The Monday Check-In ~ 09/16/2024

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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.

Another busy week, followed by a fun, active Saturday and a hectic Sunday full of running around to take care of errands. Definitely not the mellow weekend I was hoping for!

I’m getting ready to head out of town later this week, for a combination of a friends-get-together and some family time. I may or may not be online; we’ll see how much downtime there is.

Now, for the trickiest parts — figuring out the weather and what to pack, and deciding on airplane books!

Giveaway update:

I ran a giveaway this past week, with a choice of ARCs as a prize. The giveaway ended yesterday and I notified the winner already… but I have to say that I was underwhelmed by the number of participants. Granted, I didn’t make a big effort to promote it, other than my blog post and some late-in-the-game social media posts. Still, it made me wonder — does anyone else regularly run giveaways, and do you find them worthwhile?

Little Free Library update:

My Little Free Library had its first visitors this week! I found that extraordinarily exciting… I suppose once it’s been there longer, I’ll calm down about it. I was so happy to come home from work midweek and see that someone had taken three books and left three other books! LFL in action!

What did I read during the last (two) weeks?

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer: A Jewish-themed romance with some good elements, but a cringey sense of humor. My review is here.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: Contemporary fiction about a woman who accidentally gets involved in a stranger’s wedding. Lively, plenty to think about, and a lot of fun. My review is here.

In graphic novels:

I finished reading the Snowpiercer trilogy, then read the prequel volumes too. The artwork and storytelling in the original trilogy didn’t particularly work for me, but I wanted to see the basis for the TV series, which I love. (Only one episode left!!)

The two prequel volumes, which were released years after the original trilogy, were much more interesting to me, showing how the worldwide disaster came about and how Snowpiercer (the train) was conceived and created. I still don’t care for the style of the artwork, but the story was much more gripping, and I’m glad I read these. (Volume 2 — published in 2020 — promises a 3rd volume as a conclusion… but as of now, it doesn’t exist, and I can’t seem to find anything online to indicate that it will ever be released.)

Pop culture & TV:

Still watching season 2 of The Rings of Power. The last couple of episodes have had some great moments… but as a whole, this series often feels like it’s plodding along.

I finished Kaos (Netflix). It’s only eight episodes (no news yet as to whether there will be a second season), so it’s not a big commitment. I enjoyed it — there’s a lot of weirdness, but such a great cast, and never a dull moment.

And now I’m a bit at loose ends, not quite sure what I feel like starting next. I’m catching up on the Daryl Dixon series (spin-off of The Walking Dead), even though I never finished the final seasons of TWD. A new season of Survivor starts this week, and yes, despite how often I ridicule the show, I’ll be tuning in.

I’m on the fence about Dancing with the Stars — I don’t watch regularly, but if there’s a particular “star” who interests me, I may selectively watch. This time around, I’d love to see “pommel horse guy” (Stephen Nedoroscik) try ballroom, but I’m also a little disgusted by the show’s continuing to see anyone famous — including convicted criminals — as “stars”. (This season includes Anna Delvey… why??)

Fresh Catch:

Two new books this week! I’ve really cut down on the number of physical books, especially hardcovers, that I buy — but a new TJ Klune book is a must for my shelves!

And although I have an e-ARC and the audiobook for Jenny Colgan’s latest, I do keep paperback editions of all her books, and I love the cover of this one!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune: I really expected to have more time to read this weekend, but alas, it just didn’t work out that way! I’ve made very little progress… sigh. Still, the little bit I’ve read has been really good!

Now playing via audiobook:

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan: Same as with the book above — I’d hoped to finish over the weekend, but life got in the way! I have about an hour’s worth of listening still, and I’m really loving it.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

  • Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 73%. Coming up this week: Chapter 20, “The Escape of the Whitehaven Three”
  • Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Such silly fun. Progress: 19%. Coming up this week: Chapters 7 and 8.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Book Review: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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Title: The Wedding People
Author: Alison Espach
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication date: July 30, 2024
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamt of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe―which makes it that much more surprising when the women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns uproariously, absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is a look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.

When Phoebe arrives at the Cornwall Inn, she’s literally at the end of the line. She’d dreamed of coming to this elegant Newport inn with her husband, except now he’s her ex, her dreams of starting a family ended with unsuccessful IVF rounds and a terrible miscarriage, and her work life — she’s an adjunct professor of literature who can’t seem to finish the books she’s been writing for far too many years — is stagnant and unfulfilling. After the devastation of her husband’s betrayal, the only bright spot remaining to Phoebe was her beloved cat — but finding him dead one day removed the last ray of light in her life. And so, Phoebe has come to this fancy inn for a final night of luxury before taking pills and slipping away.

Except life seems to have other plans for her. Upon arrival, Phoebe finds the Cornwall stuffed full of “wedding people” — she’s the only guest in the entire place not connected with the over-the-top, super-expensive, weeklong wedding extravaganza.

They laugh and then trade war stories of their terrible flights here and Phoebe does her best to ignore them, to keep her eyes focused on the magnificence of the lobby. But it’s hard. Wedding people are much louder than regular people

Mistaken for a wedding guest by the bride, Lila, Phoebe ends up on the receiving end of Lila’s gifts and confidences.

The bride steps out of the elevator and into the lobby wearing a glittering sash that says BRIDE so there is no confusion. Not that there could be any confusion. She is clearly the bride; she walks like the bride and smiles like the bride and twirls bride-ishly when she approaches High Bun and Neck Pillow in line, because the bride gets to do things like this for two or three days. She is a momentary celebrity, the reason everybody has paid thousands of dollars to come here.

Lila is self-centered and outspoken, and when she learns the truth about Phoebe’s reason for coming to the Cornwall, she’s aghast — a suicide will ruin her wedding!

Phoebe realizes that she does not truly want to end her life, and instead begins to reengage. Finding herself pulled into the wedding people’s stories and intrigues, she becomes an active part of the events, the planning, and the secrets and woes of the various people involved. Through Phoebe, we also learn much more about Lila and her family, as well as about the groom, Gary, whose story is sad and sympathetic, and his preteen daughter, who is not at all a fan of his young bride.

I initially found The Wedding People slow and not entirely interesting, but once Phoebe starts interacting with Lila and the “wedding people”, it becomes much more compelling. This is not an action-driven story by any means — instead, through the events of each day leading up to the wedding itself, we get to know the various characters, their feelings and movitations, and get a deeper understanding of how loneliness, loss, and family complications can lead people down paths they didn’t expect to follow.

Naturally, The Wedding People is also a send-up of wedding culture and the wedding industry, where the bride is always right, the wedding must be spectacular, and every detail — from napkins to chairs to the shoes of the wedding party — much be exactly right. The bachelorette party activities are so ridiculous that they’re both funny and pathetic, and each attempt of the bride’s to create a uniquely fabulous pre-wedding event is a testament to how out-of-control the focus on having a perfect wedding has become.

She can’t destroy a wedding. This wedding is too big to fail. This wedding is like the revolution of the earth. It’s going to happen whether Phoebe says anything or not.

The Wedding People is also unexpectedly touching. I found myself moved by Phoebe’s story, the emotional suffering she’s been through with the collapse of her marriage and the end of her dreams of starting a family with her husband. Because we understand so deeply what brought her to the low point where we first meet her, it’s quite lovely to see her find a new sense of self and purpose as the week goes on.

She wonders if her feelings for [spoiler] could be a new form of love, one she’s never known before: love without expectation. Love that you are just happy enough to feel. Love that you don’t try to own like a painting. But she doesn’t know if that is a real thing. She hopes it is.

Needless to say, the overarching concept of the book is funny in itself: Can you imagine being stuck at a fancy inn overrun by wedding people? It really does sound dreadful.

The Wedding People has many lighter, humorous moments, but overall, it’s an affecting story of loss, connection, endings, and beginnings. Highly engaging and readable — highly recommended.

Book Review: Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

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Title: Magical Meet Cute
Author: Jean Meltzer
Publisher: Mira
Publication date: August 27, 2024
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?

Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.

Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.

That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?

When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…

But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.

In this Jewish-themed romance, Faye Kaplan enjoys her life in the close-knit community of Woodstock, New York. After her fiance dumped her several years earlier, she sold her Manhattan legal practice, moved to a quiet town, and rediscovered her love of ceramics and creating.

A self-described “Jewitch”, she also discovered Jewish magical rituals, which she imbues with her own sense of creativity and spirituality. She’s still hurt and lonely after her break-up, and carries deeper pain stemming from growing up with an abusive mother, who eventually injured her in such a way that her dreams of pursuing her artwork professionally were shattered. Mostly, though, Faye is happy with her circle of close friends and a supportive community.

Her sense of safety is shattered when anti-Semitic flyers appear in town. Suddenly, Faye feels targeted, even in her own home. After a night of self-soothing via wine and magical rituals, she’s ready to reengage with the town’s rally against hate — and then hits a stranger with her bike, landing him in the hospital.

The stranger is tall, muscular, gorgeous, and red-haired, and due to the accident, has a head injury and amnesia. His speech functions are impaired, and he doesn’t know who he is, nor does he have any ID on him. As the hospital prepares to send him to a shelter upon discharge, Faye feels it’s her responsibility to take care of the man she injured, and against the advice of everyone who cares for her, she decided to bring him back to her home until he recovers.

Somewhat randomly, he chooses the name Greg, and as he regains his powers of speech, he and Faye get to know one another. He seems to be the perfect man — he helps her with anything she needs, he plays Scrabble with her, he reads her books, he likes her temperamental dog. But as Faye realizes just how perfectly he matches everything she might want in a man, she thinks back to that wine-soaked night of magic… and wonders if Greg is actually real, or whether she accidentally created a golem, a mythical protector of Jewish legend, called forth to protect the Jewish community in times of need.

As the plot moves forward, we see a growing connection between Faye and Greg, increasing threats from the anti-Semitic element hidden within the town, and Faye’s confusion about who (or what) Greg really is. There’s a lot to like about this quirky romance, but I think the author is trying to do too much, and Faye’s belief that Greg is truly a golem strains all credulity.

The sense of community in Magical Meet Cute is lovely. It’s easy to see why this town has become a refuge and a place of safety for Faye, a woman not truly recovered from childhood trauma and heartbreak. I enjoyed seeing her close friends and the way the people of the town come together in a crisis.

The storyline about anti-Semitism has the potential to be powerful, but shoe-horned into a romance, it feels a bit discordant, especially once Greg decides that the best way to protect Faye is to infiltrate the local cell of anti-Semites and figure out who’s responsible for their threats and violence. Greg’s investigatory scenes are tonally a mismatch for the rest of the book, where the romantic and mystical elements are emphasized.

Faye’s belief that Greg is not a real person, but is in fact a golem… well, it’s just so out-there that I couldn’t help engaging in some heavy-duty eye-rolling. There’s a scene of Faye trying to banish the golem that’s perhaps intended to be funny… but just made me cringe. Hard.

This is now the 3rd book I’ve read by Jean Meltzer, and while all three have been enjoyable in many ways, I’ve realized that the author’s approach to humor just isn’t a good match for me. In each of the books, there are scenes that are clearly meant to be funny, usually involving some slapstick or physical comedy, but they fall flat and feel embarrassing, not silly or cute.

The writing itself is also a mixed bag. It feels to me that the author is trying too hard to incorporate Jewish bits. It’s nice to have the cultural flavor, but there are times in Magical Meet Cute where it’s over the top and doesn’t make sense. For example:

Goddess give her strength. The man was built like a challah.

What does that even mean? Are his muscles braided? Because that sounds like it would hurt.

I did like a lot about Magical Meet Cute, but as with some of the author’s other books, the balance between light and serious seems off. Anti-Semitism and childhood abuse that results in a permanent disability are heavy subjects… and mixing them into a story where (among other things) an octogenarian delights in showing off her stun gun, someone uses kosher salami as a weapon, and there’s a running gag about Faye’s dog leaving… um… surprises on the floor makes this feel as though the author couldn’t quite decide what story she was trying to tell.

It pains me to not be able to rave about this book (and the others I’ve read by Jean Meltzer), as I love the idea of incorporating Jewish elements in a romance novel, and want to support writers who create strong Jewish women as central characters. Something about the writing style and approach makes Magical Meet Cute a mixed experience for me, and at this point, I’m on the fence about reading future books by this author.

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 anticipated 5 star reads

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It’s another fun topic for Top 5 Tuesday! This weekly meme is hosted by Meeghan Reads — check out the next batch of upcoming topics here.

This week’s topic is Top 5 anticipated 5 star reads, and the prompt is: What books on your TBR do you think might make your top 5 books of the year, or will get that coveted five-star rating?

I have high hopes for so many of my upcoming reads! Sticking to books to read (or being released) in 2024, my top five are:

  1. Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
  2. So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
  3. The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
  4. The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
  5. I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong

What are your 5-star predictions for the rest of 2024?

The Monday Check-In ~ 09/09/2024

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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.

I worked from home all of last week, mainly so I could be around to lend a hand as my husband bounced back from eye surgery. As of now, he’s back to his usual active self — driving, going to the gym, running around town — so apparently, my services are no longer needed!

We had a puppy visitor:

But the kitty was not impressed:

Bookish stuff:

I’m giving away some books! I’m trying to reorganize my shelves and weed out the books I no longer feel the need to keep — and that includes a bunch of ARCs that have come my way over the years. Feeling lucky? You can enter my Rafflercopter giveaway here.

And… drumroll, please…

I just set my up my very own Little Free Library! I’m so excited — I’ve been wanting one for years!

It’s only been one day, so I’m a little overeager still, and I keep checking to see if anyone has taken a book yet!

What did I read during the last (two) weeks?

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover: I read this the previous week, but just got around to posting a review, here.

And after the messy drama of the CoHo book, I needed some lighter reading — so my next three books were all contemporary romances that were sweet and enjoyable:

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine: Deliciously silly fun. My review is here.

Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon: A great contemporary romance set in New Orleans… and with oodles of doggy cuteness. My review is here.

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer: Romance between a self-described “Jewitch” and the man she thinks might possibly be a golem she created. Review to follow.

I also read a few (very different) graphic novels this week:

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang: Sweet YA graphic novel by the author of The Prince & the Dressmaker. It was an enjoyable read, but not something I found all that compelling.

Snowpiercer, volume 1: The Escape by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette: It’s interesting to see the origin of the TV series (which I think is awesome). The artwork is not great, it’s very difficult to identify characters, and the storytelling is confusing… but I’m continuing the series anyway. (Fortunately, my library had volumes 1 – 3 available, so this is a low-commitment reading experiment).

Snowpiercer, volume 2: The Explorers: More of the same. The story goes in a different direction than the TV series, but it’s still hard to figure out who the characters are and what’s happening. There’s only one more book in the original trilogy, so I’ll at least read that one, and then see if I feel like reading the two-volume prequel as well.

Pop culture & TV:

I caught up with the available episodes of season 2 of The Rings of Power. This season has some good moments for sure… but overall, it’s so slow. Or is it just me?

Over on Netflix, I started watching Kaos, the new series about Greek gods in a modern setting. Anyone else watching this? It’s uneven, but really entertaining, and has a terrific cast.

Fresh Catch:

No new books!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: My library hold for this book just came in, and I’m still in the early chapters. After a slow and somewhat depressing start, it seems to be be picking up.

Now playing via audiobook:

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan: This author’s audiobooks are always the best sort of escape! I’m still in the early chapters, but love getting swept away to Scotland…

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

  • Damn Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 by Maggie Craig: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of this non-fiction book, discussing one chapter each Friday. Progress: 69%. Coming up this week: Chapter 19, “In Sickness or in Health”
  • Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: My book group’s classic read! Such silly fun. Progress: 13%. Coming up this week: Chapters 5 and 6.

What will you be reading this week?

So many books, so little time…

boy1

Dreams really do come true! (Or, welcome to my Little Free Library!)

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, The Reading Life by

Consider this an early “happy birthday to me” present! I’ve been wanting to set up a Little Free Library for years, and finally made it happen!

My husband did the assembly, I added the flowers — and then, the moment I’d been waiting for: Adding my first batch of books!

Our street doesn’t get a huge amount of foot traffic, but we’re right around the corner from coffee shops, some small stores, and a few small eateries. I’m excited to see our first visitors!

For now, we’ve just had a few nice comments from people on the street. Meanwhile, there are books and bookmarks ready to be taken home.

I hope someone finds just what they’re looking for!

Book Review: Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon

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Title: Pardon My Frenchie
Author: Farrah Rochon
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: June 4, 2024
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley; audiobook via Boundless download (library loan)
Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The New York Times  bestselling author of  Almost There  delivers the start of a new rom-com series with an enemies-to-lovers romance, perfect for readers of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory.

Ashanti Wright is ecstatic over the success of her dog boarding business, Barkingham Palace. In fact, it has become so successful that Ashanti has plans to expand her empire with a doggie bake shop. There’s just one problem, the building she’s had her eye on has just been sold to the surly grandson of one of her favorite customers. 

Thaddeus Sims is not a dog person. He’s barely a person’s person. But when his grandmother is transferred to a senior living facility that doesn’t accept pets, the former army officer agrees to care for her annoying Standard Poodle, Puddin’. After all, it was with his grandmother’s help that Thad was able to buy the building that will soon house The PX, a sports bar/all-around hangout space for former servicemen that he plans to open.

Puddin’ and Ashanti’s French Bulldog, Duchess, have become a bit of a sensation on Barkingham Palace’s livestream because of their budding romance. When a video of the dogs sharing a doggy treat Lady and the Tramp-style goes viral, their owners are sucked into a media frenzy that captures the nation by storm…and creates some sparks for their owners too.

After loving Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project trilogy, I was really excited to see that she has a new contemporary romance series kicking off. The fact that it features adorable doggos and a business called Barkingham Palace is icing on the cake!

In Pardon My Frenchie (yes, that title is totally adorable), Ashanti Wright is a small business owner who works nonstop to keep her doggy day care going while also raising her twin teen-aged younger sisters. Ashanti’s business, Barkingham Palace, is very successful, but their small space means growth is limited. Meanwhile, Ashanti’s side business, home-baked doggy treats called Duchess Delights, is ready to take off — but there’s only so many treats she can produce in her home kitchen. Between that, and keeping an eye on her sisters’ school attendance, she more than has her hands full.

Ashanti’s dream is to buy a house she’s had an eye on, with a great location and room for her to expand both the day care and the baking — but she misses the opportunity when the grandson of one of her favorite customers arrives in New Orleans and buys it before she can even get an offer in. Thad is caring for his grandmother’s poodle Puddin’ and is skeptical of dogs in general and Ashanti’s business in particular, and the fact that she calls him out for buying “her” house doesn’t help them get off on the right foot.

However… Puddin’ and Ashanti’s French bulldog Duchess are in doggy love, and they’re a viral sensation thanks to getting caught in a super cute moment on the doggy cam. Puddin’ and Duchess’s wild popularity can be a huge boost to both Thad and Ashanti’s businesses, if they can get past their initial disagreements and work together. Of course, their immediate sense of attraction doesn’t hurt one bit.

Ashanti and Thad have great chemistry (just like Duchess and Puddin’), and despite complications, there’s no doubt that they’ll end up together — but it’s really sweet and enjoyable to watch them get there.

Farrah Rochon once again creates a compelling romance where the love story is just one piece of the greater story. Both Ashanti and Thad have really interesting businesses and backstories, and their family histories are well-developed too. They’re also surrounded by friends, coworkers, and family, providing them with much more in their lives beyond the will-they-won’t-they romantic entanglement.

I enjoyed Ashanti and Thad very much as people on their own, and appreciated each of them having a strong sense of commitment to their responsibilities, to the communities they serve, and to their families. Ashanti’s doggy business is adorable of course, and it’s really fun to see the ups and down of a day in the life of Barkingham Palace.

The book synopsis describes Pardon My Frenchie as the start of a new series, and while I don’t see anything online yet about a next book, I can imagine that Ashanti’s two best friends are likely to be the main characters in upcoming books, and I’ll be there to read them!

Pardon My Frenchie has terrific human interest elements, in addition to very cute dogs, and is sure to please readers who love a bit of canine fun mixed in with their romance.

A note on my reading experience: Although I had an e-ARC of the book, I ended up waiting for the audiobook to become available through the library, and really liked it. The dual narrators provide chapters from both Ashanti and Thad’s points-of-view, and give them each very warm, evocative voices. Highly recommended.

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It’s a giveaway!

Posted in Blogging, Bookish Thoughts, Giveaways by

Guess what?

It’s a Saturday, just an ordinary weekend, nothing in particular to celebrate… except I feel like giving away some books!

I’m working on downsizing my stacks (and stacks and stacks) of books and getting my shelves in order. In addition to setting up a Pango store to try selling some of my used books, I thought I’d spread the joy around a bit by giving away some books too!

I have a stack of ARCs that have piled up over the years — some I’ve read, some not; some were Goodreads giveaway books, some came through other sources. In any case, I’m ready to part with them, and what could be better than passing them along to another reader?

Here are the books up for grabs:

  • The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
  • The Girl Explorers by Jayne Zanglein
  • Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
  • Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
  • Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
  • The Magician’s Daughter by H. G. Parry
  • Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash

The giveaway closed September 15, 2024.

One lucky winner will be chosen! The winner will have their choice of one of the books shown.

Restrictions: Open to US entries only. No overseas/international shipping available.

To enter, simply participate at the Rafflecopter link below!

Click here to enter!

Good luck, and thanks for playing!

Book Review: My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

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Title: My Vampire Plus-One
Author: Jenna Levine
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: September 17, 2024
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance/fantasy
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

My Vampire Plus-One is the follow-up to last year’s My Roommate Is A Vampire — and if anything, it’s even cuter and sillier than the first book.

In My Vampire Plus-One, Amelia is a successful, hardworking accountant, whose large family seems to constantly have weddings — at which Amelia is on the nonstop receiving end of questions about why she’s single. She’d love to ditch the next wedding, but her parents would be so disappointed!

When Amelia has an unexpected, literal run-in with a good-looking but decidedly weird guy (he runs right into her as she’s leaving her office one day), he definitely leaves an impression, and when she sees him again at a coffee shop, they strike up a conversation. Reginald is a guy who is always up for a good practical joke, and he thinks the idea of posing as Amelia’s special someone at family events sounds hilarious. Also, he finds accountants incredibly hot (or maybe just a certain accountant named Amelia…), so that’s added incentive.

Amelia doesn’t know that Reggie (she refuses to call him Reginald) is a vampire, although she does clue in to the fact that he’s odd right from the start — both because of his interesting approach to style and the fact that he has absolutely no internet presence. But when he tells her straight-up that he’s a vampire during a middle-of-the-night phone call, she assumes it’s yet another of his jokes. A running stream of misunderstandings ensues, as he’s sure she knows something that she doesn’t actually know. You can imagine.

The fake dating trope works in romance because it inevitably leads to real dating, real feelings, real attraction… and yes, it all unfolds that way for Amelia and Reggie. Getting snowed in at an isolated cabin helps move things along — and Reggie listens to and seems to appreciate Amelia, accounting expertise and all, in a way no one else ever has.

“You have an exceptional flair for the dramatic for an accountant.”

“I have a completely average flair for the dramatic for an accountant,” I said, feeling a little unhinged. Talking to this man felt like trying to walk in a straight line on a listing ship. “Which is to say, I don’t have one.”

My Vampire Plus-One is utterly goofy, and that’s really its charm. You cannot for a second take this story seriously, and that’s okay. There’s a storyline that runs throughout about a group of disgruntled (and incompetent) vampires who are out to get Reggie due to a centuries-old grudge, leading to him constantly being on the run — but that’s just all part of the fun. This piece of the story ultimately connects back to Amelia’s work, and there’s an amusing showdown — there’s no real sense of threat or danger, and it’s resolved pretty quickly, but it’s entertaining to see how it all shakes out.

“Do you swear?”

“I swear it on the vows I took when I became a CPA.” There were, of course, no vows you had to take when you became a CPA. But he didn’t need to know that.

The only truly discordant note, from my perspective, is one explicit sex scene that’s way more graphic than it needs to be, and that seems out of place in a novel that’s otherwise full of silly banter and cutesy flirtation. Going a little more closed-door with this scene would have fit the overall tone of the book much better.

That aside, My Vampire Plus-One is goofy and funny, and is a great light read for when you’re in the mood for something fluffy. Reggie first appears in My Roommate is a Vampire as the main love interest’s annoying friend, so it’s fun to see him in a central role here… and having an accountant depicted as the ultimate sexy smart girlfriend is a total win.

Would you bribe your child to read?

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by

I just came across this New York Times opinion piece about bribing a child to read… and while my initial reaction was pretty strongly negative, I’m trying to back up and think it through.

The piece opens:

This summer, I paid my 12-year-old daughter $100 to read a book. As far as mom maneuvers go, it was definitely last ditch and the size of the payout was certainly excessive. I can’t say I am proud — but I am extremely satisfied. Because the plan worked. It worked so well, I’d suggest other parents of reluctant readers open their wallets and bribe their kids to read, too.

I can relate… to an extent.

My two children (now adults) are polar opposites when it comes to reading. My daughter is an absolute, no-question-about-it, you’ll-pry-my-books-out-of-my-cold-dead-hands book worm. She’s never without a book… often, many books at the same time. Like me, at any given time she’ll have at least one physical or ebook in progress plus an audiobook… and sometimes even more. I’ve never had to push her to read. From the time she first realized she could get through a book on her own, she’s never looked back or slowed down.

On the other hand, my son has never — to the best of my knowledge — picked up a book just for fun. He’s read what he’s had to read for school. And every once in a while, if I’ve placed a book in his hands with just the right timing, he’s considered actually opening it up and reading it… but usually not. The last non-school-related books he read were the first three books of John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series — but that was at least two years ago, and as far as I know, he hasn’t touched a single book since.

And let me point out once more — my kid is an adult. I can’t exactly threaten a 22-year-old with losing screen privileges or putting parental controls on his devices. He’s taking college courses and does the reading necessary for his classes, but that’s it. (He does still live in my house, which is probably why the lack of reading is so apparent to me.)

Reading for fun? He laughs at me and rolls his eyes when I suggest it.

Back to the New York Times essay. The idea of paying a kid $100 to read a book kind of makes my skin crawl. First of all, there’s the obvious element of privilege and financial status — offering this kind of cash to a child is clearly only for those who can shell out $100 without blinking an eye. But my focus today is really more about the bribery concept itself:

Why do we need to monetize reading? Shouldn’t reading be its own reward? Obviously, for book lovers, the answers is a resounding yes.

But how do we get our reluctant readers to pick up a book, for no other reason than to enjoy it? I don’t want to bemoan technology and how it’s destroying the youth of today. I love a good meme or cat video as much as the next person, and my husband routinely comments on my phone never leaving my hands. And yet, it’s also true that someone who loves to read will find the time and the attention to read… and someone who doesn’t have that innate love of reading simply will not.

After reading the essay, I briefly engaged in a thought exercise about trying to bribe my son. I know that if he’d only step away from his screens and put down the video game controllers, there’d actually be time in his day to spend at least a little while reading a book. To him, this just isn’t something that pulls him, and he has no motivation to do so. But if I dangled a cash incentive in front of him? Well, maybe.

And yet, the idea of actually offering money to get him to read is a huge turn-off.

Where does an incentive cross the line into bribery? We’re all familiar with library reading challenges that offer stickers and prizes for summer reading achievements, and I know many schools have read-a-thons and other competitions that tie reading to some sort of tangible reward. So why does offering cash strike me as a step too far? And yet, for my adult child, it’s really the only thing I could see tempting him. (Stickers will no longer cut it, alas.)

No, I’m not going to do it. But I do have a sneaking suspicion that if I actually did offer him $100, he’d be more than happy to comply.

I’m curious about other people with reluctant readers or non-readers in their lives? Do you offer incentives? Would you offer or have you ever offered cash? What’s your reaction to the NYT article?

I’d love to hear other people’s reactions on this! Please chime in and share your thoughts.

A final note: Upon finishing this post, I found a link to a post of mine from ten years ago about this exact topic — offering cash to my son to get him to read! My incentive plan topped out at $10 at that time… and as far as I recall, had no effect whatsoever. My offer of money for each book he read was not enough to actually tempt him. I’d completely forgotten about this post and the idea itself — probably because it went nowhere. Now, if I’d offered $100 per book… who knows???