Audiobook Review: The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Summer Skies
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrator: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: July 11, 2023
Print length: 352 pages
Audio length: 11 hours, 11 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased (audiobook); E-book ARC from the publisher/NetGalley
Rating:

New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan takes us to the gloriously windswept islands of northern Scotland, where we meet young Morag MacIntyre, who runs the puddle-jumper flights that serve the islands’ tiny but proudly feisty population.

Morag MacIntyre is a Scottish lass from the remote islands that make up the northernmost reaches of the UK. She’s also a third-generation pilot, the heir apparent to an island plane service she runs with her grandfather. The islands–over 500 dots of windswept land that reach almost to Norway–rely on their one hardworking prop plane to deliver mail, packages, tourists, medicine, and the occasional sheep. As the keeper of this vital lifeline, Morag is used to landing on pale golden beaches and tiny grass airstrips, whether during great storms or on bright endless summer nights. Up in the blue sky, Morag feels at one with the elements.

Down on the ground is a different matter, though. Her grandfather is considering retiring and Morag wonders if she truly wants to spend the rest of her life in the islands. Her boyfriend Hayden, from flight school, wants Morag to move to Dubai with him, where they’ll fly A380s and say goodbye to Scotland’s dark winters.

Morag is on the verge of making a huge life change when an unusually bumpy landing during a storm finds her marooned on Inchborn island. Inchborn is gloriously off-grid, home only to an ancient ruined abbey, a bird-watching station, and a population of one: Gregor, a visiting ornithologist from Glasgow who might have just the right perspective to help Morag pilot her course.

Jenny Colgan’s books never fail to delight, and with Eilidh Beaton as narrator, the audiobook of The Summer Skies is a total treat.

In this new release, pilot Morag MacIntyre is the youngest in a chain of several generations of pilots in the MacIntyre family. While her grandfather maintains the single-plane airline that flies in short hops between the island of the Scottish archipelago, Morag flies in and out of Heathrow as co-pilot on airbuses, working toward the day she’ll move into the captain’s seat.

After a near miss in the air, Morag’s confidence is shaken, and while she’s working toward returning to the skies, she tells no one how bad her fears have become. Meanwhile, after the incident, she meets a lovely guy named Hayden, an airline HR consultant, who seems like all she’d want in a long-term partner. They talk of moving to Dubai for the next steps in their careers… if only she can get back in the air.

When she receives a call that her grandfather is ill and unable to fly, and she’s needed back home to fill in for him on the island runs, she returns with caution. She still has time before her final simulator to get cleared to qualify for the Dubai job, and if her grandfather needs her, she goes. Still, Morag insists on sitting in the co-pilot chair, even though she’s been qualified as captain on the family’s 16-seater plane since her late teens.

When a medical crisis forces Morag to do an emergency landing on the isolated island of Inchborn during a wild storm, she’s left there for days, with only the island’s caretaker for company. Gregor is a taciturn loner, an ornithologist who really just wants to enjoy his solitude. But forced into one another’s company while they’re cut off from the outside world, the two eventually connect, and the time away from her high-octane life gives Morag the space she needs to think about what truly makes her happy.

The Summer Skies is a quiet book, with at least half of it focused on Morag’s few short days on Inchborn. And yet, it manages to pack in quite a bit of emotion, personal growth, and even humor. Jenny Colgan creates funny, memorable characters and dialogue that can bite, and Morag is such fun to be around. I enjoyed the dynamics between Morag and Gregor (not to mention Morag’s deepening connections to Barbara the chicken and Frances the goat). While there are many thoughtful moments in which Morag contemplates her life and the reasons she flies, there are also some sharp, dramatic action scenes (remind me not to get into a small plane when there’s a storm brewing… or really, ever).

As I mentioned, the narrator is wonderful. I’ve listened to her narration of several other Jenny Colgan audiobooks, and always love her delivery. She makes the characters come alive, and hearing the Scottish accents is lovely.

The Summer Skies is sweet and funny, a terrific choice for upbeat escapist listening and reading. The gentle storyline, flawed but relatable characters, and sweet romance were exactly what I wanted in a summer read this month.

22Jul2023

Book Review: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Personal Librarian
Authors: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: June 29, 2021
Length: 347 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Source: Purchased

The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian—who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true, from New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict and acclaimed author Victoria Christopher Murray.

In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps build a world-class collection.

But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.

The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths to which she must go—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

The Personal Librarian is a fictionalized depiction of the life of historical figure Belle da Costa Greene, a powerful figure in the New York art and rare book world of the early 20th century. A novel about Belle should have been powerful, but instead, it left me cold (and very tempted to DNF).

The set-up is intriguing: Belle’s family is Black, and her father is a renowned, outspoken figure in the fight for racial equality, justice, and civil rights. Yet (according to the novel), her mother realizes that her light-skinned children will have a better shot at successful lives, free from the rampant racism, violence, and segregation of their time, if they pass as white.

From her teens onward, Belle presents herself socially and professionally as white, and uses an invented Portuguese ancestor (and the invented name “da Costa”) as a way to explain her darker complexion. She makes connections while working at the Princeton library that lead her to J. P. Morgan, whose driving ambition is to create an unrivaled personal library full of rare and valuable treasures. When he hires Belle as his personal librarian, her ascent to influence, social acceptance, and power in the world of collectors and dealers gets its start.

Belle’s story should have been fascinating, but I have a feeling I would have been better off reading a biography rather than reading this novel. Too much is invented or assumed. Belle’s internal musings on race and identity provide the background for her decisions and actions throughout the book, but given that the real-life Belle destroyed all her papers and letters before her death, we can’t actually know what she was thinking or feeling.

There’s a romance (of sorts) with a married man that lasts for years of Belle’s life, and this is documented in real life through her letters to him (which he kept, while she destroyed any letters that she’d received) — but the fictionalized version of this story makes assumptions and adds incidents that apparently are not established by more than speculation.

Beyond the question of fact versus fiction, I simply did not enjoy the writing. I felt at arm’s length from Belle throughout, and frankly, I was often bored. The writing is surface-level, jumps ahead by months at a time, and didn’t let me feel connected to Belle as a person. Her emotions are understandable only because we’re told what she’s feeling, not because they’re tangible in any way.

Reading this book made me ponder a bit too about what I appreciate in historical fiction — and what I don’t. In general, I think I appreciate historical fiction more when it focuses on ordinary/unknown people in historical settings, even up to and including brushes with or relationships with real people, rather than taking a historical figure and inventing thoughts and feelings for them that may be nothing more than speculation. I’m sure this factors into why I didn’t especially care for The Personal Librarian.

As I’ve mentioned, Belle herself seems like a fascinating historical figure. You can read more about her via the Morgan Library & Museum’s website, here. I’ve given The Personal Librarian three stars — I’m glad that this book introduced me to Belle’s life, even if it didn’t particularly work for me as a reading experience.

21Jul2023

Early, late, or right on time: When do you post your book reviews?

Posted in Blogging, Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

I finished a book I absolutely loved this week… and I think I’ll probably hold off for another four to six weeks or so before I share a review.

Why?

Because it’s a new release scheduled for publication in early September. And while, I’d normally want to share my rave review immediately (because who doesn’t love shouting about how amazing a book is?), it also got me thinking about the timing of reviews and what might be the best approach.

The general rule of thumb for sharing reviews based on ARCs seems to be to hold reviews until close to the release date. Based on NetGalley confirmation emails, most publishers seem to request not posting far in advance, and some state that reviews should be posted no more than two weeks (or at most, a month) before the publication date.

And yet, when I go on Goodreads, I see reviews posted months in advance of publication (which Goodreads allows, although retail sites like Amazon do not).

There’s something to be said for pre-release buzz, and authors I’ve followed have explained more than once that all preorders add to their release weeks stats. The higher the sales that week, the more likely it is that they’ll continue to be promoted, or even that a sequel might be greenlit. Given that, it would seem like early reviews (especially super positive ones) can only help a book. On the other hand, if someone is hyping a book three months before anyone can even get it, will that actually make an impact on sales? Sure, other bloggers/reviewiers may go request the book on NetGalley as a result — but while that boosts exposure, it doesn’t necessarily translate into people making purchases.

From the blogger/reviewer perspective, I get wanting to share thoughts while they’re fresh, and I suppose some readers/reviewers like the idea of being first, even if that means reviewing a book that the general reader audience won’t be able to access for many months.

For me, my target review window is right on time, occasionally a little early (a week or maybe two in advance), and (accepting that life is not perfect) late when it can’t be helped.

In general, I try to time my reviews right around the week a book is released, or possibly a week ahead of time. It mostly comes down to simple logistics for me — no matter how hard I try to keep my ARC commitments within reasonable limits, I still always find myself with a pretty hefty schedule to keep up with, and it usually just isn’t possible for me to get out ahead of the publication dates — even if I wanted to.

Another reason I prefer “just on time” reviews is wanting to be able to talk about a book. Read too far in advance and share a review, and no one will be available to discuss it with. Sure, it’s nice to get reactions along the lines of “sounds great!” or “hey, I’ll check it out”, but it’s even better to find other readers’ reviews, share ideas, and bounce reactions back and forth.

Beyond that, I suppose I just see it as courteous to follow publisher guidelines whenever possible. Receiving access to ARCs is a privilege, after all, so I think it’s reasonable to be expected to stick to the publishers’ preferences when posting reviews.

As for late reviews… well, I try, but life gets in the way! With ARCs, I always aim to post by the week that a book comes out, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. A late review is better than no review! I’m much more forgiving of myself than I was when I first starting blogging and reviewing. Bottom line, I read for myself and my own enjoyment first and foremost. ARCs can be wonderful to have, but they’re not the only books I read, and if I need to delay reading or reviewing a book because I’m busy with other things or other books I want to read… that’s okay too.

I found myself in the unusual situation this summer of not having a ton of ARCs in June, so I got through a few of my July books early, and even read one of my August books. For the August book, I was so happy to have read it that I lost sight of the release date and went ahead and posted a review right away. Only after it was posted did I stop and realize how early it was, but at that point, there were already comments posted, so I decided to leave it as is.

Which brings me back to the book I just finished — the 17th book in the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire… which just happens to be my very favorite fantasy series. I would absolutely love to share some thoughts, but it’s just too soon — the book will be released in early September. I know if I hadn’t read it already and stumbled across someone’s review of it, I’d be pretty peeved at this point.

Friends, the book is SO good! And what’s more, there’s another installment coming in October — a first in this series, to have two new books released just one month apart. Will I read #18 right away? You betcha.

But as for the reviews, I think I’m going to hold off. I mean, I’ll go ahead and draft the reviews while my thoughts and feelings are fresh… but I’ll wait to post until the release date is much, much closer.

How do you approach early reviews? Do you time reviews to release dates, or post reviews whenever you finish a book, regardless of dates? Do you have some other approach entirely?

I’d love to know what other people do when it comes to the timing of ARC reviews — especially when you love a book and you’re dying to talk about it.

Please share your thoughts!

19Jul2023

New release spotlight: Be Sure by Seanan McGuire

Posted in Books & Authors by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Happy book birthday to Be Sure by Seanan McGuire! Be Sure is a brand new paperback 3-in-1 edition of the first three books in the outstanding Wayward Children series, released just this week.

Be Sure by Seanan McGuire
Release date: July 18, 2023
Length: 528 pages
Publisher: Tor.com

Synopsis:

Where it all began―the first three books in Seanan McGuire’s multi-Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Wayward Children series.

Join the students of Eleanor West, and jump through doors into worlds both dangerous and extraordinary.

Book 1: Every Heart a Doorway
Book 2: Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Book 3: Beneath the Sugar Sky

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Meet Nancy, cast out of her world by the Lord of the Dead; Jack and Jill, each adopted by a monster of the Moors; Sumi and her impossible daughter, Rini.

Three worlds, three adventures, three sets of lives destined to intersect.

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations / No Visitors / No Quests

But quests are what these children do best…

The Wayward Children series consists of 8 novellas so far, with a 9th coming in January (Mislaid in Parts Unknown).

If you visit my blog from time to time, you’ll know Seanan McGuire is an absolute must-read author for me. (Her October Daye series is my #1 fantasy series — long may it reign!) The Wayward Children books are sparkling, immersive, and tightly written. At novella length, they pack a punch, and each new volume adds new dimensions and layers to the universe of these stories.

Books 1 and 2 in this series are particular favorites of mine, but I’ve loved them all. If you’ve never explored the world of Wayward Children, this new paperback would be a great way to get started!

18Jul2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Books With One-Word Titles

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books With One-Word Titles — a topic I’ve done multiple times over the years (see here, here, and here). So, the challenge for me today is finding ten MORE books with one-word titles without repeating myself!

Here’s what I’ve come up with — all books that I’ve read within the last year or so:

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Reputation by Lex Croucher
Waypoints by Sam Heughan
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
Scorpica by G. R. Macallister
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Passing by Nella Larsen
Anatomy by Dana Schwartz

What books made your list this week?

If you did a TTT post this week, please share your link!

17Jul2023

The Monday Check-In ~ 7/17/2023

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

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

Life.

I took one day off last week to run some errands, catch up on minor projects, and just get a little more time to kick back — it was great! Sometimes, one extra day can make a big difference.

What did I read during the last week?

Be the Serpent (October Daye, #16) by Seanan McGuire: I did an audiobook re-read of the most recent book in the October Daye series, and was blown away by it all over again. (My review from last year is here.)

The Tempest by William Shakespeare: After seeing this play on stage at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last summer, I decided to finally read it too. I liked having the “No Fear” edition to refer to, and took the approach of reading the original language for each scene, then reading the plain English version for comparison. A fun little reading project!

The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon: A satisfying conclusion to this romance trilogy. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

Another fantastic Outlander episode this week!

And — big surprise — I’m still watching Manifest, with just a few more episodes to go. This final season is really good! I can’t wait to see if the show sticks the landing.

Fresh Catch:

I ventured out to a brick-and-mortar bookstore to use some of my store credits, and came home with these two books — total spur-of-the-moment impulse buys:

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Sleep No More (October Daye, #17) by Seanan McGuire: I am *this close* to finishing this book!! I wish I didn’t need sleep… I’d power through to the end!

Next up:

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray: My book group’s pick for July. I’m a little behind schedule, and I haven’t really been in the mood for historical fiction, but I’ll do my best!

Now playing via audiobook:

The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan: I’m so happy to have a new Jenny Colgan book to listen to! This one is lovely so far, and the narrator’s absolutely delicious accent is a huge plus.

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 144 and 145 (of 155).
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: My book group’s classic read — we’re reading and discussing two chapters per week, ending late summer. Progress: 39%

So many books, so little time…

15Jul2023

Book Review: The Hookup Plan (The Boyfriend Project, #3) by Farrah Rochon

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Hookup Plan
Series: The Boyfriend Project, #3
Author: Farrah Rochon
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: August 2, 2022
Length: 368 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

Strong female friendships and a snappy enemies-to-lovers theme take center stage in this highly anticipated romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Dating Playbook.

Successful pediatric surgeon London Kelley just needs to find some balance and de-stress. According to her friends Samiah and Taylor, what London really needs is a casual hookup. A night of fun with no strings. But no one—least of all London—expected it to go down at her high school reunion with Drew Sullivan, millionaire, owner of delicious abs, and oh yes, her archnemesis.

Now London is certain the road to hell is paved with good sex. Because she’s found out the real reason Drew’s back in Austin: to decide whether her beloved hospital remains open. Worse, Drew is doing everything he can to show her that he’s a decent guy who actually cares. But London’s not falling for it. Because while sleeping with the enemy is one thing, falling for him is definitely not part of the plan.

The Hookup Plan is the 3rd book in a trilogy about a trio of women who meet by discovering that they’re all dating the same cheating conman, and rather than turning on each other, they connect and become best friends. And while these books are romances, the women’s friendship is the true highlight of the overarching story.

In The Hookup Plan, pediatric surgeon London Kelley is the main character. She works long, stressful days at her underfunded public hospital, and always puts her patients first. She’s kind, caring, and supportive when it comes to the children in her care, but hard as nails and not afraid to take a stand when it comes to the hospital administration.

London has had a long, dry spell when it comes to men. First of all, who has time for dating? And secondly, after the disastrous attempt at dating that led to her meeting Samiah and Taylor, London has mainly given up hope — although the three made a pact early on to eventually find boyfriends by bettering themselves. It’s worked for Samiah and Taylor — both are happily in love. For London, her “boyfriend project” goal is to find a hobby, and while she’s gotten very into crocheting, that’s not exactly improving her love life.

At her 15th high school reunion. London is annoyed to encounter Drew Sullivan, her archnemesis from way back when. She’d been clearly and comfortably #1 in her class until his arrival junior year, but from then on, the two battled for first place and ended up as co-valedictorians. For a girl whose father only paid attention when she won something big enough for him to brag about, “co”-anything just wasn’t good enough. No wonder London resented and loathed Drew as much as she did.

But, adult Drew is charming and very hot (and very rich, although London doesn’t care about that). They have a no-strings one-night-stand after the reunion, which turns into a two-night-stand… until London discovers Monday morning that Drew is also heading up the team set to audit her hospital and recommend whether or not to sell it to a private company.

As the two continue their supposedly sex-only encounters at night and interact professionally during the day, they can’t escape one another’s company, and London eventually has to admit that maybe there’s more to their connection than just the (incredibly smoking) physical relationship. Meanwhile, her hospital’s fate rests in Drew’s hands, and she has big decisions to make about her professional future as well.

I enjoyed London and Drew’s chemistry, but other pieces of the plot felt underbaked to me. Drew is a former hedge fund manager who’s worth hundreds of millions (there’s an ongoing joke about how his fancy New York apartment even has views of Central Park from the bathroom), so why is he doing hands-on work at a county hospital in Texas? His new company and his role don’t make a ton of sense to me.

As with the other books in the series, the plot points regarding the workplace and the complications there hang too heavily over the romantic elements. It’s good to see London in her element as a doctor and a leader, but certain situations (such as struggles with the hospital administration) are left hanging, or are set up but then resolved off the page.

I wished for more time with Samiah and Taylor in this book. While the women’s friendship is still the underpinning of the story, it felt as though we saw less of them in this book than in the previous two. (By the end, it’s clear that they’re both doing well, experiencing great success with the professional goals they set for themselves, and are happily in love!).

London and Drew clearly have great physical chemistry, and even though it takes a while for them to acknowledge that they’ve caught feelings too, their progression from enemies-with-benefits to true partnership and romance is well described and seems well-earned. London’s family situation gets addressed as well, and I appreciated seeing how seriously she takes her role as an older sister and her commitment to making sure her father’s young children don’t have the same sorts of trauma she’s carried with her for so long.

As a whole, I’ve really enjoyed the Boyfriend Project trilogy, and The Hookup Plan works well as a grand finale. The women’s friendship is what really makes these books special, above and beyond the fun romantic entanglements.

Interested? Check out my reviews of the previous two books in the series:

Save

11Jul2023

Top Ten Tuesday: My daughter’s top 10 books from the past 12 months

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week is a Freebie week, so we all come up with our own topics. I was drawing a complete blank, so I decided to enlist my daughter once again! Not only is she an amazing human being — she’s also an amazing reader, so seeing her top 10 lists is always a treat.

She originally sent me a list of 20, but put in a valiant effort and narrowed it down to 10. Here are the books she’s loved recently:

Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
Love Radio by Eboney LaDelle
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The Street by Ann Petry
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? (I’ve read 3 out of 10, have one all queued up to read this summer, and have my eye on at least two more of these!)

If you did a TTT post this week, please share your link!

10Jul2023

The Monday Check-In ~ 7/10/2023

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

Life.

It’s been a busy few days chez moi! The sun actually came out over the weekend, so I enjoyed lots of glorious outdoor time. I also fit in an evening out with friends (which I haven’t done in a long time), and went to a local theater production with family. All in all, an unusual amount of activity, all really fun!

What did I read during the last week?

Ravensong (Green Creek, #2) by TJ Klune: Plain and simple, I’m in love with this series. My review is here.

Passing by Nella Larsen: I listened to the audiobook of this 20th century classic, with narration by Tessa Thompson, and thought it was so well done. Looking forward to watching the Netflix adaptation soon too.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston: A terrific time-slip novel with great romance and a wonderful premise. My review is here.

Thief Liar Lady by D. L. Soria: An interesting (but not entirely successful) take on the Cinderalla story. My review is here.

Pop culture & TV:

I seem to be repeating myself week after week, but it’s true: Season 7 of Outlander continues to be terrific! The 4th episode keeps the action moving forward, and overall, this season really delivers.

Still deeply immersed in Manifest over on Netflix. I’m now in the final season, which is where the show moved from network television to Netflix, and I feel like the production quality and storytelling have both picked up. I have about 10 episodes left — can’t wait to see how it wraps up!

Fresh Catch:

Earlier in the week, I asked for help in identifying a dimly-remembered book from my college days… and with my sister’s input, got the answer I needed! The book, The Wanderground by Sally Miller Gearheart, was available through my library, so I snagged a copy right away. I do have other books to read first, but I’m eager to see how it compares to my memories.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

The Hookup Plan (The Boyfriend Project, #3) by Farrah Rochon: This wasn’t exactly what I was in the mood to read this week, but since it’s due back at the library soon and I want to finish the trilogy, I went ahead and started it. It’s light enough that I should wrap it up quickly!

Now playing via audiobook:

Be the Serpent (October Daye, #16) by Seanan McGuire: I’m doing an audio re-read of the most recent October Daye book, getting ready for the release of TWO more books in the series this fall. Be the Serpent is so good and so engrossing that even thought I know what’s going to happen, I still feel like I’m on the edge of my seat the entire time I’m listening. (Here’s my review from when I originally read this book last year.)

Ongoing reads:

My longer-term reading commitments:

Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon: Over at Outlander Book Club, we’re doing a group read of BEES, reading and discussing two chapters per week. Coming up this week: Chapters 142 and 143 (of 155).
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: My book group’s classic read — we’re reading and discussing two chapters per week, ending late summer.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition): I’m reading the “No Fear” edition of this play — reading the original text, then the “plain English” version on each page. I finished Act III this week.

So many books, so little time…

9Jul2023

Book Review: Thief Liar Lady by D. L. Soria

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Thief Liar Lady
Author: D. L. Soria
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication date: July 11. 2023
Length: 416 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

“Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift–until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining, perfect for fans of Heather Walter and Naomi Novik.

I’m not who you think I am.

My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen–as the rumors insisted–in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.

My stepsisters and I had been trained for this–to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we want in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.

But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince–the wrong prince–distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created…and that could prove fatal.

There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.

In Thief Liar Lady, Cinderella is a con artist, a magic wielder, and a secret agent of the rebellion. And she still manages to charm the handsome prince at the ball!

Ash Vincent, aka Lady Aislinn, has been trained all her life by her stepmother Seraphina to be cunning, heartless, and in control. She can fight, she can cast spells using the rare and expensive magical substance known as lustre, and she can weave enchantments to get her way. Everything works according to plan, and Ash wins the love of Prince Everett at the royal ball, in the process captivating the people of the kingdom of Solis through their “magical” love story.

Playing up the story of a cruel stepmother and evil stepsisters, Ash wins the hearts and minds of pretty much everyone, although Everett’s best friend, Lord Verance of the subject realm of Eloria, doesn’t seem all that impressed. Now all Ash has to do is stay in control, keep up her facade of being a demure, graceful, kind and loving lady, and within a few short months, she’ll be married and secure.

But Ash has a secret agenda, unknown to Seraphina — she’s also in this to advance the cause of the Elorian rebels, and key to their plans is Ash’s ability to influence events from within the royal household.

The deeper Ash gets, the more dangerous her schemes become, and as the royal wedding approaches, the more conflicted she feels about sacrificing her heart for the sake of her mission.

Thief Liar Lady is an engaging read, full of adventure, danger, and plotting. Unfortunately, the early chapters of the book set up the premise in a way that’s mostly just confusing — we hear a lot about lustre, about treaties, rebels, and refugees, and even about agrarian reform, of all things — but Ash’s role and her alliances don’t become clear for some time. The history between Solis and Eloria is likewise muddled, and it takes some effort to puzzle out what’s going on here — and not in the fun, “ooh, give me another clue!” sort of way, but more along the lines of “I don’t know who these people are or what they’re trying to do”.

Eventually, the pieces get (mostly) explained, and by the last third or so of the book, I felt much more invested and interested in the outcome. Still, the court politics and alliances are not always clear, the use of lustre seems haphazard, and Ash herself seems to change course or act unreasonably more often than is helpful.

Overall, I liked the book, but felt that it was much too long and could have used a lot more clarity in terms of laying out the players, the stakes, and the background. When the plot picks up, there are some exciting moments, but inconsistencies and actions that are illogical take away from the bigger-picture impact.

As a Cinderella retelling, Thief Liar Lady provides some clever twists on the story, and I enjoyed it enough to see it through, despite my reservations.