Audio shorts: Two (bookish) holiday romances for your listening pleasure

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, okay, it’s a pretty good time of the year… but it’s a great time for short stories and novellas that tie into the holiday season.

Here are my quick takes on two short audiobooks that lifted my spirits and distracted me from shopping lists and an end-of-year crunch at work.

Title: The Christmas Book Hunt
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Publication date: December 1, 2024
Print length: 126 pages
Audiobook length: 3 hours 26 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A heartwarming meet-cute short story from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Bookshop.

A Christmas mission…

Mirren’s beloved great-aunt Violet is seriously ill. Her one Christmas wish is to be reunited with a long-lost hand-illustrated book from her childhood, a challenge Mirren gladly accepts to give Violet some much-needed festive cheer.

An enchanting journey…

With no sign of the cherished volume online, Mirren falls into the fascinating world of rare books. From London to snowy Hay-on-Wye and Edinburgh’s cobbled streets, she chases leads from bookshop to bookshop—and bumps into mysterious, charming Theo, who, unbeknownst to her, is searching for the same book for reasons of his own…

The start of a new chapter?

As the two join forces to track the book down before time runs out for Violet, will Mirren find her Christmas miracle—and maybe even a kiss under the mistletoe… ?

For fans of Josie Silver, Jill Mansell and the Queen of Christmas herself, a snow-swept love story to warm even the coldest winter’s day.

Jenny Colgan can always be counted on for sweet, cozy stories with clever plots and relatable characters. In this terrific short story, Mirren finds herself dreading the family’s holiday get-together, largely because of how stressed out her mother gets weeks in advance. And in the weeks leading up to this Christmas, Mirren learns that her beloved great-aunt Violet is terminally ill, with only a short time left to live.

When Mirren visits Violet to see what she can do for her, Violet makes it clear that there’s only one thing she wants: the book of poetry she remembers her father reading to her when she was a child eighty years earlier. The book is A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson — easy enough to find — but she’s yearning to see the exact edition her father shared all those years ago. The problem is, she’s referring to an illustrated edition that doesn’t seem to actually exist. There are rumors, sure, but as Mirren contacts countless rare book dealers, it seems clear that she’s on a wild goose chase. But the book means so much to Violet, so Mirren is determined to continue the search.

However — one cut-throat antiquarian book dealer wants the book too, and assigns his intern/nephew Theo to follow Mirren and get his hands on the book first. Since Theo depends on his uncle for his livelihood, he has no choice but to comply — but as he follows Mirren to small towns in Wales and Scotland on their Christmas book hunt, the two strike up a friendship, and possibly even more.

Theo and Mirren’s dynamic is sweet and silly, as they follow clues and get into all sorts of sticky situations while hunting for the book — but it’s complicated, since Theo is with Mirren under false pretenses, at least at the start. Of course, before long, he’s in it to help Mirren fulfill Violet’s dying wish, and would never dream of betraying her, but by not being honest from the start, there’s a barrier to the growing feelings between the two.

Of course, this is a Christmas romance, and the overall tone is upbeat and joyful, even when misunderstandings and conflicts pop up. As a story focused on tracking down a rare book, it’s a lovely treat for book lovers. Mirren’s devotion to Violet is especially touching, and the conclusion of the book hunt is both surprising and utterly right.

The Christmas Book Hunt is such a gem! It’s a lovely listen in the lead-up to the holidays.

Title: Booked for the Holidays
Author: Liz Maverick
Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Andrew Eiden
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication date: November 14, 2024
Print length: n/a
Audiobook length: 3 hours 41 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Free via Audible
Rating:

Brighten the holidays with this funny, heartfelt rom-com about the stories—and the love—that we never forget.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.

When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape … and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?

Another holiday listening delight! I’m over the moon to discover a Hanukkah romance that’s sweet and funny — and a great choice for people who love books about books!

Abi is an aspiring editor at the publishing house that publishes D. B. Ziegler’s hugely popular cozy mystery series. When the author misses the deadline for her newest manuscript, Abi’s bosses send Abi over to offer a pep talk and try to coax the author to finish up. What she discovers is D. B. Ziegler’s grandson Dov, who informs Abi of sad news: His grandmother has passed away, and made him promise to finish her final book for her. Problem 1: He’s not a writer. Problem 2: No one can know that she passed until after he turns in the book.

Abi is shocked and sad — Debra Ziegler is her favorite author! She’s also determined to help Dov in whatever way he needs, offering story input, a “bible” of key events and people in the series, and ongoing reminders to stop baking and get back to typing!

As Dov and Abi work together, they develop a quirky, bantering dynamic. With “Snowmageddon” shutting down streets and subways, Abi is forced to hunker down with Dov as they eat Hanukkah treats, light the menorah, and figure how to finish the series in a way that will honor Dov’s grandmother and satisfy her legions of fans.

Booked for the Holidays is a lot of fun, and I really liked the approach to celebrating Hanukkah, keeping it low-key but meaningful, and infusing the entire story with a cozy warmth.

It’s also lovely to see how much Dov loves and respects his grandmother! He and Abi have a great connection, and the story flows easily and quickly.

Another great choice for holiday audio entertainment!

Save

11Dec2024

Book Review: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Diavola
Author: Jennifer Thorne
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Publication date: March 26, 2024
Length: 296 pages
Genre: Horror
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Jennifer Thorne skewers all-too-familiar family dynamics in this sly, wickedly funny vacation-Gothic. Beautifully unhinged and deeply satisfying, Diavola is a sharp twist on the classic haunted house story, exploring loneliness, belonging, and the seemingly inescapable bonds of family mythology.

Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.

It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone—including her blandly docile husband and two kids—falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.

The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.

(Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.)

Talk about a family vacation from hell!

The air felt murky when she joined everybody at the table, but it was the usual Pace family murk, bad moods combining to form a full low-pressure weather pattern.

In this creepy, atmostpheric horror novel by Jennifer Thorne (author of the brilliant Lute), a family stay in a Tuscan villa turns nightmarish… and not just because of the forced proximity of a dysfunctional family.

Main character Anna Pace is a constant disappointment to her family. Blamed for everything from the death of her middle school classroom’s pet guinea pig to fooling around with her sister’s prom date (she didn’t, actually) to every other sort of wrong-doing imaginable, Anna is constantly on alert. The idea of spending a week with her family is so stressful that she secretly arrives in Italy two days early to squeeze in some alone time before she has to face the rest of the group.

The family’s idyllic Tuscan luxury rental seems off right from the start. There’s a dead zone around the building where nothing grows. A tower is kept tightly locked, and while Anna thought she saw a window in it, it’s actually totally bricked over. Why is there a goat kept tethered at the end of the lane? And why does Anna spot locals sneaking around with flashlights at night?

Little incidents pile up — slamming doors, spoiled food, onslaughts of mosquitoes — and then escalate into rearranged furniture and injuries caused by unseen hands. The family seems to be in the worst sort of denial. Anna’s father insists that there’s nothing wrong, because he paid for this vacation, dammit!, and they WILL enjoy it. Everyone else falls back on blaming Anna for causing problems.

“I don’t know why you’re trying to stir things up, Anna,” she spat. “I gave up trying to figure that out a long time ago, goodness knows, a long time! There is absolutely nothing wrong with where we’re staying.”

Anna knows deep down that what’s happening at the villa isn’t normal, especially given the side-eye the family gets whenever they venture into the nearby village. She can fell it in the air whenever they go back into the villa, a sense of wrongness and bad intent — and the longer they stay, the worse it gets, especially with the terrible dreams of a menacing woman that begin to haunt Anna’s every moment… even when she’s not asleep.

Oh, this book gets creepier and creepier as it goes along, and the family’s insistence on acting as if everything is okay becomes enough to make you want to pull your hair out. I would have been running away as fast as my legs could carry me as of the second day — and Anna does consider leaving, but it’s the same old family dynamic that keeps her from going:

Everybody would worry about her if she left and it would poison the rest of their vacation and she wouldn’t want to hear about it, but by God, she would. She’d hear about it at every single gathering forevermore.

The toxicity of the family is a huge factor in the horror elements. Yes, there are gruesome, gory incidents, and plenty of disturbing scenes, but the way Anna’s family treats her is one of the most upsetting aspects of this book. She’s the family scapegoat, for no very good reason except that that’s what they’re all used to. No wonder she dreads these family vacations.

Not to downplay the actual horror — the haunting storyline is scary and insidious, and there’s a moment where we readers might think that Anna has finally broken free… but then we see that there’s still quite a bit of the story left, and get a creeping suspicion that the terror isn’t even close to being finished with Anna.

Diavola is a relatively short novel, and if possible, should be read in one or two long reading sessions. Due to limited reading time this past week, I read the first half or so in little fits and starts, and found myself rather disengaged — but I’m convinced the fault was in my approach, not the book itself. Once I sat down for more extended reading over the weekend, I couldn’t put the book down and flew through the second half.

As a story of haunting and possession, Diavola is sinister and frightening. As a tale of awful family dynamics, it’s both relatable and bleak. Black humor lightens some of the worst moments, and yet the overall vibe is menacing all the way through.

There are some gross-out scenes, so be warned if you’re on the squeamish side. Recommended for horror fans who appreciate a gothic vibe in their stories of terrible family vacations.

PS – If nothing else, Diavola should be a lesson to us all to look beyond AirBnb reviews and do a good Google search when staying in ancient villas!

10Dec2024

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 “old” authors of 2024

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Meeghan Reads — check out the next batch of upcoming topics here.

This week’s topic is Top 5 old authors of 2024, and the prompt is: This was a newbie wrap up topic last year, but you guys loved it!! Tell us about your fave authors you read books from this year who you’ve previously read books by.

Fun idea! Sorry to the authors I’m calling “old”!! You know what I mean… Here are five not-new-to-me authors whose books I read this year:

1: Abby Jimenez

Read in 2024:

The Friend Zone
The Happy Ever After Playlist
Life’s Too Short

Previously read:

Part of Your World
Yours Truly
Just for the Summer

2: Suzanne Allain

Read in 2024:

The Ladies Rewrite the Rules
Miss Lattimore’s Letter
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right

Previously read:

Mr. Malcolm’s List

3: Rachel Harrison

Read in 2024:

The Veil
So Thirsty
The Return

Previously read:

Cackle
Such Sharp Teeth
Black Sheep

4: Kelly Armstrong

Read in 2024:

Finding Mr. Write
I’ll Be Waiting
Disturbing the Dead
Schemes & Scandals

Previously read:

A Stitch in Time series (four books plus novellas)
A Rip Through Time series (books 1 and 2)

5: Lev AC Rosen

Read in 2024:

Rough Pages
Camp
Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)

Previously read:

Lavender House series (books 1 and 2)
Depth
All Men of Genius
Emmett

I could go on — looking at my 2024 reading list, I see so many authors who’ve been on my reading lists in previous years! But I’ll stop at five. These are all authors I can count on for great reading!

Which “old” authors did you enjoy in 2024?

9Dec2024

The Monday Check-In ~ 12/9/2024

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Life.

We’re having surprisingly sunny weather for early December, and it’s been glorious getting some outdoor time. There was that tsunami warning earlier in the week… no tsunami actually occurred, but it was certainly startling to get the VERY URGENT alert on my phone!

Somehow, I ended up super busy over the weekend, with errands and odd jobs around the house and a nice get-together with friends. I don’t regret any of it! But it does mean that a book I thought I’d finish in a day or two has been severely neglected…

What did I read during the last week?

The Return by Rachel Harrison: Deliciously creepy. My review is here.

The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady: Really enjoyable story of sisters breaking out of their comfort zones. My review is here.

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain: A terrific new Regency romance. My review is here.

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell: A warm, lovely middle grade novel. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I saw Wicked this week! I had plans to see it a couple of weeks ago, but the person I was going with got sick — and we finally managed to find a new date that worked for us both. Overall, I really liked it… except it’s too long and drags a bit from time to time. Still, the musical numbers are great, and I’m glad I saw it!

On Netflix, I started watching A Man on the Inside, and it’s so much fun! Ted Danson is charming, and it’s a quick watch (just eight 30-minute episodes). I’ve watched four so far, and hope to finish today or tomorrow.

Fresh Catch:

My Black Friday gifts to myself arrived this week:

A lovely hardcover edition of Weyward, and the Puffin in Bloom edition of Sense and Sensibility. They’re both so pretty!

Little Free Library updates:

We had several people stop by and drop off various paperbacks this week — it’s nice to see the little library looking a bit fuller!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne: It took me a while to get into this book, probably because I was only able to read in little bits and pieces for the first few days after I started it — but once I really dug into it over the weekend, it started zooming by! As of writing this post late Sunday, I’m close to the end, and can’t wait to see how it turns out!

I haven’t quite decided what to tackle next, but I think it will be one of these three:

Now playing via audiobook:

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan: What a treat! A new holiday story from Jenny Colgan! It’s very short, so I should be finished later today.

Ongoing reads:

My book group’s newest classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 4%. Coming up this week: Chapters 3 and 4.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

8Dec2024

Book Review: Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Rooftoppers
Author: Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2013
Length: 279 pages
Genre: Middle grade
Source: Library
Rating:

Embrace possibility in this luminous novel about a girl in search of her past who discovers a secret rooftop world in Paris.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive—but “almost impossible” means “still possible.” And you should never ignore a possible.

So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has— the address of the cello maker.

Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers—urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for Sophie’s mother—but can they find her before Sophie is caught and sent back to London? Or, more importantly, before she loses hope?

Phillip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series, calls Rooftoppers “the work of a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.”

In this charming story about love, friendship, and believing in possibilities, an orphaned child sets off on an adventure across the rooftops of Paris in search of her long-lost mother.

Never ignore a possible.

Sophie was only one year only — or thereabouts — when she survived a shipwreck, and was found floating in a cello case by a kind man who decided on the spot to give her a home and a family. Charles Maxim raises Sophie with generosity and wisdom, encouraging her wild imagination and bravery, and teaching her to embrace whatever life has to offer, even against the odds.

Charles and Sophie’s life together is threatened by the official government agency which monitors guardianships. Aghast at Sophie’s inappropriate upbringing — including writing poetry on walls, wearing trousers, and learning from life rather than school — they inform Charles that Sophie will need to go to an orphanage.

Meanwhile, Sophie has yearned all her life for the mother she can barely remember — a woman who played the cello, and was presumably lost at sea. Sophie is convinced that her mother is alive — it may not be probable, but it’s at least a little bit possible — and when the authorities seem about to take 12-year-old Sophie away from Charles, the pair hatch a daring plan.

Following a very slender lead, they escape London and make their way to Paris, where the search for Sophie’s mother seems to hit a dead end. Sophie won’t give up though, and soon makes the acquaintance of Matteo and other “rooftoppers”, orphans who make their homes on the roofs of the city. The rooftoppers are tough and cunning and creative, and help Sophie find her way across the roofs as they follow mysterious cello music and chase down further hints and clues.

Rooftoppers is a lovely, sweet book that’s never overly sentimental. Charles and Sophie have a wonderful relationship: He clearly loves Sophie, but never hesitates to support her dream of finding her mother, and meanwhile ensures that she broadens her mind and experiences life to the fullest extent possible.

The adventure is terrific, with some glorious rooftop action sequences. The solving of the mystery may not be terribly realistic, but it’s heart-warming and exciting none the less.

As an adult reader, I found the ending rather abrupt. The book has a beautiful final scene, and perhaps for the book’s target middle grade audience, that will be perfectly satisfying. For me, though, I couldn’t shut out the “and then what?” that immediately came to mind. I liked the ending, but was desperate for an epilogue to tell me where the characters went from there and how it all worked out.

Other than that, I truly enjoyed reading Rooftoppers. It’s a book that I meant to get to years ago, and I’m glad I finally picked it up. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy a bit of whimsy and adventure — as well as for adults who enjoy beautifully written middle grade fiction.

7Dec2024

Goodreads Choice Awards: Should we even care at this point?

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Goodreads has already announced the winners of the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards… and as far as I’m concerned, the announcement has landed with a big thud.

Honestly, I’m not even sure what the point is anymore.

Over the years, the number of categories has decreased. The write-in option for round one is gone. And now, there are only two rounds. It kind of feels like Goodreads is continuing the awards because they have to, but they don’t actually care at all about making it make sense for readers.

How do they determine what books get nominated for round one? No idea! And I can’t find the answer, other than that dates of publication are specified for eligibility.

I’m not necessarily mad at the winners — but given how limited the choices were to begin with, I’m not sure how meaningful any of this is.

For what it’s worth, here are the Goodreads Choice Award winners for 2024:

And in text format:

House of Flame and Shadow – Sarah J. Maas	Romantasy
The God of the Woods – Liz Moore	Mystery & Thriller
Ruthless Vows – Rebecca Ross	Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Women – Kristin Hannah	Historical Fiction
Heartstopper #5: A Graphic Novel – Alice Oseman	Young Adult Fiction
Funny Story – Emily Henry	Romance
Somewhere Beyond the Sea – TJ Klune	Fantasy
The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir – Kelly Bishop	Memoir & Autobiography
The Bookshop – Evan Friss	History & Biography
The Wedding People: A Novel – Alison Espach	Fiction
How to End a Love Story: A Novel – Yulin Kuang	Best Debut Novel
The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt	Nonfiction
The Ministry of Time: A Novel – Kaliane Bradley	Science Fiction
You Like It Darker – Stephen King	Horror
Funny Story – Emily Henry, Julia Whelan	Audiobook

Of the award winners, I’ve read five — and thought they were all terrific!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach (review)
Heartstopper, #5 by Alice Oseman
Funny Story by Emily Henry (listed twice — once for romance, once for audiobook) (review)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (review)
The Women by Kristin Hannah (review)

And I intend to read:

You Like It Darker by Stephen King
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I’ve marked as maybe/eventually:

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

So as you can see, I actually think there are great books among the winners! I think it’s the process that bothers me, and the lack of explanation or opportunities for reader input. But I guess that’s what happens when what’s originally an independently-owned site gets acquired by Amazon — faceless corporations don’t need to care much, so long as they’re selling books.

Sigh.

Am I being too cynical? What do you think of the Goodreads Choice Awards — in general, and in terms of this year’s process and results?

6Dec2024

Book Review: The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Comeback Summer
Author: Ali Brady
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: May 9, 2023
Length: 475 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction / romance
Source: Library
Rating:

Two sisters have one summer to crush their comfort zones and save their grandmother’s legacy in this sweet, sexy, and heartfelt novel by Ali Brady, author of The Beach Trap.

Hannah and Libby need a miracle. The PR agency they inherited from their grandmother is losing clients left and right, and the sisters are devastated at the thought of closing. The situation seems hopeless—until in walks Lou, an eccentric self-help guru who is looking for a new PR agency. Her business could solve all their problems—but there’s a catch. Whoever works with Lou must complete a twelve-week challenge as part of her “Crush Your Comfort Zone” program.

Hannah, whose worst nightmare is making small talk with strangers, is challenged to go on twelve first dates. Libby, who once claimed to have period cramps for four weeks straight to get out of gym class, is challenged to compete in an obstacle course race. The challenges begin with Hannah helping Libby train and Libby managing the dating app on her sister’s behalf. They’re both making good progress—until Hannah’s first love rolls into town, and Libby accidentally falls for a guy she’s supposed to be setting up with her sister.

Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted on: each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?

The Comeback Summer is so much more than just a story about completing a challenge! This tale of sisters finding their own paths while navigating their relationship and their sense of family obligation is funny, touching, and highly entertaining.

Hannah and Libby have always been close, even more so since their parents divorced while they were still young. When their parents seemed to have mostly checked out of parenting, the girls relied on one another and on their wonderful grandmother Gigi. Gigi was a woman ahead of her time, a powerhouse businesswoman who owned and ran her own PR firm, which she left to the sisters upon her death.

But now, a few years after Gigi’s passing, the company is faltering and the sisters are floundering. Despite their hard work, the firm is losing clients, and without landing some major new accounts, they may lose the business altogether. When a fast-charging podcaster named Lou enters their office, she seems to be the answer to all their business problems — except she’s not quite ready to sign with them on the spot. To land her business, they have to complete her signature challenge — Crushing Your Comfort Zone. Hannah and Libby would rather just give Lou their business pitch, but she insists: They need to commit to her 12-week program, which she’ll monitor over the course of the summer. Only after they finish the challenge will she consider signing with them.

Given the state of their finances, they have no choice but to agree — even though the challenges ahead of them seem daunting. Shy, introverted Hannah — still aching after a traumatic breakup five years earlier — will have to set up a dating app profile and go on twelve dates. Libby — outgoing, energetic, and definitely not into anything more physical then ordering her favorite coffee drink on her way to work — will have to train for, and then compete in, the “Down & Dirty”, a mud-filled obstacle course race to be held at the end of the summer. Both will also be required to keep a “Crush Your Comfort Zone” journal, to explore and challenge the beliefs and approaches that hold them back.

As they move through their challenges, Libby and Hannah are forced to confront their dynamics. As the older sister, Libby has always seen herself as Hannah’s protector, but that has led to both of them getting pigeonholed into roles that seem to no longer be serving them. Libby interferes for Hannah’s own good, rather than trusting Hannah’s agency and instincts. Hannah hides behind Libby’s sociability, letting her do the parts of their work that involve connecting and generating relationships and ideas. Neither quite knows how to break out of their roles without hurting the other, but both start to realize — as they crush their comfort zones — that they way they’ve been living isn’t actually good for either of them.

But wait! Where’s the romance? Yes, there is romance — two romances, to be exact. Hannah’s ex, who broke her heart years earlier, is back in town and wants to reconnect. Hannah has never stopped loving Josh, but Libby is furious. She’s the one who picked up the pieces when Hannah fell apart after the breakup, and she has no intention of letting Josh hurt Hannah again… but is it really her job to still be the protector and make decisions for her sister?

As for Libby, she offers to manage Hannah’s comfort zone challenge by handling the dating app for her — she’ll set up the profile, select matches, and arrange the dates, and Hannah just needs to show up. This is meant to spare Hannah the anxiety that dealing with all this provokes, but it backfires in a major way when Libby finds a connection with one of the men she meets… as Hannah. Libby and Adam flirt and chat via the app, but he thinks he’s talking with Hannah. When Libby realizes that she has feelings for Adam, she’s in quite a bind — admit she’s been pretending to be her sister, let him go, or keep up the charade until it blows up in her face?

The Comeback Summer is yet another highly enjoyable and entertaining read by author duo Ali Brady. What I love about their books is that the women characters’ relationships are at the heart of the stories. Yes, there’s also romance, but those storylines tend to be secondary. What’s really important is the connection between the women. Here, it’s the complicated way in which Hannah and Libby love and need one another, yet also get in one another’s way. The Comeback Summer is at its strongest when it show them growing as individuals and facing the fact that they need to break free from their established roles and change their relationship if they want to lead their best lives.

The Comeback Summer combines emotional connections, sisterly bonds, and a strong sense of fun. Check it out!

I’d never read an Ali Brady book before 2024, and now I’ve read all three! Their next book, Battle of the Bookstores, will be released in June 2025, and I can’t wait to read it!

5Dec2024

Book Review: The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right
Author: Suzanne Allain
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: December 3, 2024
Length: 271 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

When a young woman trades places with her noble cousin, their innocent ruse leads to true love in this sparkling new Regency-era romantic comedy of manners from the author of Mr. Malcolm’s List.

When Arabella Grant’s wicked aunt dies suddenly, both Arabella and her cousin Lady Isabelle cannot help but feel relieved. She’d made their lives miserable, and now Lady Issie is free to read to her heart’s content, and Bella is free from taunts about her ignoble birth.

Their newfound freedom is threatened, however, when Issie’s great-aunt commands her to travel to London for a come-out Issie has never wanted. Issie, who is in poor health, is convinced she’ll drop dead like her mother did if she drops into a curtsy before the queen. So when her great-aunt turns out to be nearsighted and can’t tell the noble Lady Isabelle from her commoner cousin Arabella, Issie convinces Bella to take her place. Bella can attend all the exclusive entertainments that her lower birth would typically exclude her from, and Issie can stay in bed, her nose in a book.

Bella agrees to the scheme for her cousin’s sake, but matters turn complicated when she meets the irresistible Lord Brooke. He begins courting her while under the impression she’s the rich and aristocratic Lady Isabelle, who, unlike Bella, is a suitable bride for an eligible young earl. And Bella, who is convinced that she has met “Lord Right,” worries what will happen when she reveals that he’s actually fallen for…the wrong lady.

Suzanne Allain’s last several books have all been delightfully frothy — yet empowering — reads, and The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right fits right in!

In this charming new Regency novel, two cousins take on a Prince and the Pauper-esque switcheroo, with silly, laugh-out-loud results. When Lady Strickland — a nasty woman if ever there was one — dies suddenly, her entire fortune is left for her daughter Isabelle. Isabelle was treated terribly by her mother all her life, and only the presence of her beloved cousin Arabella brought joy to Issie during her younger years.

Now, freed from Lady Strickland’s tyranny, Issie and Bella look forward to enjoying their freedom — only to be summoned to London by Issie’s aunt, Lady Dutton, as soon as their year of “mourning” has passed. Lady Dutton insists that Issie’s mother intended for her to have a London season and to be presented at court, and intends to make it happen, with herself as chaperone.

Issie is terrified — she’d rather stay home and read her books. Meanwhile, Bella — always treated by Lady Strickland as the unwanted poor relation — expects more of the same in London. However, Lady Dutton is quite nearsighted and can’t tell the two girls apart. Frantic with nerves and feeling unwell from all their travel, Issie begs Bella to take her place at court — and when that works well, pleads with her to continue the ruse for the full season.

Bella loves Issie and would do anything for her, and agrees to play along if that’s what Issie needs. What Bella doesn’t expect is to encounter the charming Lord Brooke, who seems quite smitten with Bella — although he believes that she’s Isabella, known in society as Lady Belle.

Confused yet? The plot is a merry-go-round of mistaken identities, as Bella pretends to be Issie, Issie pretends to be Bella, each meets the man of her dreams, but each man believes he’s in love with the other cousin. All sorts of near-misses and shenanigans ensue, leading to delightful set pieces, a few touching moments of heartache, and (not exactly a spoiler) a very happy ending, once all the mix-ups are sorted out.

Bella is our point-of-view character, and she’s a treat. Raised alongside Issie but never considered an equal (by anyone but Issie), Bella is good-hearted, devoted to her cousin, and clear-eyed about her own future and prospects. She doesn’t expect to enjoy the game of pretend she ends up playing, and it’s entertaining and touching to see her struggle with herself about doing the right thing, especially once she has to weigh honoring promises to her cousin against deceiving the man she cares for.

The class issues are well-presented, and naturally, society’s contempt and intolerance for the lower classes is not a good look. Still, we do meet some decent members of the nobility, amidst the many pretentious and often cruel snobs, and Bella gets some true surprises about her own connections and origins.

The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right is a fast, funny read, filled with silly capers but also genuine commitment, loyalty, and love. The relationship between Issie and Bella is the heart of the story and is especially enjoyable, and the romantic elements are quite fun too.

I really enjoyed the author’s previous two books, The Ladies Rewrite the Rules and Miss Lattimore’s Letters. After reading The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right, I’m definitely counting Suzanne Allain as an auto-buy author, and can’t wait to see what she writes next!

4Dec2024

Book Review: The Return by Rachel Harrison

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Return
Author: Rachel Harrison
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: March 24, 2020
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Horror
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A group of friends reunite after one of them has returned from a mysterious two-year disappearance in this edgy and haunting debut.

Julie is missing, and the missing don’t often return. But Elise knows Julie better than anyone, and she feels in her bones that her best friend is out there, and that one day she’ll come back. She’s right. Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she reappears with no memory of where she’s been or what happened to her.

Along with Molly and Mae, their two close friends from college, the women decide to reunite at a remote inn. But the second Elise sees Julie, she knows something is wrong—she’s emaciated, with sallow skin and odd appetites. And as the weekend unfurls, it becomes impossible to deny that the Julie who vanished two years ago is not the same Julie who came back. But then who—or what—is she?

I first fell for Rachel Harrison’s writing when I read her 2nd published novel, Cackle. Since then, I’ve devoured each new book, and have loved them all. Clever plotting, exceptional character development, and generous helping of gruesome, scary horror all add up to terrifyingly satisfying reads. I’ve been meaning to go back and read her debut novel, The Return, for quite a while… and now I’ve finally done it!

The Return is just as creepy and scary as I expected, and I enjoyed every bit of it, even while feeling grossed out and completely on edge.

At the heart of The Return is a group of four women who have been best friends since their college days. Now scattered and living separate lives, they still represent the truest connections they’ve ever had, despite distance often keeping them apart.

When Julie disappears on a hiking trip, the friends are shocked, but Elise — our main character — is the only one of the remaining three who simply doesn’t accept that Julie might be dead. As more and more time passes, and Julie’s husband eventually holds a memorial service for her, the other two friends, Molly and Mae, urge Elise to seek therapy to deal with her denial and grief. Elise pretends to agree, but in her heart-of-hearts, she feels that Julie, wherever she might be, is still alive.

And then, two years after her disappearance, Julie simply shows up back at the home she shares with her husband. She has no memory of the past two years, and just wants to carry on with her life — and most of all, to reconnect with her best friends. Mae decides that what they need is a girls’ trip — time alone, someplace remote, where they can unplug from the outside world and just focus on being together.

As the four friends arrive at the hotel where they’ll be staying, it’s clear that this place is just weird. Each room is an over-the-top experience, with bizarre, extravagant themed decor. Elise is uncomfortable right from the start, but she tamps down her unease for the sake of the group. Things only get worse once Julie arrives and the other three get their first look at her since her return: She’s emaciated, falling apart, and her teeth are a disaster. But she’s Julie, and they love her, and most of all, they want her to feel how happy they are to be with her again.

As the story unfolds, the group dynamics inform how the friends interact, how much they share and what they choose to hold back. Through Elise’s first-person narrative, we come to understand her unhappiness, how she feels judged by the others, and the role that Julie plays in her life.

At the same time, we see that something is very, very wrong. Is it the hotel itself? Why is the manager so stressed out? What’s that weird smell? Why does Elise think there’s something on the balcony outside her room? And what, exactly, is wrong with Julie? Why does she seem better some days? Why is formerly vegetarian Julie now bingeing on meat? WHAT IS GOING ON?

If all of this sounds like a lot to unpack — well, it is, and yet, it works beautifully. As the book progresses, it becomes clearer that Elise herself is not the most reliable of narrators. We may think she’s being straightforward, but there are a couple of big bombshells that she drops later in the book that make us reevaluate everything she’s told us so far. At the same time, there are clearly some truly icky things happening, and as the book progresses, the gore gets worse and worse.

The Return is fascinating, scary, and unusual. It’s not for the squeamish — but I happened to love it. The mounting horror is just so well constructed — and beyond that, I loved the insights into women’s friendships, how they change and evolve, and how loneliness and dissatisfaction creeps into lives as people grow up and face the world after college.

You can’t erase your past when there are pieces of it scattered inside other people.

I will say too that I love Rachel Harrison’s way with words. Little descriptions that could just be stage-setting made me stop to reread them and savor what they evoke:

It’s a colorless day. The kind of fall day not advertised. The trees shiver in the wind.

Toward the end of the relationship, when my resentment congealed and my love peeled like a sunburn to reveal the sneering face of reality underneath, I called her to confess.

Overall, The Return is a fast, absorbing, chilling read. Not quite on a par with some of her later books (such as Such Sharp Teeth and Black Sheep, which are brilliant!), but a terrific horror read none the less. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that happens in this book… and I’m afraid that from now, I will be refusing all opportunities to visit remote, extravagant rural resorts.

Want to know more about Rachel Harrison’s books? Check out my reviews of her other books:

Cackle
Such Sharp Teeth
Black Sheep
So Thirsty

3Dec2024

Tuesday’s topic: Favorite book covers from 2024

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Lately, I’ve been bouncing back and forth for my Tuesday posts, switching between the Top Ten Tuesday and Top Five Tuesday memes, depending on their topics for the week. This week, I’m doing them both!!

First up… Top Ten Tuesday:

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a freebie… and since I like the Top 5 Tuesday topic this week, I’ll use it for both memes.

And speaking of Top 5 Tuesday:

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Meeghan Reads — check out the next batch of upcoming topics here.

This week’s topic is Top 5 covers of 2024, and the prompt is: What are some of your favourite covers that you have seen this year? Maybe these were reprints, redesigns or alternate covers that came out this year, or maybe they are brand new books!! Whatever they are, tell us all the pretties you have been coveting.

For my list of favorite covers, I’m looking at books I’ve read in 2024 — not necessarily books published in 2024. (My list, my rules!)

Here’s a selection of covers I loved this past year: