Book Review: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Wishing Game
Author: Meg Shaffer
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: May 30, 2023
Print length: 320 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased

Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.

Make a wish. . . .

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

But be careful what you wish for. . . .

Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.

For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.

. . . You might just get it.

For all the adult readers who miss the sense of wonder and delight that a good children’s books series can bring… have I got a book for you!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a quest story for kids who believe in wishes… and then grow up. In this sweet, inventive, lovely tale, the reclusive author of the bestselling Clock Island children’s book series announces that he’s written a new book after a six-year gap… but there’s only one copy, and it will be gifted to the person who wins his contest, which is open to only a select few.

Jack chuckled. “The book exists. And there is only one copy of it in the world. I typed it up and hid it away.”

“And you’re seriously going to entrust it to some stranger?”

“No, but I shall whimsically entrust it to some stranger.”

Shades of Willy Wonka, right?

One of author Jack Masterson’s most devoted fans is Lucy Hart, a kindergarten teacher’s aide whose deepest, most heartfelt wish is to adopt Christopher, an orphaned seven-year-old who’s become the light of her life. Reality interferes in the form of finances: Without an apartment of her own, steady income, and a car, Lucy has no chance of getting approved to foster or adopt. Perhaps, the social worker suggests, it would be kinder to tell Christopher that it’s just not going to happen.

Just as Lucy is verging on despair, the news of Jack’s contest breaks. And Lucy has a secret: At age 13, she ran away to Clock Island and met Jack Masterson. Thanks to being able to solve his riddle, she is one of the four people chosen to compete — and if she wins, she’ll own the exclusive rights to his new book, which she can then sell for enough money to make her dreams of a family with Christopher come true.

Without delving too much further into plot details, let me just say that The Wishing Game is heart-warming, enchanting, whimsical, and full of joy. It’s a book for and about adults, but retains the sense of childish wonder that the best children’s books provide. It’s also a gift for those who love and cherish books, and who believe that stories are more than words on a page.

“Why do only brave kids get their wishes granted?” she asked.

“Because only brave children know that wishing is never enough.”

I loved so much about The Wishing Game. The characters are terrific, especially Lucy, Hugo, and Jack. There’s a romantic storyline, but it’s just one part of the whole, and fits well within the overall weave of the tale. Hugo’s artwork sounds amazing, and I wish it were real! Meg Shaffer does a fantastic job of taking fictional works of art — both Hugo’s paintings and Jack’s books — and making them come to life through her vivid descriptions.

The narrative brilliantly weaves together Lucy’s past — especially the very deep childhood wounds she carries — and the future she hopes for, incorporating a child’s wishes and beliefs into the fabric of an adult life. I loved how all the various pieces come together by the end. Realistic? Maybe not, but this is a book about dreams and wishes. It works.

I came to The Wishing Game after reading the author’s more recent novel, The Lost Story. I do still love The Lost Story best, but The Wishing Game is lovely and wonderful in its own special way, and I’m so happy to have made time to read it.

19Dec2024

Book Review: City of the Lost (Rockton, #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: City of the Lost
Series: Rockton, #1
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: May 3, 2016
Length: 412 pages
Genre: Thriller/mystery
Source: Library
Rating:

Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows this crime will catch up to her. Casey’s best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana’s husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it’s time for the two of them to disappear again.

Diana has heard of a domestic violence support town made for people like her, a town that takes in people on the run who want to shed their old lives. You must apply to live in Rockton and if you’re accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council’s approval. As a murderer, Casey isn’t a good candidate, but she has something they want; she’s a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn’t the only secret Rockton is hiding – in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.

An edgy, gripping crime novel from a bestselling urban fantasy writer, City of the Lost boldly announces a major new player in the crime fiction world.

Kelley Armstrong has become an auto-buy author for me, and I’ve been loving her recent series (A Rip Through Time and A Stitch in Time) and stand-alones. I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore her extensive backlist until now… and now that I’ve started, I can’t wait to keep going!

City of the Lost is the first book in the 7-book Rockton series. The premise is certainly unique: There’s a remote town — Rockton, population 200 — located in the wilds of Canada’s Yukon territory. It’s home to those fleeing danger who need complete isolation from the outside world, but it also offers shelter to some with questionable pasts who need a way to hide out and start over. There are no navigable roads in or out — new residents arrive by bush plane, and can only leave the same way. Relocating to Rockton is a serious commitment.

The books opens with a bang:

“I killed a man,” I say to my new therapist.

Detective Casey Duncan has a huge secret that’s been weighing on her for the past twelve years. After a brutally violent attack left Casey with permanent physical and psychological scars, she went to confront the ex-boyfriend whose actions brought about the attack (and who abandoned her to her attackers). During the confrontation, she shot and killed him, although that hadn’t been her intention. While she’s essentially gotten away with the killing, she’s always known that it could catch up to her at any point.

Meanwhile, her best friend Diana has been assaulted yet again by her cruel, abusive ex-husband, and she and Casey fear that they’ll never fully be rid of him. When Diana hears about a town where people can disappear, she proposed that they both go and get the protection they so desperately need. Casey is hesitant, but she realizes that this is the best possible solution for Diana. After an intense screening process, they’re in, but with a catch: The selection process easily unearthed Casey’s secret, but because they need a detective, they’ll let her in — only for a six-month stay.

Casey and Diana’s relocation to Rockton introduces them to a world that’s truly apart from everything they’ve known. And while Diana immediately immerses herself in the social life available to her as one of the small number of women in town, Casey gets right to work under the direction of Sheriff Eric Dalton. Dalton is brusque, demanding, and no-nonsense, and while he initially did not want Casey in his town, he quickly realizes how skilled and valuable she is.

Dalton and the town are in desperate need of Casey’s talents, as dead bodies begin cropping up. At first, it’s assumed that missing Rockton residents have simply wandered off into the woods and perhaps met with accidents, but as gruesome corpses are found, it becomes apparent that a killer is at work. Everyone in town is a potential suspect, and to make matters worse, Casey soon discovers that many of Rockton’s residents are actually more dangerous than she’s been led to believe.

The murder mystery and thriller elements are detailed and complex, with plenty of misleading clues and confusing trails of evidence. For a very small town, Rockton has a lot of characters to introduce, and my one complaint about City of the Lost is that it became difficult at various points to keep all the random people and their backstories straight.

That aside, the drama and tension escalate effectively throughout the story, and I loved seeing the different pieces come together. For me, when I read a mystery series, I enjoy the particular crime to be solved in each book, but what really holds my interest and attention is the character development that connects the books. City of the Lost is only the first book, but I can tell already that the characters are going to keep me coming back for more.

Casey herself is a terrific, imperfect, complex main character, and she has fabulous chemistry with Sheriff Eric Dalton. Even before personal chemistry comes into the mix, they’re amazing as partners, butting heads constantly while also building rock-solid respect for one another as professionals. Seeing them together, for me, is the high point of the story.

Beyond Casey and Eric, there are plenty of side characters who add depth to the story and help create a picture of a full society in this little town. And while the murders do get solved, there is clearly more to uncover in terms of people’s secrets and bigger picture questions about the council that runs Rockton from afar.

City of the Lost is a fantastic way to start a series! After just one book, I can say with certainty that I’m hooked and need more. Fortunately, there are six more books to explore in the main series, and I understand that a spin-off series, Haven’s Rock, includes two books so far, with a third due out in 2025. .

I’m going to try to take my time and not do a series binge… but it’s incredibly tempting to barge straight ahead! I’m looking forward to continuing the Rockton series. Next up: Darkness Absolute.

14Dec2024

Book Review: A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: A Letter to the Luminous Deep
Author: Sylvie Cathrall
Publisher: Orbit
Publication date: April 25, 2024
Length: 432 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A charming fantasy set in an underwater world with magical academia and a heartwarming penpal romance, perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and Emily Wilde’s Encylopaedia of Faeries.

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery, piecing together the letters, sketches and field notes left behind—and learn what their siblings’ disappearance might mean for life as they know it.

Inspired, immersive, and full of heart, this charming epistolary tale is an adventure into the depths of a magical sea and the limits of the imagination from a marvelous debut voice.

In the world of A Letter to the Luminous Deep, human life is lived on ships and floating anchorages, on a planet with only one small land mass. Legend has it that one thousand years earlier, a cataclysmic event known as the Dive occurred: Before the Dive, people lived in the sky (on spaceships? orbiting stations?), but the entire civilization suddenly plummeted into the seas below. Relics of the pre-Dive world are still occasionally found, but humanity now lives on the water’s surface — or occasionally, below it.

As the book opens, we’re introduced to E. Cidnosin, a young woman who resides alone in Deep House, the underwater compound built by her late mother. E. prefers the solitude, as it keeps her brain calm and allows her a peaceful life. When she spots an unusual sea creature outside her window, she writes to a renowned scholar, Henerey Clel, to ask for help in identifying it. From that initial contact, the two develop an ongoing correspondence, through which they reveal more and more of themselves and grow to truly connect and care for one another.

Sadly, what we learn early on is that E. and Henerey were presumed dead after an explosion at Deep House. Now, a year later, E.’s sister and Henerey’s brother are trying to piece together what happened by sharing their siblings’ notes, letters, and journals. As they correspond, they form a friendship of their own, and become deeply involved in solving the mystery of E. and Henerey’s fate — and trying to determine if another mystery with worldwide implications might be at play.

I wanted to love A Letter to the Luminous Deep, but realized almost immediately that it wouldn’t work out that way. Epistolary novels are tricky: There are plenty I’ve enjoyed, but they only work if the letters are informative enough to give readers a bigger view of the letter writers’ worlds. That was not the case here. Perhaps the author’s intention was to keep an air of mystery throughout the book, but for me, the result was a lack of information that kept me from engaging with the story.

We get a sense of the world through the letters, but details are dripped out so sparingly that I felt frustrated rather than intrigued. Meanwhile, the characters themselves are hard to connect to. I couldn’t imagine much about E. or Henerey beyond their words on the page, and the lack of definition of elements of their world makes it hard to get a fuller picture of their daily lives and experiences.

With the epistolary format, all content is provided through letters and documents, and the writing style of the characters is highly stylized. Without any other narrative to provide more straightforward language or descriptions, that writing style gets tiresome very quickly.

I will say that the story picks up in the final third, and by the end, there’s a payoff for sticking with it. Still, too much of the book feels like a slog, and at over 400 pages, that makes for a less than satisfying read.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep is apparently the first book in a duology, with book #2, A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, due out in spring 2025. As of now, I can’t seem myself continuing with the story.

13Dec2024

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!

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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!

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.

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

1Dec2024

Book Review: A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: A Novel Love Story
Author: Ashley Poston
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: June 25, 2024
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

What book reader hasn’t dreamed of living inside a fictional world? Maybe entering a stone circle and falling through time to meet the Scot of our dreams, or getting invited to the ton‘s ultimate social event of the season?

What about finding ourselves in a cheerful small town that’s quaint and cute, has amazing cafes and shops, and where the townsfolk are immediately warm and welcoming to a complete stranger?

In Ashley’s Poston’s newest book, A Novel Love Story, main character Eileen (Elsy) gets to experience a dream come true when she gets lost on a road trip and finds herself in Eloraton, New York — a town that exists only in the pages of Elsy’s favorite romance series, Quixotic Falls.

Elsy has had her share of heartbreak and loneliness over the past several years, but has found refuge in the pages of Quixotic Falls — a series left unfinished after the tragic death of its author, Rachel Flowers. The series has been a solace to Elsy in her darkest days, as well as a source of joy. Through Quixotic Falls, Elsy met her book group, a random, quicky bunch of strangers who found connection in their shared love of this fictional world. But this year, the group’s planned one-week vacation has fallen apart, and only Elsy ends up traveling to their rental cabin — except she never arrives.

Instead, her car breaks down in a town that seems oddly familiar. With shock, she realizes that she’s in Eloraton, meeting the characters whose lives feel real to her. There’s Junie, the main character from book #1, and Ruby, the heroine of book #2. In fact, Elsy can place everyone she encounters, except the grumpy bookstore owner she keeps running into (literally — she hits him with her car during a rainstorm).

Elsy soon learns from Anders, the bookstore owner, that no one in Eloraton knows that they’re fictional, and that they’re also unaware that they’re living in stasis. Each day is the same as the previous one. Yearning lovers never quite manage to connect, and household problems never get fixed. As Elsy comes to realize, the unchanging status quo is due to Rachel Flowers’s death while working on the final book in the series. For all of these beloved characters, their stories remain unfinished — but with Elsy’s arrival, tiny changes suddenly begin to appear. Elsy has to figure out her role in all this, how Anders fits in… and whether the connection she feels between herself and Anders could possibly be real, considering they’re living in a fictional world.

A Novel Love Story has a Brigadoon-esque feel — our main character stumbles into a town that can’t possibly exist, cut off from the world that she knows, yet feeling more vibrant and real to her than the life she left behind.

This town looked like every good part of every lovely town I’d ever seen, all jigsawed into one.

Readers shouldn’t worry too much about the how and why of it all — a hearty suspension of disbelief is required. If you’re going to enjoy this book, you have to simply accept “because magic” as an explanation and move on.

Themes of purpose and finding courage inform Elsy’s experiences. After being badly hurt in a previous relationship, she’s lost confidence, no longer trusting herself to take chances. She goes with what’s safe, in her work life and in her relationships (or lack thereof). But in Eloraton, she starts to realize that playing it safe isn’t working for her, and isn’t bringing her joy or any sort of truly fulfilling life. Both in Eloraton and back in the real world, she’ll have to take chances if she wants to be happy.

There’s a lot to like about A Novel Love Story. The phrasing can be spot-on perfect, with sentences that feel specifically crafted to appeal to readers who love the world of romance fiction.

Sometimes, a book can change your life. It’s hard to explain that to someone who doesn’t read, or who has never felt their heart bend so strongly toward a story that it might just snap in two. Some books are a comfort, some a reprieve, others a vacation, a lesson, a heartbreak. I’d met countless stories by the time I read a book that changed my life.

And here’s an example I just adore:

I’d met plenty of handsome men before, whose eyelashes were just as long, and who wore scars like pickup lines.

Elsy’s sense of deliberate denial is also delightful to read:

Today, he wore a loose heather-gray T-shirt and dark blue jeans that he most definitely looked horrible in. He didn’t have an ass for jeans, I told myself, and I didn’t take note of the way he fit in them. Not at all.

At the same time, the book seems to suffer at times from sloppy editing. I stumbled across sentences throughout the book that I had to read more than once, because something in them just didn’t work. And then there are plot oddities: On one page about midway through, Elsy is in the town diner:

“Ruby,” I called, putting down a ten for my lunch and scooting out of the booth.

She follows Ruby to the door so they can talk, and Ruby agrees to walk out with her.

But, as they leave, this happens:

So I put a ten down on the table for my food and followed her out of the Grumpy Possum and down the sidewalk toward the center of town.

Hmmm. Either someone in copyediting missed this, or Elsy overpaid for her lunch!

That aside, the story itself suffers under the weight of its “because magic” premise. I don’t need 100% logic or a scientific explanation to appreciate a fanciful romance, but the internal logic of the story felt to me like it was trying too hard. Elsy’s acceptance in the town, her romance with Anders, the explanation for the town’s existence and the characters’ lives — it’s all a bit crazy-glued together, and ultimately, the randomness of it all didn’t quite work for me.

However, I still found plenty to enjoy, despite the book’s flaws. Who can’t relate to Elsy’s sentiments about her surreal experience?

Every reader I’d ever known had wanted nothing more than to fall into the arms of a book boyfriend, some fictional Darcy, a shade of a Byronic hero, all their own. So I did.

Her real-life emotional distress feels all too relatable as well:

I was tired of being stagnant, I thought. I wanted to be a main character in my own life again.

While Elsy’s experience in Eloraton isn’t all that believable, the sadness of her past and her fear about taking chances again feel true-to-life, and it’s lovely to see her take steps to start risking her heart and embracing a more challenging future.

Overall, I’m happy to have read A Novel Love Story. While I didn’t love it as much as the previous two novels by this author (The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip), I still found it a fast, engaging story with some unexpected, creative twists. And now, I’m looking forward to checking out Ashley Poston’s upcoming 2025 release, Sounds Like Love!