her way of non-swearing by instead using cutesy dessert names. Nope. Strike two : her over-fixating on everyone’s problems but her own. Strike three : the romantic drama that any hints at would mean revealing some spoilers.
While I liked the supporting cast, barring the one we aren’t supposed to like, I wish they had been fleshed out a bit more. So much time was spent on various elements like the advice plotline, the ribbon plotline, the parental issue plotline, and then all the love interest backstory drama plotline.
Maybe I’m just in a mood and maybe I would’ve liked this more had I read it another time but the whole thing just tried too hard to feel rosy and charming and sweet without authentically being that way. And I’m used to feeling that authenticity from this author so I’m bummed. But that’s okay. There was enough for this to be still somewhat enjoyable but it did take me way too long to push through during those draggy bits.
Despite all this, I will continue to pick up and read Lord. While I’m sad this wasn’t a win the odds are definitely in her favour (and mine!) for future releases.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Six moments lead us to two girls, one kiss, and three little words that were maybe always true in this gorgeous novel perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Jenny Han.
Penny and Tate have always clashed. Unfortunately, their mothers are lifelong best friends, so the girls’ bickering has carried them through playdates, tragedy, and more than one rom-com marathon with the Moms. When Penny’s mother decides to become a living donor to Tate’s mom, ending her wait for a liver transplant, things go from clashing to cataclysmic. Because in order to help their families recover physically, emotionally, and financially, the Moms combine their households the summer before senior year.
So Penny and Tate make a pact: They’ll play nice. Be the drama-free daughters their mothers need through this scary and hopeful time. There’s only one little hitch in their plan: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing.
It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence.
They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other. And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever.
Title : Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) Author : Tess Sharpe Format : eARC Page Count : 384 Genre : LGBTQIAP+ YA romance Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Release Date : January 24, 2023
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★
Hollis’ 4 star review
You’d think we all would’ve learned by now but it bears repeating for relevancy — and also because I have not learned by now — but : a colourfully illustrated cover does not mean there is a lack of heavy. And this book has the heavy. Hoo boy.
Yes, spoiler alert, I cried. Twice.
This book is hard, yo. There is a lot of grief and loss to wade through, especially as it manifests so differently for so many people; and these characters are no exception. And, hey. Do you also love fraught mother-daughter dynamics? Because this has that, too. I do not love that dynamic, I find it incredibly horrible to experience, but instead of ruining the book (which has definitely happened to me before) I can respect it because Sharpe did such a great job with.. well, everything.
But before you run screaming in the opposite direction, this is also a queer romance and wow. Sharpe did this so well, too. The will-they-won’t-they-why-the-fuck-haven’t-they-already was perfect. All the flashbacks were brilliant. The core of these two girls was just.. gah. Their whole thing. Not friends, not enemies, but constantly in orbit. I loved them so much. You know that scene in The Pirates of the Caribbean? The “JUST KISS” scene? That was this entire book, pretty much. Minus the parts that were not.
Oh, and before, I forget, because it bears mentioning. I also loved their friends, both grade A cinnamon rolls, so much. I love me a friend group. This one wasn’t quite an ensemble but they left their mark nonetheless.
Yeah, I really loved this. And it’s left me with the same feeling I had after finishing The Girls I’ve Been. Which is : I need to read this author again. Deep dive her backlist. Put her on my radar for upcoming reads. All of the things.
If you can handle a heartbreaking and emotional but also really lovely story, with incredibly connections and complex dynamics, you need to pick this up.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Happy “where’d all my money go?” new release Tuesday, everyone!
As you know, the most exciting day of the week in this community is the day that follows the one we all dread (Mondays for the nope) and today we’re going to highlight some of the new books chipping away at our bank accounts — but each one is so worth it.
Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe has a cutesy title, a cutesey cover, and a cutesy plot hook but don’t be fooled. This story has teeth. Also, slowburn sapphic romance? Who doesn’t want some of that action.
Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn is.. well, we can’t put it any better than the pitch, really, so here you go : “[a] witty new novel that echoes with timely questions about love, career, reconciling with the past, and finding your path while knowing your true worth.” The grabby hands are real.
Begin Again by Emma Lord is a YA novel set at college and can we just say? More of this. But it’s also Lord so if you’re a fan, you’ll very likely love this regardless of where it’s set.
Do I Know You?by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka marks the second adult release from this duo, this time about a married couple hoping to reignite the passion in their relationship while on vacation.
Are there any titles out today you’re excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
In this heartfelt tale of one woman’s quest to reinvent herself, the acclaimed author of Love Lettering and Love at First delivers a poignant, witty reflection on how the hopes, dreams, and stories from our past shape our future . . .
Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.
But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact—a “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary’s simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline—a guidebook for getting started on a new path.
Georgie’s plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate—Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back.
Honest and deeply emotional, Georgie, All Along is a smart, tender must-read for everyone who’s ever wondered about the life that got away . . .
Title : Georgie, All Along Author : Kate Clayborn Format : eARC Page Count : 320 Genre : contemporary romance Publisher : Kensington Release Date : January 24, 2023
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ .5
Hollis’ 4.5 star review
There are a few authors I should know better than to pick up late at night, thinking I’ll only read a few chapters before going to bed. Clayborn is one of them. I finished this after midnight on a work night but the next day sleepies were w o r t h i t.
Additionally, on a related note, there are only a few authors who make me want to flip over, upon finishing the book, and start again. Surprise surprise, Clayborn is also one of those. I have yet to do that but the urge is there. Also, immediately reread all my favourites (of which there are many). But I digress but what does any of this have to do with Georgie, All Along? Nothing really. Except that hopefully it conveys the all around good feeling it gave me.
I will be very curious to see if people find this vibed a little different from past Clayborn’s. Maybe it’s just me and my headspace. But that’s not a bad thing. It just feels very far away from Love Lettering and more in line with her debut series. Again, not a bad thing. It’s good to mess up your expectations a little.
What never ceases to amaze me are how much I fall in love with this author’s characters. And this crop is no different. From Georgie, to her love interest Levi, to her bestie Annabel, to Hank the dog, arg. Everyone stole my heart. But when it came to Georgie, can I just say, that few people do messy eccentric-adjacent characters like Clayborn? In many other hands, Georgie would’ve been OTT and cringey but somehow she was made to be loud and chaotic and it feel genuine instead of put on. I loved, too, the theme of the story, of trying to go back, and how that was woven through for so many of these characters and yet they each had different emotional beats to tackle and resolve, things to face, and how those all shook out.
Also, can I just say, Levi’s style of texting? Outstanding. Ten out of ten.
Start to finish there was just so much great here and I honestly don’t know what else to say about it except : read it.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Hi readers, here’s another little review round-up for you, this time packaged together because it’s a collection of short stories and a) my thoughts will be brief as befits a review for a novella, and b) you can read these as standalones because nothing actually connects.
Fifteen years ago, Lęina’s mother, Yuliana, went searching for a mythical place called the Garden and never returned. Determined to learn the truth about what happened, Lęina travels to Brazil to search for the hidden realm, with Yuliana’s journal and a local tour guide leading the way. But Lęina soon begins to wonder if she’s looking for answers—or if what she truly wants to find is herself.
Title : The Garden Author : Tomi Champion-Adeyemi Series : Into Shadows (book one) Format : eBook Page Count : 44 Genre : contemporary / fantasy? Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 1.5 star review
This is part verse, part story, about a woman’s journey to follow her mother’s footsteps to a mythical or legendary garden and I sadly didn’t like the poetry elements (which just read like bad poetry as opposed to evoking any kind of feeling or visual) or the story.
I felt nothing for the character or the journey and was glad this was one of the shortest of the set. Also very glad I didn’t actually start with this and know there is good to be found in this collection. Though I wonder if I’ve already experienced the best there is? Guess we’ll see!
Ever since her dad disappeared five years ago, Persephone has quietly walled off the feelings she’d rather not feel. There’s no room for pain or anger when you’re just trying to get through the hell that is high school. But one day, the crush of taunts and disappointments is finally too much—and a power breaks loose inside her that she never knew was there.
Title : Persephone Author : Lev Grossman Series : Into Shadows (book two) Format : eBook Page Count : 31 Genre : YA sci-fi Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 1.5 star review
I’m not sure this one had enough time to really evoke the sense of crushing disappointments that would cause the main character’s power to break loose. Instead things happen very quickly, via a rather whiny or maybe just poorly written female YA POV, and boom, it’s like the X-Men or something — but for only a hot second because then it ends. Which is definitely not the vibe I was expecting from the title or the cover. But I guess that aesthetic is for the whole and not the part? I just wish it vibed, like, at all.
If you’re wanting an actual Persephone retelling or homage set aside those wants or.. actually just pass this one right on by.
Overall I didn’t struggle with the writing of this one the way I did with the first instalment, which was just trying too hard, but conversely I wish this one had actually tried to do something. Anything.
Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor. The bards sing her name and her enemies fear it. But the war never ends and the cost keeps rising—how many times will she repeat her own story?
Title : The Six Deaths of the Saint Author : Alix. E. Harrow Series : Into Shadows (book three) Format : eBook Page Count : 30 Genre : fantasy / historical Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 5 star review
Now this is how you do a story in novella form, wow. I don’t know what I want more, a full length story about this or for it to be encased in amber, untouched and preserved, so it can stay exactly the way it is.
I absolutely loved everything about this. The title, the concept, the evolution of the story, everything. No notes, this is chefs kiss.
I was trying to talk myself out of giving this five stars but listen — life is short and my slump has been long, so let’s just do the damn thing.
Also, I enjoyed this so much I bought it! Just incase it ever disappears off KU or amazon as a whole.
The Fogg River Seminary, a girls’ school in a small Illinois town, is supposed to be just another stop on Maryse and Vasyl’s endless travels. They’ve made lucrative use of Maryse’s “foreign” looks in their melodramatic séance act—and an act is all it is. Then, during their performance, a blizzard sweeps in and cuts them off from town completely. In the freezing halls, there’s a voice speaking the secrets of the dead, and Maryse has no choice but to listen…because this time, the voice is real.
Title : What the Dead Know Author : Nghi Vo Series : Into Shadows (book four) Format : eBook Page Count : 31 Genre : historical / paranormal / horror Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 4 star review
The vibes that were missing from book two were very very present here.
Not only was this a cohesive story, it was very well written, it had excellent atmosphere, and it felt like a perfect slice of life from the time period. I also really enjoyed the characters, both in who they were and the roles they both had to play.
This might actually only be a 3.5 as I do think it would do a bit better as a longer story, particularly with the plot elements near the end as it related to a crime and mystery. But considering the massive disappointments that were the first two instalments, which I’ve just finished as I read some of these out of order, I’m feeling generous. Additionally, the call back to the title was really great.
Also, side note, I really need to read more by this author because this was my first go at her writing and I want more of this.
A fresh-faced newcomer arrives in an isolated, gang-run town and soon finds herself taking a job nobody else wants: bodyguard to a ghoul. Not just your average mindless, half-rotted shuffler, though. Lucille is a dancer who can still put on her own lipstick and whose shows are half burlesque, half gladiator match. But the stranger is no stranger to this particular ghoul. Both women are undercover in their own way. And both have something to lose if their connection comes to light.
Title : Undercover Author : Tamsyn Muir Series : Into Shadows (book five) Format : eBook Page Count : 59 Genre : paranormal / sci-fi Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 3 star review
This is the fifth of the set but it was actually the first one I read because, duh, Muir. I also thought it would be the only one I would actually read but I was inspired to give the rest of these a go because it was a low stakes venture without any real commitment required. Also, I’m in (was in?) a slump. Now, onto the review..
This almost almost works. But it’s maybe trying to do too much for the page length — though it’s longest of the bunch! — and things are (per Muir’s usual way) confusing and complex; and even when it’s all revealed you still don’t maybe quite get it (or maybe that’s just me). I’m definitely an outlier on this though because it seems most people enjoyed it whether they understood it or not and that has definitely been my experience with the author’s other works. But this one was just missing.. something to seal the deal; at least for me.
The end was good though.
When her husband dies unexpectedly, Maggie Royal is struck with sinister visions that foretell danger for her and for her five-year-old daughter. Her mother and grandmother were said to have “the sight,” but it was never like this. With no one alive to turn to, Maggie must move quickly to uncover the meaning of her visions before her candle is snuffed out.
Title : The Candles Are Burning Author : Veronica G. Henry Series : Into Shadows (book six) Format : eBook Page Count : 37 Genre : historical / paranormal Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 2 star review
This one was mostly failed by the ending, I think. An extra ten pages to flesh things out, instead of rushing through the big reveal (which, to be honest, I don’t think things really work in a way that makes a whole lot of sense..), not to mention maybe beefing up the final few pages to flesh out why this was an acceptable bargain, would’ve done this a lot of good.
The setting may have been the most interesting part and the writing wasn’t bad. But some bits felt a little rougher than others and this could’ve maybe been more successful with a little more care (in the sense that it felt a bit like a draft) and explanation.
It’s business as usual on the set of another cheap sword-and-sandal production by Pharos Pictures—until the lead actress suddenly falls into a deep, mysterious sleep. Jordan Harper can talk down high-strung starlets and knock sense into stuntmen, but this…this is the kind of uncanny problem that he’d usually bring to Mrs. Hope. Unfortunately, the preternaturally capable secretary is on a business trip with the studio head. Harper must get to the bottom of the mystery on his own before another cast member succumbs—or worse, they blow the budget.
Title : Out of the Mirror, Darkness Author : Garth Nix Series : Into Shadows (book seven) Format : eBook Page Count : 38 Genre : historical / paranormal Publisher : amazon original stories Release Date : November 15, 2022
Hollis’ 3.5 star review
I’m so glad we ended on something of a high note because this has been a rollercoaster of a ride!
While I can’t say I found myself invested in the characters, the story itself was really good. I enjoyed both the time period and the setting, the paranormal element (it felt a little Indiana Jones to me but gender bent), and the writing kept me glued to the page.
Infact, this is one of the few stories in this collection that actually, start to finish, felt like a fully fleshed out read without that sense that something was missing or rushed. If not for the fact that none of the characters will have any staying power in my mind, this would’ve received a higher rating. But if Nix ever decided to make this into a series, I would definitely read more from them.
In conclusion, my overall thoughts as to this series — or, more accurately, this collection of stories? As a whole, it’s good they are on KU because I could definitely see some people getting bamboozled into buying up the lot because of all the star power in the line-up, when really the standouts are few; though they do standout. You don’t need to take my word for which those might be but I highly recommend you pick through what interests you and start there.
Is this a series you’re interested in or is this the first you’re hearing of it? Do collections like this, whether longform or short, interest you in general? Let us know!
Chicago, sometime. Two people meet in the armory of the Art Institute by chance. Prior to their encounter, he is a doctoral student who manages his destructive thoughts with compulsive calculations about time travel; she is a bipolar counterfeit artist undergoing court-ordered psychotherapy. After their meeting, those things do not change.
Everything else, however, is slightly different.
Both obsessive, eccentric personalities, Aldo Damiani and Charlotte Regan struggle to be without each other from the moment they meet. The truth – that he is a clinically depressed, anti-social theoretician and she is a manipulative liar with a history of self-sabotage – means the deeper they fall in love, the more troubling their reliance on each other becomes.
Title : Alone With You In The Ether Author : Olivie Blake Format : Physical Page Count : 288 Genre : Contemporary Fiction Publisher : Tor Books Release Date : November 29, 2022
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★
Micky’s 3.5 – 4 star review
I’m finding this a difficult story to rate and I’m not convinced by my rating stil.
This story was a sweeping example of messy love. These characters of Aldo and Regan are consuming their complexity and problems. Both characters had diagnoses of mental illness, those illnesses while sometimes overwhelming, were not the sum of them. Regan by far was the most complex of the two and her chaotic take on life, sex, relationships and ethics had me reading through my fingers at times and gritting my teeth for the impending implosion but…(here is where you read the book for yourself).
Aldo seemed a little more grounded while still off in his world of theoretical mathematics and time. I liked him more than Regan even though I feel like this story reveals more of Regan. I totally got why these two worked at times and why they didn’t at others. It is hard to like or love these characters though.
There’s a definite irreverance for conventionality in this book and I really appreciated that element. There’s nothing linear about this plot or how it begins and ends; that’s its beauty. However, sometimes the chaos was confusing in moments and I didn’t always understand the why of these characters.
The author note at the end is utterly impactful and the more I think about the story and author note as I write this review, the more I think this might be nearer 4 stars than 3.5. Blake’s exposition at the end brings focus to the context and characters in a very real way. I respect her hugely for that.
Thank you to Tor Books and Black Crow PR for the review copy.
As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.
Title : Anne of Green Gables Author: L.M. Montgomery Series : Anne of Green Gables (book one) Format : eBook (overdrive) Page Count : 308 Genre : classic / children’s novel Publisher : L.C. Page & Co. Release Date : June 13, 1908
Reviewer : Hollis Rating:★ ★ ★
Hollis’ 3 star review
It’ll perhaps be a shock to some that I, a Canadian, had never before read Anne of Green Gables. Or watched any of the various adaptations. I, in fact, knew little to nothing about this beloved world. Somehow this one just passed me by and, considering all the reading I had done as a wee child, I couldn’t tell you why. It being a favourite of my blog buddy’s, however, was a source of constant gentle mockery and side-eye. So she didn’t hesitate a moment to recommend this to me when I said I was tackling the Twelve Books in Twelve Months as suggested by friends challenge. And so here we are.
I admit, I had some trepidation going into a novel that so many grew up with and cherished and few likely experienced for the first time as adults. Compounded by the fact that it’s a classic and obviously written for the time, well. I didn’t expect this would work for. But I was surprised how much I found myself enjoying the read.
My one major complaint, of course, were the pages and pages (and pages.. and pages..) of monologues by little miss Anne Shirley herself. At first, it was cute. By the mid-point? I was tired. My eyes started to glaze. Any feelings of cuteness had expired amongst the endless recitations and constant dramatics. And just when I thought I’d have to put the book down and try again later, we turned a corner. Anne grew up just enough. Became more introspective (there was a lovely passage I forgot to highlight, something about how she’d pruned herself a bit, something she reflected on when other characters questioned why she wasn’t as much as chatterbox as she’d been) and I really appreciated that — not just because it gave me a break from the monologues but because it was such a timely and lovely bit of maturity. But unfortunately some of the damage was done and, character growth or no, I was looking forward to the story wrapping up (for now).
As for the other characters, well. I’ve always heard or seen of things related to Anne and Gilbert but sans context I never knew much about it beyond that there was some kind of hate or rivalry between them. And, now that I understand some of it, I really adored their dynamic. I especially liked how she always stopped herself from saying his name outright. And I liked, most, their little truce at the end of this first book.
Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert were the other standouts. I thought their differences, their dynamic with Anne, and how everything about what they expected out of this little orphan changed so quickly, was sweet. My favourite scene of the entire book might be the chapter we first meet Anne on the drive home with Matthew. That stuck with me.
While this might not have any lifechanging impact on me, the way it has for so many (though it’s still early to say for sure!), overall, I had a pretty good time in Avonlea and will definitely be reading on. Hopefully I’ll enjoy things a little more as Anne continues to get older but really it was only those endless, tiresome, eyes-glazing-over, monologues that hurt my experience. Because I was invested enough in this little place, with these people, to even get a wee bit emotional over a certain sad chapter. So, that says a lot, even if I am a notorious sap.
So thank you, Micky, for this recommendation and I hope to add this series to my various goals for the year so as to read them all before the end of 2023.
A Take from Two Cities 